Love getting away with your family in the great outdoors and African bush, but don’t fancy crawling in and out of a tent and using shared ablution facilities? Hello glamping! It’s our new favourite thing and we spent a weekend at Hluhluwe’s newest must-visit spot doing just that.
Arriving at Hluhluwe Bush Camp is like discovering a hidden away, self-catering gem. It feels like a lodge – only the walls to your weekend home are canvas and despite there being wooden floors, a beautifully finished interior and warm beds, it still feels like you’re camping! Well, sort of!
It was Friday afternoon when we arrived at Hluhluwe Bush Camp, after a just over two-and-a-half hour drive. We couldn’t get there soon enough. Lockdown has been long and unforgiving, and an escape into the African bush was pretty much all we could think about for weeks on end.
Now we were here and, as the kids excitedly explored the incredibly quaint ‘tent’, we unpacked our groceries into the mini wooden kitchen (complete with gas stove, fridge and all the crockery and cutlery you need) and finally started to feel ourselves unwind.
As the sun began to set behind us, our bushveld view of False Bay park (which lies adjacent to the bush camp) was completed with the pink and purple sky overhead and the sound of African bush creatures slowly starting to settle in for the evening. So … we did what almost any other South African would do in a similar situation … we opened a bottle of wine and lit the fire. Finally, freedom.
Hluhluwe Bush Camp is owned by Dutch couple Trienke Lodewijk and Peter de Wit. Having lived in various parts of South Africa over the past 20 years and owner-managing their eco-lodge in Northern Mozambique, the couple finally decided to settle in Hluhluwe. Trienke is the local sales agent for the Luxetenten tents, which make up the accommodation at the bush camp. The tents really are quite phenomenal.
They manage to be stylish and surprisingly roomy, while still giving you a rustic ‘bush’ feeling. The tents are also very new and (important in these times) spotlessly clean. We were lucky enough to stay in one of the five luxury tents (four of which sleep five people, one sleeps six), and our little canvas ‘lodge’ comprised of two separate bedrooms, one sleeping three (with a bunk bed and single bed) and the other with a double bed. There is a bathroom in between the rooms, which has a (very cool) shower, toilet and basin. There is also a comfortable lounge area and a dining room and the kitchen opens up onto a spacious verandah. This is where we spent most of our time. Reading books and enjoying the surroundings or, when they weren’t off riding their bikes and exploring the bush, playing chess and birdwatching with the boys.
On Saturday morning we woke up early (we couldn’t believe how warm we had slept) and unzipped our tent to see the most beautiful, bright orange sunrise over the bush. We enjoyed tea, coffee and rusks before heading out for a walk around the property.
The Hluhluwe Bush Camp team have created their own little backyard 2.5km walking or running trail called Kambusha (which means buck in Zulu). We bumped into Nyala, Duiker, Impala and Zebra on our walk and enjoyed spotting birds and identifying interesting trees and plants.
While on our walk we also discovered the camp site, which features smaller tent options for the slightly more adventurous. Each site has a braai facility and the tents are equipped with a gas cooker, electricity and their own outside bathroom and toilet. They also have two comfortable beds and a little terrace with views over the bush.
If you’re heading out for the day there is certainly no shortage of things to do. Apart from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve (25-minutes away), you can also explore False Bay (the entrance is literally five minutes from the bush camp) or take a trip to Sodwana Bay – a diving and angling dream destination.
Back at the camp there are also other things to enjoy, like the pool area and Farmstall shop, which boasts homemade snacks and meals as well as a little convenience store with necessities you may need (think wood, ice, firelighters, wine, beer and ice cream … ).
A weekend was far too short a stay, but just enough to rejuvenate our souls and reconnect us with the African bush. We will undoubtedly be back, with friends and family in tow, one day soon!
Rates: Glamping tents (5 pax): R1500 per night; (6 pax): R1600 per night; Safari tent (2 pax with outside bathroom): R800 per tent; camp site (2 pax with electricity and use of shared ablution facilities): R300 per site.
Details: Hluhluwe Bush Camp / [email protected]
078 396 9391 or 079 107 5273.
TEXT: Leah Shone
