What better way to experience the iconic Kruger National Park in South Africa than staying in a luxury hotel, built inside train carriages.
A unique way to stay in the iconic Kruger National Park in South Africa is to choose a luxury train-hotel – perched on the Selati Bridge over the Sabie River. The luxury accommodation consists of 31 rooms, with 24 carriage rooms, offering glass walls with amazing views along the length of the river. Seven bridge house rooms are also available, adjacent to the bridge.
Please note: During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Americans should check out the official travel advisory website before planning a trip to South Africa.
Kruger Shalati: The Train On The Bridge
Dubbed the Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge, the hotel also features an overhanging swimming pool, floating above the Sabie River. Guests can enjoy a sunset stroll on a walkway attached to the bridge, running the full width of the river, from bank to bank.
The train hotel lies adjacent to the Skukuza Camp of Kruger National Park, where guests can see the iconic “Big Five” of African wildlife species while enjoying a safari tour. The Big Five includes lions, buffalos, leopards, rhinos, and elephants. Other wildlife and birds are even visible from the train hotel’s windows, making it a magical place to stay.
On the hotel’s website, it says the train hotel will be permanently stationed on the “historically-rich” Selati Bridge and offers the most unique luxury accommodation in a “re-envisioned train.” The accommodation pays homage to the guests who have explored the park almost 100 years ago while welcoming new explorers from all over the world.
The train celebrates the first visits to Kruger National Park in the 1920s when it would park overnight on the exact spot the hotel is today.
Throughout, the hotel features African design in collaboration with local art and crafting skills. As for the pool, guests will be able to relax on the deck, watching crocodiles, buffalos, hippos, and elephants greeting guests mere meters below. Delicious meals and tasty cocktails can be enjoyed with spectacular views.
Fans of bird-watching will appreciate seeing some rarely sighted birds in and around the hotel, including a crowned eagle that one guest spotted from his room. Other birds regularly seen in the area include tawny flanked prinia, dark capped bulbuls, blue waxbills, and the bush shrike.
How Did The Train Hotel Come About?
When the train hotel was first opened, a representative of the hotel explained how the inspiration came for the unique accommodation.
“The inspiration came from the historical bridge. In the 1920s as the national park was declared, this was the only way you could visit as a guest – by train, which would park on this same bridge overnight as part of the rail journey – it was one of the most popular legs of the nine-day route that used to run on this line. We’ve taken the concept and given it a contemporary interpretation,” the representative said.
Read more about Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge on the official website.
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