The Outpost
“Hello unknown part of the Kruger National Park in South Africa! It was so special to drive all the way from far up north to the more well known south. The Kruger Park is about 19,485 km² in size, so you can imagine how special this has been, and how diverse! Our highlight was staying at The Outpost up north, let me tell you why…”
We find ourselves in the far north of the Kruger Park which consists of a separate concession that is not accessible to everyone, therefore it has been so special that we could stay here. This area, the Pafuri, belongs to the Makuleke community and they are the only ones who are allowed to live and work here. They were expelled in 1968 and after a long process they finally got back their land in 1998.
This region is the wildest and most secluded part of the Kruger National Park and we stay at The Outpost, a fantastic lodge right in Pafuri. This lodge is the result of a unique collaboration between private investors and the local community and is the first lodge built in this vast region. It is a special lodge with a surprisingly different look than other African lodges I’ve been to: simple, clean lines, elements of steel and canvas – and yet The outpost emphasizes with its beautiful surroundings.
Accommodation consists of 12 unique and modern stand-alone open plan en-suite Luxury Spaces offering spectacular panoramic views of the river and bush below. Game drives and outstanding walking safaris are undertaken in what is arguably one of the most scenically beautiful and diverse wilderness areas in the Kruger National Park. We sleep here for two nights and go on a safari twice every day. Because the animals roam freely throughout Kruger National Park it is occasionally the question of what you see here, but we once again had an awful lot of luck. The whole big five said hello again, even the rare leopard! Even our ranger was totally hysterically happy seeing the leopard. Oh my!
The food included with our stay is delicious and the lovely guide takes us to different places in the park like the Lanner Gorge, the Luvuvhu River and the border area with Zimbabwe and Mozambique. And let’s talk rooms… WOA!
Have you ever seen such an amazing room? It’s completely open at one side! You can close it with some sort of automated blinds, but that’s not necessary at all. The front is high on stilts and overlooks the vast wilderness. I can’t stop roaming about how crazy beautiful this is – the bath, the bed, that wideness! If you are looking for something special, this is it.
