Review Satara Rest Camp - Kruger National Park

Paul‘s Camp Review for the

Satara Rest Camp

a South African National Parks Camp

Kruger National Park

General Impression Camp:

General Impression Staff:

Details:

Duration of stay: 5 nights / self-drive Safari

Check-in / Check-out:

Check-in Process:

Check-out Process: N/A

Concierge Service: N/A

Staff @ Front Desk:

Room / Bathroom:

Bed, quality of sleep:

Bathroom, Shower:

Room Atmosphere:

WiFi / Internet:

Housekeeping general:

Cleanliness:

Food & Beverage, Store & Supplies:

Restaurant:

Take-Away:

F&B Staff:

Grocery Supplies:

Shop:

Paul‘s Mix:

Pool, Spa:

Camp Location:

Mojito Rating

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Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:

Social media interaction:

—-

= bad, a lot of work needs to be done

=not good, you will be busy with corrections

= good & normal, nothing special

= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing

= topnotch, leave me here!

= Half a Point/sheep

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General Info:
Satara Rest Camp, established in Kruger National Park's early days, was originally a ranger post before becoming a key tourist camp. Its name likely comes from an old Indian surveyor’s map.

Satara Rest Camp is one of the most popular camps in Kruger National Park, known for its prime location in the central region, often referred to as "Big Cat Country." It is particularly famous for its high density of lions, leopards, and cheetahs, making it an excellent choice for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. The camp has a traditional, rustic charm with large open spaces and beautiful Mopane and Marula trees providing shade. While the facilities are not overly luxurious, they are well-maintained and offer a comfortable, immersive bush experience.

Location Summary

Satara is situated in the central plains of Kruger National Park, approximately 48 km (30 miles) from Orpen Gate. This region features open savannah. attracting grazers like zebras, wildebeests, and giraffes, which in turn draw many predators. It is well-positioned for game drives along key routes like the S100, H7, and H1-4, which are among the best roads for spotting wildlife.

Accommodation Options at Satara

Satara offers a variety of accommodations to suit different budgets and preferences:

1. Bungalows – The most common option, these round, thatched-roof units come in different sizes and include basic kitchen facilities, air conditioning, and en-suite bathrooms. Some have perimeter views.

2. Guest Cottages – Larger family-style units with multiple bedrooms, living areas, and fully equipped kitchens.

3. Guest Houses – Premium accommodations with multiple rooms, private patios, and excellent locations within the camp. These are ideal for larger groups or families.

4. Huts – Budget-friendly options with communal kitchens and shared bathroom facilities, suitable for travelers looking for a more affordable stay.

5. Camping & Caravan Sites – For those who prefer a more rugged experience, Satara has designated camping areas with shared ablution blocks and braai (BBQ) facilities.

Check-in / Reception:

Check-in was okay, nothing out of the ordinary. The agent was friendly and efficient. He just asked for all the documents, and 1-2 minutes later, he handed us the keys to our bungalow. No small talk or questions—just processed!

During our 5-day stay, we had a question, so we went back to the reception. The agent at the desk was one of the unfriendliest I have encountered in a while. She was so annoyed by our question that we didn’t get a real answer. She just snapped something and rolled her eyes.

Basically, all SANParks staff we encountered seemed rather unhappy and unfriendly. None of them showed passion or enthusiasm, nor did they go out of their way for customers.

Our Bungalow:

For this trip, we booked a bungalow with two beds for 5 nights. The bungalow we were given was in the E Rondavel. The camp is arranged in rondavels.

The bungalow was super old, and the furniture must still be from the very early days. Outside, there is a small terrace with two chairs and a table. The kitchenette is also outdoors. The cupboards were okay and functioned well. The kitchenette, in general, was in better shape and newer compared to Lower Sabie.

The fridge/freezer combo is inside the bungalow. The kitchenette is equipped with a microwave, kettle, and all necessary appliances, as well as basic cooking tools.

The rondavel itself is the typical design used in all SANParks camps. The room is super basic—it has two small beds, one suitcase board, a small closet, and that’s it. No decoration, no pictures, no desk, no frame—nothing. From the bedroom, you can access the bathroom.

The bathroom is from the early days of the bungalow but offers all necessary amenities. The walk-in shower is big and has decent water pressure.

The atmosphere of the bungalow is very basic but okay—typical Kruger safari style. However, renovations are urgently needed.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping at Satara Rest Camp was absolutely amazing. They were super friendly and attentive, doing their job with passion and pride.

Even though the bungalow was old and basic, it was always spotless, and the beds were made immaculately.

Food & Beverage (F&B) at Satara

The F&B concept at Satara Rest Camp is outsourced to Cattle Baron Group of Steakhouses.

They have a full Steak House Restaurant serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and they have a take away / self service shop where you also can grab your food.

In top they have a butcher shop where they sell their meat for your own Braai at the bungalow.

Take-Away:
We had picked up lunch 3 times during our 5 days stay at the Take Away shop. The salad was always super fresh and also the food was good and freshly prepared.

Staff at the Self Service isn't top motivated and they simply do their job. Some show it more that they don't like it and others less.

Steakhouse / Restaurant:
To the Steakhouse we went 5 times. So we had dinner every night at the restaurant. Whilst the first day at the restaurant was a disaster, they improved day by day. The first night I ordered my steak medium and got it well done. Service was meh and she couldn't have cared less. The only veggie as a side was spinach as everything else they run out of.

The second night the food was better but the service was a nightmare. First the server she couldn't have card less. She showed that she actually didn't want to do her job and in addition I don't know if she didn't understand English, but the order came wrong.

Also on day two, butternut was out and the only veggie as side was spinach. On the second night we had a nice talk with the Restaurant Manager. She was super friendly and pleasing and took our feedback serious.

Food on the second night was good, fresh and delicious.

As of night 3 it got better and better. There were different staff and servers and they started to engage with the customers.

The Filletsteaks and all the food was always absolutely amazing. Meat was super tender and prepared to our liking. Food was fresh and good. The only downturn they did not manage to buy or upcater in 5 days! some other veggies as sidedish. They only had Spinach for 5 days in a row.

The restaurant is open from 7AM to 9PM.

The menu at Cattle Baron is great and caters for everyone. Aside from the fantastic huge meat menu they also server other dishes, pasta, pizza and many other things. No issues to eat here for several days and also prices are reasonable.

Park Shop:

The park shop at Satara Rest Camp isn’t the biggest, but it is well-managed.

The souvenir section is okay but does not have everything.

The grocery section is fantastic—more like a small supermarket. There’s no need to shop outside the park, as you can find everything you need here.

The food section is excellently managed and beautifully arranged.

Staff at the shop were okay.

Pool / Other facilities:

The camp’s pool is very large and decently sized. There are changing rooms and toilets available, as well as a few cabanas providing shade.

WiFi / Mobile Connection:

Mobile connection at Satara is poor and there is only a Mobile E Network but there is at least a network.

Free WiFi is available at the reception, shop, and restaurant areas for guests only.

Our Summary:

Satara is great for its sightings as it is located in the central area of Kruger National Park. It is also called cats territory.

Reception staff and their service was bad. The Duty Manager was nice and asked for our feedbacks. She was the only one doing some customer care.

The Park Shop food section is absolutely amazing and offers everything. You can do all the shopping here.

The souvenirs section is not the biggest and has not all products but it is okay.

The Cattle Baron Restaurant offers amazing steaks and also has a great menu catering for everyone. Food was super delicious. Staff was a so so. A great Restaurant Manager, some great servers and others who urgently need training.

The bungalow is super old and basic but it is super clean and has an good atmosphere. They are the typical round SANParks bungalows you find everywhere. They would need renovations but are okay.

All in all, it was an okay stay. We liked the camp and we would come back here.

Notes:

- Paul the Sheep does not receive any benefits from hotels, airlines, etc.

- Paul always pays for the services to ensure fair and honest reviews.

- For more details, send a private message, and I’ll be happy to share more information and pictures.