Perched on a bend of the seasonal Monwana River, Saseka Tented Camp is one of the most sought-after luxury safari destinations in the Greater Kruger Park area. Saseka means ‘beautiful’ in the local Tsonga language, and everything here from the tented suites to the relaxed atmosphere, the food and personal service, is just that.

Created by iconic design duo Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the camp is a masterful juxtaposition of nostalgic South African safari style and contemporary 21st-century design.

Each tented suite is a reinterpretation of those built by the early settlers during the Gold Rush of the 1800s but is worlds apart in terms of privacy and luxury. You’ll have your own outside shower, plunge pool and spacious game-viewing deck overlooking the riverbed.

Inside is cool and peaceful with shades of sage, grey, apple and dusty pink reflecting the outdoors, and the signature mix of old and new is cleverly woven into every design detail. Steel frames are juxtaposed with traditional rattan and riempie furniture, ball-and-claw tables are next to leather headboards and Armani-grey mosquito nets cascade over white bedlinen. Soft draped ceilings are covered with botanical pressings of the Lowveld’s indigenous flora; it’s an exquisite effect and unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Saseka’s main area is an elevated deck with tiered levels where guests gather for drinks and meals. An extraordinary ceiling filters shadow and light as if you were sitting in the dappled shade of a tree, and there’s a stone water feature trickling in the background. It’s all part of the immersive bush experience at this very special camp that will capture your heart from the moment you walk through its wooden doors.

For families and small groups, Little Saseka offers guests an exclusive living and dining area, swimming pool and private game-viewing vehicle.

What you’ll love about Saseka Tented Camp

• Nyalas grazing right outside of your tented suite
• Shakshuka on the breakfast menu, health bowls for lunch and macaroons for tea
• Pre-dinner drinks in the riverbed lit up by flickering lanterns
• The historical botanical pressings on the tent ceilings were originally homed in the archives at the Pretoria Herbarium
• Saseka is also the name given to a female leopard often seen in the area

If you are looking for more options, check out our other Thornybush Game Reserve lodges in the Greater Kruger Park.