I took my first safari trip in August 2019 and immediately fell in love with South African bushes. My crush had much to do with staying in the “sister” Vuyani Safari Lodge first because it simply offers the best value regarding private game reserves in my book. I have returned to South Africa 3 more times, and with each visit, things got better and better – all thanks to the wonderful Vuyani experience. In this post, I will tell you more about the Vuyani River Lodge which is a part of Vuyani family, and what to expect when going to a private game reserve.

Location

Vuyani River Camp is located in the Blue Canyon Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park. The best option to reach the reserve is to fly from Johannesburg (or Cape Town) to Hoedspruit or to book a road transfer with a private driver. Both options are attractive, and none of them is cheap. In the end, it all depends on your international flight schedule. The transfer from the Hoedspruit airport to the camp takes around 20 minutes and is included in the package. The lodge also arranges the road transfer (around 5 hours), and it is much safer than driving your car. I personally love this road, and if you have time, do it at least in one direction.

The Lodge

The property comprises 8 tents, a pool deck with an infinity pool overlooking the drained river basin, a lovely dining and chill-out lounge, and a barbecue area. All the facilities are connected with a charming wooden pathway, lifted from the ground for safety reasons. Remember, we are in the middle of African bushes, and you never know which wild pet comes knocking on your door. 😉 The Vuyani staff told me that a few new tents are coming, so the camp will grow a little bit more in the near future.

The units and rooms

We stayed in unit number 3 and there is not much difference where you stay, since all units are privately located in the bushes, surrounded by nature. The units are built in a glamping style, thermally insulated and air-conditioned. The rooms are decorated in a lovely rustic style with carefully selected details such as lamps, sinks, and drawers. However, the biggest surprises are kept outside of the tents.

Each room is erected on an elevated platform, with a private deck offering direct views into the African bush. You can literally see a kudu or an antelope passing by your unit. The other surprise is a fenced-off outside shower, which makes the whole experience even more wild.

What I also loved about the tents were the small details such as comfortable bed and pillows, the minibar with complimentary drinks, tea, and coffee, and the power stations (they even have a USB switch beside the bed so you can charge your phone hassle-free) and a well working hair dryer. Well done, Vuyani!

The All-inclusive package (food and drinks)

Vuyani River Lodge offers an All-inclusive package with 3 meals per day, drinks (including delicious South African wine and beer), and 2 game drives daily. Breakfast (fresh fruits, yogurt, cereals, and eggs of your choice) is served around 8.30, after the morning game drive. Lunch at 1.30 pm is self-service based. Dinners are the best part of the day and something to really look forward to after the second game drive. Vuyani chefs are amazing, and their food is out of this world. They also offer vegetarian meals, just let them know your special dietary requirements upon arrival.

The great part of Vuyani experience is the fact that all the guests eat together at the same table, which allows you to bond with others. We met some wonderful couples both times and we are still in touch via WhatsApp. If you don’t like this type of setting, ask the staff if they can set you up with a private table.

The game drives

The game drives are done twice a day in open (bring hats and sunscreens!) vehicles with 9 seats, so you have all the space you need to take the perfect photos. The driver (who is also a guide at the same time) will tell you the spicy details about African wildlife, and there is also a tracker who sits in the front of the vehicle for better animal spotting. Rest assured that safety is at the maximum level, if you respect the rules: no loud talking or making weird sounds, absolutely NO standing up in the vehicle, and keeping your legs and arms inside.

Game drives last for 2 to 3 hours, depending on the number of “moments” you catch in the bushes. The chances for wildlife spotting get higher with the number of days you spend at Vuyani. Each time we spent 4 days and each time the game drives were better. We saw lions practically every day, and we even saw a leopard and hyenas. Elephants, giraffes, and zebras are plentiful.

The trips and other things to do

Blue Canyon Reserve lies close to Kruger National Park. If you want to see the buffaloes and larger herds of animals, consider taking the day trip there. You can either do it alone (if you are self-driving) or book the trip with the lodge. Another great option to spend a day outside is the Blyde River Canyon trip, where you can do some hiking and enjoy the amazing landscape. Check out the other options and prices in this link.

You can also read more about taking a safari trip in this post.

Anda’s rate: 10 out of 10.

Bottom line: I am raising my Vuyani Tented Camp rate to a perfect 10 because of our last unforgettable experience in November 2024. If you are a safari first-timer, if you want to get a comfortable, safe, hassle-free, and all-inclusive game drive experience, and if you want high chances to see the animals from a very close distance, look no further. Vuyani is all that and so much more. Thank you again for an unforgettable experience.