Review: Pel’s Post at The Outpost Lodge, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Kruger National Park is the largest park in South Africa, covering 2 million hectares of wilderness. The majority of visitors travel to the south side of the Park, leaving the north side largely unused and quieter. The northeastern corner of the country and the Park is Pafuri – home to several landscapes, flora, and fauna. The Outpost Lodge is one of two lodges in the area – when I first visited in 2019, I boldly declared it my favorite lodge in South Africa. Five years on, and having visited 40 other lodges, The Outpost is still firmly in the top spot.

Welcome

After a six-hour drive from Johannesburg, it was pure joy to pull up at Kruger National Park’s Pafuri Gate. After paying the entrance fee, it’s only a 15 minute drive to the main lodge. The staff greets you with a lavender and orange-scented towel refresher, followed by a refreshing glass of homemade ginger ale. Check-in is then done on a pool chair, and before you know it, the game vehicle will take you to the Pel Post. Here there is another welcome from the staff and an orientation of the lodge and smaller accommodation, along with an explanation of the daily safari rhythm of the two game drives and the meal program.

Room

Undoubtedly one of The Outpost’s hero features are the architecturally designed suites, or as they call it in the lodge, ‘spaces’. Aptly named – when you enter there is a portable remote, and with the touch of a button, the front and sides quickly lift. What is left is a place of incredible accommodation, open to the wild. With the high board position, you are safe from wildlife, so you can sleep with your side raised.

Entering the space there is a double day bed, next to a dressing table with a tea and coffee station. In true safari style, the four-post mattress comes with elegant white netting to keep out unwanted creatures at night. An enclosed toilet followed by an indoor shower, followed by a glorious outdoor shower. The veranda sports a table and chairs, then also two loungers for sun soaking. In a few minutes of arrival, we have lifted the side and sat here with a glass of wine from the fully-stocked bar fridge.

The Outpost is best known for its bathtub located in the accommodation area. The main lodge features an oversized stone tub, and the classic Pel’s Post white tub – and with a lift from the side of the space, from the tub you can see out over the Luvuvhu River. My advice is to take one of the afternoon game drives, take a bath at sunset and watch the hundreds of colors of the sun color the sky.

Facilities

During the COVID, extension renovations were done on the lodge, giving it a fresh feel. A wooden path takes you between each accommodation and cottage, surrounding the natural vegetation: a pleasant experience at night when it is illuminated and leads you back to bed. The main lodge space includes an indoor dining area with a fireplace, lounge, and bar. Chic interior offers a modern feel, but also homely enough that in the evening we felt comfortable sitting in front of the fire with our feet up, playing board games. The outside deck also offers alfresco dining options weather permitting. The swimming pool has a string of inviting lounges with views for the day, Sala for those seeking a reprieve from the sun, and adjacent to the pool the firepit is always ready to welcome you after the afternoon game drive.

With accommodation spaces offering unparalleled views, The Outpost doesn’t need a separate spa area. Instead, in the comfort of your own space, a portable bed is set up and the therapists begin to work their magic on your tired body. Treatments are available as single or couples massages, with many options on offer. One of the more unique ones is the two-hour ‘African Spice Celebration’ – a combination of traditional spices and traditional healing therapies to stimulate the body and Illuminate the skin. Treatment includes exfoliation, body wrap, and full body massage.

The location

While in northern Kruger, the focus shifts from chasing the Big 5 checklists, there is still plenty of wildlife to be seen. On our first drive, we saw leopards, wild dogs, hyenas, elephants, and several species of antelopes. Impressive even by Southern Kruger standards. The area is also a mecca for birders – no wonder it’s home to 80% of Kruger’s amazing biodiversity!

Pafuri is home to some of the best trees in the country. Driving along the first Luvuvhu River is an introduction to the first blind Nyala and the Jacklebery tree. Later on in our drive, we arrived somewhere magical – the world’s largest fever tree forest. Hundreds of yellow trees create a beautiful setting. Perhaps the most impressive of all, are the Baobab trees that are millennia old in the area. This ancient guard was tall with his hands reaching into the bush…

After visiting close to 80 lodges over the years, I am always delighted when one of them surprises me with something new or innovative. Returning from the last game drive, we noticed the side of danger ahead. On closer inspection, our eyes turned from alarm to joy as we read the small text below – we’re getting closer to a gin drive-through! 100 meters down the road, we came to a table filled with gin equipment, and enthusiastically, “Welcome to the gin drive-through. Choose your drink menu.” Several options are available, and if we have ordered mixology since, and minutes later we were handed a bush ‘sippy cup’ with our drink of choice.

Outpost Lodge is part of the Rare Earth Collection and one of the properties in the collection is Kay & Monty Vineyards – a vineyard in South Africa’s Garden Route town of Plettenberg Bay. It makes sense then that this sensational wine is offered by the house at The Outpost. The choice of white wine, red, rose and sparkling is attractive in the drinks menu, and comes with a new provenance in one of the country’s smallest and best-known wine-producing regions. Thanks to the unique terroir of the region, the wine is also lower in sulfates – helping to reduce the unwanted reminder of spoiling the liquid in the morning.

Cost

Rates for the Outpost vary depending on the season and length of stay. In addition, similar to many other lodges in South Africa, the lodge also has a permanent special rate for SADC (Southern African Development Community) – a rate that is especially good for last minute bookings. The regular rate is £400pp. Please note that Pel’s Post only sleeps eight, so book all accommodation at no extra charge for ‘exclusive use’ of the lodge.

The best bit

Traversing the right through part of the Kruger – means access to certain sights that no one from the community can visit. This section of Pafuri (known as the Makuleke Concession) is only accessible to guests from the two lodges, which form the Outpost. Of these exclusive sights, nothing is as breathtaking as the Lanner Gorge. Over millennia the Luvuvhu River has carved a 150 meter deep gorge. The age of the canyon is verified by the presence of dinosaur fossils found in the sandstone cliffs! It is not an exaggeration at all, to say that this is my favorite place on earth – and with the privilege as a travel journalist has seen some ordinary places – I say this with some authority. After a sundowner experience at Lanner Gorge, other sunset experiences will pale in comparison.

The final verdict

There is no better place to discover the wonders of the Northern Kruger than The Outpost Lodge – and combined with the intimacy of Pel’s Post, an incredible bush escape for friends, family or solo/couple travel – where you feel like you have a lodge and a generous sliver of Africa heaven for yourself.

Dislcosure: Our stay is sponsored by The Outpost Lodge.

Jared Ruttenberg

Jared Ruttenberg is a freelance travel journalist who loves connecting people and experiences through words, pictures and social media. Read more at www.jaredincpt.com