Only eight kilometers from the Punda Maria entrance gate, Punda Maria rest camp is the most northern traditional rest camp in the Kruger National Park. It offers tourists comfortable accommodation, game-viewing opportunities from inside the camp, an in-camp hiking trail and close proximity to the Pafuri area where unique bird species like Pel's Fishing Owl and the Crested Guinea fowl occurs.
Accommodation at Punda Maria Rest Camp, Kruger National Park
Two family bungalows cater for six people each with three en-suite bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen, open plan lounge and dining area and an outside patio where guests can enjoy a barbecue. Both the family bungalows offer limited channel DSTV (digital satellite television) in the lounge. One of the bedrooms is a loft room, with a patio from where to enjoy the marvels of the bushveld.
The four three-bed units are equipped with a kitchenette containing a hotplate and fridge enabling guests to cater for themselves. All three units have en suite facilities and utilize a communal barbecue area.
Punda Maria rest camp also offers accommodation in eighteen two-bed bungalows that have en suite facilities, but no kitchen or sink to prepare food. The rest camp does however provide a communal kitchen where guests may prepare food.
With fifty campsites, some with electrical outlets and some without, Punda Maria rest camp retain the feeling of a small and intimate camp. Most campsites have a rotating barbecue grid. The communal kitchen area offers boiling water 24 hours a day and the ablution facilities are well maintained and adequate.
What to See and Do at Punda Maria Rest Camp, Kruger Park
Punda Maria rest camp offers tourists a myriad of activities and facilities to make the stay at the rest camp more enjoyable. The restaurant at Punda Maria offers more than adequate meals three times a day and for the times between meal times, a well-organized cafeteria provides both take away and sit down meals during the whole day.
The Punda Maria rest camp is prolific with bird life and the in-camp hiking trail, the Paradise Flycatcher camp walk, remains a popular activity with guests. After a stroll through the camp, guests can cool down in the swimming pool or watch game from a viewing platform overlooking a small water hole just outside the fence.
Guests can take guided game drives early morning or late afternoon or embark on a guided bush walk to learn more about the fauna and flora unique to the area. The northern plains 4x4 adventure trail close to the Punda Maria rest camp offers tourists the opportunity to drive off-road where only a limited number of vehicles are allowed each day.
Avid birdwatchers must visit the Pafuri area where they can find rare birds not seen in the rest of the park. The crested guinea fowl, Pel's fishing owl and various other bird species attract hundreds of visitors each year to the area.
Although tourists will not find the Big 5 easily in the area around Punda Maria rest camp, this camp is worth a visit for the unique bird life, quiet surroundings and the laid-back atmosphere surrounding the rest camp. Reservations must be made in advance and can be done online at SAN Parks or via telephone at +27 12 428 9111.
Yolande Pienaar - Yolande traveled extensively through Southern Africa and frequently visits places off the beaten track where she discovers gems to share ...
