Kambaku River Sands — Hotel in Bushbuckridge

Our family of 4 stayed three nights at Kambaku ("KRS"). it was our first safari trip that included visits to two other reserves, one public (Zambezi Game Reserve) and another private reserve in Zimbabwe. Overall, the experience at KRS was excellent. The service levels and friendliness of all staff were excellent; they catered to all of our needs. The cabin (solid walls and structured roof) was extremely well equipped with everything you needed and wanted. The cabins provided plenty of power outlets (Type C, G and M), mosquito repellent and insect spray for the room. Bathrooms are downright luxurious given the location of the camp. However, travelling in August, as others have mentioned, it was cooler (8-12 degrees C) in the early mornings. Dress properly (ie. Fall weight coat or equivalent and touque. Gloves and scarf for optional comfort, best in layers). It also helps to wear sunglasses during the drive, as it keeps the wind from drying out your contact lenses. KRS provided blankets and rain ponchos for the Jeep. The jeeps are open top, so a good hat and sunscreen is a must but great views, especially for birding. We shared the jeep with other guests but were driven by a Guide together with a Tracker. However, other guests whom we met shared their jeep with another couple that complained incessantly throughout their drives. Fortunately, we did not have that issue but you could request a private drive at additional cost if that is important to you. Staff: Our Guide (Jaryd) and Tracker (Douglas) were a great combination that provided unprompted commentary, insight and knowledge and did a great job accommodating the needs of both parties. Cordelia and Lalla (Managers) were super competent, friendly and engaging to a fault. The whole experience had a family-friendly feel that added to a great over-the-top experience. Special mention also goes out to another Guide (Guy) which is all to say that the staff are off-the-charts wonderful. The Schedule: KRS is fairly structured with a 5:15am wake up call, followed by an optional breakfast and morning drives start at 5:45am. Brunch at 10am, afternoon tea at 3pm, 3:30pm drive and drinks and dinner at 7:00pm. This would vary depending on the season from what was explained to us. Food and Drink: Each day, KRS offers a reasonable choice between two main dishes and two desserts. Two Starters were consistent for all guests. You are in for a treat if someone is celebrating a birthday, tell them it's your birthday even if you have to fib, the song by the staff is worth the price of admission! There is a bar area if you like to mingle with other guests but meals are a group concept. It is probably possible to ask for a separate table if you are not up to sharing the time with other guests. Regarding neutral colour clothing, except for the bush walk, where they insist on not wearing bright colours, you can wear whatever you want. This was our experience at both private game reserves, so you don't need to run out and buy special clothes!. KRS provides end-of-day laundry service, including undergarments. We over-packed. For photography buffs, i would highly recommend at least a 100- 400mm zoom lens. While I brought two FF bodies, 70-200mm and 28-70mm, 90% of the photos were taken with the 100-400mm. If you are into birds, 600 or 800mm would be ideal, as the 400mm was not quite long enough. Binoculars are essential, even though the Guide gets you close to the action. Don't be that guest who imposes on the Guide to use their equipment! The pool right by the restaurant provides an excellent view of Elephants who regularly visit for a drink of water. KRS is slightly denser and dirt track when we were there, which translates into slightly dustier conditions. A bandana/scarf may be helpful to filter out unwanted dust during a drive. In summary, KRS's is a great Safari Camp defined by a luxurious experience, well-appointed cabins, extremely friendly staff that cater to your needs, and structured activities that balances your busy day. It would certainly be one of the camps in South Africa that I would recommend to friends and family. PS: we saw almost every animal (except Cheetahs as the terrain is not as inviting for those cats (less open fields) including 50+ bird species. We were extremely lucky to witness three kills by Lions (twice) and wild dogs but that was just luck-of-the-draw and timing. Thanks, Kambaku River Sands for a great and unforgettable...

We were on a 2 week trip in South Africa, and stayed at 3 different safari lodges. Kambaku River Sands topped the experience for us, and set the bar so high that every other accomodation we stayed at pales in comparison to their service.

Staff & service: We were well-taken care of by the entire team, but the 10 star service from start to end were from our guide Phanuel (Phany), and Cordy the lodge manager. On arrival and seeing my wife's injured ankle, Cordy promptly made arrangements to use their golf cart to transport us within the lodge (even though the walking distance is manageable). Phany ferried us before and after game drives without fail. They also brought a small ladder along with game drives so that it is easier for my wife to climb up and down the land rover. A nice touch: Staff members including Phany and Cordy also sometimes sat with us during meals, and shared their candid stories. Made the whole experience even better as it gave a sense of intimacy. At no point in time did we ever feel that our needs were neglected nor overlooked. Other general staff were attentive and happy to assist with our requests.

Game drives: Generally good sightings. We saw all of the Big Five within 2 drives, but do manage your expectations on what you would see as every single drive is different and we are dealing with wildlife. The guide and trackers go out of their way to try to give you the best possible sighting. Jerry our tracker made a great team with Phany and was warm and approachable! You can expect comfortable rides despite bumpy roads (unlike another lodge where we experienced the guide racing from point to point not necessarily with an objective, risking guests' injury). Winter mornings are unbearably cold, made worse with the wind. They not only provide blankets but also hot water bottles! Phany took the time to answer all our questions and share his knowledge; anything from the Big Five to animal dung!

Rooms & Food: Overall setting is beautiful and unfenced, but does have electric fences to keep out bigger game. If you are lucky like us, you can see elephants walking by the bush right outside your room or even outside the dining area. Rooms are lavish, beautifully decorated and have all the amenities you need, even in-room wifi! (speed was good at that). The daily complimentary laundry service was the cherry on top. Also no complaints with the food, wonderfully presented and they changed where we ate each dinner to keep things fresh.

Thank you once again to the team at Kambaku River Sands, Phany, Jerry and Cordy! You made our experience...

We were on a 2 week trip in South Africa, and stayed at 3 different safari lodges. Kambaku River Sands topped the experience for us, and set the bar so high that every other accomodation we stayed at pales in comparison to their service.||Staff & service:|- We were well-taken care of by the entire team, but the 10 star service from start to end were from our guide Phanuel (Phany), and Cordy the lodge manager.|- On arrival and seeing my wife's injured ankle, Cordy promptly made arrangements to use their golf cart to transport us within the lodge (even though the walking distance is manageable). Phany ferried us before and after game drives without fail. |- They also brought a small ladder along with game drives so that it is easier for my wife to climb up and down the land rover.|-  A nice touch: Staff members including Phany and Cordy also sometimes sat with us during meals, and shared their candid stories. Made the whole experience even better as it gave a sense of intimacy.|-  At no point in time did we ever feel that our needs were neglected nor overlooked. Other general staff were attentive and happy to assist with our requests.||Game drives:|- Generally good sightings. We saw all of the Big Five within 2 drives, but do manage your expectations on what you would see as every single drive is different and we are dealing with wildlife. The guide and trackers go out of their way to try to give you the best possible sighting. Jerry our tracker made a great team with Phany and was warm and approachable! |- You can expect comfortable rides despite bumpy roads (unlike another lodge where we experienced the guide racing from point to point not necessarily with an objective, risking guests' injury).|- Phany took the time to answer all our questions and share his knowledge - anything from the Big Five to animal dung!||Rooms & Food:|- Overall setting is beautiful and unfenced, but does have electric fences to keep out bigger game. If you are lucky like us, you can see elephants walking by the bush right outside your room or even outside the dining area.|- Rooms are lavish, beautifully decorated and have all the amenities you need, even in-room wifi! (speed was good at that). The daily complimentary laundry service was the cherry on top.|- Also no complaints with the food, wonderfully presented and they changed where we ate each dinner to keep things fresh.||Thank you once again to the team at Kambaku River Sands, Phany, Jerry and Cordy! You made our experience...