The provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo are popular with tourists seeking to combine wildlife and culture. Tourism Update investigates some of the best accommodation options on offer, from high-end to budget.

Blow the budget

Sabi Sabi Game Reserve in the south-western section of the Kruger National Park has opened two new luxury villas at Bush Lodge. Each includes two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a lounge, library, dressing room, patio and pool. Extra touches have been added to emphasise a sense of luxury, including a king-size draped four-poster bed in the main bedroom, and side-by-side twin baths with sliding windows opening to the outdoors. Guests staying in the villas will also have their own private game vehicle, ranger and tracker.

Singita Ebony Lodge in the Singita Sabi Sand in the Sabi Game Reserve, has just reopened following an extensive refurbishment. The lodge, which originally opened in 1993, was Singita’s founder camp, but the renovation has seen it receive a new and more contemporary look and feel. One of the most significant changes, says GM of Singita Sabi Sand, Graham Kennedy, has been the removal of many of the walls to open up the spaces and maximise the views of the Sand River. The lodge’s 12 suites also feature a new colour palette of black and white.

After a fire destroyed the main lodge, Mhondoro Game Lodge decided to use the opportunity to close for a major rebuild and refurbishment. The lodge, located in Welgevonden Game Reserve in Limpopo, will include a number of new features, including an underground waterhole hide that will be connected to the main lodge via a 50-metre-long reinforced concrete tunnel, affording guests the opportunity to make eye-to-eye contact with wildlife at the waterhole through a safe glass window. Another new addition is a villa, suited to family or small groups, with accommodation for six guests, along with its own kitchen, living room, dining room, gym and pool. It will have dedicated staff, including a chef, as well as a private game-drive vehicle. The lodge is also adding a new spa and gym and a ‘star bed’.

More Hotels has opened Marataba Trails Camp in the Waterberg region of Limpopo. This remote lodge features five suites, each with either a king-size or twin beds, a private shaded viewing deck, fireplace and en-suite bathroom. The camp is focused around the walking trails in the area. These range from river walks to special-interest excursions that focus on cave paintings and Iron Age relics, with guides matching trails to suit fitness levels and walkers’ personal preferences.

Middle of the range

Mabula Game Lodge in the Mabula Game Reserve in Limpopo’s Waterberg region, has completed a major refurbishment of the main lodge, all 40 guest rooms, the three suites and the conference centre. With a fresh and contemporary African look and new bright colour scheme, the lodge has added new linen, furniture and blinds, while all the bathrooms have received a makeover with new tiles, basins and fittings. The conferencing facilities now feature new audio-visual equipment, interiors, lighting and furniture.

Honeyguide Ranger Camp is a new camp (opened January 2015) in the Big Five Entabeni Conservancy in the Waterberg region of Limpopo. The camp, owned by Albatros Travels, comprises 13 luxury canvas and thatch rooms, elevated on wooden decks above the ground. All tents have private bathrooms and open-air showers, as well as a private terrace with safari chairs. Activities on offer include game drives and guided bush walks.

Budget-friendly

Wildside Safari Camp in the Big Entabeni Conservancy in Limpopo is undergoing a refurbishment (July-August). The camp offers 20 tented en-suite chalets (including four family tents sleeping two adults and two children), each equipped with a tea/coffee station, minibar, ceiling fan and hairdryer. The main area includes an informal lounge, bar, boma, swimming pool and curio shop. The camp will remain open during the refurbishment process.

Protea Hotel Malaga, near Waterval Boven in Mpumalanga, has received an updated look, both inside and out. Retaining its classic Spanish design, the hotel is complemented by the tropical gardens that surround it. Comprising 50 standards rooms and two suites, the hotel also features a restaurant, spa, swimming pool and conferencing facilities. Mark Satterfield, Marriott International Business Leader in South Africa, says while the hotel was originally built as a stopover, it is within an easy drive of attractions such as Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window and the Three Rondavels mountain range.

Following an investment of R320 million (€24m), Peermont Hotels Casinos and Resorts has opened Thaba Moshate Hotel Casino and Convention Resort. Located in Limpopo between the R37 from Burgersfort to Polokwane and the R555 road to Steelport, the resort features a three-star Metcourt hotel with 82 rooms, as well as a gym, swimming pool, restaurant and business centre.