The camp’s name was given by an Indian surveyor who measured out the area with the aim of creating farms. Once done, the area was named Satara, which is the Hindu word for 17, which probably meant it was the 17th area he surveyed. Luckily, it was never turned into farmland. Before this happened, Paul Kruger set up the foundation for what became known as Kruger National Park.
Kruger Park Travel
Satara Rest Camp
Satara is one of the main rest camps and the third biggest in Kruger National Park (KNP), which is located in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces of South Africa. The camp is situated in the centre of the park, close to the Open gate entrance.
Overview
Satara is a popular and busy camp as the surrounding area offers excellent game viewing. The bush is relatively flat and open, and the animals are plentiful and diverse. The camp is known as the cat camp as the big cats, such as lion, cheetah, and leopard is often seen in the area.
Staying in any of the camps of the KNP is a top experience where you can be guaranteed to see the Big 5. It is one of the more affordable safari vacations that you can book in South Africa.
The camp offers a variety of accommodation to choose from, and it also has a designated day visitor area where day visitors and visitors from other camps can braai (barbecue) and picnic.
Accommodation can be booked online via the SANParks website, by telephone, by fax, by e-mail, or in person at a KNP bookings office.
Why would you want to visit Satara?
Spending a few days in the Satara camp provides a true African experience like few others and is definitely something to add to your safari vacation.
Satara is the preferred camp to stay in if you have any hope of seeing lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The area around the camp is incredibly fertile, and the lush grass attracts all kinds of antelope, making it the perfect hunting ground for the cats, especially in the Muzandenzi area.
Satara is perfectly situated and offers many routes in the area for self-drives. Going out on an open vehicle safari is the preferred way to see animals, but visitors can also opt to sit quietly at one of the dams or in front of the restaurant area, which has a waterhole on the outside of the fence, and watch the animals come and go.
The camp offers great bird watching opportunities as it provides a walking route on the inside perimeters of the camp. You will get a general offering of fauna and flora, and be close to animals that you might catch a glimpse of on the other side of the electrified fence.
Where is Satara located?
Satara is located in the middle of the KNP, about 48 km from the Orpen entrance gate. The GPS coordinates for the camp are S 24 23′ 52″ E 31 46′ 40″.
How to get to Satara
Travelling time from Johannesburg to the closest entrance gate at Orpen by car is at least four to five hours.
Take the N4 and head toward Nelspruit, taking the R540 Belfast turn-off. Drive through Belfast and head to Lydenburg, turning left onto the R36 heading north in the direction of Hoedspruit. About 30 km before Hoedspruit, turn right onto the R531 and head to Orpen gate.
The camp is 48 km away from the gate, and you should allow at least 2 hours for the drive to the camp.
The closest airport to Satara is Eastgate Airport that is situated in Hoedspruit. The airport is approximately 68 km from Orpen Gate. There are daily scheduled flights from Johannesburg and from Cape Town.
A map of KNP can be bought at the entrance gates or any of the camps in the park.
Be aware of the gate times for entering and departing from the park. It is as follows:
Entrance gates:
- January, February, November, and December – gates open at 05:30 and close at 18:30
- March and October – gates open at 05:30 and close at 18:00.
- April, August, and September – gates open at 06:00 and close at 18:00.
- May, June, and July – gates open at 06:00 and close at 17:30.
Satara’s gates open and close at the same times as the entrance gates, except for January, November, and December, when the camp gates open as early as 04:30.
What to do while staying at Satara
There are many activities on offer at the camp that will ensure an exciting bush experience. All bookings and further details for these activities are available from reception.
Activities include bush barbecues and traditional dances, which sometimes complement the game viewing. Visitors can also see documentary films at the Open Air Theatre in the camp. As stated, the camp is the best camp for viewing lion, leopard and cheetah. For bird enthusiasts, the Sweni Bird Hide offers excellent bird watching opportunities.
Activities on offer are:
- Guided Bush Walks
- Morning, sunset, or night game drives with trained field guides
- Bush Breakfast and Bush Braai (Barbecue)
- Sweni Bird Hide on the Sweni River, about 30 km from the camp
- Ratel Pan Bird Hide at the Piet Grobler Dam on the Timbavati/Roodewal road, about 35 km from the camp
- Seasonal Kids Educational Programme
- Sweni Wilderness Trail, which is a pre-booked overnight activity
- Mananga 4 x 4 Adventure Trail if the weather permits
- Through prior arrangement with the camp, traditional dances can be arranged
- Wildlife films on the big screen from Monday to Saturday
Various open vehicle safari operators are available to book a trip with. They offer affordable yet exclusive safari trips for singles, couples, families with children, or small private groups.
What to watch out for when staying at Satara
Staying at Satara is an exciting experience, and guests will experience the flora and fauna that this area offers.
The region around Satara is regarded as one of the best game viewing areas in KNP and is particularly noted for the big cats, with lion, leopard, and cheetah recorded regularly. Large prides live in the area and are frequently spotted in the Muzadzeni area.
Especially during winter when the veld is dry, lion and leopard lie waiting to ambush thirsty antelope that swarm in large herds to drink at the few remaining pools of water. There are no major rivers in the region, and wildlife can only find water at one of the 3 dams and 6 waterholes in the area.
Other game found here in huge herds includes blue wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, giraffe and impala. Rhino, buffalo and elephant are also plentiful. Visitors have been lucky to spot the honey badger on many occasions. Spotted hyena and jackal are also recorded and hyena are regular visitors in the evening on the outside of the camp perimeter.
If you do not want to spend your days driving, you have the option to book one of the available wilderness trails. Guided bush walks, including a day spent in one of the camp hides, are great ways to spot animals, and they will add a little variation to your safari.
Satara is another birders' paradise in KNP, and it is home to many resident birds. A prominent one is the Red-billed buffalo weaver, glossy, greater Blue-eared, and Burchell’s starling and mourning dove. At night, giant eagle, barn, scops, and pearl spotted-owls can be seen and heard in the camp. During the summer, the Blue-cheeked bee-eater is regularly in attendance.
Like most camps in the park, Satara has many trees, of which the most common include marula and knob thorn trees. The soil is fertile and produces sweet grass, which makes it a preferred spot for all the grazing animals. To the west, there is an intrusion of ecca shales soil, which hosts very sweet grass. It also hosts Delagoa thorn thickets. The N’wanetsi region to the east lies in Lebombo Mountain Bushveld on rhyolite soils, where tree euphorbia and red bushwillow can be found.
What type of accommodation does Satara offer, and what amenities/facilities are available at the camp?
Satara provides a variety of accommodation types for singles, couples, and families with children.
Accommodation availability changes from day to day, and all inquiries about general availability are subject to change without notice. Last-minute reservations in less than 31 days before the arrival date are payable within 24 hours after receiving a confirmed provisional reservation via e-mail.
Your accommodation is only guaranteed once you receive a provisional reservation confirmation, and to secure your reservation, full pre-payment is required a.s.a.p.
At Satara, the following accommodation types are available, which include wheelchair-friendly accommodation:
Campsites
Camping is the most affordable and the most rustic style of accommodation that Kruger offers. The camp boasts 100 tent or caravan sites with a power point, for a maximum of 6 people. Visitors use the communal ablutions and cooking facilities, which have 24-hour boiling water, electric hotplates and washing up facilities. All sites come equipped with a turning braai grid.
Bungalows
The camp offers a choice between different kinds of bungalows.
75 air-conditioned units sleep 2 or 3 people with a bathroom equipped with a shower, WC, and wash basin. Visitors use the communal kitchen with 24-hour hot water, sinks, and hotplates. A limited number of fully equipped utensil boxes (cutlery, crockery, glasses, and a frying pan) are available for hire at reception.
A further 57 air-conditioned bungalows that sleep 2 or 3 people have bathrooms with a shower, WC, and wash basin. These come equipped with kitchens, and all utensils and crockery are provided.
There is 1 luxury air-conditioned bungalow with 2 beds and one sleeper couch. It comes equipped with an en-suite bathroom with a shower, WC, and wash basin. The open-air kitchen has a fridge/freezer, sink, cooker plate, microwave oven, cooking utensils, crockery, and cutlery. It also has an outside braai facility.
In addition, 19 bungalows with 2 beds are situated on the perimeter fence with a view of the veld. They come with an en-suite bathroom each containing a shower, WC, and wash basin. Each have an open air kitchen with cooker top, combined fridge/freezer, cutlery, crockery and utensils.
Guest Cottages
Satara has 1 cottage the sleep 5 and 9 cottages that sleep 6 people. The bedrooms come with en-suite bathrooms with a bath, WC, and washbasin. All are equipped with kitchens that have a gas stove, fridge/freezer, sink, cooking utensils, crockery, and cutlery.
Guest Houses
There are 3 large luxury units in prime positions inside the camp. All 3 have well-equipped kitchens, multiple bedrooms, and bathrooms. Limited-channel DSTV televisions are provided.
- Wells Guest House sleeps 6, with 3 bedrooms and 2 single beds in each room
- Stanley Guest House sleeps 9, with 3 bedrooms and 3 single beds in each room
- Frankel Guest House sleeps 10, with 5 bedrooms and 2 single beds in each room
- All the units come with linen and towels.
Facilities
The following facilities are available:
- Information at Reception
- Public Telephone
- Post Box
- Restaurant
- Deli
- Shop
- Mini ATM facility available in the restaurant
- Laundromat
- Filling Station
- Communal Kitchens
- Communal Ablutions
- Swimming Pool with children’s playground.
- Cutlery and Plates Hampers (from Reception)
- Basic First Aid Assistance
- Day Visitors Picnic Area with Boma on perimeter of camp
- Eco Information Centre and amphitheatre
- Limited channel DSTV in Guest houses only
- Cell phone reception
What do you need to know and bring for a safe and comfortable stay at the Satara?
Plan properly for your stay at Satara to make it a relaxed trip and stay. Bookings need to be done well in advance of your planned date of arrival. KNP is a popular game reserve, and accommodation is not readily available, especially in the holiday season and during the winter months.
Satara does not offer any bed and breakfast facilities, and guests must bring their own food and drinks. Meals can be bought at the restaurant, and the shop provides most items that will be needed daily. It also has a deli.
Most parts of the KNP are situated well within a malaria area. This is much more than just an unpleasant illness, but it can be fatal if left untreated. Since it is being spread by mosquitoes, the best way to avoid getting sick is to prevent the mosquitos to bite you. You can avoid mosquito bites if you take the necessary steps, such as wearing long sleeves and trousers in the evening, and using a reputable kind of insect repellent. The best way to totally avoid a malaria scare is to get the necessary preventative medication prescribed by your doctor before journeying into the African bush.
Although it is basically impossible for larger, more dangerous animals to enter the camp, it is best to always be alert. Nocturnal animals like the civet, porcupines, and others are frequent visitors. Ensure your stay is happy and safe by taking note of a few simple warnings. You will be sharing your stay with many unusual and dangerous creatures, such as bats, spiders, snakes, scorpions, to mention but a few, and without knowledge, some of them could be dangerous.
If you must walk around at night, please do not do so without a torch. Although there are streetlights, it is not very bright and only along the footpaths.
❌Under no circumstances are you allowed to feed the animals. By feeding any wildlife, you are signing their death warrant as they become lazy and do not seek food themselves, which can cause them to starve. Some also become aggressive.❌
When to visit Satara
The best time of the year to make your trip to Satara in the KNP is either early spring or late autumn. Kruger is a summer rainfall area, and such precipitation is usually convectional and can result in heavy downpours.
The hot summer months from October to April can make any safari tour unpleasant. Fortunately, Satara does come with swimming pool where overnight visitors can cool down in. The winters are warm and mild during the day and can sometimes be quite cold at night. If you are planning a trip to KNP in the winter that includes a night-drive be sure to pack warm clothing that includes a warm jacket, beanie, scarf, and gloves.
Even animals sometimes shy away from the heat. During the summer months, they tend to look for shade during the hottest time of the day, and it is not always easy to spot, especially since the bush is very dense.
During the winter months, wildlife tend to stay in the vicinity of water sources and can often be seen at the watering holes, rivers, and dams. The bush is also less dense, and animals are spotted more easily than during the summer months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Satara Rest Camp is centrally located in Kruger National Park, roughly halfway between Skukuza and Olifants, making it ideal for exploring the park’s central grasslands.
Satara is famous for excellent lion sightings, as well as cheetah and leopard, due to the surrounding open plains.
Yes, it’s very popular with first-time visitors because of its central location, good road access, and high game-viewing success.
Accommodation includes bungalows, cottages, guest houses, safari tents, and camping sites.
Yes, most accommodation units have electricity, though camping visitors should check power point availability.
Yes, Satara has a restaurant offering sit-down meals as well as takeaway options.
Yes, there is a well-stocked shop selling groceries, snacks, drinks, curios, and basic camping supplies.
Yes, morning, sunset, and night game drives are available and can be booked at reception.
Yes, the Big Five are present in the area, with lions and elephants being especially common.
Yes, it’s suitable for families, with safe camp facilities and accommodation options that sleep multiple guests.
Yes, like all main rest camps in Kruger, Satara is securely fenced.
Yes, there is a swimming pool available for overnight guests.
Yes, most units and campsites include braai facilities.
Visitors often see vervet monkeys, squirrels, birds, and occasionally hyena or owl sightings near the fence at night.
The dry winter months (May to September) are best for game viewing, while summer offers lush scenery and birdlife.
Your Travel Journey Starts Here
Sign up and we'll send the best deals to you
