banner-dining-d

BLOG

NEWS
private tented camp, luxury safari camp, Garonga Safari Company, Big 5 safari, Big 5 safari South Africa

Experience Luxury at MCH Private Tented Camp

Our brand new private tented camp is proof that all truly good things come in threes. MCH is under canvas romance that pays tribute to the century-old tradition of safaris yet has all the luxury trappings and modern comforts that you need for a memorable Big 5 safari in South Africa. Like Garonga Safari Camp and Little Garonga, the newest member of the Garonga family welcomes you just as warmly to our ‘safari for the soul’ experience with special indulgences and unexpected treats.   A private tented camp in a bold location From the kopje on which the camp proudly sits, the wilderness spills out below with splendid vistas that only the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve can deliver so effortlessly. The vast Drakensberg Mountain range beyond is also in view from the camp.   MCH has been set up to accommodate private groups whether families, or a group of friends. It is a completely luxury safari camp experience, shared only with those you arrived with and a small team of staff that are on hand to take care of your needs throughout your stay. Exclusive canvas tents surrounded by Big 5 safari wilderness Each of the four tents comfortably accommodates two guests in an elegantly furnished and spacious suite. Take your pick from indoor and outdoor showers, and a bath that is partially covered overhead, while open in front to views of the bush.   The private lounge indoor area has its own bar and tea station, writing desk, tack room for jackets, and for those warmer days, air-conditioning and fans can be enjoyed throughout. From the comfort of the seated area of the wooden outdoor deck, the bush opens before you. Share in our ‘safari for the soul’ experience There are several areas in which to come together and create special holiday memories with loved ones. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks around the camp firepit before dining on delicious, simple yet elegant dishes whether in the Boma or Mess Tent. There is also an indoor dining area and lounge with fireplace for those cozy nights in.   The hotter hours of the day are best spent lazying around the pool with a chilled drink in hand, in the library reading a good book or perhaps under the experienced hands of our spa therapist at the Massage Sala. And of course, a true Garonga ‘safari for the soul’ retreat is not complete without a Sleep Out Deck and at MCH it is a little bigger, although no less intimate, to accommodate four guests for a night under the stars. A special dedication to a mother By now you are likely itching to know what MCH stands for. It is a beautiful tribute to Maria Carmela Hambleden, the mother of Bernie, Garonga’s owner. The elephant that represents MCH in the new Garonga Safari Co. logo is, quite aptly, the matriarch of the three elephants. We are thrilled to have another addition to the Garonga family and believe MCH is the perfect complement to Garonga Safari Camp and Little Garonga. MCH is waiting to spoil you with all the things you have come to know and love about the Garonga safari experience. Contact us to find out more details and book MCH Private Tented Camp for your next Big 5 safari in South Africa.

Big 5 Safari South Africa, Garonga Safari, Luxury Safari Camps

The Garonga Safari Brand Gets a Revamp

We are thrilled to finally share with you the new look Garonga Safari Co. Our refreshed logo reflects all three of our luxury safari camps (yes, we have a brand new camp!) in the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve and the redesigned website speaks to the Garonga personality that you have come to know and love. Logo: The elephant family Like the strong familial bonds and deep compassion between members of a herd of elephants, Garonga has always centered around family. It has always been the heart and soul of Garonga. It guides the spirit of togetherness we have as a team, the atmosphere we cultivate across all our properties, and the warmth we welcome you with every time you stay with us. We have the unique privilege to be a family that calls the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve our wildly beautiful home, which we share with a special and diverse set of ‘neighbours’, including of course the elephant.   Our logo has always celebrated this majestic animal, which is an icon of African wildlife and a member of the Big 5. In our new logo design, the second largest elephant is the matriarch and pays tribute to Maria Carmela Hambleden, the mother of Bernie, Garonga’s owner, whom our latest glamping safari camp MCH is named after. The largest elephant on the left represents the original property, Garonga Safari Camp, and the smallest of the three is, quite aptly, for Little Garonga. Website: Charming experiences To be immersed in the South African wilderness is to have all your senses awakened. The bush is a place of rustic, open outdoor spaces, where each day brings with it the possibility of new and exciting experiences. It is real and authentic, which is what we wanted to capture in the delightful hand-drawn design elements overlaid on photographs in our new website. They are unique, quirky and joyful, just us and the whole safari experience you can expect at Garonga. We hope they brighten up your day and bring a smile to your face every time you visit us online, as they do for us.   A luxury Big 5 safari is extra special at Garonga Safari Co. – it is one that we believe stands out from the crowd of other South African safaris. In fact, we might even be so bold as to say other safari experiences across Southern Africa. This is because our ‘safari for the soul’ ethos speaks to the essence of a journey into the wilderness. It is about connecting with and replenishing mind, body and soul through nature therapy that the Greater Makalali offers up so effortlessly. Our new website is a visual representation of the romantic yet laid-back character of Garonga.

Safari Camp Stories : First Time Fever!

By Johnson Ntimane (Guide) It is so great to have the lodge open again and even better to have guests visiting us once more. I spent last week guiding a family of 4 guests from South Africa. The children were 7 and 9 years old, and they were very excited to see lions as they had never seen them in the wild before! I spoke with my tracker, Phineas, so that we could hatch a plan about where would be a good idea for us to drive around to have the best chance of picking up the tracks of the lions. We had been driving for about an hour to an hour and a half and finally we were lucky – Phineas picked up the tracks of one adult female lion with two sub-adult lions from the Garonga pride! The Garonga Pride has 9 lions who are in the pride but as the cubs are getting older it is becoming more common to see the pride separating into smaller groups when they hunt. When we found the tracks Phineas stopped me and explained to the children what we had found. The children were so excited that we could start to follow in the footsteps of lions.

Safari Camp Stories: Following in the footsteps of giants; some unusual bush therapy!

Being a guide is a bit like being a parent, strictly speaking you aren’t supposed to have favourites. Saying that one of the most frequent questions guides and trackers are asked is “what is your favourite animal?” and that is not an easy question to answer! For me, my answer will be heavily affected by whatever animal I am looking at, at the time. Every animal species is special in its own unique way and when you begin to appreciate how seamlessly each species fits in with each other in the great balancing act that nature pulls off you appreciate that each species is a strong contender for the title of Favourite!

Sunset in the Makalali

The Garonga Diaries: The Final Chapter

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, It has been great writing these diaries over the ‘lockdown months’. We hope you have enjoyed them. Many thanks indeed to Sophie, the safari team, the personalities that took part, and of course to Anna at WildWeb for producing them. It is now the end of the story with this, the final chapter. We reopen in five days time and will resume normal operations, albeit on a much smaller scale than we are used to. We wish you, and your families all the very best. Best Regards Bernie and The Garonga Team. Look back on previous Garonga Diaries entries here.  Cover photo by Sophie Barrett

For reservations and enquiries, click here.

© 2023 Garonga Safari Co. Website by WildWeb

Help for Heroes, a UK Charity, is the main charity Garonga supports. Garonga will contribute 5% off every direct booking to H4H, and offer wider support to the charity. If you would like to know more about the vital work which directly supports the armed forces community, visit www.helpforheroes.org.uk. Please support as best you can – these men and women are living with the impact of their service and still desperately need your help.

Discover

MCHSafariCamp.com

travel info

Social Media

Facebook Instagram Tripadvisor

Sustainability

Get in touch

Privacy Policy

Garonga Ethos

Safari Camp

Game drives are at the heart of the Garonga experience, allowing you to encounter the Big 5 and other wildlife up close. Your stay will typically include a morning and afternoon game drive in our open-air Land Rovers. Two of our experienced and qualified guides will lead you through the bush, impressing you with their knowledge of the great variety of wildlife in the reserve. Their tracking skills are exceptional, giving them the advantage of locating animals based on their recent movements and enabling your safari sightings dreams to come true. On a morning game drive, as the animals are waking up, tuck into tea, coffee and snacks in the bush. Then, in the late afternoon, sip on a cocktail or glass of wine as the sun slowly dips below the horizon. In addition to the Big 5 (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino), look out for cheetah, spotted hyena, black rhino, African wild dog, hippos, crocodiles, diverse plains animals and colourful birdlife.