The pioneering andBeyond luxury safari specialists never seem to set a foot wrong with their lodges, aimed at the discerning holiday connoisseur. One of the jewels in their crown is Kirkman’s Kamp, a historic 1920s homestead decorated in the traditional colonial style of the old Transvaal. If ever there was an oasis in the bush that invokes all the nostalgia and romance of Karen Blixen’s beloved book, Out of Africa, Kirkman’s is it.
The eighteen Kirkman’s Kamp guest cottages – sublime in their decoration and five-star in their amenities – as well as the sitting, dining and bar areas reverberate with gracious tranquility and an old-world atmosphere that has been expertly executed so as to feel absolutely authentic.
While the emphasis at Kirkman’s is on luxury, the lodge is at ease in its untamed environment and at its heart is a strong connection to nature – lunch, for example, is served on an open-air deck with the river in sight and dinner is enjoyed in an open-air boma under the stars.
Expert guides and Shangaan trackers will thrill you during morning and evening game drives are characterized by intimate wildlife encounters. Should you wish to, your ranger will lead you on a short post-breakfast walk just outside the camp for a chance to unleash your inner biology professor. The excitement of an evening game drive has to be experienced to be believed. With only a spotlight to break the seemingly impenetrable darkness, you may find yourself on the trail of a pride of hunting lions, come across a leopard up a tree with its kill or watch as a rogue hyena tries to steal it away.
There are additional options for guests at Kirkman’s, at an extra cost, such as a luxury walking adventures that includes over-nighting in the great outdoors, or a photographic safari which sees you paired up with an expert ranger in your own private vehicle as he tracks your specific wish list of furry, feathered, ferocious or scaly photographic subjects.
