About Kapama Southern Camp
DRINKS INCLUDED! Wonderfully upgraded to a similarly stylish contemporary feel to sister camp Karula - the new Villas with their private pools are particularly attractive!
Kapama Private Game Reserve, with its portfolio of 4 luxury game lodges - occupies an area of 13 000 hectares of savannah and riverine forest boasting large amounts of wildlife. With 2 rivers flowing through the reserve – the Kapama and Klaserie – these serve as natural water sources for the resident wildlife which are regularly seen on your twice daily guided game drives!
Having 4 lodges of widely differing styles and price points, there’s pretty much a lodge to suit everyone at Kapama. Southern Camp is the latest addition to the portfolio, following the addition of a portion of land in the very south of the reserve (previously known as Hongonyi) They’ve taken over and have stunningly upgraded the existing property, resulting in a extremely stylish yet still family friendly lodge that offers warm hospitality and friendly service in a tranquil setting.
Southern Camp is quite a large lodge with its 25 rooms – these are broken down into 15 Suites and the latest addition of 10 stunning Villas (3 of which are Family Villas) The 15 standard Suites are simple and quite traditional en-suite rooms – but if you’re looking for a more stylish option then your best bet are the gorgeous new Villas with their travertine tiled floors and which are wonderfully spacious at 86 square metres, a feeling which is amplified by the high open ceilings and largely open-plan nature of the room design. The highlight here is the lovely private plunge pool on your deck, where you can chill with a sundowner whilst game watching at the same time! Then there are the gorgeous bathrooms, featuring lovely stand alone baths (nestled next to the 2 sided fireplace for an extra cosy experience in winter!) and the stylish packed stone feature walls that give the room a nice natural feel and stops them from being too clinical. For families there are 3 Family Villas which along with the private pool boast a separate connected bedroom for children with its own bath, shower, double vanity and outside patio.
Southern Camp’s attractive lounge and pool areas are ideal places to relax with a good book or to soak up the surrounding scenery and game. The open sided thatched lounge is actually one of our favourite parts of Southern Camp –it’s simple yet quite elegant and welcoming with its travertine tiled floors and comfy sofas. Alternatively you can relax and enjoy a cold one on the pool loungers as the friendly barman is on duty all day to entice you with his tantalising cocktails! The food through the day is served buffet style - the evening meals are set with large tables, each headed by a ranger and you are allocated to sit with the ranger that took you on your game drives. We love this as it encourages a friendly and relaxed ‘family' atmosphere where everyone can socialise and chat about the events of the day and what they’ve spotted on the game drives. The décor is contemporary, understated and inspired by surrounding nature – while the traditional outdoor boma is illuminated by firelight and starry skies enhancing the African atmosphere!
Throughout the day, it’s likely you will see wildlife around the lodge – nyala, antelope and vervet monkeys are frequent visitors, though seeing some of the bigger animals is also not uncommon! On your twice-daily game drives through the reserve, you will be accompanied by expert rangers and Shangaan trackers - one amusing review on Tripadvisor reckoned that they “could spot a gnat at 50 metres!” and you’re pretty much ensured of unforgettable wildlife encounters in the African bush! You can expect to see a diverse range of animal and bird species on the game drives - since this is a Big Five game reserve the chances of seeing at least four out of the five is high (those pesky leopards can be tricky!) but whilst seeing big game is always exhilarating, there are many other smaller species that are also captivating! For those birding enthusiasts you will be delighted to hear that there are approximately 350 species of birds recorded on the reserve! For something really different you could experience the untamed bush on elephant back safaris where you can view game from atop a habituated African elephant – this is guaranteed to be an adventure of a lifetime! There are also guided personal elephant interactions, where the elephants are so close you can touch them!
If you’re a romantic wanting something completely different there are also sleep-outs for couples – imagine an oversized bed festooned in white linen and billowing mosquito netting elevated high above the ground under the African night sky - a uniquely romantic experience!
