Kruger National Park - Restcamps
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 19:49 | 
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When you want to stay overnight in the Kruger National Park you'll have to stay in a restcamp. A restcamp is fenced of from the park by electrical fences. In a restcamp you will find a shop, restaurant, campsite and different kinds of huts, bungalows and cottages which you can book.
Facilities you can expect in a restcamp
In all the restcamps you'll find a shop where you can buy souvenirs, groceries, meat, bread, etc. Everything you need for preparing dinner can be bought at reasonable prices in the restcamps. If you don't want to cook there's good news: all restcamps have a restaurant. During my last stay in Kruger (March 2003) I was pleasantly surprised by the level of service in the camps. All the restaurants have been outsourced by SANParks. The result is that the food and service are excellent while prices are still reasonable. The same goes for the shops. All the shops now offer the same range of items and are well stocked.
When you stay in a hut or cottage you'll have a bathroom, toilet, air-conditioning, electricity, a fridge a kitchen and a BBQ. In some camps the kitchen is fully equipped, and in other camps it's not. To be on the safe side I'd recommend to bring forks, knives and some plates. The huts and cottages I've stayed in were excellent. They were clean, well equipped and generally pleasant to stay in. I haven't stayed on a campsite yet so I can't comment on the facilities there.
Booking your stay in a restcamp
Make sure you book your stay in the Kruger well in advance of your trip. Don't assume that you'll be able to book a cottage when you're already there because chances are that you'll be disappointed.
- You can book and pay for accommodation online or contact reservations.
- All accommodation, ablution and kitchen facilities are serviced by cleaning staff on a daily basis.
- Currently bedding is supplied in all accommodation (except camping).
- Cooking utensils and refrigeration are provided in most accommodation units. Exceptions will be indicated when booking.
- Adult is 12 years or above.
- Child (2-11 years), under 2 years - Gratis
- Additional Person Supplements are applicable to those units where number of beds exceeds the base occupancy, if these beds are occupied.
Where to stay in the park
I've been in all the restcamps in the Kruger, and I've stayed overnight in most of them. I prefer to stay at Olifants, Satara, Shingwedzi, Lower Sabie and Punda Maria restcamps, and I absolutely hate Skukuza restcamp.
Accommodation types
Kruger National Parks offers camp-run accommodation. Each camp has its own unique selection of accommodation types. In the table below you can find the various kinds of accomodation offered in the park. Please note that not all the camps offer all these kinds of accomodation.
| Accommodation | Description |
| Camping | Sites for caravans or tents – most have power (except Balule and some at Punda Maria). Sites at lower Sabie have designated boundaries and own water taps. |
| Hut | Single room units with communal kitchen and communal ablution facilities. |
| Safari tent | Permanent canvas tent bedrooms on permanent platforms. Some have communal kitchen and communal ablution facilities, while others are fully equipped and have more luxurious trimmings. |
| Bungalow | Single bedroom units with a bathroom. Some have communal kitchens while others have own kitchenettes with basic kitchen equipment. Some bungalows have perimeter or river views, while others have been upgraded to luxury status. |
| Cottage | Single bedroom units with living room, bathroom and kitchen. |
| Family cottage | Multiple bedroom units with a living room, bathroom and kitchen. |
| Guest cottage | Multiple bedroom units with at least 2 bathrooms of which one is en-suite. Fully equipped kitchen. |
| Guest house | Multiple bedroom and bathroom units with lounge area and often with bar facility and exclusive view. |
| Luxury lodges | These exclusive private lodges, with a unique style and atmosphere form part of a suite of products known as SANParks "Golden Kudus", where luxury is the order of the day. |
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Last Updated (Tuesday, 30 March 2010 12:49)