Located within the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park, Baobab Ridge offers an up-market, comfortable, and authentic wilderness experience. This intimate private lodge provides a feeling of serenity, far away from the masses, sleeping a maximum of 16 guests in only seven private suites. For those seeking the ultimate in privacy, the lodge can also be booked exclusively.
The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and its neighbour, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, are renowned for their excellent game viewing. As a part of the Greater Kruger National Park, the Klaserie has no fences between it and the Kruger, offering guests the full Kruger Park experience in open game viewers.
Map of Kruger National Park showing its location in South Africa.
A Home Away From Home
Family owned and run, the lodge prides itself on its relaxed, family atmosphere, wide smiles, and friendly, welcoming staff. The main lodge features a bar and lounge area, a small TV room with satellite television and DVD player, free WiFi, outdoor terraces, guest bathrooms, a large dining room, and an office. Outdoors, a comfortable open-air boma area with a fireplace awaits. The swimming pool overlooks the surrounding bush and a small waterhole, offering a chance to view wildlife while relaxing.
The lodge is accessible to wheelchairs and is fully fenced from larger wildlife to ensure your safety. Guests have full use of the indoor and outdoor living areas and all facilities.
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Key Features of Baobab Ridge:
- Located in Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, part of Greater Kruger National Park
- Only seven private suites, maximum 16 guests
- Family-owned and operated
- Excellent game viewing opportunities
- Wheelchair accessible and fully fenced
Luxurious Accommodations
With only seven units on the entire property, the rooms at Baobab Ridge are exceptionally spacious and clean. Each suite comes with high-vaulted ceilings, a king-size bed (or two twins), an immaculate bathtub, an indoor/outdoor shower, and a personal outdoor patio. For families, there is a junior family suite available that comes with a king bed AND two twin beds for the little ones.
All rooms include free daily housekeeping, nightly turndown service, and laundry service. All game drives are included when you book at Baobab Ridge.
A luxurious suite at Baobab Ridge.
Unforgettable Safari Experiences
Baobab Ridge Lodge -Greater Kruger National Park
All game drives are included when you book at Baobab Ridge. You will most likely encounter David as your guide, with over 10+ years of experience in the bush. He has a terrific eye for spotting, a great love for the animals, and is very knowledgeable about the different species of wildlife. Be prepared for early mornings and late nights in the bush. Morning game drives depart at 5:30 am and the afternoon drives start 3 pm. Although this may vary from time to time, drives will typically take ~3 hours or longer.
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Every game drive is unique and different to the last, and whenever we venture out into the African wilderness around Baobab Ridge we have no idea what we are going to see. It's part of the excitement that a safari provides - the chance of seeing something amazing around the very next corner. Sometimes things may seem quiet in the bush with periods where you may see very little at all. This is the way of things in Africa, and a safari is all about a holistic wilderness experience where you get to appreciate the way the eco-systems work and the finer details of life in the African bush as well as amazing sightings of iconic animals. So the responsibility for connecting you to wild Africa and understanding its moods rests squarely on the shoulders of our talented safari guides - David Mathonsi and Jabulani Victor "JV" Silinda.
With enormous experience under their respective belts, David and JV help to translate what's going on out there in the wilderness for our guests, helping them to understand the way the environment works and how the plants and animals that call it home interact and are inextricably linked. By sharing information about life in the African bush - from the tiniest insects and unobtrusive plants to the Big Five everything in between - the job of a safari guide is to fill the naturally slow parts of each game activity with information that helps you interpret the wilderness and get the best out of your safari experience.
Wildlife Sightings
A few of us were lucky enough to see a huge group of elephants (and some baby ones) taking a sip from the watering hole. We also saw plenty of jackals, monkeys, and impala roaming around while we sunbathed on the wooden deck.
Here in the Klaserie we're fortunate to be part of the Greater Kruger National Park with no fences between us and the legendary South African game reserve. This means we get regular sightings of the Big Five - leopard, lion, buffalo, elephant and rhino - but like all game viewing, nothing is ever guaranteed.
Culinary Delights
Along with game drives, all food and drink (excluding spirits) were included in the stay. While we personally didn’t have any dietary restrictions, the staff were very considerate towards any guest with any special or dietary needs. Aside from the wildlife viewing, the food was probably the best part of the experience.
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There was always fresh fruit and juice served with breakfast, along with something savory such as an English breakfast, custom omelette, pancakes, and more. Lunch was always served about an hour before the afternoon game drive and dinners would usually start about 30 minutes after getting back from the drive. The timing worked well, allowing guests enough time to freshen up before dinner.
The nightly food and ambiance were spectacular. If the weather is good, you’ll be able to enjoy dinner around the fire in an intimate setting with other guests. We met people (mostly couples and families) who were visiting from all over the world, but also got to meet local South Africans. The connection through traditional African food made an even larger impact to an already unforgettable experience.
Getting to Baobab Ridge
The Klaserie Reserve is located about 6 hours North East of Johannesburg. There are a few ways to reach the lodge including self driving, shuttle transport or flying. I booked the safari through a company called African Budget Safaris because they provided roundtrip transportation from Johannesburg to the Safari Lodge. They connect with Safari Lodges all around Africa and I highly recommend exploring their options because they provide great service and smooth transport. Our trip started and ended with a 6 hour van ride to and from Johannesburg. Another option is to Fly from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit Airport. This will definitely save a bit of time but round-trip usually costs between $200-$350 USD. If you have the cash I would recommend flying. The third option is to rent a car and self drive. This is a good option if you are planning to visit multiple locations. For example, some people want to spend a couple days self driving through the Kruger National Park.
| Transportation Method | Description | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuttle Transport | Booked through African Budget Safaris | Convenient, roundtrip transport | 6-hour van ride each way |
| Flying | Johannesburg to Hoedspruit Airport | Saves time | More expensive ($200-$350 roundtrip) |
| Self Drive | Rent a car and drive | Flexibility to visit multiple locations | Requires navigating and driving yourself |
A Commitment to Conservation
With Baobab Ridge's "matriarch" Nini Gouveris having grown up with a father who was a founder of photographic safaris in Botswana and who has always put conservation and community upliftment to the fore, all of us at Baobab Ridge have always been focused on our kinship with the land, the animals and the people that make the lodge what it is. We couldn’t be more excited about the shift worldwide from consumptive to more mindful, restorative travel! The impact this kind of travel has on us is remarkable, with Mother Nature helping to restore our sense of wellbeing and our resilience to the challenges life throws at us.
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