The Best Hotel in Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park, South Africa

You may be in darkest Africa, but you'll be amazed by the very high standards you'll encounter for both service and accommodations. The latter range from fairly basic in the Kruger Park huts to the ultimate in luxury at most of the private camps. You may forget that you are in the bush until an elephant strolls past. The advantage of a private lodge (apart from superb game-viewing) is that often everything is included—lodging, meals, beverages, including excellent house wines, game drives, and other activities. It's essential to note that there are no elevators in any lodging facility in Mpumalanga or in Kruger.

Prices at most guest establishments on the escarpment include a three- to five-course dinner plus a full English breakfast. Most places have at least one vegetarian course on the menu. Many lodges and hotels offer special midweek or winter low-season rates. If you're opting for a private game lodge, find out whether they accept children (many specify only kids over 12), and stay a minimum of two nights, three if you can.

In Kruger National Park you have the choice between budget self-catering huts from R530 per person per night and much more expensive (but worth it) self-catering cottages in the more remote and exclusive bushveld (bushveld is the generic term for the wild indigenous vegetation of the lowveld) camps, which range from R580 to R685 per person. Visit the South African National Parks website (www.sanparks.org) to get information and book accommodations. Make sure you book well in advance and, if possible, avoid July, August, and December, which are South African school vacations.