Pungwe safari camp
Pungwe is a small intimate authentic safari camp which brings back the essence of a true safari experience. Our comfortable en-suite meru-style tents are reminiscent of days when safaris were all about the sights, sounds and smells of the bush. Our camp is about the bush, the animals, the unique experiences and the subsequent regaling of these by the iconic fireside.
With only four tents Pungwe offers privacy and personal attention in an authentic African setting. Our large en-suite tents offer either twin beds or large king-size beds, cotton linen and fluffy duvets to luxuriate in. The en-suite bathrooms feature stand-alone showers, baths, flushing toilets and African inspired hand basins.
Ethos
Pungwe Safari Camp has been operating on the same site for over 24 years offering simple yet memorable safaris of real value to our guests. At Pungwe our ethos is to deliver a truly authentic safari experience with limited impact on the environment. We believe that the essence of any safari is best captured in the sights, sounds and smell of the bush and we endeavour to create an environment in which these elements take centre stage so that our guests have a life altering experience.
Location
Pungwe is situated in the remote and undeveloped southern portion of the Manyeleti Reserve, on the northern border of the Sabi Sand Reserve and the western border of the Kruger National Park.
Accommodation
With only four tents Pungwe offers privacy and personal attention in an authentic African setting. Our large en-suite tents offer either twin beds or large king-size beds, cotton linen and fluffy duvets to luxuriate under. The en-suite bathrooms feature stand-alone showers, baths, flushing toilets and African-inspired hand basins. Hot water is provided by a “donkey boiler”- a wood-fired water heating system that has been used in bush camps across Africa for decades, providing a true “off grid”experience.
If exclusivity is the true definition of luxury then with only four en-suite meru-styled tents, Pungwe offers the kind of intimacy one only finds in a truly unique authentic safari camp. The thatched roofs over each of the large tents ensures that the interiors remain cool in summer and mild in winter. The en-suite bathrooms with their free-standing hot showers, large baths, flushing toilets and intricately designed basins provide all the creature-comforts one expects. Each of the tents offers either twin or king-size options under four-poster style mosquito nets, providing protection and an ambiance reminiscent of a by-gone era, further enhanced by the soft glow of lanterns
Spacious and airy, with tiled floors and thatching above to help keep things cool in the summer and warm in the winter, the tents evoke the spirit of the great explorers with their rustic charm and old-world style. At night, the tents are lit with oil lamps, adding to that authentic ambience. We provide a high-powered rechargeable LED light as well for reading. Each tent has its own private verandah where you can sit and contemplate the wonder of the African wilderness that surrounds the camp. It’s the perfect spot from which to do some birding or enjoy a cup of coffee between activities
Manyeleti Game Reserve
South Africa's True Hidden Gem
The notion of an undiscovered wilderness, far from the madding crowds is something every traveller on safari dreams about. Tucked away in a quiet corner of South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park, the Manyeleti Game Reserve is that dream made reality.
In the local Shangaan/Xitsonga language Manyeleti means "place of stars" which for those who venture to explore its 23,000 ha of rolling, African bushveld landscapes quickly translates into "heaven". Wedged between the Kruger National Park's game rich Orpen region, the Sabi Sand private nature reserve and the Timbavati Nature Reserve, the stars of the Manyeleti are both above and below, from the vaulted night skies of the Milky Way to the fabled Big Five, and so much more...
Out of darkness...
The Manyeleti was established as a game reserve in 1963 at the height of apartheid in South Africa. During these dark, racially segregated times, it was the only game reserve in the country where anyone classified as non-white was welcome because of its location in what was then Gazankulu, a former black homeland.
Limited investment was made by government into the Manyeleti's infrastructure and as a result, it remained one of the country's best-kept secrets - a wildlife Eden completely off the tourism radar that received very few visitors but offered the ultimate, authentic bush experience.
The fall of apartheid and the dawn of democracy positioned South Africa - the Rainbow Nation we know and love today - as one of the world's premier tourism destinations. At the same time processes were put in place to offer restitution to displaced communities in the form of land claims and beneficiaries who had lived in the area are the prospective owners of the reserve.
A small number of concessions in the reserve are operated by private safari businesses which has helped to open the reserve up to international tourism. A Manyeleti safari directly benefits local communities as a result of this.
A unique environment
The Manyeleti has no perennial rivers. Nonetheless, the numerous natural pans, wallows and dams, combined with a mosaic of open areas of grassland and dense thickets have combined to make it one of the most productive game viewing areas in the Greater Kruger region.
Its grassy plains and mixed woodland create varied habitats for a plethora of animal species that are found in the Manyeleti, with excellent grazing, browsing and shade on hand during the hot summer months for a wide diversity of antelope as well as zebra, giraffe, buffalo, ostrich and sable.
With high densities of herbivores comes predators aplenty. The Manyeleti is renowned for its lion, leopard and cheetah as well as great sightings of the endangered painted wolf (African wild dog). Add to the mix serval and caracal, as well as smaller carnivores like the dwarf mongoose and genet. You can also see both black-backed and side-striped jackal as well as spotted hyena.
More than 300 species of birds have been recorded in the Manyeleti which offers excellent year-round birding opportunities to see local "specials" like the barn owl, bearded woodpecker and thick-billed cuckoo.
Safari experience
There are no fences between the Manyeleti and its neighbours (Sabi Sands, Timabavati and Kruger National Park) This allows the wildlife to roam freely and with 200km of gravel roads to explore and so few lodges and game vehicles, safaris on the Manyeleti offer a truly exclusive experience.
A Manyeleti safari defines the true meaning of "exclusive" - where you are among the few who have the privilege to explore this incredible wilderness and appreciate its unique character and breathtaking beauty.
It's about more than just the search for the Big Five - even though there is always a good likelihood of seeing these iconic wildlife species….. It's about connecting with the wilderness, understanding its nuances and learning its ways. And sometimes, a safari in the Manyeleti is about stopping, turning off the game viewer's engine and sitting quietly, absorbing the spirit of wild Africa, its sights, sounds and sensations, rejuvenating the wilderness deep in your soul.
Specials
STAY 4 PAY 3 AT A TRULY AUTHENTIC SAFARI CAMP WITH ALL THE RIGHT TOUCHES
Great news for a bush break….
Summer Special Pay 3, Stay 4 extended until end March 2023
Book and pay for 3 nights and stay for a 4th night mahala(free).
More Details
Related Activities
