Chisomo Safari Camp lies overlooking the Makhutsi River and is tucked away deep in the Karongwe Game Reserve in Limpopo. Covering an area of some 9000 hectares of pristine African bush, Karongwe is rapidly building a reputation as an excellent value for money and high-quality Big 5 game experience. Another big plus is that Karongwe is the closest of the greater Kruger private reserves to the soaring Drakensberg escarpment in the west, so you’ll enjoy stunning scenic views of the mountains as well as the prolific wildlife in the reserve!

There are 4 different lodge options at Karongwe and Chisomo, whilst probably the most rustic and simple of them all with its 22 attractive tented rooms, manages to radiate a true feeling of being in the wilderness and sharing the land with the animals. The 22 tents are all located on wooden platforms situated under the shade of towering knob thorns and Jackalberry trees overlooking the Makhutsi River - here grazing nyala and warthogs will likely greet you in the morning as you emerge from your tent. There’s no lack of romance either – there’s something about luxuriously decorated tented suites draped in crisp canvas that creates an atmosphere that harkens back to the old golden years of colonial safaris!

Tents might usually evoke a feeling of nostalgia but the good news is that the tents are really comfortable and pretty well equipped with many of today’s modern necessities – and the light and airy colour palette means they feel more contemporary than other tented camps. There’s something about spending a night under canvas with the sounds of the bush lulling you to sleep, that seems to make you feel more connected to the bush outside than in a normal room (especially if those sounds include a lion roaring nearby when your heart will definitely beat a little faster!)

During the day you can relax and retire between game drives to one of the beautifully decorated lounges all furnished in true outdoor style with burnt oranges, reds and cream throw cushions scattered on welcoming couches – they’re the perfect place to chill out with a good book and perhaps a bit of bird spotting before you start slumbering! The lodge’s sparkling swimming pool is the perfect place to escape the heat of summer’s days. Another lovely option is to take a leisurely walk to the end of the lodge's path – here there is a hide that has great views of the nearby watering hole!

Traversing over 9000 hectares of prime bushveld, Chisomo is home to the Big Five as well as a wealth of other creatures – the Karongwe reserve is well watered with 4 rivers including the perennial Makhutsi River flowing through the reserve. This enhances the game carrying capacity of the land as well as providing stunning riverine vegetation – add in the magnificent views of the towering Drakensberg escarpment and, dare we say it, but Karongwe provides arguably better game viewing and more pretty scenery than many of the better known private reserves in the lowveld! Whilst 9000 hectares is fairly small compared to some other reserves, it also means that the experienced rangers and their skilled Shangaan trackers know the land like the back of their hand and boosts the chances of consistently excellent game viewing. In fact, sighting all the Big Five on a single game drive is not uncommon!

The open vehicle game drives are perfect for game viewing, where you can also enjoy a sundowner while the sun sets over the magnificent Drakensberg. The outstanding wildlife sightings and spectacular landscape makes for the perfect photographic opportunities with shots of the Lowveld from a “kopje” amidst the lush vegetation. Heading back to the camp you’ll enjoy traditional hearty African meals in the most spectacular surroundings, under the stars in the boma or in the elegant candlelit dining area – if you're looking for back-to-basics romance then Chisomo provides this in abundance!