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Calm, calmer, calmcation - here’s how to take it the easiest on a Big Five safari holiday

Life can be pretty busy. And noisy. To say nothing of the incessant virtual distractions and notifications.

So it’s easy to understand why more and more people are seeking silence, solace and calm on their holiday, or rather their calmcation, be it on an African safari in Kruger National Park that includes the whole family, or a luxury safari experience for two.

Taken from “calm” and “vacation”, a calmcation is simply a holiday that prioritises slowing down, relaxing and unwinding, and engaging in activities that rejuvenate the body and mind. It’s about simplicity, connection and, well, calm. And can be one of the most eco-friendly ways to travel.

And it’s a travel trend that’s showing no signs of slowing down (!!). Take the calmcation to the next level by selecting those experiences known to promote and elevate calm.

“Any kind of time out in nature is good for you, and a safari holiday in Kruger National Park even more so as it really brings you up close and personal with Mother Nature, in a setting that is inherently tranquil,” says Miguel Farinha, Hotel Manager of Kruger Gate Hotel, located mere metres from the Paul Kruger Gate entrance to the Park.

Experience a guided game drive

A guided safari tour is a unique way to experience a different kind of serenity. It’s an opportunity to really sit back and soak in the wonder of the bush and Kruger National Park’s flora and fauna in all its glory.

A guided safari, in particular, serves as a kind of connection between the visitor and the wonders of Kruger National Park. Professional safari guides are there to bring the magnificence of the landscape, the animals, the birds and the flora to life for you, while you simply sit back, relax and soak it all in, and put all those wildlife photography tips you’ve been researching to good use. Navigating Kruger National Park is what they do best, so you can simply focus on embracing it all.

Treat yourself to a spa experience

Is there anything more calming than a full-body massage? Yes, it’s a full-body massage in a tree house treatment room overlooking the Sabie River – the ultimate wilderness spa experience!

Dee’s African Spa at Kruger Gate Hotel offers exactly that – and more. The spa’s approach to wellbeing is one that combines ancient wisdom with modern technologies to offer an authentically tranquil experience.

Opt for silent mode

They say silence is golden and nowhere is this more true than in the Kruger National Park where silence and serenity is all-encompassing. “We love to recommend to guests that they simply sit on the Pool Deck overlooking the Sabie River and soak up the silence. Sure, there’s the sounds of birds and animals but it’s a serene sound that is unique to the area and generally brings on a great sense of calm and connection to nature,” says Farinha.

Embrace the wonder of water

Whether that’s the water from a summer thunderstorm, or immersing yourself in the infinity pool that overlooks the Sabie River at Kruger Gate Hotel, people close to water can do wonders for enhancing that feeling of calm.

Every traveller’s idea of a calmcation will be different – and rightly so – but one thing is for sure. Kruger National Park – the jewel in South Africa’s tourism crown – is the ideal destination for a calmcation that will rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

Guest Reviews

I was at this location for a wedding. Spectacular views, wonderful food and atmosphere!

Posted on 20/11/2025 by Google

Spent there 4 days with my partner. Extremely good experience, the hotel is very nice, well decorated, well located and their games are extremely good!
Really recommend them!

Posted on 19/11/2025 by Google

We phoned Reception at 16h00 on 20 Nov and requested a top sheet and light weight blanket for the night; on return after a sunset gamedrive and supper at the Boma we were disappointed that it was not delivered.

I had a headache, the shop was closed and I asked the Hostess at the Boma, Debra if she knew if there is some assistance. She went out of her way to find me 2 panado\'s! Thank you Debra!

There are so many vista\'s and various offerings at this hotel; I feel like so spoilt when visiting and the Boma is just beyond words! Thank you 😊

Posted on 23/11/2025 by TripAdvisor

This hotel is perfectly located just outside the Paul Kruger Gate by the Sabie River. We flew into Skukuza airport which is extremely small and booked the hotel transfer to collect us. The driver was very helpful, guiding us through paperwork needed for the park and giving us a mini safari on the way to the hotel.
Stayed for 3 nights and had 2 rooms. A lovely hotel with lots of different seating areas connected by wooden walkways, surrounded by trees with a stream running through it. It was well staffed and clean. There were viewing huts over the waterhole and Sabie River where we saw hippos and buffalo and a family of 3 bushbuck in the grounds.
The infinity pool was great, also overlooking the river and the pool bar/restaurant had a good range of food and drink and friendly staff. Just be careful not to leave food/drink unattended on the table as the monkeys come in.
Dinner at the outside Lapa Restaurant was fabulous - so much choice from their buffet and always some singing, often by the staff. The bushbabies patrol around the fence and occasionally come down looking for scraps, which the guests all found entertaining.
Breakfast was another huge buffet with a choice of inside or outside seating. There was also a bar, coffee shop and gift shop, plus a spa which we had treatments at, including extremely firm massages.
We booked 2 morning safari\'s with the hotel (I pre-booked these before we went) and they pointed out that it was fractionally cheaper for us to have a private tour as there were 4 of us. The vehicles can take 9-10 people but I\'m so glad we had the private tour and not the shared vehicle as it meant we could slide across the seats and see so much more and it was much more personalised. (We also did a sunset safari which we had to use SanParks for as private vehicles aren\'t allowed into the park in the evening, but it wasn\'t as good as a much bigger vehicle and less information).
The hotel used Kurt Safari for our morning tours and would thoroughly recommend. We had the same driver/guide, Karabo, each morning so he took us in 2 different directions and we saw an incredible variety of animals and he was very knowledgeable. It was a totally amazing experience!
The morning safari\'s start very early, and you have to fill in some indemnity forms before leaving (you need your passport numbers for this), so we had to be ready about 45 mins before entry to the park at 5.30am. We pre-ordered packed breakfast from the hotel and we stopped at a camp between 8.30-9am to eat - drink, sandwich, apple, yoghurt, biltong, snack. The camps we stopped at also had cafes and shops. The morning safari was about 6 hours, which is long enough really and gave some time in the afternoon to relax and catch up on sleep after a very early start.
We would love to visit Kruger again and if we did, I would stay at this hotel and I would definitely book the private vehicle safari.

Posted on 24/11/2025 by TripAdvisor

I had an amazing time with my sister and our friends. Beautiful accommodations, amazing food, excellent service!! A must visit!!

Posted on 23/11/2025 by TripAdvisor

Nous avons beaucoup aimé le cadre de l hôtel avec la gentillesse du personnel .
L hôtel est juste à côté du parc national donc très pratique pour les safari ( on recommande fortement les safari proposés par l hôtel )

Il y a de nombreuses activités dans l hôtel ( exemple : mini golf, spa/massage , piscine avec vue sur la rivière , belle salle de musculation …)
Et les petits déjeuners et dîners étaient tout simplement excellents !

Posted on 27/11/2025 by Booking.com

Sehr schön gestaltetes grosses Hotel in einem dschungelähnlichen Garten.
Wir hatten ein Deluxzimmer sehr gross und schön gestaltet. Bequeme Betten, 2 Waschtische im Bad, separate Toilette. Essen gab’s abends in der Booma obwohl gross sehr schön und romantisch!

Posted on 26/11/2025 by Booking.com

Pool

Posted on 26/11/2025 by Booking.com

O café da manhã e o jantar foram excelentes! Um buffet completo, muita variedade, funcionários muito simpáticos e prestativos. Valeu muito a pena!

Posted on 25/11/2025 by Booking.com

O hotel é muito confortável e tem funcionários fantásticos. A comida é muito boa. E ainda podemos desfrutar da experiência de estar na piscina e ver os animais bem na frente. Nós vimos Hipopótamos e Elefantes.

Posted on 22/11/2025 by Booking.com

Tudo perfeito!

Posted on 26/11/2025 by Booking.com

Best Hotel ever!

Posted on 25/11/2025 by Booking.com