Rukiya Safari Camp

We really enjoyed our visit to Rukiya camp, the accommodation is tents but on wooden platforms and with a toilet, shower and proper furniture. The bed was comfortable and we had a view of the river. The only trouble with it being canvas was it got very hot during the daytime. The local wildlife often enter the camp, for example we had Impala grazing on the grass (and drinking from the swimming pool), Baboons by the river and a Monkey in the tree by the bar. The camp isn't in a big five region itself, but we saw all the big five and a lot more on the game drives we went on. All the staff are extremely friendly and made our stay absolutely brilliant. The meals were good, the evening meal was generally a buffet where you could choose how much you wanted whilst lunches were very generous portions. Most of all, the camp has a feeling of tranquility which we really loved.

From the moment we were met at Hoedspruit airport by Ntsako we knew this would be special, but little did we know how special. The staff at the Lodge make you feel welcome (Kevin & Femke) from the moment we arrived, a welcome drink and a delicious lunch were followed by our first game drive around the Wild Rivers reserve. As mentioned in other reviews the morning drives are on other reserves and it can get chilly on the road so wrap up warm, but the rewards are well worth any perceived discomfort (To us it was just part of the adventure). We had so many incredible animal sightings, the top one was 4 Lionesses and a Crocodile fighting over a kill. Other close-up encounters included Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes (one giving birth) , Water Buffalo and more. Many thanks to our super guide Aiden and super spotters Femke & Jess. I should add that the breakfast and sunset stops were always in picturesque surroundings and well timed. We were introduced to Gin and dry Lemon sundowners, and we thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast spread whilst out in the wild as the day warmed up. This Lodge really is fantastic, the food is plentiful and of a very high quality, the honesty bar is well stocked and much appreciated after a long tiring day. The accommodation is akin to glamping with all the facilities and more you would expect and need for a comfortable, relaxing stay. Thank you to all of the staff for an unforgettable holiday that we will always cherish.

Great experience, fabulous staff - thank you Kevin, Femke, Conrad, Aiden and all the backroom staff for making our stay so enjoyable. Thoughts of sleeping under canvas brought back memories of windy, rainy nights in Wales - these were quickly dispelled by comfy beds and ensuite bathroom. Really peaceful location by the river, as others have mentioned, a bit of a trek to get to a big 5 park, but around the camp there was an abundance of Giraffe, Impala, Waterbuck making night drives a joy. Special mention to Conrad for sharing his knowledge and years of experiencewith us. Would not hesitate to recommend.

We had a lovely full serviced camp including gamedrives and meals. It was wonderfull! The only critical thing we can think of is the route to the game drives in the Morning. Of took 3/4 of an hour to get to a game reserve where the Big 5 lives. In the winter of can be very cold and windy, with no roof or Windows in the game car.

From start to finish, it was an amazing experience. The location is stunning, the food was excellent, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The rangers were fantastic, from the morning game drives with breakfast, to the sunset drives with drinks, and the dinners in the evening. everything was perfectly organised. They gave us a truly complete and unforgettable experience.

I was so excited to sleep in a tent! And our bed had a hot water bottle in it every night. OMG! Kevin was a delightful host and the food was delicious We were up every morning at 0500 and saw many animals. Marvin was the best driver/tracker. I really appriciated his insight into his ethnic beliefs