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.

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.

Suites

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.

Dining

From a traditional barbecue in a lantern-lit boma to a fireside feast in a starry riverbed, they create dining occasions at Thornybush that are unique and magical experiences. They can prepare a romantic à la carte dinner and serve it on your private deck or set the scene for you to celebrate that special occasion.
At Saseka Tented Camp, they offer a tasting menu experience and a Pan-African culinary evening and if you’re staying at one of their family villas, a personal chef will prepare your meals with local flair.

Bush breakfasts are served in true Out Of Africa style. As you arrive, you’ll be welcomed by bowls of warm water to wash your hands before you sit down at tables set under the trees. Tuck into platters of seasonal fruit, yoghurt and our delicious homemade muesli, followed by a continental or full-cooked breakfast, coffee, Mimosas and Bloody Marys.
At Thornybush their menus are paired with superb South African wines, and they pride themselves on using fresh produce from local suppliers and their community farms. They cater for all dietary requirements. Halaal and Kosher food is also available on request.

Safari

Wake to early birdsong as the sun peeks over the horizon to signal the start of another day on safari in South Africa. After morning coffees, you’ll head out in one of their open-air safari vehicles to discover what’s happened in the bush overnight.
This is the best time of the day for game viewing as the land is cool and just as some animals start to move around, you’ll see others returning to their dens or resting in the shade after a night on the hunt.

With their guide-and-tracker teams’ expert bush knowledge, you’ll encounter Big Five animals and incredible sightings of general game.
Their guides are also more than happy to stop and look at trees, birds and other smaller creatures too. Then it’s a coffee stop to stretch the legs and chat about the morning’s sightings before heading back to your safari lodge for breakfast.
After you’ve spent the day lazing by the pool, caught up on some sleep and had an alfresco lunch, you’ll meet for tea and set out on an afternoon game drive through the Greater Kruger Park.

As the light starts to soften, game viewing becomes a photographer’s delight. Will it be a pride of lions sleeping in the shade, wild dogs on a hunt, a dazzle of zebra in the dust or a majestic bird of prey circling above?

After drinks and watching the sunset at one of the breathtaking viewpoints, nocturnal wildlife takes its cue for action. Their guides will now focus on the thrill of seeing an elusive leopard walk silently through a moonlit riverbed or lions start to move in the darkness as hyenas cackle in the distance.

You may also catch glimpses of bushbabies swinging in the branches, civets, genets, the white-tailed mongoose or a prickle of porcupines.