Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Parsons Hilltop is a safari camp, nestled in the outcrops of Balule Game Reserve, with a stunning view onto the Drakenberg mountains. We have started the new lodge since September 2018. We are situated in the Greater Kruger Area, unfenced and connected to the Kruger National Park. Our camp can best be described as rustic-chic, we have tried to keep the authentic feel to it with the comfort of a boutique hotel. We only accommodate 8 guests so privacy is guaranteed. We have 4 secluded canvas tents, all with a private viewing deck and mountain view or at the waterhole, where animals come to drink at night. All tents have en suite bathroom. The lodge offers a main lounge with a lounge deck and a plunge pool. All meals and one game drive are included in the nightly rate. We require a minimum stay of 2 nights. We can organise day trips to Kruger or to the Panorama route for you, all departing from our lodge. Our management team is waiting to welcome you at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Location
Parsons Nature Reserve Plot 36, Hoedspruit, Kruger National Park 1380 South Africa
What a lovely little unfenced safari lodge that we would definitely recommend. We had the most amazing time with in camp elephant encounters, leopard sawing next to our tented suite and lions roaring throughout the night. Kobus is a great and knowledgeable guide sparing no effort to make it an unforgettable experience. Tapsi and her team makes the best meals and her enthusiasm in doing so is something to admire!
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Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Maria Busink, Owner at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp
Responded 09 Aug 2021
THANK YOU!! We try, small as we are, to give our guests an extraordinary holistic bush experience & excellent hospitality without losing the personal and authentic touch to our service. We can't be more happy when we succeed doing this. Thanks so much for your effort to give your review. Welcome back soon! Parsons Hilltop
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Everything during our stay at Parsons Hilltop (what a view!) was right: beautiful and luxurious lodges in a private and intimate setting, delicious food and drinks, and that's why you are there after all, unforgettable gamedrives in the early morning and the dark of the evening. Stunning sunrises and -downers, including food and beverages. Small summary of what we saw: elephants, giraffes, monkeys, hippo’s, zebras, impala's, chameleons and dun beetles. And cherry on top, a lion pride with young cubs! We felt very special to be a part of this all and thanks to the rangers, we always felt safe. Mirjam, Ras, Steffan and staff, thank you so much for giving us the best experience of our life.
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Date of stay: February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Maria Busink, Owner at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp
Responded 09 May 2024
Oh wow! This sounds amazing. THANK YOU!!!! we appreciate this very very much. All the best, Parsons Team
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What a treat! Best sleep I've had in a long time. Great tents that are set in the wild. We viewed the lions, zebra, impala and many more. Being a small campground, it was perfect for making new friends on the game trails and at the wonderfully prepared breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. We enjoyed the night time roaring fire after an evening game run. Seeing the stars at night was a bonus.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Maria Busink, Eigenaar at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp
Responded 31 Oct 2022
Thank you, it was such a pleasure hosting you and share the beauty of the Hilltop with you. We really enjoyed having you here. All the best and hope to welcome you back one day. Warm regards, Parsons Team
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From the personalized pickup at the airport, to our arrival at Parsons, my husband & I had an incredible experience of a lifetime with Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp! As we were led to our glamorous tent upon arrival at the camp, we were stunned to see a majestic giraffe emerge from the trees and stop to drink from the waterhole just a few feet away from us. As we were still mesmerized by the giraffe, three zebras strolled in to join in. The stunning landscape of the safari camp and the warm hospitality from each of Parsons staff throughout our 4 day stay, made us feel like we were among family. Our luxurious tent was complete with a traditional grass roof, lavish king size bed, full amenities in bathroom including an indoor & separate outdoor shower on a private back deck with a jacuzzi. Our front deck had hammock styled swings where we could relax & watch various animals come to the waterhole throughout the day & night. We enjoyed nightly bonfires with fellow campers, but since there are only 4 total tents at Parsons, it was always great to have small intimate gatherings and meals together. During our stay, we had two other couples at the camp on one day, and on two of the days it was just us and one other couple who we became great friends with. Larce was our guide for all our safari drives and his passion and positive energy brightened every day. We saw herds of elephants, jackals, hippos, dozens of impalas, lions, and baboons. We enjoyed early morning tea & freshly baked scones during our morning safari drives as we watched the sunrising. One night we heard the roaring of a pack of lions all around our tent as they went to the waterhole, it was an extraordinary experience we’ll always cherish. Lance, along with Patience & Sam always went above and beyond to ensure we were pampered and comfortable during our stay. Thapelo was our phenomenal chef who prepared the most delicious 5-star meals, and we were also grateful to Mirjam who arranged all the meat items to be certified halal to accommodate our dietary needs. If you are looking for an authentic safari experience, but also want to be pampered in luxury, this is the definitely the place to stay! This was part of our 30th wedding anniversary celebration and every detail was simply perfect! We highly recommended Parsons Hilltop to all our family and friends, and we also hope to return someday ourselves.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Maria Busink, Owner at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp
Responded 26 Jul 2023
Thanks so much for this wonderful review!!!! Hope to welcome you back at the Hilltop one day. Warm regards, Parsons team
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After staying at many generic bush camps, it was refreshing to see one decorated in the owners style, it's eclectic and feels like a bush retreat you may create for yourself. With only 4 rooms, you really get personalized service. We stayed in the Oriole Suite which was perfect! Kobus was a interesting and knowledgeable host. Make sure to book a bush walk, this is one of the few I have done where you can actually get some exercise in. The food was simple, healthy and delicious, not over the top portion sizes that leave you feeling stuffed. Thank you!
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Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
With our family of 5, we had 3 unforgettable nights at Parsons Hilltop. The game drives & early morning coffee & afternoon snack during the game drive with stunning views. A big thank you to ranger Ras and his colleague Lex (on training) for the excellent drives and his knowledge and great sense of humor. The main lodge feels like a home and with a plunge pool on the deck with views over Balula and Kruger, you feel the most spoiled person on earth. The food was diverse and nice and all staff was helpful and service minded.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Maria Busink, Owner at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp
Responded 09 May 2024
Thank you very much for your awesome review!!!!!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Me and my husband have been very lucky to have stayed at parsons before, and wanted to bring my sister and her friend as it was their 1st time here in SA and wanted then to experience the hospitality , attentiveness to making your stay special from the game drives to the attention to detail to making your stay feel as though you are part of their family nothing is too much trouble, the meals are absolutely delicious perfectly made by Precious the chef who I could easily bring back to the UK with me, the tents are absolutely breathe taking from the interior to the views to the parsons hill top house . So this visit we stayed at parsons house , what can we say absolutely stunning we heard the lions roaring on site to finding them on our game drive the view from the house was to die for. It was a stunning and beautiful luxurious lodge we definitely the lord and ladies of the manor. We can not thank Mirjam and Lex, Las the game drivers and all the staff for going above and beyond making our stay so memorable and so excited to be coming back with my sister in law in 5 weeks . 5 stars most definitely
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Date of stay: May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed in Parsons hilltop for couple of nights, the whole staff is very friendly, they served us very good halal food, thanks to the chef and helpers. We took two evening safaris, guide Taniya and Crissy did their best to spot the animals and provided necessary information, both ladies also helped us to plan our rest of the trip in Kruger National park. Last thing i would like to mention is Braai, it was amazing.
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Date of stay: November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We passed 4 wonderful days in the Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp. In the middle of a private reserve Elephants and a Giraffe passed already our way on the road to the camp. Directly in front of our beautiful furnished tent Zebras and Impalas came to drink at the waterhole while we were sitting on the terrace! Raas is a passionate guide and led us to the best spots to see wild animals. Food was delicious, ambiance perfect. A big recommendation from our side!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Maria Busink, Owner at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp
Responded 07 Oct 2023
Thanks so much Regina, for your visit and your awesome review. We hope to welcome you back one day. All the best,Parsons Hilltop
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What a wonderful place and wonderful experience! Hospitality at its best in a small-scale and luxurious environment. We enjoyed the peace and quiet, the luxurious tent with a beautiful view of the wildlife within the camp; last morning even 2 lions at the watering hole in front of the tent! Beautiful game drives, especially with the enthusiastic guidance of Ras and Lars. Our 12-year-old son also found it a unique experience, thanks for the extra pancakes made in the morning. Definitely a place to come back!
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Date of stay: April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Amie788,
We can absolutely arrange transfers for you, it is an extra cost of R500.00 per person per way.
We look forward to hosting you at the beautiful Roamers Rest Safari Lodge,
Warm regards,
Charlotte
Dear Hannah,
Thank you very much for your question. We would love the opportunity to host you at Roamers Rest Safari Lodge.
We can collect from Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa airport. If you need a transfer from Joburg I would suggest using the Ashtons shuttle service they are excellent and then we can collect you for R250.00 from the drop off point.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any other questions.
Warm regards,
Charlotte
Dear surfdive,
Thank you very much for your question. It is really up to you, you are welcome to fly into Hoedspruit if you would prefer. For some people it is a bit too expensive so self-driving is the reasonable option. For other people they prefer to fly in and then we collect them from the airport.
The drive is about 5.30 hours, it is a beautiful scenic drive. It really depends on what you would prefer.
If you are landing in SA and it has been a long flight then you may not fancy driving.
I hope this helps and please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions.
Dear Kerri C,
Thank you very much for your message. Included in our main rates is two game drives daily. We do also have rates that include one safari daily should you prefer.
Also included in our rates is the following:
Luxury styled tented accommodation
Welcome drinks on arrival
3 meals daily (breakfast, light lunch & 3 course dinner)
Housekeeping daily
Teas & Coffees
Free wifi
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
Warm regards,
Charlotte
Hi Steffen!
Please have a look here or send us an e-mail. Our game drives are 520 ZAR. We have a list under Activities on our homepage where you can find all the prices.
Thanks!
Parsons Hilltop
There are more places to choose from in the Hoedspruit area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 6,904 - RÂ 8,128 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Roamers Rest Safari Lodge
LOCATION
South AfricaKruger National ParkHoedspruit
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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