South Africa Safari Camps-andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp

Our next stop after Phinda was the AndBeyond Ngala Tented Camp. The Tented Camp is nearby the Ngala Safari Lodge, but is a separate entity.  To reach Ngala from Phinda, we were able to fly directly from one airstrip to another. While this is usually more costly than taking scheduled flights followed by a road transfer, it is worthwhile to ask about including it in your rate.  The time saved may be worth the cost.  Our transfer was included in our rate as we booked everything through AndBeyond.

The absolute highlight of Ngala Tented Camp was the wildlife available for viewing. The tents, the food, and the guides were fantastic-but the game viewing was just incredible.  I was blown away by the leopard and wild dog sightings.  These are animals you do not reliably see on game drives, so it was a real thrill.  We also spotted smaller animals such as jackals, which I had not had much luck viewing in the past.  In addition, we saw lions, elephants, hippos, giraffes, and many other animals.

Other things I liked about about Ngala Tented Camp:

• There were maximum 6 people per car in open topped vehicles for game drives.
• Very attentive management-they were on top of communication related to transfers and logistics.
• Conservation minded staff-one of the rangers started a non-profit aimed at stopping rhino poaching, which was fully supported  by camp management and staff.
• Before dinner, the managers and rangers gathered with guests for drinks and appetizers.  This created a nice time to socialize with other guests if you wished, but was easy to skip if you were tired and just wanted to eat dinner and go to bed.

I was so happy with my stay at Ngala Tented Camp that I am planning a return visit next summer.  Wild dogs do move their dens and territories quite frequently, so I am hoping above all that they return to Ngala's game driving concession.  ​