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There may be a utensils box that you can rent from reception.

Have fun.

Just something we did not think of when we last stayed in skukuza.......the communal kitchens washing up facilities do not have plugs........take one with. We now have one permanently in our luggage.

Our 3-generation family is spending 12 days at the Kruger December 2-13. We've been to Kruger a number of times in the past, but are having trouble booking the accommodation we wanted. We really wanted cottages where we could stay together, rather than risk being spread out in rondavels. There are 6 of us - 4 adults/2 children, plus a 1 year old baby. We're doing 4 nights in Shimuwini, and then wanted 4 nights in the Satara area and 4 nights in the south. No family cottages are available in Satara, so I booked at Orpen. What is Orpen like? Will we wish we had booked Talamati?

In the south, the only place that had what we needed for our dates was Pretoriuskop. Will I be sorry? Is it too far away from the best game drives in the south? I am wondering if we should get 2 rondavels in Croc Bridge, instead. Nothing is available at Berg-en-dal for our dates, and we aren't crazy about this camp, anyway. We'd go to Biyamiti in a heartbeat, but Biyamiti's cottages allow only 5 people, so we'd have to get two. Pricy!

We'd really appreciate your input. We're coming from Washington State. We love Kruger!

Hi YDJanet.
With regards to rest camp atmosphere, in my opinion the little bush camps (like Talamati and Biyamiti) will always be better than the larger camps. I can't say much about the standard of accommodation as we normally don't use this type you have booked.
However regarding the game-viewing: Don't worry too much. The H7 road and connected dirt roads between Orpen and Satara can deliver great sightings of any predator if you are lucky. We have seen wild dog, leopard and lion withing 5 kilometers of each other on this road once.
Pretoriuskop is not that far from good game-viewing areas and of course it is the best place in Kruger for rare species such as sable.
Enjoy your stay in our beautiful country!

Hi Moonflower, yes Tamboti is open for bookings. Not all the tents are operational but enough for the camp to be operational.

Pretoriuskop is perfect
Very nice atmosphere
Many nice loops
Like the hilly landscape
2 dams on route to skukuza
You wont be disappointed

Orpen is also a perfect small camp
With the best waterhole (the one with the cam)
Always something to see at night

The area near both camps will deliver lots of animals

If you all want to be in the same unit, then go for Orpen and P'Kop.

Kruger is always unpredictable, so you can book a camp that has a good sightings reputation, and just be unlucky, or in an area not noted for good sightings and be very lucky!!

Orpen is a lovely quiet camp, and as Bert says the Orpen waterhole (with webcam) is there.
Viewing is prolific all around there.

Pretoriuskop is very near the roads that are very good for leopard, cheetah and wild dogs, and the elusive Sable if you're very lucky!!

Good luck with your final decision, and hope you have a wonderful time.

We will be in the area at the same time, so we may even bump into you!!

Travel safely.

Hi YDJanet, Orpen my favourite camp and if you can get cottage no 15 you are near the fence and waterhole, we have seen lion as well as many other animals at the waterhole. On the H7 we have seen cheetah with cubs, lion ellies and buffx as well as all the usual game. The camp is lovely and peaceful sure you will love it. Enjoy your stay

YDJanet, you pretty much can't go wrong with Pretoriuskop. A wonderful rustic camp (I think its the oldest in Kruger) and sightings are awesome. I always include that camp when I go, which is about 4 times a year. I always see Lion, leopard about 3 out of 4 times, and the best area if want to see Sable. Wild dog has often been spotted around, though I have seen them more towards Skukuza. That loop around around Shabeni usually yields Lion and I seem to think there is a resident Pride there. White Rhino are in abundance, as are Buffalo and Cheetah has recently been spotted by Sharifa on the Napi Boulders road. Here I too have seen Cheetah with 3 kittens, and Voortrekker road is a marvel. Missed a lion kill by a day there once.
Wildthing has given good advice-check daily for what becomes available, and from experience, I have often found accomodation a day before I arrived. OK, that is just me, and accommodation for a single person is a different ball game to a family of 6. But worth checking if you want to go elsewhere, though for my money's worth, I'd say stick to your itinery.
And you could always check with Sanparks about the extra person at Biyamiti-as far as I know it is sometimes allowed, especially if there are children involved as 2 can sleep in one bed.
My 2 cents worth-American2 cents.

YDJanet,
since you are a large family, I will recommend Bungalow - BG6 (nr 40) at Pretoriuskop. It consists of 2 bungalows with a large bathroom in the middle. It is very near the communal kitcken and also near the gate, restaurant and shop. Each of the bungalows has 3 beds and in one of them is a large fridge/freezer, and of course aircon in both.

We have been there in May again this year and if you drive around in the area, there is an abundance of animals - big 5 plus cheetah and wild dog and most of the other animals such as raptors, smaller birds, various species of antelopes, etc. You can also drive from there to any place in the South including Skukuza, Tshokwane, Orpen Dam, Mlondozi, lower Sabie and even Croc bridge in one day.

We are staying at these three camps over the first 10 days of September. I have booked a Safari Tent at Punda and BD3's at Letaba and Croc Bridge. Can anyone advise me as to which units I should specifically request? I don't really mind where they put me, but obviously if one does have a choice it makes sense to maximise the experience. Thanks for any suggestions.

Funny, I was going to say tents 5 or 6.......really makes little difference, some of the views are better, other feel more "private"...

In Letaba, if memory serves, the BD3 units have facilities (bathroom/kitchen) but are not on the perimeter? Those would be circles A, and G for sure? Then I would go for circle G, maybe 90 - 92? Just do not get a unit close to the shop. There is a fair amount of traffic in the evening, rather spoils the ambience.

No clue about Croc Bridge.

Just watch out for the naughty monkeys at the Punda tents!!

We stayed 2 nights in tent number one (which is a unit for the disabled) last November, and had a visit both nights!!
We are fairly "park wise", so had no problems, but despite our friendly warnings, the people in the tent next door lost all their braai meat for 3 days!!

That said, it was a wonderful stay!!
Your individual deck will overlook a lovely wooded area, and various birds come and perch in the nearby trees. They are so close you can almost touch them!! We spotted several species that we'd never seen before!!

Apart form the unwanted vervets, we also had visits from a steenbok, warthogs, a gennet, and a scrub hare.

Can't help with Letaba and Lower Sabie..............other than to say they are both very nice camps.

Hope you have a wonderful trip with awesome sightings.

Look forward to hearing all about it.

For many years (30+) we always stayed at number 9 Croc.Bridge. This was when my late husband was doing the booking. However now that I go up on my own I have discovered that number 17 is the best, best unit. Right on the corner, can see so much in the evening. Have a wonderful time. Have only stayed once at Punda, but I think most of their tents are superb.

Hi all !!!

I am currently packing for kruger and will be arriving next weekend. Excited !!

May I ask if irons and ironing boards are available at Satara, Skukuza and Berg en Dal ?

Thank you !! This will help my packing.

Lavy