About
Satara Rest Camp is a prominent and busy accommodation facility located in the central sector of South Africa's Kruger National Park. It is recognized as the third-largest rest camp within the park and is strategically positioned in an area renowned for its exceptional game viewing opportunities, characterized by relatively open bush and abundant wildlife. The camp's name, "Satara," originates from the Hindi term "satra," meaning 17, a designation given by an anonymous Indian surveyor in the late 1800s when the region was being partitioned for human settlement, prior to the establishment of the national park. The camp is well-wooded, contributing to its rustic charm and prolific birdlife. At night, the sounds of fruit bats, cicadas, crickets, owls, nightjars, hyenas, and jackals create a distinctive African symphony.The surrounding landscape of Satara is dominated by knob thorn and marula savannah on basalt soils. To the west, an intrusion of ecca shales soil supports sweet grass, often heavily grazed, and Delagoa thorn thickets. Eastward, the N'wanetsi region features Lebombo Mountain Bushveld on rhyolite soils, where tree euphorbia and red bushwillow are common. Satara is particularly famous as "the cat camp" due to the frequent sightings of large predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The fertile grazing lands in the area attract vast herds of general game, including blue wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, giraffe, and impala, which in turn draw the predators. Rhino, buffalo, and elephant are also commonly observed.Accommodation at Satara Rest Camp caters to diverse needs, offering 100 power-equipped campsites for caravans and tents, various bungalows (some with private kitchens, others with communal facilities), guest cottages, and larger guest houses. Wheelchair-accessible units are also available. The camp provides a comprehensive range of facilities, including a restaurant, deli, shop, mini ATM, laundromat, and a filling station. For recreation, there's a swimming pool with a children's playground, a day visitors' picnic area with a boma, and an Eco Information Centre and Amphitheatre. Activities include guided bush walks, game drives (morning, sunset, and night), bush braais and breakfasts, and birdwatching at hides like Sweni and Ratel Pan. Wildlife documentaries are screened nightly in the Open Air Theatre, except on Sundays. The closest airport is Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit, approximately 68 km from Orpen Gate, which is 48 km from the camp.
