Kambaku Safari Lodge — Hotel in Bushbuckridge

Kambaku Safari Lodge is one of my most favourite lodges in the Greater Kruger. I have travelled 15 times to the area and Kambaku has been a staple lodge on my itinerary for years now.||This lodge has a very special place in my heart for many reasons from the comfort of the rooms and main areas to the delicious food and the phenomenal game viewing.||I have had some of my favourite ever sightings at Kambaku including seeing lions kill a buffalo right in front of the vehicle – a sighting not for the faint hearted but ever so thrilling! We had a leopard kill a scrub hare right by the vehicle and Wild Dogs killing impalas before our very eyes …. These sightings are not for everyone, and the guides and trackers accommodated guests who didn’t want to witness this. ||Other wonderful sightings I have had include baby lions and elephants on every trip; there is nothing quite like the cuteness of a baby lion or watching a baby elephant learning to use its trunk! ||I have also experienced Big 5 in one drive on multiple occasions, seeing the Magnificent 7 on numerous trips including Wild Dogs on every trip I have been to at Kambaku, on one visit we were watching a pack of Wild Dogs when our Tracker Eric turned his head and off in the distance he saw 2 Cheetah’s, our guide Gideon drove us over to them and we were lucky enough to see them posing on a dead log and as we were the only lodge allowed on that particular piece of land at the time, we got to spend a lot of time with them making for my most special Cheetah sighting ever! ||Having said the above, it is very important to select a lodge that has extensive traversing rights in the right areas and Kambaku is one of the few lodges in my experience that has been able to drive wherever the sightings have led. Often at some other lodges the animals will run or roam onto land where the guide is not allowed to go, I don’t recall this happening with Kambaku. From what I have seen, they appear to have great relationships with their “neighbours” and they have a large area of land themselves meaning they are able to follow and track animals widely so the guests don’t miss a thing!!||I highly recommend a night in their hide. I have done it 3 times, and it is an incredible experience and one not to miss if you get the opportunity. You get to be alone and listen to the sounds of the bush at night in complete silence and darkness(there is ample lighting for when you want to it / need it…I just enjoy the darkness). You are completely safe, and you absolutely do not compromise on comfort while out there…..the bed is huge and super comfortable, there is a full bathroom with hot and cold running water, a proper toilet, shower and basin. Theres a fire for ambiance and warmth as well as ample bedding. They provided me an array of drinks and ice so I could enjoy a cold glass or 2 of wine on the deck while watching hippos out of the water and a huge elephant walk by and I even had lions drink from the waterhole early in the morning.||The last thing – but one of the most important - I want to mention is the staff…..I can’t speak highly enough about the wonderful team at Kambaku. The hospitality is second to none, they are available to you 24/7 always providing friendly 5-star service. They are always smiling and are only too pleased to assist in every way! Staff can make or break a lodge and at Kambaku the entire team is fantastic and a huge part of the reason I can’t stay away.||So, if you are still reading – do yourself a favour and book Kambaku….you will be blown away and raving about this lodge for years to...

My family of four, two adults and two teens, just returned from a three night stay at Kambaku Safari Lodge, and we haven't stopped thinking about it since we left. It's hard to begin to describe the magical place that is Kambaku.

The four of us shared a cozy family chalet, which had one king bed, and then two single beds for the kids in a separate sleeping room. The room was very clean and well set up with a large bathroom and outside deck. It is only steps to the pool and main lodge building. The rooms do not have WIFI (which I preferred having two teens with us...a great way to disconnect!) and they do not have AC, but the fans were more than enough to keep us comfortable (although the lodge is upgrading soon and all suites will get AC). The main lodge area is open aired and welcoming to all guests to sit and enjoy a drink from the bar or coffee/tea at anytime. It's a great place to connect with other guests to share stories from the day and to meet some amazing people.

Likewise, the meals were served at different locations on the property, and we loved the changing dining scenery. This set up allowed you a chance to mingle with the other guests, guides, Rene the lodge manager, the amazing staff, and one night we enjoyed dinner with Bryce, the lodge owner. My daughter, who is quite shy, said she did not think she would like this aspect of the lodge, but in the end, it was a highlight for her. Each meal felt like sitting down with family, and it was very special. The food was fresh and nicely varied, with breakfast having a plentiful buffet of options, then you could order eggs and other hot sides, in addition. The dinners were delicious, with usually a meat, fish and vegetarian option that you would select before heading out on the evening drive. The portions were huge and every meal was beautifully presented, with alcoholic and non alcholic drinks included in your stay.

The warm and welcoming staff, all inclusive food options, and accomodations, were all five plus stars for us, but the main highlight were our game drives. We will never forget the time spent watching the sunrise and set over the Timbavati, as we tracked all the magnificent animals. All the guides and trackers at both Kambaku Safari and River Sands are world class, and so passionate about their work. We were very lucky to be assigned Craig as our guide, and Jerry as our tracker, for the duration of our stay. I can't imagine a more cohesive or more knowledgeable team than these two. We saw the "big five" within the first couple of drives, which was fantastic. But it was the level of positivity and enthusiasm they had about finding each animal, and the amount of knowledge and the stories that were told, that we will always remember. My whole family was totally enraptured on each drive, and we did not want them to end.

It can be a challenging and very time-consuming process to research the perfect safari experience that checks all the boxes and at a price point that works for you. If you are looking to prioritize your safari trip with exceptional guides and drives, and stay at an intimate, boutique, safari lodge, then book your trip of a lifetime at Kambaku Safari Lodge! Our hearts are full...thank you for all...

Absolutely fantastic!||From the moment my friend and I arrives at Kambaku Safari Lodge, we felt so welcomed and taken care of!||We were welcomed right into the main lodge by Phumzile who gave us an orientation to the property and our room. ||The room was comfortable, with two twin beds, a nice patio area and a spacious bathroom. That is not AC, but in May when we visited the fans were sufficient. The room was always clean and they also offer feee laundry which was so appreciated as we were traveling light. ||The schedule at the lodge was excellent. After checking in, we’re still able to make afternoon tea, which had tea, coffee and some pastries and light apps. After high tea we departed for our afternoon safari, which lasts about 3 hours. Upon returning, dinner service was not far after. Each subsequent day we would have an early morning safari, brunch, high tea, evening safari and dinner. On each safari we would also stop for a morning snack and drink and a sundowner in the evening. ||The safari experience really could not be beat! Each day you were with the same pair of driver and spotter. The overall group size varied depending on check ins/check outs, but the vehicle would hold about 9-10 guests. Some days we had a full truck and others it was as few as 3 of us. Our driver and spotter were Dan and Stanley and they were a great duo. We saw the Big 5 regularly and Dan and Stan were great at doing what they could to help track and find animals we were especially excited to see. As a helpful tip, the mornings are chilly so wearing layers can be smart!||Kambaku’s location in the Timbavati Reserve helps the safari experience shine. While there are many lodges on the reserve, they work together to share where animals are located. The vehicles are able to off road but there is great respect for the animals- only 3 trucks can be in close viewing proximity at a time. My friend and I also visited a national park on safari, and that experience was quite different. We preferred Timbavati!||Dinners at Kambaku were also a treat as dining was communal with other guests and staff. The location rotated to different areas of the lodge, which was nice. There were usually 3-4 entree options. As a vegetarian/pescatarian, there was always a solid option. ||I would love to return to...