Klaserie Drift Misava Safari Camp – A return to Nature

“Sipping a sundowner while watching hippos frolicking in the dam and crocodiles skulking on the bank, as baboons and birds scramble to the trees to roost. This was the perfect end to our Misava Safari Camp experience.”

Klaserie Drift Misava Safari Camp is in the heart of Klaserie Nature Reserve and if you’ve been following our travels, you will know that we fell madly in love with Klaserie Nature Reserve and everything that it stands for.

A stay at Klaserie Drift in the heart of Klaserie is what safari dreams are made of.

👉 Check rates and availability for Klaserie Drift Misava Camp here.

THE KLASERIE DRIFT EXPERIENCE

While we were staying in the Klaserie bushveld, many of you asked how you could have a similar experience. As we were camping on private land owned by friends, staying at that bush camp isn’t an option.

But we were invited to check out one of the camps nearby — Klaserie Drift Misava Safari Camp. This was the perfect opportunity for us to check a camp that could offer you, our reader, the ‘Klaserie experience’.

And what an experience it was.

Klaserie Drift is perched on an escarpment that overlooks the Klaserie River and offers stunning panoramic views over the Klaserie bushveld.

IF YOU WANT A LITTLE LUXURY …

But, this may be just the thing that some of you may be looking for.

We appreciate that not everyone will be in South Africa for months on end like us. Also, not everyone enjoys camping, shared ablutions and missing out on the creature comforts.

If your budget allows, therefore, Misava is just the perfect relaxed, family-run experience in the area.

You might also be looking to celebrate a special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday.  If so, for a special safari experience, then Misava Safari Camp is an absolutely fabulous option.

KLASERIE DRIFT MISAVA SAFARI CAMP

Before visiting, we checked out Klaserie Drift Misava Safari Camp online. We were immediately impressed by the 5-star ratings and rave reviews given by previous guests on TripAdvisor.

In addition, the camp has also been awarded the 🌟 Travellers Choice TripAdvisor Award for 2023

Klaserie Drift Camp is a five-star lodge, that offers its guests, ‘Casual luxury’. A place where the fusion of five-star facilities is tastefully balanced within a homely, relaxed atmosphere.

There isn’t any pomp and ceremony here, just an ambience of relaxation with an emphasis on a return to nature. The tasteful décor reflects Africa, with a warm and cosy feel that wraps you in a blanket of Bushveld ambience.

However, it is not just the décor or the beautifully presented rooms that will take your breath away. Misava’s elevated position gives an incredible view of the surrounding bush and a perfect vantage point to spot wild animals.

Fancy a view with a difference?

Slip into the sparkling infinity pool that overlooks the river. Just the place to cool off and watch the wilderness unfold in front of you.

When it’s mealtime,  you can rest assured knowing that Klaserie Drift’s resident chefs will prepare something special. African-style cuisine features both its own homegrown and locally sourced produce.

Of course, Klaserie Drift caters for any special food requirements.

The Klaserie Drift Misava Safari Camp managers are Talitha and Dawie, who also promote the Klaserie Eco Children program.

And along with other camps in Klaserie Nature Reserve, such as Ivory Wilderness Lodge, contribute towards Klaserie’s animal conservation projects for the ground hornbill, the elephant and the wild dogs.

ACCOMMODATION AT KLASERIE DRIFT CAMP

At Klaserie Drift’s Misava Camp, you have the option to choose between four garden-view rooms and two luxuriously appointed villas. The fact that there are only a few rooms means that your experience at Klaserie Drift will be intimate, personalised and private.

 At the time of writing a sixth room was being added as an adjoining room to one of the garden rooms as a family option.

KLASERIE DRIFT AND THE SAFARI EXPERIENCE

The Klaserie Drift Misava Safari Camp has access to 11,000 hectares throughout Klaserie Nature Reserve. You will, therefore, never be in competition with lots of other tour groups all trying to spot the same safari animals and vie for the best viewing spot.

Again, this reflects the feeling of being at one with nature. The more commercialised game drives can lose this.

The local area around Klaserie Drift is home to the River Pride of Lions. A pride that has gradually increased in number and currently sits at around 20 – 25.

You can see more images of this river pride, that we were lucky enough to see the last time we visited Klaserie, just after they had taken down a buffalo, in our wildlife photography article.

Klaserie Drift’s field guides are extremely knowledgeable and on each game drive, you will learn interesting facts about the animals, their spore (footprints), droppings and behaviours. Whether you are a photographer or simply enjoy watching, the game drives are tailored individually.

Each game drive lasts around three hours with two game drives a day included in the price.

A KLASERIE DRIFT SAFARI GAME DRIVE

Our afternoon game drive started at about 3.45 pm and finished around 7.00 pm, which is typical. But if the sightings are great, then you can expect to be out longer.

In a reserve where the animals roam free, there are never any guaranteed sightings. So, this is where the local knowledge and tracking experience of the field guides comes to the fore.

Their ability to read the signs of the bush and knowledge of the local animals increases any sighting chances.

In our three-hour game drive, we spotted:

• elephants,
• a leopard,
• impala,
• bushbuck,
• kudu,
• hyena,
• warthogs,
• hippos,
• crocodile,
• giraffe,
• helmeted guineafowl,
• a pearl-spotted owlet,
• pied and malachite kingfishers,
• steenbok,
• grysbok and
• scrub hare.

Now that’s a lot of great sightings.

We also had several elephant encounters. And at one point, we had to deal with typical ‘Africa traffic’. An elephant to-ing and fro-ing for quite a while on a bridge that we needed to cross.

It must be said though, that our highlight of the day, was spotting this beautiful female leopard. She seemed unperturbed by our presence and continued grooming herself.

We then followed her for a little while, watching her as she was harassed by impalas barking their warning cries for her to stay away.

This was a true bushveld experience.

As the golden sunset hour came upon us, we passed a tower of giraffes. This made for beautiful images and it was made even more special by spotting this little one among the group.

Just as the sun was setting, we arrived at a dam and saw our first hippos in Klaserie Nature Reserve. They were accompanied by an enormous crocodile which quickly escaped to the murky confines of the water.

We sipped sundowners, nibbled on biltong and listened to the sounds of Klaserie. Hippos grunted as helmeted guinea fowl took flight to roost in the trees.

KLASERIE DRIFT BUSH CAMP PRICES

The rates at Klaserie Drift Safari Camp are all-inclusive. This includes a morning and afternoon game drive, walking safaris, food and drinks, and use of the spectacular infinity pool overlooking the African bush and the open-air bar.

Special rates are offered from time to time so it is always worth checking the current deals. 

For full inclusions, current rates and any specials, check their Booking.com rates and their reviews here.

WHERE IS KLASERIE DRIFT SAFARI CAMP? 

KLASERIE DRIFT MISAVA SAFARI BUSH CAMP … THAT’S A WRAP

If you are looking for somewhere to stay that offers casual luxury with an exclusive safari experience, then we highly recommend Klaserie Drift Safari Camp.

If you want a genuine safari experience, Book a stay at Klaserie Drift

We generally travel on a budget. So, for the majority of our time in Africa, we travel and sleep in our 4×4 bush camper on our own self-drive wildlife safaris.  However, if you are visiting South Africa for a safari experience then you can’t go wrong staying in Klaserie.

Klaserie Nature Reserve is one of the few reserves that is limited in its commercialism. So the lodges here can offer safari experiences that are more authentic and personal, with a focus on back to nature.

So what are you waiting for? Book that African adventure and see why we have fallen so in love with Africa.

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