Description
While the main Rhino Post Safari Lodge majors in safari drive, Plains Camp puts its focus firmly on walking safaris – the only Kruger camp to specialise in these. All around is a frenzy of fauna and flora, meaning countless discoveries. There are set arrival days and minimum two-night stays, plus optional sleep-outs deeper in the wilderness. Style-wise, have you seen Out of Africa? Get ready for déjà vu: the copper taps, leather straps, mahogany furniture and curios here all conjure up that film. Yet those 19th century looks belie a very modern conscience: this impressive camp has cut down no trees and used no concrete in its minimal-impact construction.
Accommodation
Scattered among an acacia thicket, the four tents boast en-suite bathrooms, showers and comfortable, high-quality furnishings around lavish double beds. Raised decks will deliver regular animal sightings if you sit still with a good book. Back inside, overhead fans and sockets are (solar) powered by a generator.
Facilities
Inside Plains Camp’s main tent is an open-sided lounge which faces a waterhole, and the equally prolific Timbitene Plain beyond. Guests typically loiter here during the heat of the day; mining a small book collection, perhaps, or simultaneously wildlife-watching and wallowing in the plunge pool. A neighbouring dining tent and deck comes into focus later, when its roaring campfire is required. Dinners are inventive and unstintingly scrumptious.
Activities
Lasting about four hours, morning walks are accompanied by two highly-experienced armed rangers. Following rhino and elephant paths, you might encounter big game, but this shouldn’t be an expectation. Far likelier are meetings with birds and butterflies, and fascinating lessons about plants, geology, tracking techniques and the bush’s tastes and sounds. It’s an immersive, meditative experience. Shorter afternoon walks are followed by a game drive and sundowners.
Guests can also spend a thrilling night at the Sleep Outs, a series of 4m-high wooden platforms located a 90-minute stroll from Plains Camp. Staff set up mosquito nets and beds before cooking dinner over a fire. After everyone beds down, guards keep watch, elephants rumble, the myriad stars glitter and you simply couldn’t feel any further from normal, humdrum life.
Child Policy
Children under 12 aren’t permitted.
The Best of South Africa Travel map displays the locations of the destinations and accommodation that we have selected and visited; for each item, hovering over or clicking the marker will display a short summary and photo of that place or hotel, and hotel pricing. Follow the links in the info box to the full page listing which has much more information.
Note that the online map offers both a satellite view (click satellite in the top right) and, for some locations, a street level view (Drag the person in the top left onto the map). These let you explore the country; and when you wish to explore in person, or if you have any questions about the places you see, give our staff a call, or request a quote. Our staff regularly visit the places and accommodation that we feature.
When you book a holiday with us we will provide full driving instructions for reaching your accommodation, where necessary; these can be used by yourself, or you could enjoy the luxury of a driver. Alternatively we will arrange private (car rather than coach) transfers for you; helicopter transfers are also possible for some destinations.
