Thatch, Canvas and Red Cliffs: Wildside Safari Camp on Entabeni

Do you really think you have to go to the Kruger to find the real safari bush feeling? Think again. Much closer to Johannesburg, in the beautiful setting of the Waterberg mountains, lies Entabeni’s Wildside Safari Camp. And it is malaria-free.

On the second morning of our stay at Entabeni, we took the drive down the steep road from the upper escarpment, where Kingfisher Lodge and Lakeside Lodge stand, into the bushveld of the lower escarpment. We were on our way to visit Wildside Safari Camp. We crossed through the wooden gate with Wildside on its crossbeam and followed the sandy track in. We immediately fell in love with this camp.

Wildside Safari Camp is Entabeni’s tented camp, and it is the part of the reserve with the most genuine bush feeling. Twenty thatched tents are spread out among the trees at the foot of the red cliffs, joined by sandy paths and flagstone walkways. The setting recalls the rest camps of the Kruger National Park, with thatch, canvas and open bush all around, except that here a sandstone mountain stands directly behind the camp. It is also easy to reach: Entabeni lies less than three hours’ drive from Johannesburg.

A tent with a view

Each tent stands on its own wooden deck, under a round thatched roof. Sixteen are set up for two guests and four are family tents, and all have an en-suite bathroom. Inside, the beds sit under mosquito nets and the thatch rises overhead. Step out of the door and you are on the deck, with the trees in front and the escarpment filling the view. It is a place to sit outside with a drink and listen to the bush, and it is that closeness to the bush that sets Wildside apart.

For what it offers, Wildside is also good value for money. You get a comfortable bed, a deck, a pool and the same game drives as the other lodges on the reserve.

Shade, a pool and a long afternoon

Daisy, who is in charge of the camp, showed us around personally, and her hands-on approach was easy to feel. It is a camp that is clearly well run. There are several communal buildings: one for dining and breakfast, an open lounge with a bar, and a separate reception. A pool lies among the trees, with loungers in the shade.

Out in the reserve

Wildside opened in 1999, the same year lions arrived and Entabeni became a Big Five reserve. The game drives run from here and from the lodges above with the same guiding team, and they were one of the things we liked most. The vehicles are modern and open, the roads are well kept, and the rangers talk to each other by radio, so they know where the animals are. At a lion sighting the number of vehicles is kept low, and we watched one pull back once its guests had seen enough, so that another could move in. It was calm and well organised, and it meant everyone had a proper view. Our guides also asked us what we wanted to see and explained what we were looking at, and the staff we met were friendly and helpful throughout.

On game drive

Game drives on Entabeni lead through varied bush, with mountains and hills never far away. These are some of the animals we met on our drives.

Who will like it

Wildside suits families, first-time overseas safari guests and South Africans looking for a relaxed weekend in the bush, and anyone who wants a real bush feeling at a fair price. It has a less touristy feel than many other lodges, and you are more likely to meet South African safari-goers here. As a guest of Wildside you also have access to all the activities of the Entabeni reserve, such as horseback safaris, mountain biking and quad biking. It also works well with golf, as Legend Golf & Safari Resort, owned by the same Legend Group, is close by. Guests who prefer a lakeside setting and more comfort will find it at Kingfisher Lodge and Lakeside Lodge, higher up the escarpment.

Our thanks to the Legend Hospitality Group team for having us, and for letting us experience their beautiful reserve and properties. On our last morning the Entabeni team also took us to their cycad project, which we describe in The Cycad Eugène Marais Found, and Nobody Believed.

Sources

• Legend Hospitality Group, pages for Wildside Safari Camp, Kingfisher Lodge and Lakeside Lodge
• Legend Golf & Safari Resort, Our journey