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nThambo Tree Camp is a safari camp located in the Klaserie area of the Kruger Park. The camp offers daily morning and afternoon game drives to view the Big Five.
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NThambo Tree Camp is lauded by many for providing outstanding value, with a high-quality experience at a reasonable cost, though tipping may add to the budget. The service is often celebrated for its friendliness and efficiency, particularly regarding dietary accommodations and cleanliness.
Guests enjoy well-appointed rooms that offer a seamless blend of comfort and nature. The hotel's cleanliness and unique atmosphere receive accolades, with special mention of the tasteful decor and intimate, personalized touches that enrich the guest experience.
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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The guide and driver of our safari were so experienced that we saw many animals every trip. Our safari trips were at 5:30am and at 4:30pm. The open vehicle allowed for wonderful closeup photos of blue wildebeasts, lions, zebras, impalas, baboons, water buffalo, rhinos, hippos, and elephants. We saw a one week old baby elephant with its mother and the whole herd. The guide took us to a lion's giraffe kill. We saw a pack of wild dogs hunting impalas. You can't go wrong with this tree camp. However, we were there in the hottest month and there is no air conditioning. We did cool down daily in the small pool. There is a u-tube video of an elephant drinking out of our little pool. The stairs to the treehouse are easy for seniors, and there is a toilet and shower in each treehouse. Rhino tours arranged everything very wonderfully.
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Date of stay: February 2020
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 enjoyed a recent 5 night stay at Nthambo. The camp itself is beautifully presented, low occupancy (10 max capacity) and is completely unfenced to the reserve. An unfenced camp such as Nthambo would always by my preference as I feel it adds an authenticity, a wildness and additional sense of excitement btw game drives with animals being able to roam/pass through camp at any time day or night.
The tree house style accommodation at Nthambo is quite unique and a selling point for sure. We loved being perched above the surrounding open area where we were able to safely observe some animals (Hyena/Elephant/various antelope) drinking from the small watering hole.
We were well looked after throughout by Andre & Sarah who only quite recently took over management of the camp. A special mention also for Craig, our host/tracker who was an extremely personable, enthusiastic and likeable chap who from a customer service perspective, is a real asset to Nthambo/AOF/Sun Destinations.
Our in camp experience could not be faulted. The food was consistently good, the level of service provided was attentive without being obtrusive and the low key ambience fostered was to our liking . We particularly enjoyed their intimate boma setting and being able to warm ourselves by the open fire before/after dinner each evening and chat to the staff or other guests
The game viewing overall was perhaps a little underwhelming as per our hopes/expectations with only 3 of big 5 sighted over 5 nights/10 game drives. However, this is not something Nthambo can control and wasn't for the want of trying as Andre/Craig did their upmost to maximise the available sightings on Nthambo's traverse each day. We were fortunate to enjoy some more low key, unique sightings such as an African Wild Cat, Civet, Genet, various raptors etc. so they variety of animals we saw was welcome.
I am always grateful to spend time in the South African bush, no matter where that may be but in the interests of full disclosure and if pedantic then the Klaserie reserve is not my preferred Greater Kruger destination. That being said, if I was to spend time in the Klaserie again then I would very likely return to Nthambo as my chosen camp and in that regard would recommend it to others especially anyone planning to combine an Nthambo stay with the KNP or in a camp in a contrasting neighbouring private reserve.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
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 Sun Destinations, General Manager at nThambo Tree Camp
Responded 15 Aug 2022
Hi There, Wow - thank you for such an incredible and informative review. We are happy to hear that nThambo would be a top Kruger safari destination for you. We look forward to hosting you when come back to the Klaserie. Regards, The SD Team
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We had the most amazing experience at N'Thambo Tree Camp. We stayed for 4 nights and were enchanted with the amazing stay. First, with only 5 tented tree level suites, you are guaranteed to get to know and experience the amazing service from the caring and generous staff. Ana and Christo were the consummate hosts overseeing your stay and making sure that the delicious food and treats were always to your liking. Elmar was our driver and Joanna was our spotter and they made sure every game drive was memorable and educational.
The lodging is authentic and while a little rustic, the tented tree houses were perfectly charming and evocative of a safari from days gone by. The attention to detail made us feel like highly honored guests.
The food at all three meals was authentic South African food of a very high quality with diverse options and all of it tasted great. Sometimes they grill dinner on the braai for an extra-special treat. No matter what you like, you will not leave the table hungry. The drink options are also first-class and very diverse. With aperitifs and hot or cold towels greeting you on each return from the veld.
We will return and bring other friends to experience the most authentic and intimate safari experience in Africa.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â All the rooms are similar and offer views to the watering hole
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.
My wife and I stayed at nThambo for 2 nights which also included 4 game drives with the wonderful Sarah and Conrad.
Firstly, when we got to our room I have honestly never had a bigger "wow" factor in any hotel/camp ive ever stayed at. The rooms are perfectly set, with a massive view over the bush planes and a watering hole. During our short stay we saw elephants, antelope, a rhino and hyenas from the room alone. I personally fell in love with the room and was gutted to be leaving.
During our stay we were hosted by Sarah, Andre, Conrand and Chris as well as some of the back room kitchen staff. Everyone made us feel very welcome and was very friendly. As the camp has a max capacity of 10 people, the place also felt very cosy and exclusive and the others campers were also lovely whilst we were there which was a nice touch at breakfast, lunch and dinner as you all eat together, which we felt was a nice experience.
The game drives were out of this world and Sarah and Conrad did an excellent job of making sure we saw as much as possible (Conrad's eye for spotting animals was crazy good!). You literally get within a few feet of all the animals and we got up close with Lions, Rhinos, Giraffe, Elephant, Zebra, Buffalo, Hyena and plenty more! Its honestly like nothing you will ever experience anywhere else in the world.
The only reason for a 4 star and not a 5 star review was based on the food available within the camp and a few facilities issues. The food itself was always beautiful and had an excellent mix of meals to keep it fresh and varied. However myself and my wife felt that the volume of food was a little lacking for the whole day. The camp provide a double breakfast (fruit, granola, yoghurt) and then eggs on toast or similar, a cooked lunch and a 3 course evening dinner. I realise when writing this that it sounds a lot, however it would have been nice to have access to some snacks throughout the day, similar to the drinks that were available at the bar that you can grab yourself (Im thinking crisps, snack bars, biscuits etc. even for a small fee)
Additionally, in the room we stayed in, the shower wasnt great as it was either red hot or cold, with no in-between (I was extremely delicate with the temperature dial but it made no difference no matter where it was positioned). This didn't deter from the experience for us though but something that needs fixing.
Overall the place is truly magical and a wonderful stay with just a few very minor things to make it 5/5 for us.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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 Sun Destinations, General Manager at nThambo Tree Camp
Responded 19 Aug 2022
Hi There, Thank you so much for your lengthy review. Our raised wooden chalets do have that "wow" factor - it's the views, and that feeling of being in a treehouse. We're also happy to hear about your game viewing experience. Because the camp is off-the-grid, the showers can be temperamental; but easily resolved. We will chat to the camp about snacks - they are quite happy to give snacks if requested. Food isn't left out because of honey badgers. Regards, The SD Team
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Thambo was fantastic. Altho no air con in the houses, we were comfortable. Beautiful setting in Kruger thou private reserve so can go off road. Rogan was a professional photographer and perfect match for me, the zealous amateur!! Izac was amazing- a local, his eyes were unbelievable. Thank you to the chef who created soecracular , inventive meals with fresh produce and took pride and enjoyment in presenting to the guests. The alcohol and soft drinks were reasonably priced- and i loved discovering the Nachtmusik. The swimming pool and main lodge, evening fire pit to roast marshmallows- all make it a special place
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Date of stay: April 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.
What a wonderful place! The view from the main area is fantastic and the fact that there are no fences meant that the elephants could come and drink from the pool while we were eating dinner! Sarah was a great host, and we couldn't have asked for a better guide than Andre. He was very knowledgeable and tried his best to show us all the animals he could find. He even managed to see several chameleons in the dark! He was happy to answer any questions us and the other guests had, no matter how small. There were some drives where we didn't see a lot, Andre explained that the area is open to the Kruger and the animals come and go as they please. Andre managed to find small things we never even would have thought to look for, like birds of prey, mongoose, terrapins (a type of freshwater turtle) and even kudu (the males have amazing horns!). At dinner Andre and Sarah took turns sitting with us, keeping us entertained with their stories from the savanna. Falling asleep listening to the sounds of the bush is like nothing else. Andre made our first ever safari one we will remember for the rest of our lives, Sarah made sure we had everything we needed, and the rest of the behind the scenes staff made sure all the food was delicious and rooms were immaculate. I highly recommend this lodge.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â There's no laundry services, so make sure you have enough clothes.
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 Sun Destinations, General Manager at nThambo Tree Camp
Responded 13 Oct 2022
Hi There, Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a glowing review about our camp. Because our camp is unfenced, it means that guests can witness an array of wildlife. Animals roam freely throughout, which means there's always something incredible to see. We're glad to hear that Sarah and Andre were top notch hosts. We'd love for you to come and stay with us again. Kind regards, The Sun Destinations Team
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Just sat in the airport waiting to go home and felt I needed to write a review. This place is AMAZING. Everyone here is lovely, Sarah and Conrad were especially amazing on all our drives, we managed to see so much in the 4 days we were there, the big 5 in the first day and a half! Sarah knew the answer to everything and is so passionate about her job and it shows! The food was absolutely incredible every meal and different each day, we even had a special candlelit meal one night they had set up for us! I think what makes it so special is because it’s only a small camp, you get to know everyone, as you have your meals and drives together, and it feels so welcoming. It has such a laid back vibe. We were so sad to leave! The treehouses are fab and so cosy at night, you really feel like you’re out in the bush getting the proper safari experience, and the elephants drinking from the plunge pool was the highlight of our honeymoon! We went on to visit 2 huge luxury lodges after here, and neither of them matched up to how much we loved nthambo. The location is perfect aswell, as there isn’t many lodges on the reserve it isn’t overrun with cats I would recommend this place to anyone wanting the true safari experience! Thanks guys! Hannah and Jake x
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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 Sun Destinations, General Manager at nThambo Tree Camp
Responded 15 Aug 2022
Hi There, First of all, congratulations! And second of all, thank you for nominating us as the highlight of your honeymoon. Loved that we were better than the luxury lodges. Enjoy married life! Regards, The SD Team
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I loved the wooden cottages, which had a beautiful veranda and with fantastic views. From there we could regularly observe antelopes, warthogs etc and in the middle of the night elephants came to drink from the pool and just passed under my cottage. As it was night, I could not see them but hear them clearli so close. What an experience! Cottages very clean and comfortable, food was tasty and on our safari drives we saw ellies, lions with cute cubs, wild dogs, a rhino etc. Our guide did all she could to find a lot of animals and get very close to them. I had a great time there.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
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 Sun Destinations, General Manager at nThambo Tree Camp
Responded 03 Mar 2023
Hi There, Thank you for your detailed review and positive rating. We happy to hear that our treehouse chalets provided you with an exceptional safari stay. Because they are elevated above the wilderness, our guests can enjoy incredible views of the surrounding bushveld. From the food to the game viewing, it seems you had a stellar time! We'd love to host you again. The wild awaits! Kind Regards, The Sun Destinations Team
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We loved our stay at the Nthambo tree camp. The huts are very neat and beautifully set up with a good chance of wildlife sightings. We saw giraffes in the morning and some mongoose and wildebeest in the afternoon walking straight past the huts (and others saw lions in the night but we unfortunately missed those). The camp organises 2 game drives per day and the guides and trackers, Ingrid and Lusan, are knowledgeable and very kind ladies who know their wildlife and are very patient to answer any questions and make sure the game drives are a great experience for everyone. We liked the fact that it’s only 5 small huts which makes it an intimate setting and meals are prepared for the group, while keeping all dietary wishes and requirements in mind. We absolutely recommend to stay here and hope we may be able to visit again another time.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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 Sun Destinations, General Manager at nThambo Tree Camp
Responded 09 Oct 2023
Hi There, Thank you for taking the time to write such a glowing review of our camp. Our treehouse units offer commanding views of the bushveld, and create a level of excitement for safari goers. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed successful game drives. Our camp is intimate, which allows for a personalised, hands-on safari experience. Kind Regards, The Sun Destinations Team
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My partner and I had a good Safari experience at nThambo. The lodge itself is tastefully decorated and the rooms were very cute. It was amazing to have such an intimate environment of 5 cabins and 10 people total, with each cabin having a fantastic balcony where you could sometimes see hyena or other animals in the watering hole. We met other couples and enjoyed the downtime in between game drives (I recommend bringing some books!)
We felt lucky on our experience seeing an 18 lion pride multiple times and having so many close encounters with elephants. Of course, some of the game drives weren’t so lucky but that’s normal. Highlight was seeing the lions and rhino. We didn’t see any leopards or cheetahs.
The staff at nThambo work really hard - they do everything for you including pickup from the airport, being the guide on the game drives, serving you food and drinks at sundowners, etc. Both of our guides were clearly very knowledgable and we felt safe in the vehicles (even with lions literally 3 feet from us) but they didn’t have the best attitude to be honest. The food was also great - it was SO much food and they made sure to bring nutritious and vegeterian options. Another piece of advice for first time safari goers is to make sure to budget for tips for your guides and staff - I was surprised by how high they recommended tipping per day.
In terms of constructive feedback, I think the daily communication to the guests could have been improved, such as knowing when exactly we will be doing a bush walk so we can wear appropriate shoes, and when exactly the afternoon game drive will be (sometimes it’s 3:30, sometimes it’s 4, but it wasn’t always clear when it was going to be).
Also, this is part of the nThambo tree camp experience, but I do have to point out that the tree camps are not fully enclosed, which means at night we had hundreds of beetles and bugs if your light is on. They do provide nets which are helpful, and while I did adore our balcony with unobstructed views, I did wish there was an ability to fully close the door at night.
Other than that, it was a once in a lifetime experience! I also want to specifically call out Patrick who is not a guide but helps alot at the lodge. I hope he becomes a guide because he was so great at explaining things to us. Thanks Ingrid, Luzanne, Patrick and the rest of the staff at nThambo!
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
Cape Town Central, South Africa54 contributions1 helpful vote
0
Votes
Hi,
Chalet 1 and 5 would be the furtherest away, with 3 and 4 being the closest. 3 an 4 are probably 30-40m away from the main area. I would say that 1 is the best for privacy.
Regards
The nThambo team
Cape Town Central, South Africa54 contributions1 helpful vote
Hi there - it won't be that cold at all. In September the day time termpretures in the Kruger can reach 30+ degrees Celsius. The mornings & evenings will be cool but not so cold as to make it uncomfortable. The camp does supply extra blankets and also hot water bottles if it is colder than normal.
Regards The nThambo Team
Cape Town Central, South Africa54 contributions1 helpful vote
Hi,
As mentioned by Steve, there is a lounge and bar area where you can sit and have some drinks before bed time. There is also the boma where guests have a drink around the campfire. At night you will be escorted back to your chalets by the guides. There are about 10-15 steps to get to the top of the chalets. Have a look at images on the Gallery to get an idea of the steepness:
Regards
The nThambo Team
There are more places to choose from in the Klaserie Private Game Reserve area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
nthambo tree camp hotel klaserie private game reserve
LOCATION
South AfricaKruger National ParkKlaserie Private Game Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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