Kapama River Lodge

Nestled between the Blyde River Valley and Kruger National Park, Kapama’s four individually appointed and luxurious camps offer an escape for nature lovers from across the globe. This untouched part of Africa is home to some of our most endangered, beautiful and fascinating wildlife.

Spanning 13 000 hectares of pristine African bush, Kapama offers the perfect sanctuary for a wide variety of wildlife. Here, over 40 different species of mammals including the Big 5 – elephant, lion, leopard, African buffalo, and rhinoceros – as well as 350 bird species, thrive in their natural habitat.

Visitors get the opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures in the wild with twice-daily guided game drives, nature walks, and once-in-a-lifetime elephant encounters.

Kapama’s four luxury lodges each have a charm of their own – Buffalo Camp delights with its old-world feel, Southern Camp offers warmth and hospitality, River Lodge is festive year-round, and Karula is breathtakingly elegantly. The more adventurous can also choose to spend a night in one of our romantic sleep-outs.

To offer visitors the best experience possible, Kapama now boasts a private aeroplane and airstrip to receive guests travelling directly from Johannesburg or Cape Town, as well as a courtesy transfer service from Eastgate Airport.

SPIRIT OF AFRICA
The largest of the Kapama Private Game Reserve camps, River Lodge’s wide, open spaces and airy design are a constant reminder that you’re sleeping under the African sky.

Besides the luxury five-star accommodation, River Lodge is more festive and social than our smaller, quieter camps, which is why young couples and groups of friends are often among our guests. Escape to a place away from time, and indulge in one of the finest safari lodges near the Kruger National Park, South Africa.

ROYAL SUITE
Relax and unwind in the lap of luxury when you choose one of our Royal Suites. Wake up in the opulence of your bedroom before wandering down to your own private lounge to make a hot cup of tea or coffee to enjoy from a recliner couch on the spacious patio.

You can continue to revel in your beautiful surroundings from the giant windows of the bathroom as you get ready for your day, as these suites boast en-suite bathrooms with dual showers overlooking the surrounding bush and resident wildlife.

A fully stocked minibar is available to you, along with international plugs and a lock-up safe. Air conditioning throughout the spacious suite will ensure you are always comfortable.

LOUNGE, POOL & COCKTAIL BAR
Relax beside a roaring fire in our African themed lounge or saunter over to the bar for a cocktail to sip alongside the sparkling rim flow pool, all the while keeping an eye out for thirsty elephants taking a sedate stroll to the nearby watering hole.

For something more indulgent, make your way to the new 12m x 12m pool & cocktail bar. Whether it is a craft gin or classic cocktail in hand, relax on a poolside lounger, or escape the South African sun under a shaded alcove, as you take in the sounds of nature around you.

DINING & WINE CELLAR
Explore our authentic African buffet around a roaring fire in the open-sided thatch Rhino Boma.

ROMANTIC DINING
Set in a dry riverbed in front of the lodge, dine under a star-studded African night sky.

BREAKFAST & LUNCH
The Siyadla Lounge boasts its own bar and lounge along with two magnificent fireplaces and glass stack doors that can be opened up to the surrounding bushveld.

KOSHER
On request, Kapama River Lodge can offer kosher meals. For information on our kosher meal options email our reservations team and they will be happy to assist.

WINE CELLAR
Our illustrious wine cellar is stocked with over 600 of the finest South African wines.

SPA & WELLNESS
Considered one of the finest safari spas in Africa, the River Lodge Spa is a firm favourite with all our guests. Lounge by the spa pool or get a quick workout in before you hand yourself over to our highly trained and experienced beauty therapists for one of our distinctly African treatments.

WEDDINGS
Begin your new chapter in the company of mother nature and all her glory. Have peace of mind knowing that Kapama will take care of all your needs, creating the perfect setting for all your new memories.

A wedding on the African landscape is an experience like no other. Whether small or large scale, Kapama offers spectacular views and venues that will ensure that your vision for your wedding is met. Your guests can enjoy the wild on a game drive while you and your bridal party have your photo session.

Let Kapama give you peace of mind by arranging décor, entertainment, a wedding cake and floral arrangements for the ceremony, as well as hairdressers and makeup artists for the bridal party. Give your nuptials an African flavour by adding the sweet sounds of an African choir to your celebrations.

PAPERWORK
Rest assured that Kapama will help you take care of all legal requirements for your wedding. While an ordained minister may perform the ceremony in the bush, the register needs to be signed under a permanent structure to legalise the marriage.

Should specialist attention be required for the administration of your union, Kapama can source a wedding coordinator to ensure that this process is flawless. Our stellar team is ready to answer any questions you have regarding legalities.

HONEYMOONS
Kapama offers a Honeymoon Special, which includes a complimentary bottle of fine South African wine for your safari honeymoon. Step into a fairy-tale and spend your honeymoon surrounded by the melodies of wild Africa. As an additional add-on option to your special occasion, our Romantic Sleep-out is the perfect Honeymoon safari experience.

A raised platform with a giant four-poster bed swathed in billowing mosquito netting, Kapama’s Sleep-out platform is completely private, deep in the reserve, and incredibly romantic. Enjoy an uninterrupted view of the stars on your platform, encircled by golden lantern light.

The platform is completely safe and animal proof, and it is equipped with a full luxury bathroom. For additional peace of mind, Kapama supplies a two-way radio and cellular phone. After dawn, the ranger will be waiting for your call to return you safely to the lodge.

GAME DRIVES
Two game drives a day are offered to all our guests. Accompanied by a skilled ranger and tracker, you can expect to encounter a diverse range of animal and bird species. Since this is a Big Five reserve, encountering lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo is possible over a two-day safari.

While seeing big game is always exhilarating, there are many other smaller species that are also captivating, and birding enthusiasts will be delighted at the approximately 350 species of bird recorded on the reserve. Throughout the day, it’s likely you will see wildlife such as nyala antelope, Vervet monkeys or even a few of the Big Five.

BUSH WALKS
Experience the African bush on foot under the guidance of a skilled ranger. Your guide will point out medicinal plants, insects and birdlife along the way, and share traditional tracking skills such as using animal footprints and scat to identify animals. This truly memorable, authentic and intimate encounter with nature and our wildlife is included in the tariffs.

PHOTO WORKSHOPS
Interested in a photographic safari? World-class photographic training by leading South African wildlife photographer Albie Venter is aimed at beginner and intermediate photographers. Bringing together like-minded people who enjoy both nature and photography, the workshop covers everything from operating a camera to how to compose and spot evocative images.

Whether you’ve never picked up a camera before or just want to learn to use the one you have better, the emphasis of the weekend is on learning both the technical and artistic sides of photography in a relaxing, natural environment. All appropriate genres of photography will be discussed, and the theoretical aspects will be taught during the sessions hosted in the lodge conference room.

Game drives, accompanied by Albie, allow you to put your knowledge into practice. Groups are kept small to ensure personal attention and to ensure all participants have ‘window’ seats. Private game viewing vehicles are allocated to host six photographers and one professional photographer guide per vehicle.

KARULA SPA & WELLNESS CENTRE
After a day out in the wild, there’s nothing more welcome than a pampering treatment. Surrounded by glass, our award-winning luxurious Karula Spa has an intimate connection with the bushveld scenery. This stunning Spa is a haven of relaxation and calm.

With four deluxe treatment rooms and a range of revitalising health and beauty treatments, this spa uses only the finest quality products, including the new range of BABOR professional skincare.

For those who aren’t quite sure, there’s always the Spa pool with built-in loungers and underwater jets or the hydrotherapy room with a steam room and ice plunge – and even a curio shop where you can find that perfect gift for a loved one back home.

KARULA’S WELLNESS EXPERIENCES
To find peace in paradise look no further than the ultra-luxurious Kapama Karula Spa and Wellness Centre. This African oasis provides a sanctuary for travellers seeking to add another dimension to their luxury safari adventure.

Whether you are looking for a holistic shift in wellness, a fitness-focused fusion or a deluxe pampering indulgence, let one of our unique custom-made 3-day Karula experiences whisk you off to a place away from time.

A NIGHT UNDER THE STARS
A fairytale experience awaits you with the Kapama Romantic Sleepout. Sleep in the open air on a private platform high above the ground, illuminated by a golden ring of lantern light. Begin at your sunset arrival, have dinner in the air from your private chef and fall asleep under a million stars for a romantic experience that is unmatched.

You’ll arrive before sunset to watch the changing colours of evening and sip a sundowner. The African bush fairytale continues with a five-course dinner served to you by a personal chef at an intimate table for two on the platform. Or you can enjoy dinner at the lodge and arrive at your romantic sleep-out venue afterwards. By night, it will be encircled by a ring of golden lantern light.

The platform and luxury bathroom underneath are both animal-proof, but both a two-way radio and cellular phone are supplied for additional peace of mind. With a flush toilet, shower and his and hers basins, the bathroom has all comforts catered for.

Rooms: 22

Price: from 763 EUR per night

Source: www.kapama.com