Tag: garonga

Garonga Hambleden Suite

Posted on by James

To the west of the world famous Kruger National Park, nestled beneath the norther escarpment of the Drakensberg Mountain Range, lies the 22000 hectare Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve. This secluded corner of South African bushveld welcomes you for an immersive Big 5 safari experience. High profile endangered species like cheetahs and wild dog are also to be found here, as well as a spectacular array of bird life, with over 200 species waiting to be ticked off by the avid twitcher.
The Makhutswi river wends its way through the rolling hills and grassy plains of the reserve, and perched on a slight rise within it all is Little Garonga Camp.


The three gorgeous suites that make up Little Garonga are completely separate from Garonga’s two other camps. All three are fully en-suite, thatched and air-conditioned, each with a raised deck, complete with hammock and stunning bush views. They are located around centralised indoor and outdoor lounges, with a swimming pool overlooking the bush.

The Hambleden Suite in particular is our favourite, and is a two-bedroom private villa suitable for a family of four or a couple who wants an extra-special and secluded stay.
The bedrooms are spacious and centre around four-poster beds. The hand-beaten copper bathtub is the highlight of the en-suite bathroom, which includes indoor and outdoor showers. The suite has a central fireplace, mini-bar and air-conditioning.

The indoor living space opens out onto a covered outdoor lounge and open raised deck with own swimming pool.

Little Garonga is for honeymoons and romantic retreats that deserve extra privacy and exclusivity. As a self-contained and run lodge, there is a private team of staff ready to meet all your needs. For a small family or friends group, Little Garonga is also an ideal exclusive-use lodge for a special safari experience.

With full exclusivity at Little Garonga your family can enjoy their own safari lodge while still being part of all the facilities of the main camp. This includes their own private safari vehicle and guide/tracker team.

This Big 5 wilderness celebrates South Africa’s biodiversity and wildlife conservation, and is now a sanctuary for some of Africa’s most endangered species. All members of the Big 5 and various other game were the first to call the reserve their home thanks to important game reintroduction progams.

Now, African wild dog, cheetah and pangolin populations also thrive here under the protection of K9 anti-poaching units. The endangered ground hornbill along with various threatened vulture and raptor species are a special part of the nature-lover’s checklist.

If you want a truly immersive Big 5 experience, away from the crowds, and with the exclusivity of your own private camp, Little Garonga is the place for you, and if you want to experience a home-within-a-home, the Hambleden Suite is a must.

Get in touch with us through info@iconicafrica.com to find out more…

Garonga Safari Co.: a Safari For the Soul

Posted on by James

The three luxury camps of the Garonga Safari Co. lie in the 25,000ha Makalali Private Game Reserve, in the north-eastern corner of South Africa.

This region of the country is wildlife heaven, from the Crocodile River in the south right up to the Limpopo River along the Zimbabwe border and flanked to the west by the winding foothills of the far northern tip of the Drakensberg Mountain range.

The landscape of the reserve is spectacular.

Nestled among spectacular granite outcrops, Garonga Safari Camp, Little Garonga Safari Lodge and the new and exciting MCH Private Tented Camp offer the discerning safari-goer a choice of exactly what type of bush retreat they are after, yet all three camps overlap in their safari-for-the-soul ethos, immersing guests in nature by slowing life down to the pace at which one can really get in touch with everything going on around you, but most importantly, with oneself.

Enjoy a refreshing swim in the drowsy warmth of the afternoon…
The game drive is the core of the safari experience, and the wildlife of Makalali won’t disappoint…

The Makalali Private Game Reserve in which the camps are situated is a stunning area of varying topography, offering ten kilometres of river frontage of the Selati River, and containing a superb diversity of wildlife, including Africa’s Big 5. Twice daily game drives with experienced guides and trackers are sure to keep your pulse elevated as the excitement of the bush unfolds around you.

Be prepared for close encounters with Africa’s spectacular wildlife…

The three Garonga accommodation options are as follows:

Garonga Safari Camp

The quintessential luxury tented experience, in which all your needs are catered for, every comfort is on hand, and yet you still feel utterly connected to the wilderness that surrounds you.
An open plan main area and deck at Garonga Safari Camp provides a stunning view down onto the riverbed below, which regularly plays host to a whole ensemble of wildlife, elephants in particular.
The six luxury en-suite units are really what it’s all about though,

Elephants are regular visitors to the camp.
Unobstructed views out into the bush are a feature of the rooms at Garonga Safari Camp.

With only canvas between you and the African bush, your experience is enhanced that much more by a heightening of the senses, reawakening those intrinsic primeval instincts that lie dormant in all of us. Lie awake at night listening to the distant roar of a lion, or the soft warble of the Fiery-necked Nightjar.

The main deck of Garonga Safari Camp provides a wonderful immersion into the bush.

Little Garonga

The smaller version of the Safari Camp, Little Garonga offers a slightly more private and personalised getaway, with only three thatched and air-conditioned suites. The Hambleden suite sleeps a family of four comfortably, whilst the slightly smaller Chiltern and Buckingham suites are designed for couples.

Little Garonga is aimed at those who want privacy and exclusivity, and is perfect for small groups or a travelling family.

MCH Private Tented Camp

The newest of the Garonga offerings, the solar powered and self-contained MCH Tented camp is ideally placed on a beautiful granite koppie (outcrop) with spectacular views over the bushveld below.
MCH has its own game drive vehicle, own staff, and operates independently from the other Garonga camps, meaning total serenity in a camp that is all yours.
Longer-stay guests need not fret about being isolated; a library featuring WiFi is available should you need to remain connected to what’s happening back home.

The luxury tents at MCH private tented camp make you feel as if you are part of the wilderness.
A bath under the southern stars is an option from all the Garonga camps…

If it is an African safari in its purest form that you seek, distilled down to the fundamentals of what makes it so moving, the Garonga experience is what you are after. Authentic bush accommodation, wildlife passing below your deck at all hours of the day and a diverse set of extra offerings – bathing under the stars or even sleeping on an open wilderness deck – that add that magical finish to your stay; all are part of the offering at Garonga Safari co.

Click here if you would like to contact one of our sales team to enquire more…