Pop-up camp to open in Kruger National Park

[Lisbeth]

Excellent questions, Phillip, but unfortunately I cannot help you. If you get some answers please don't forget to post them here, thank you

[Peter Betts]

Just grade a few Roads , Knock over a few Leadwood Trees , Shoot a few invasive Leopards, Provide Drains , Sewerage works , Daily Collection of Rubbish, Staff transport to and from work on days off , Provide Staff accommodation ... Guest Parking , Cut down bush and Clear for tents for 80 people...There's a nice soft tread footprint which will be fully recovered 2 days after leaving

[Richprins]

Here is the PPP advertisement from Tuesday's local paper...

[Lisbeth]

It belongs in the other topic. Nothing to do with the pop-up camp

[Richprins]

Look carefully.

[Lisbeth]

If you are talking about the mobile tented camps, they are three different camps mentioned in another topic, not this one.

[Klipspringer]

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sundaywor ... t-hearted/

Glam Kruger camps not for faint-hearted
BY BOITUMELO KGOBOTLO - 23 July 2019 - 16:50

A group of journalists found this out when they were invited to tour a "secret location" within the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga last week.

No one knew about the mysterious location and host Judiet Barnes kept the adrenaline junkies excited when she told the story of a leopard and lion that were heard fighting near their sleeping area.

Although we were tired from the six-hour trip to the Kruger gate, we could not wait to finish the mouth-watering lunch at Skukuza Rest Camp and explore what we imagined was utopia.

It was another 45 minutes of driving inside the park to get to the tented area in the middle of the bush, and our ranger, who only wanted to be identified by his first name, Thulani, kept us interested in the mysterious site. Upon arrival at the glamping site, Barnes warned us to always be in the sight of the camouflage-dressed rangers.

It was only then that we were told we were standing right in the middle of unfenced lion and leopard territory - and there was no way back.


The open-air fireplace gives you a full gaze at the stars while under a spell of lion roars.

Gleaming and aureate lights from tents welcomed us to the first ever Kruger Grande.

The two-roomed tents had everything one needed. The bathroom had a smart, mobile toilet and a shower that needs to be prepared at least 15 minutes before use.

The bed was neatly made with white sheets and an electric blanket to keep the cold away.

However, the generator goes off 30 minutes after the last person leaves the reception area and cranked up again 15 minutes before the first game drive at 6am.

Next to the top-notch tents is the fireside, which keeps the camping feel real.

As expected, the fire talk brought up horror tales that had us imagining what would happen if the generator went off, or who would survive if hungry leopards came to attack. While waiting for lions' roars, sounds of baboons fighting could be heard at about 3am and did not stop until day break.

Thebe Tourism director Jerry Mabena says they were planning to do more glampings around the country's natural attractions to give people a chance to "wake up where they wish to".

"The goal will be to extend the tented-camp offering to other smaller groups and even individual visitors - much like a pop-up hotel which appears for a short period of time then moves on to the next iconic location," he says.

But the luxurious safari experience doesn't come cheap. A night's stay costs nearly R3,000, or R5,000 with a game drive.

[Lisbeth]

Luckily no one insists that you MUST go

Excellent publicity!

[PhilipG]

Greetings all, in my search for answers I have yet to find a person willing to talk or even give an indication to whom I should address my questions. This morning I read this very interesting article in the Sowetan - https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sundaywor ... t-hearted/

My previous questions where on the location of the product as well as the activities provided re security and game drives.

Now in this article the journalist comments as follow: "A group of journalists found this out when they were invited to tour a "secret location" within the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga last week." and then "No one knew about the mysterious location and host Judiet Barnes kept the adrenaline junkies excited when she told the story of a leopard and lion that were heard fighting near their sleeping area." Jip, the same Judiet Barnes i.e. General Manager of the Kruger Shalati venture (yes, I know both operations are now owned by Thebe)

The kicker is the following "It was another 45 minutes of driving inside the park to get to the tented area in the middle of the bush, and our ranger, who only wanted to be identified by his first name, Thulani, kept us interested in the mysterious site. Upon arrival at the glamping site, Barnes warned us to always be in the sight of the camouflage-dressed rangers."

So to my mind, the only rangers in the Kruger wearing camo is related to anti-poaching and or security services. The few images on the group pages shows a safari vehicle belonging to the Kruger fleet.

The important question then to ask is, what is paid to Kruger / Sanparks and who then covers the cost of the vehicles, guides and security team and who manages this logistic as the firearms issued to them also belongs to the Kruger?

The plot thickens.

[Lisbeth]