49 Best Hotels in Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park, South Africa

Guests return again and again to this classic safari lodge with its timeless Out of Africa ambience. A massive, double-sided fireplace dominates the lodge, opening onto a lounge filled with elegant comfy sofas and chairs on one side and a dining room on the other. Dinner at Ngala is quite formal (kids on their best behavior, please!); it's served in a reed-enclosed boma or a tree-filled courtyard lighted by lanterns with crystal and silver. Comfortably furnished air-conditioned guest cottages, in mopane shrubveld with no views, comprise two rooms, each with its own thatch verandah. However, you can easily make up for the lack of room view with an overnight stay at the luxurious andBeyond Ngala Treehouse (can be added on to any stay at andBeyond Ngala Safari Lodge or andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp). The remote off-the-grid sanctuary soars 39 feet into the air offering sublime birds-eye scenery. There's a full bathroom with an outdoor shower and two sleeping areas—one covered and weatherproofed, the other an open-sky sleep-out platform for the outstanding star-gazing.

In the center of Kruger, Olifants has the best setting of all the camps: high atop cliffs on a rocky ridge with panoramic views of the distant hills and the Olifants River below. A lovely thatch-sheltered terrace allows you to sit for hours with binoculars and pick out the animals below. Lions often make kills in the river valley, and elephants, buffalo, giraffes, kudu, and other game come to drink and bathe. Try to book one of the thatch rondavels overlooking the river. It's a charming old camp, graced with wonderful indigenous trees. The only drawback, particularly in summer, is there's no pool.

Don't dismiss this tiny, underappreciated rest camp on Kruger's western border in the center of the park because of its proximity to the Orpen Gate. It may not be the most attractive camp—the rooms, arranged in a rough semicircle around a large lawn, look out toward the perimeter fence, about 150 feet away—but there's a permanent waterhole where animals come to drink, and plenty of game is in the vicinity, including cheetahs, lions, and rhinos. The two-bedroom huts are a bit sparse, without bathrooms or cooking facilities (although there are good communal ones), but there are three comfortable family cottages with bathrooms and kitchenettes. And it's a blissfully quiet camp, as there are so few accommodations.

This large, nostalgically old-fashioned camp, close to the Numbi Gate in southwest Kruger, makes a good overnight stop or touring base. The rocky kopjes and steep ridges that characterize the surrounding landscape provide ideal habitat for mountain reedbuck and klipspringers—antelope not always easily seen elsewhere in the park. The area's sourveld—so named because its vegetation is less sweet and attractive to herbivores than other kinds of vegetation—also attracts browsers like giraffes and kudu, as well as white rhinos, lions, and wild dogs. There's not a lot of privacy in the camp—accommodations (rondavels, bungalows, cottages, and guesthouses) tend to overlook each other—but there is some shade, plus a great swimming pool set into the rock. Some great-value accommodation in the huts if you're willing to share communal bathrooms and outdoor kitchen facilities.

Book all three private suites or just hide yourself away from the rest of the world like the celebrities and royals who favor this gorgeous getaway. Here, it's all about location, location, location. Huge, flat granite rocks in the riverbed, where elephants chill out and bathe, stretch almost to the horizon in front of your floor-to-ceiling picture windows, and the elephant prints and furnishings done in velvets and silvers, grays, and browns echo the shifting colors and textures of the mighty pachyderms. Bathe in your own rock pool. At night, when your suite is lit by scores of flickering candles, you may truly feel that you're in wonderland.

Although the southern section of Kruger is prone to overtourism, this luxurious tented camp lies in the underrated and remote northern realm of the Kruger National Park and stretches for more than a kilometer along the banks of the winding Luvuvhu River. It's a quieter experience, focused less on the Big Five and more on the precious land and the people that once inhabited it—the Makuleke. The area has rich human heritage sites and is one of the few places on earth where fever-tree and baobab forests intermingle. Birding is top-tier, with regular sightings of the rare and elusive Pel's fishing owl, and the multiday walking safaris here are renowned. Children of all ages are welcome, but must be six years old to join a game drive.

Established in 1873, this hotel dates from the very beginning of the gold rush in Pilgrim's Rest—you'll see its corrugated-iron facade in sepia photos all over town. The hotel is spread out over a number of quaint wood-and-tin buildings, and the 50 rooms have brass four-poster beds, wood ceiling fans, Victorian baths, and marble-and-oak washstands. The Church Bar was formerly a chapel in a Cape Town girls' school, which was dismantled, shipped to Mozambique, and transported to Pilgrim's Rest by ox wagon. The wood-paneled walls, old wooden bar counter, antique cash register, and a fascinating display of photographs depicting early life in the village all add to the convivial gold-rush atmosphere of the bar.

Bush Lodge overlooks a busy waterhole (lions are frequent visitors) and the dry course of the Msuthlu River. The thatch, open-sided dining area, observation deck, and pool all have magnificent views of game at the waterhole. Thatch suites are connected by walkways that weave between manicured lawns and beneath enormous shade trees where owls and fruit bats call at night. All have a deck overlooking the dry river course (where you may well see an elephant padding along) and outdoor and indoor showers. Roomy, comfortable chalets are Africa-themed, each with a personal wooden deck.

This avant-garde, eco-friendly lodge was the first to break away from the traditional safari style and strive for a contemporary theme. It's a luxurious cross between a Hopi cave dwelling and a medieval keep, but with modern touches. You won't spot your mud-domed suite, hidden from view by bush-covered hummocks, until you're practically at the front door. Rough-textured, dark brown walls encrusted with orange seeds and wisps of indigenous grasses cocoon the gorgeous suites which have a huge living area, a mega bedroom and bathroom, private verandah, and plunge pool. The dining boma, fashioned from branches, is lit at night by scores of flickering lanterns. A personal butler takes care of your every need, and there's a meditation garden.

Sabi Sabi's delightful little camp is tucked away in the bushveld on the banks of the Msuthlu River and combines spaciousness with a sense of intimacy. At night glowing oil lanterns lead you along a wooden walkway to your comfortable thatch-roof room or suite decorated in earthy tones of brown, cream, and white. After your action-packed morning game drive—during which you'll see game galore—and your delicious brunch, relax on your secluded wooden deck with plunge pool overlooking the bush, or go active and take a guided game walk with your armed ranger. In the evening dine out under the stars—if you're a city slicker, you may never have seen such bright ones.

Built of local Sabie stone, this charming bed-and-breakfast is the perfect base for exploring Mpumalanga's scenic attractions. The guest rooms (some wheelchair-friendly) are all animal-themed and attractively furnished with comfy beds, colorful bedspreads and soft furnishings, a minibar-refrigerator, and tea and coffee making facilities. A hearty English breakfast, served in the breakfast room or on the patio, is part of the deal. Guests have free use of the garden, guest lounge, swimming pool, and patio. Barbecue facilities are available, and by special arrangement a complete evening braai (barbecue) for guests in the boma (outdoor eating area) can be arranged.

Possibly the most exquisitely elegant lodge in the reserve, six spacious stylish suites themed around indigenous trees are clustered on the banks of the (mostly dry) Manyeleti river. Bespoke handmade, hand-embroidered furniture in the subtle colors of the surrounding jackalberry and leadwood forests are enhanced by bespoke fittings, original art, and superb attention to detail from copper lamps to marble-topped occasional tables. The huge wraparound wooden decks with river views have personal pools, outside showers, and comfy loungers where you can laze the day away between game drives.

If you're looking for mega-opulence in traditional safari style, then this breathtakingly luxurious lodge is for you. From the moment you walk into the main lounge with its genuine antique furniture, leather chairs gleaming with the polish of years of use, old photographs and paintings, mounted game trophies, and hand-carved doors and windows, you'll be transported to Old Africa at its best. Your room gives exactly the same feel—beautiful antiques, a claw-foot bathtub, a four-poster bed, and a dressing room big enough to swing a leopard by the tail. Write in your journal at the antique desk or laze on your deck next to your private plunge pool and soak up the stunning views. The variety of interleading room suites makes this a top choice for intergenerational family safaris. 

More intimate than its sister camp, Lebombo, but still smack in the middle of the "Land of Lions," Sweni is built on wooden stilts with seven huge river-facing suites glassed on three sides, wooden on the other. At night khaki floor-to-ceiling drapes divide the living area from the bedroom, with its king-size bed and its cascade of ceramic beads. Brown netting lampshades, cream mohair throws, and brown leather furniture enhance the natural feel and contrast boldly with the gleam of stainless steel in the living room and bathroom. You can relax in a wooden rocking chair on your large reed-shaded deck and watch game, or spend the night under the stars on a comfy, mosquito-net-draped mattress. The pool suite is more plush with its own bathing deck. 

This gorgeous ultraluxurious lodge, sited under huge jackalberry and fig trees, overlooks a seasonal river, where game (elephants especially) come down to drink and bathe. Each suite is themed for one of the great African explorers, including Dr. Livingstone and Stanley, who would undoubtedly be amazed by such modern conveniences as air-conditioning, hair dryers, en suite bathrooms, and personal plunge pools. The suites are warmed by Persian rugs and honey-colored velvet chairs and ottomans. Dining is under the stars or in an elegant thatch dining room with open fireplace and sparkling chandelier. Stargaze by telescope, enjoy a spa treatment, visit a local Shangaan village, or, if you're both adventurous and romantic, opt for a moonlight sleep-out in the bush. There's also a Manor House that's rented out separately to private groups of six or more (it can accommodate 10).

This attractive Victorian-style B&B is set in a delightful garden bursting with roses. Luxurious bedrooms are decorated in pastels and have crisp white linens, bath and shower, satellite TV, and tea/coffeemakers. The two rooms on the first floor of the main building are completely private but share a balcony and lounge; they look out over an area known as Fairyland, a communal farm area where Sir Percy Fitzpatrick set up camp on his way to Lydenburg/Mashishing. Two garden suites are in a detached building and have private entrances. Guests can use a visitors' lounge as well as a refrigerator in the main house.

This self-catering establishment, built in 1915 for the manager of the old Belvedere Power station that provided electricity for the Pilgrim's Rest mining operations, is a great place to experience the awesome beauty of the Blyde River Canyon. Double up in nine twin-bedded rooms, or go it alone in the single room. Plenty of refrigerators, freezers, and stoves make self-catering a pleasure. Several walks, some more gentle than others, take you straight from the house into the surrounding indigenous forests with abundant birdlife and splendid views. The house is fully equipped with linen, towels, cutlery, and crockery, and has a cleaning staff.

On top of a hill a few minutes' walk from the center of town, these self-catering cottages are very good value. The delightful cottages are all miners' homes dating from 1920. From their verandas are spectacular views of the town and surrounding mountains. Interiors are furnished with period reproductions, complete with wooden floors, brass bedsteads, and claw-foot tubs. Each cottage consists of a small living room, two double bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a bathroom. There's also a 3-bedroom cottage and a 4-person house. Phone reservations can be made only weekdays 9–4, and if you arrive after hours, you'll pick up keys from the Royal Hotel.

This charming boutique hotel, on the banks of the White River, is only a short drive from Kruger Park, and it was originally a 1920s hunting lodge. Rooms, most of which have private gardens and outside showers, are individually furnished in colonial, Victorian, Provençal, or English-country styles. High tea, which includes cucumber sandwiches and cream scones, is a specialty. Sip an evening sundowner, before dining on superb county-style cuisine under the stars ($$). Fly-in guests receive complimentary transfers to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, only 4½ km (3 mi) from the lodge. Balloon flights, helicopter trips, Kruger Park excursions, and scenic trips can be arranged.