Travel Report The Outpost Kruger National Park (South Africa)
Kruger National Park
The Kruger National Park in South Africa is one of the most important game reserves in the world. With its breathtaking wildlife, including the “Big Five” – lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard – it offers an incomparable safari experience. A diverse landscape of savannahs, forests and rivers stretches over an area of almost 20,000 square kilometers. Visitors experience the beauty of Africa up close and personal and we visit “THE OUPOST” Safari Lodge in the northern part of the Kruger National Park, where South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe come together. The Outpost is operated by the RARE group and is situated in the Makuleke area.
Where exactly is The Outpost located in Kruger National Park?
What you should definitely think about:
Local currencies: South African Rand: “ZAR”, but US dollars are also accepted everywhere and gladly in the lodges. If possible, take small USD bills with you for tips. Money can easily be withdrawn from any ATM. Otherwise, credit card payments work everywhere.
Vaccinations: Coming from Germany, no vaccinations are required. However, the standard vaccinations are recommended, see Foreign Office suggestions. Malaria prophylaxis is not absolutely necessary between May and October, but of course everyone has to decide for themselves.
Luggage: The photo equipment should definitely be taken on board, so pay attention to the cabin luggage dimensions (!) Otherwise, any type of suitcase or bag will do.
Clothing: Onion principle, functional clothing and sturdy shoes are best. It rarely gets really cold in the northern Kruger National Park. However, temperatures of up to 45 degrees during the day are not uncommon. You should therefore be prepared for fresh mornings and hot afternoons.
In the lodges in Africa, you can usually have your clothes washed free of charge – as in The Outpost – or for a small extra charge. You often get them back the same day. This saves a lot of luggage.
Getting to The Outpost
There are various options for traveling to the Northern Kruger Park from Johannesburg. From Johannesburg it is possible to take a flight to Polokwane and from there arrange a transfer or your own rental car. For the more adventurous, there is also the option of a 6-hour self-drive from Johannesburg to The Outpost, which is significantly cheaper and around the same time as a flight, if you factor in the waiting times at the airport.
The journey to The Outpost from Polokwane takes about 3 hours and the drive along the R525 is scenic.
Either route promises a smooth journey to this impressive safari paradise. Driving your own car is definitely the cheapest option and you should plan to spend a night in Polokwane.
Overnight stay in Polokwane
Polokwane is a smaller town and there are various accommodation options from hotels to guesthouses. We can recommend the following houses:
- African Roots Guesthouse (www.africanroots.info)
- Protea Hotel Polokwane Landmark
- Protea Hotel Polokwane Ranch Resort
If we had to choose one of the three, it would be the Protea Polokwane Hotel Ranch Resort.
It is located about 20 km from Polokwane in the middle of nature and has everything you could wish for on vacation. The hotel is part of the Marriott Group and Bonvoy members can look forward to a free room upgrade. The hotel has a heated pool. A normal pool, several children’s pools, tennis courts and even its own golf course. There is also a gym, several restaurants and you can even book safaris from there to the nearby game resort. However, driving here in a Mercedes Unimog with four rows of seats and four seats per row is not necessarily exclusive or ideal.
The hotel has five stars, which it deserves, even if the interior of the hotel looks a little dated. But everything is well maintained and in order and nothing is missing that you need. You should definitely take a look at the very large rose garden and the chapel, which are also part of the resort.
THE OUTPOST Lodge by RARE group
The Outpost is situated in the northern Kruger Park in the Makuleke area, secluded on a small ridge. The lodge has ten chalets, which are connected by a wooden walkway. There is a main house with a swimming pool, where the restaurant and lounge area are also located. Access to the lodge is via the northern Kruger Gate, the Parfuri Gate.
From the gate, it is about a 20-minute drive to the lodge, although the last stretch is a bit of a drag due to the poor quality of the road.
Once you arrive at the lodge, you are greeted by an outstanding panoramic view over the valley, in which you can spot many scattered baobab trees. You will also immediately notice the wonderful pool, which is great for cooling off in hot temperatures.
The Outpost - the Chalets
The chalets are around 100 m² in size and have an unobstructed view of the stunning landscape. They are equipped with every conceivable comfort except for air conditioning. Unfortunately, this is a major shortcoming given the prevailing temperatures here and urgently needs to be upgraded. To escape the heat a little, especially in the months from October to February, three of the four walls can be opened completely. The blinds are electric and can be raised or lowered individually or as a whole at the touch of a button. The minibar is included in the price, as are coffee, tea and other drinks, which are replenished daily. You can enjoy absolute privacy in the chalets.
If you opt for a spa treatment, this is carried out directly in the chalet and everything you need is brought along.
The spa treatments at this lodge are excellent. Rarely have we been able to enjoy such a relaxing massage that is of the highest standard and where price and performance are right.
If you fancy a swim with a view, we can help you too. An unforgettable experience
What other accommodation options are there?
There is also the sister lodge Pels Post, which is only a 10-minute drive away and is also beautiful. Up to 8 guests can stay here and the lodge can only be booked exclusively. It is also integrated into the landscape and offers excellent views of the river and the wildlife.
Meals and safari times
The service and food at the lodge are of a very high standard. You get your own personal butler who looks after you the whole time. The staff are very well trained and read your every wish from your lips. At dinner, you can choose from a daily menu of seven dishes, four of which are standard and three of which change daily. So there is something for every taste The highlight of every stay, at least if you stay for several days, is the bush barbecue, which takes place very close to the lodge under a large baobab tree and is a wonderful experience.
Meal times:
In the morning at 5:30 am, before the game drive, there is coffee, tea and other drinks as well as a few cookies and some fruit.
After the game drive, between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, you can choose when you want to have lunch. Again, you can choose from a menu, between breakfast and lunch dishes.
From 3:30 p.m. there is then high tea, where something savory and something sweet is usually served, again with many different drinks to choose from.
From 19:30. Dinner is served after the last game drive.
Wildlife in the northern Kruger National Park
The northern part of the Kruger Park is a paradise for bird lovers. However, you will generally look in vain for big cats. As the lodge is located directly in the Kruger Park, it only has a very small concession of its own and there is no real off-road driving here,
The drive to Fevertree Forest, the largest of its kind in the world, is really beautiful. This can only be visited by guests of the lodge. Taking a coffee break there is a unique experience in itself. Otherwise, the Sunddauner by the river is also an experience in terms of atmosphere. You can also see a lot of animals in this part of the park, but mostly from a great distance, as they are rather shy.
The safaris usually start between 5:30 am and 6:00 am and end between 10:30 am and 11:00 am, which is due to the long drive of almost 1 hour to the drive area. The afternoon game drive starts at 16:00 and usually lasts until 19:30.
Is it possible to combine a trip to the Northern Kruger National Park with other safari areas?
Yes, you can. Here is a sample itinerary as we did it:
Day 1: Munich -> Johannesburg -> Polokwane (Protea by Marriott Polokwane Ranch Resort
Day 2: Polokwane -> Mashatu (Mashatu Tented Camp or Tuli Lodge)
Day 3-5: Mashatu Tented Camp or Tuli Lodge
Day 5-8: Mashatu Tented Camp or Tuli Lodge -> Makulele / Pafuri Gate (The Outpost Lodge)
Day 8-10: The Outpost -> Safari Moon Luxury Bush Lodge Hoedspruit
Day 10-13: Safari Moon Luxury Bush Lodge -> Makanyi Lodge Timbavati
Day 14: Makanyi -> Hoedspruit -> Johannesburg -> Munich
See our other travel reports for the lodges above mentioned.
Conclusion The Outpost
The Outpost is well worth a visit and should we visit the Northern Kruger Park again, we will definitely be back. However, we suggest a maximum of two days so that you can do a morning and evening game drive and spend the rest of the time at the beautiful pool enjoying the scenery. As the drive areas are very limited, you should do the Fever Tree Forest in the morning and the river in the evening so that you have seen the main highlights.
The visit is worthwhile, especially because of the lodge and the super friendly and courteous staff. However, next time we would pay close attention to the time of year and only visit the lodge again between October and February if they have installed air conditioning by then. In addition, you should always remember to wear sturdy shoes in the northern Kruger, as there are significantly more scorpions and spiders to be seen here than in the south and they literally run over your feet.
Want to order a calendar from our photo tour?
as of 18,90€, Sizes A2-A5
What photo equipment for THE OUTPOST?
The photographic equipment we took with us is listed below. You also have the option of ordering the photographic equipment we used directly via our Foto-Store and requesting further technical details. There are also lots of extras available there.
Cameras:
- Z8 (Nikon)
- Z7ii (Nikon)
- Iphone
Lenses:
- Z 70-200mm f/2.8 (Nikon)
- Z 24-120mm f/4 (Nikon)
- Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 (Nikon)
Lowepro Runner 450 (Backpack)