The first thing you see upon entering the newly renovated Pafuri Camp is the beautiful, winding Luvuvhu River upon which the lodge is nestled. The floods of 2013 did much damage, but now the five-star, luxury tented lodge, has been transformed by its new owners – RETURNAfrica (in partnership with the Makuleke community).
The spacious reception is a relaxed space with comfortable seating areas – all well placed to enjoy the fantastic views of the river and its continuous goings on. The place is kitted out in natural materials such as wood, hessian and cane with trees and creepers being the only “curtains” to the surrounding habitat.
In terms of interior design, the touches of colour provide a nice contrast with the khaki of the bush. A dark charcoal pool, surrounded by loungers and white umbrellas lies invitingly to the right of the communal area where there is also a funky pool bar.
We were led down a raised wooden gang plank to our tented room. Each of the 19 tents is completely private with its own special view of the river. The rooms are big and bright with broad balconies and king-sized beds. With just green gauze between us and nature, the outside noises seemed amplified in the stillness of the hot afternoon.
Pafuri Camp offers game drives and guided walks. The area is rich in archaeology and history and is known for incredible biodiversity. Being an exceptional birding spot, specialist birding walks are a firm favourite. There are large herds of elephant and buffalo in the area and sightings of lion and leopard are common.
The camp is fully serviced and offers three meals a day. After our early morning game drive we enjoyed a delicious English breakfast before lounging by the pool, like the crocs in the river below us, soaking up the sun.
Essential info
Pafuri Camp, in the Limpopo province is a 52-bed full-service camp offering 19 luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms, 12 for couples or singles and seven for families of up to four. Game drives and walking activities offer guests the opportunity to experience the highlights of Pafuri, including the majestic Fever Tree Forest, Crooks Corner, Lanner Gorge and much more. The popular Pafuri Walking Trails take place from April-October.
Tel: +27 (0)11 646 1391
by Sonja Dalais
Images courtesy RETURNAfrica