From the ‘Veld: When I was younger, it was always a dream to camp out in a treehouse—which is why I feel such a magnetic pull toward the magical nThambo Tree Camp in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. nThambo, the sister camp to Africa on Foot, offers an elevated sense of luxury; I love the wooden chalets on stilts with their epic balconies overlooking the wilderness. The wooden floor below means you can hear hyenas scurrying beneath your bed while elephants feed on trees adjacent to the chalets. The camp’s layout is amazing—I love how the dining area flows into the bar, pool, and deck area. Oh, and elephants usually come to drink from the pool at the same time every day during season. The camp is open, which means animals roam freely throughout.
Located in the heart of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, nThambo Tree Camp, is an eco-friendly romantic camp boasting just five wooden chalets on stilts. Each chalet has a private balcony overlooking the entire wilderness, all the way to the Drakensberg on the horizon. The chalets are at eye level with the trees, ensuring some incredible wildlife sightings. The main area houses a small splash pool (popular with elephants), stylish bar, dining area and a lovely intimate lounge area.
Camp Life:
nThambo Tree Camp is a romantic yet relaxed solar-powered camp with a relaxed atmosphere, and offers a range of open spaces designed for relaxing – all under thatch. The main safari dining area leads into an enclosed boma, while a small lounge and stylish bar area flows out towards a small deck and splash pool. Because the camp is open, elephants frequent the swimming pool and hyenas often charge their way through camp. There’s Wi-Fi in the main area, a small waterhole in front of camp and plenty of charging points for cameras.
Accommodation:
- There are 5 treehouse chalets on stilts, each with a private balcony
- Camp sleeps 10 people in total
- Choice of king or twin beds
- Two of the rooms have outdoor showers
- Beds have mosquito nets
- Showers only
- Solar power lighting and plug points in each chalet
- Rooms have bedside tables, lanterns, storage space and bathroom amenities
On-site activities:
- Optional guided bush walks after breakfast
- Game drives with coffee stops and sundowners
- Boma evenings
- Honeymoon set-ups (extra cost)
- The Bush Bar sundowner stop (stay for a minimum of 3 nights)
Wildlife sightings:
nThambo Tree Camp is known for its impressive lion sightings, with a resident mega-pride roaming the area. The reserve also boasts a thriving leopard population, making it a prime destination for big cat enthusiasts. As a Big 5 reserve, encounters with Africa’s most iconic wildlife are possible, alongside sightings of hyenas, wild dogs, honey badgers, zebras, giraffes, and a diverse range of other mammals. Elephants are frequent visitors to the swimming pool, and hyenas are often spotted nearby.
For birding enthusiasts, the area offers fantastic opportunities to see local favourites such as magpie shrikes, lilac-breasted rollers, yellow-billed hornbills, glossy starlings, white-crowned shrikes, blue waxbills, fork-tailed drongos, and Cape spurfowls. Rarer raptors include black-chested snake eagles, Wahlberg’s eagles, and tawny eagles, while all vulture species are commonly seen in the region.
Unique selling point: That would have to be the opportunity to spend nights cocooned in comfort in a wooden treehouse-style chalet on stilts. When you’re eye-line with the trees, you see and hear things that you wouldn’t usually notice at ground level.
Best for: Romantics, couples, honeymooners seeking a simple but stylish safari experience in a game rich reserve.
Top 5 Highlights
- Sleeping in a treehouse chalet
- Sightings of elephants drinking from the pool
- Exceptional predator sightings
- Expert guiding and hospitality
- The rustic romantic feel atmosphere
