Kapama Private Game Reserve

Kapama Private Game Reserve covers thirteen thousand hectares near Kruger National Park, unfenced with the larger park so that elephant, lion and leopard move freely through the reserve. It is home to the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo — and offers twice-daily game drives across its diverse ecosystems, from open grasslands to rocky outcrops and riverine forests.

You stay in one of four lodges, each set for a different kind of stay: River Lodge for a lively, social base; Buffalo Camp for a tented safari experience; Southern Camp for families; and Kapama Karula for private villas. Each lodge has its own dining, pool and spa facilities, and all include twice-daily game drives with experienced guides and trackers. Morning drives start cold and golden; afternoon drives return in the dusk.

The Klaserie River runs through the reserve, drawing wildlife year-round and cooling the lodges built along its banks. The riverine forests and wetlands support over three hundred and fifty bird species, making Kapama a destination for birdwatchers as well as safari-goers.

Kapama is a fifteen-minute transfer from Hoedspruit’s Eastgate Airport, with open Land Rovers meeting flights directly.