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First-hand Stay
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Best air links are to Hoedspruit (HDS) airport followed by a (~45 min) drive to the lodge or fly to Kruger Mpumalanga/MQP, followed by a (~2–2.5 hrs) drive to the lodge; many guests also fly Federal Air direct to Royal Malewane (Jackalberry) Airstrip, then ~10–15 min game-viewer transfer to the lodge; self-drive from Johannesburg is ~5–6 hrs.
Suite 1 sits farthest from the main lodge for maximum privacy and birdsong, travellers wanting the shortest stroll choose a suite nearer the lounge and interactive kitchen.
Regionally inspired, highly personalised and playful, Head Chef Rudolf Potgieter’s team runs an open, interactive kitchen with à la carte fine dining, wood-fired pizzas and traditional braai nights on the lantern-lit deck, expect touches like shakshuka with chakalaka, bone marrow with putu pap, and a “Midday Plates” format so you can taste widely, private in-suite dining is happily arranged and kosher can be set up on request.
Neutral layers for chilly dawns and warm middays, a light windproof for winter drives, swimsuit for your heated pool, soft duffel for light-aircraft limits, polarized sunglasses and a beanbag or strap for long lenses on those leopard stake-outs.
Ask the team to stage a “Midday Plates” tasting lunch at the green-tiled bar and to fire up the pizza oven one evening, drop into the Conservation & Research Centre for a short talk between drives.
Stays help fund the Royal Portfolio Foundation’s education and community projects, and support protection work across Greater Kruger via the on-site Conservation & Research Centre and reserve anti-poaching initiatives, guests can often join short CRC briefings to see work in action.
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