The Kruger National Park is a destination easily reached by car, making it the perfect destination for weekend breaks and last minute getaways. From the Phalaborwa Gate, visitors have easy access to three self-catering rest camps positioned in incredible game viewing areas.
Mopani Rest Camp nestles on a rocky hill only 74 kilometers away from the Phalaborwa Gate. The camp lies in the transition zone between granite soils to the west and basalt soils to the east and is surrounded by Mopane trees.
There is very little that can’t be seen in the area, including hippo, waterbuck, elephant, buffalo, and even lion. There are some open plains that host animals like zebra, blue wildebeest, buffalo, and various antelope species. It one of the more modern self-catering rest camps in the northern reaches of the Kruger.
The experience at Mopani is a little different to other self-catering rest camps in the Kruger, offering day and night game drives, an in-camp trail walk, a sleep-over Bird Hide, Tropic of Capricorn, visits to the Pioneer Dam Bird Hide, guided bush walks, and the newest activity being a sunset drive and boma braai combo.
Shingwedzi Rest Camp has a rustic bushveld feel to it and is one of the main self-catering rest camps in the Kruger, positioned 109 kilometers from the Pafuri Gate and 137 kilometers from the Phalaborwa Gate. The camp lies in what many refer to as elephant country because of the large herds seen around the camp and in the area, making it one of the top self-catering rest camps in the Kruger for elephant sightings. You could see as many as 50 or 60 elephant at one given time. But overall the game viewing around the Shingwedzi River is very productive.
Experiences to be had at the camp include guided bush walks, day and night game drives, two bird hides, and a 4×4 adventure trail.
Letaba Rest Camp is only 51 kilometers from the Phalaborwa Gate and is one of the oldest and largest self-catering rest camps in the Kruger National Park. Positioned on a bend of the Letaba River and surrounded by Mopani shrubland, this area is the ideal environment for a number of big game and predators. It is one of the best areas in the park for game viewing. Letaba also has an abundant bird population and is well-known for its owl sightings.
Letaba caters to the needs of all travelers, providing the option of bungalows, guest cottages, guest houses, safari tents, rustic huts, and campsites.
In just a weekend, one could experience day and night game drives, morning and afternoon walks, and dining out in the bush.
