The Pungwe safari experience explained!

What makes a great safari? Is it outstanding game viewing? Exceptional accommodation? Wonderful food? Fantastic hospitality? The luxury of solitude and exclusivity? With so many different game reserves, private and public alike, each packed with a plethora of lodges, camps and retreats, what makes Pungwe special and why should you choose it for your next safari?

Pungwe takes you back to a time when an African safari was simpler, more connected with the environment around it and more authentic, with the focus firmly on the experience of being in the middle of a remote wilderness, surrounded by incredible wild animals. We've forgone the temptation to focus on frills, choosing to keep our lovely little camp firmly in the realm of comfort rather than luxury. 

The focus is on a holistic, hands-on safari experience which is just as much about Pungwe's amazing people as it is the incredible wilderness of the Manyeleti Game Reserve. A Pungwe safari goes to the very heart of the core traditions and culture of Africa, immersing guests into a slower, quieter way of life, one that's in complete harmony with nature and follows the natural rhythms of the bush. 

Luxury done differently

We offer a different form of luxury - one where you get to relax, switch off from the world, digitally detox and reboot body, mind and soul. With no fences between us and wild Africa, you're invited to experience the thrill of being somewhere truly untamed, where anything can happen, and wild animals can (and do) walk through camp. 

There's little to beat sitting back on one of our cozy couches in our cool, shady lounge area and watching elephants quietly making their way across our "lawn"! Or one of our local nyala bulls browsing alongside the camp path. This is how wild Africa should be experienced, with no barriers. Unplugged, so to speak!

Our four tents are spacious, airy and practical, with cool, tiled floors, large en-suite bathrooms, exceptionally comfortable beds and gorgeous cotton linen. Like the whole camp, they are off grid, with  solar power sufficient to run a fan. You won't be able to use a hairdryer. Or straightener. Or recharge any of your devices in your tent. We have a specific recharging station in the lounge area for this.

At night, lighting is provided by paraffin lanterns and rechargeable camping lights. Hot water is supplied through a "donkey boiler" - a traditional system which uses the dead wood we find in and around camp to heat our borehole water and fill your tent's hot water tank. 

A warm heart

Our hearth is the heart of the camp. It's where a large kettle rests over the embers, ensuring there's always hot water for tea or coffee, no matter what the time of day. You'll have a cup of something warm and wonderful here before departing for your morning game drive or walk, along with some tasty rusks for added early morning energy. In the cooler, winter months you'll enjoy the warmth of the fire as you prepare for the day ahead. 

You'll also eat a wonderful, home-cooked dinner alongside the fire when you return from your evening game drive, weather permitting, of course! In the late spring and summer, African storms can often prevent starlit dinners, and we have to adjourn to the undercover dining area with its huge, custom-made table perfect for bringing guests together to recount the tales of the day's adventures.

The advantage of having such a small, intimate camp is that you get to make it your own, finding the perfect spot to curl up with a good book or a pair of binoculars in between activities, whether it's in the lovely lounge area or in our hammock under the trees. Or back in your tent, with the wilderness all around you. Siestas are also a good way of recharging, and we never mind you taking a nap! 

Special people

Most of all, during your stay you become part of the Pungwe family, welcomed with warm smiles wherever you go, with nothing being too much trouble. Our people make Pungwe truly special. Most have been with us for many, many years and now consider Pungwe their home-from-home. You can read about their stories elsewhere in our blog pages - all are inspiring and heart-warming. 

These, then, are just a few of the things that make a Pungwe safari stand out from the crowd. The final piece of the safari experience puzzle, though, is the Manyeleti itself. One of South Africa's best-kept safari secrets, this magnificent game reserve is filled with an abundance of life and forms one of the most critically important game corridors in the Greater Kruger National Park. 

Pungwe's location in the remote southern reaches of the Manyeleti places it in the realms of an exclusive safari because you will so rarely see any other safari vehicles when out on your game drives. This gives you the feeling of having the place all to yourself - a luxury that', like Pungwe itself, is hard to beat!