Waterside at Royal Malewane

Waterside Lodge sits inside the Greater Kruger concession near Hoedspruit, facing a waterhole fringed by fever trees. You cross a floating entrance bridge to reach the lodge, and wildlife at the waterhole is visible from the rooms — which means game viewing starts before you have left the building.

The lodge holds eight rooms across two categories. Four Luxury Suites each measure a hundred and fifty-five square metres, with a freestanding bath, indoor and outdoor showers, a private deck, a gazebo, and a heated plunge pool. Two Aloe Rooms are smaller at around forty-one square metres each, with a private deck and plunge pool, and can be configured as twin or king. All rooms have air conditioning, a Smart TV, Wi-Fi, and a full mini bar. Each room was individually designed by Liz Biden, using thatch, glass, and steel with colour drawn from the surrounding bush.

For groups or families wanting full privacy, Waterside House is a four-bedroom villa with a private chef, guide, tracker, and game vehicle. The two-bedroom Baobab Suite also comes with a dedicated guide and tracker team and its own vehicle.

Game drives and guided bush walks are included. Rangers and trackers work the Greater Kruger territory for the Big Five; the reserve also records over three hundred bird species, and dedicated birding safaris can be tailored to a specific list. Photographic safaris, night drives, and a game viewing hide are available on site. Rhino tracking and conservation activities, scenic helicopter flights to the Drakensberg escarpment, and a golf excursion by helicopter to Leopard Creek Country Club can be arranged at additional cost.

The lodge has a bar, restaurant, pool, and spa. An airport shuttle is available from Hoedspruit's Eastgate Airport, which receives scheduled flights from Johannesburg.