UPDATED FEB 2020. After sharing my experience of glamping in South Africa at Bukela Game Lodge, I realized that I still had so much more to share that would be useful to other travelers. That post was already pretty long though, so I decided to round up the rest of my tips here in today’s post to help you plan your own visit when the time comes. I visited as a solo female traveler but when it comes to planning there wasn’t really much that needed to be said specifically for solo travelers, it was a pretty easy solo trip to take. If you are a solo traveler too, rest assured this will still be a useful guide for you. If you have any questions, just leave them in the comments below.
Glamping In South Africa – Tips For Planning Your Stay At Bukela Lodge
Disclaimer
There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.
The basics
Where I stayed: Bukela Game Lodge, Amakhala Game Reserve
Time of year: September
Style of trip: Solo
Other lodges at Amakhala Game Reserve: Bush Lodge, HillsNek Safari Camp, or Woodbury Lodge to name a few
Planning tips
Entry requirements for South Africa
Most stays under 90 days don’t require a tourist visa but check here for the rules relating to the country you’re from.
Which airport should you fly into?
The closest airport to Bukela Game Lodge is Port Elizabeth.
If you are only visiting for this safari experience and not driving on to the next destination, there’s no point in renting a car.
The lodge can arrange an airport transfer, just let them know when you make your booking. I used this service and it was super convenient and the drivers were lovely to talk to.
What is the currency in South Africa?
South African Rand is the currency.
It’s a good idea to get some cash out for your glamping experience as you won’t have access to an ATM at the lodge.
I got cash out at one of the ATM’s at the Johannesburg airport.
Since the stay is all-inclusive, the cash is only for tipping staff and maybe a souvenir at the airport before you leave.
How much are you meant to tip?
It’s always tough to know how much to tip – I was a little stressed about this!
For a guide, I found that $10USD per day for your ranger is a base level. If your ranger was exceptional, or you had private tours then it would be appropriate to add more.
For the lodge staff, $5USD per day, per person would be the baseline.
How long should you stay at Bukela Lodge?
A 3-night stay is ideal for Bukela Game Lodge.
Many guests stay for 2 nights as they drive the garden route and, in my opinion, that would be a little rushed.
If you get bad weather on the one full day you have there or there aren’t many animal sightings then you don’t have much wiggle room.
If you’re just stopping to go on a safari and aren’t too fussed what animals you see, then 2 nights will do. But, if this is a dream African safari, bucket list type experience for you like it was for me, then I think the ideal is 3 nights.
It’s good with a friend
If you are a solo traveler like me, you have probably heard about the solo travel supplement.
Be prepared to face it if you stay at Bukela Lodge.
It’s honestly the only thing I didn’t love about staying there because I dislike being punished for independence, but it’s just one of the downsides to solo travel that we have to face sometimes.
I think it is worth it to stay in a place that offers an experience as high quality as this and would certainly stay there again. But, if you really want to avoid the extra charge and have friends, maybe bring one along for the trip.
Packing tips
Layering is key
I was surprised by both how cold it got and how quickly the temperature changed.
During my visit in October, it was cool in the morning and evening, then warm during the day. The game drives were especially cold because of the wind coming through the open vehicle.
Pack clothes you can layer easily so that you can add and remove layers as needed. I posted more packing suggestions in my packing guide post.
Back pain
The game drives are on 4WD tracks and covering the terrain can be pretty bumpy.
If you experience back pain, particularly from compaction, I would suggest bringing some heat patches or something similar to help ease any muscle tension.
Make sure to stretch out afterward too. These are some heat patches
I always travel with because long travel days usually have my back on fire.
You can put one on before you sleep and wake up good to go for the next day.
Camera or binoculars
While there’s a chance an animal might come close and walk past you, many of the animals will prefer to keep a little distance.
If you travel with a zoom lens, then you’ll be able to view them up close. I used a 55-210mm lens
and my Sony Alpha a6000
which did the job for both animals that were close and far away.
If you won’t be taking a zoom lens, make sure you pack a small pair of travel binoculars. Just the small ones that can hang around your neck will be fine, they don’t have to be anything fancy.
It will just allow you to see the animals that are further away or animals that might be resting under the shade of a tree and hard to spot.
Bring a book
You have downtime between the morning and evening game drives, and since you are staying out in the peaceful wilderness of the African bush, it’s the perfect time to relax.
Bring a book, have some podcasts downloaded, or bring a travel journal
.
I was working the whole time for my visit but I’m very much looking forward to booking a trip to return to Bukela so that I can really enjoy the peaceful downtime.
Feminine hygiene
You will be staying on a private game reserve and away from convenience stores or supermarkets.
When it comes to your feminine hygiene products, make sure you pack it with you even if you’re not due for your monthly visitor during your stay.
It’s always better have it and not need it than the other way around.
Aside from that, the lodge has the usual toiletries you would expect from a luxury hotel.
Other guides for planning a safari trip to South Africa
- Amakhala Game Reserve – Where Your African Safari Dreams Come True
- What To Wear On Safari In South Africa – A Practical Packing Guide
- Solo glamping in South Africa vlog
I appreciate you reading and hope to have helped to make your trip planning a little easier by sharing these tips for glamping in South Africa.
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