Kruger, South Africa

Staying at nThambo Tree Camp

nThambo (yes, the ‘n’ is lower case) Tree Camp is a unique accommodation set within the Greater Kruger area. I had the opportunity to go in early November with my friend, Shelby. Here is everything you need to know about our amazing experience:


Getting There

Shelby and I drove from Pretoria (with a quick stop in Polokwane), but the Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit is nearby if you want to fork out the cash to fly from Jo’burg.


Where you’ll stay

The rooms are absolutely gorgeous. They are elevated on stilts above the bush with incredible views of surrounding nature and wildlife. We even woke up to giraffes in the distance! Don’t fret, all the rooms have running water and hot showers. There is no fence around nThambo, which means wild animals are always passing through. In fact, once it’s dark, guests are escorted to and from their tents for safety. 


The Main Lodge

There are only four tents on the whole property, which means there is a maximum of eight guests, so the whole experience is very personal. Meals are prepared for you and the staff was very understanding of everyone’s specific dietary needs. Also, book in advance as they fill up quite quickly!


Game Drive

A one-night stay at Nthambo Tree Camp allots time for two game drives. One the afternoon/evening you arrive and one early the next morning (seriously, early). The evening game drive includes sundowners (South African for happy hour) in the bush, and the morning drive has tea and coffee for those of us who struggle to wake up at 5 a.m. 

nThambo is in Klaserie (part of Kruger) and therefore has the Big Five animals: elephant, water buffalo, leopard, rhino, and lion (based on the five animals that are hardest to hunt). However, we did not see a leopard or lion on our drives. I was a little disappointed, but I think the overall experience of staying the tents made up for the lack of sighting.


Bush Walk

Another awesome experience at nThambo is the Bush Walk. A trained guide (equipped with a gun for safety) led us on a one-hour hike through the bush. We saw tons of bones from old kills and our guide was so knowledgeable about the local bush. 


What are some other lodges in South Africa you love? Let me know in the comments!

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