Review: Kruger Shalati – The Train on the Bridge (South Africa)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Last summer, I enjoyed a phenomenal safari & beach holiday in South Africa and Mozambique, probably my best holiday ever. You can read my reviews here:

Review: Air France Boeing 777 new Business Class from Paris to Johannesburg
Review: &Beyond Tengile River Lodge, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
Review: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
Review: Kruger Shalati – The Train on the Bridge, Kruger National Park, South Africa (today)
Review: Kisawa Sanctuary, Mozambique
Review: Air France Boeing 777 new Business Class from Johannesburg to Paris

Today: Review of Kruger Shalati – The Train on the Bridge (Kruger National Park, South Africa)

Hotel website: Kruger Shalati
Location: Google maps

Permanently stationed on the historically-rich Selati Bridge above the Sabie River in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Kruger Shalati offers the most unique luxury accommodation in a re-envisioned train which pays homage to the guests who explored the park nearly 100 years ago. The train celebrates the site where the first visits to the iconic park were allowed in the early 1920s: the train would park overnight in the exact spot where Kruger Shalati is positioned. The hotel offers 31 rooms, consisting of 24 carriage rooms and 7 Bridge House rooms, all of which provide a deeply visceral experience, tailored for immersive comfort. Whether you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind adventure, an enthralling break or to simply immerse yourself in earth’s finest creations, Kruger Shalati welcomes you on a journey of discovery with nature in the most extraordinary way imaginable.

Kruger Shalati features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in South Africa and the best safari lodges in South Africa.

Have you ever stayed at Kruger Shalati? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Kruger Shalati, also known as “The Train on the Bridge,” is easily the most unique hotel within the boundaries of South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park. The enormous Kruger National Park (about the same size as Israel or Wales) offers a safari experience that ranks among the best in Africa. Considered the flagship park of South Africa, it is divided in 14 different ecozones, each supporting different wildlife. The park was established in 1898 by South African President Paul Kruger as a protected area for wildlife and it opened its gates to the general public in 1927 for the first time. Kruger National Park has an excellent road network and it’s one of the few game reserves where you can travel around in your own car, although spotting the so-called “Big Five” – lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and African buffaloes – on a self-drive safari involves a lot of luck. The train-hotel is located in the southern area of Kruger National Park and getting there involves a 5 hour drive or a 40 min domestic flight from Johannesburg.

Kruger Shalati enjoys a spectacular location, adjacent to the Skukuza Camp (the largest settlement in the southern area of Kruger National Park) and just a short drive from Skukuza’s tiny airport (which is a contender for the world’s cutest airport). During the 15 min drive from the airport to the hotel – which is offered on a complimentary basis and which feels like a short introductory game drive through the African bush – guests will get their first glimpse of the train hotel, which is a sight to behold. Surrounded by untouched wilderness, the hotel’s luxurious train carriages stand on an historic railway bridge that spans the magnificent Sabie River from bank to bank. But the train, in its stationary position with an external walkway attached to the bridge structure, not only makes for a spectacular sighting from far away, it also offers a fabulous view itself, due to its elevated position. From the train, guests can observe the wildlife that passes day and night beneath the bridge to drink from the river or to wallow.

Kruger Shalati is located on a site with an interesting history. Following the discovery of gold in the Northern Transvaal in the late 1800s, hordes of fortune seekers converged in the spot and it did not take long before a railway was constructed. In 1912, the Selati Line was opened, forming the main transport route between Johannesburg and what was then known as Lorenzo Marques (now Maputo) – the capital of Mozambique. In 1923, the railway authorities came up with the idea of instituting a fortnightly tourist train service through the Lowveld during the winter months and the bridge was one of the overnight stops for these safaris. The Selati Line remained in use until the 1960s, with up to 250 trains a week rumbling through the Kruger Park, contributing significantly to the decimation of game. In 1973, rail traffic on the line was finally halted, leaving the iconic bridge standing proud but empty. In 2016, a process was announced for interested parties to bid their proposals for tourism use of the historic Selati Bridge and in 2020, Kruger Shalati welcomed its first guests.

Kruger Shalati features two different types of accommodations. Thirteen burgundy 1950s-era railway carriages are lined up along the bridge over the Sabi River and house 24 train carriage suites. There are also seven Bridge House suites located on the river bank adjacent to the bridge in a picturesque garden setting with the train’s gentle glow as a backdrop. During my visit, I stayed in one of the train carriage suites. The suite featured a spacious bedroom with a kingsize bed (draped with a bespoke Seana Marena blanket) and a seating area, both facing a large glass wall, allowing for fantastic views over the majestic Sabie River. There was even a tiny balcony from where to take in the views. The ensuite open-plan bathroom was fitted with two basin, a walk-in shower and a large freestanding bathtub. Luxury amenities include satin bathrobes, which tied in perfectly with the carriages’ glamorous art deco interiors.

Designed by Megan Hesse and Andrea Kleinloog of HK studio, the style of the hotel is a celebration of African design in collaboration with local art and crafting skills. The entire site was re-imagined into a modern luxury hotel filled with a combination of traditional and modern art, antique and contemporary fittings, all inspired by the historical architecture and surroundings. The interior of both the public areas and the accommodations evokes a sense of luxury, while incorporating the rail history and reflecting the very best of South African design. For example, an up-and-coming talent named Bonolo Chepape designed the luxurious basso blankets in each room to add some threads of Africana to the tapestry. Inspired by the Selati Bridge and the Sabie River below, visual artist’s Sakhile Cebekhulu’s 20 photographic images enhance the time-travel effects, whereas Mpho Vackier designed the furniture and Thabisa Mjo supplied some of the lighting designs.

Kruger Shalati features two pool areas, where guests can relax in between their morning and evening safaris. The most striking pool are is located on the bridge itself, on a beautiful deck fitted with luxurious loungers in front a renovated, opulently decorated carriage that serves as a bar and lounge. Built on what was once a stand for a water tank, this circular plunge pool is set on the edge of the deck that is suspended directly above the river. Its elevated position provides a unique vantage point over the river and the visiting wildlife beneath and lucky guests might be able to spot the Big Five without even leaving their train track tub, especially around sunset or sunrise. The lodge’s arrival lounge, reception and dining area, as well as the second pool area are found on the river bank, adjacent to the Selati Bridge. Overlooking the majestic Sabie River, the pool area on the riverbank is comprised of a small deck with a couple of sun loungers as well as two plunge pools located next to each other.

Rates at Kruger Shalati include all meals, teas & coffees, daily soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers. The meals are served in The Bridge House restaurant on the river bank adjacent to the bridge, which is comprised an indoor dining room (houses in the same pavilion as the reception area) and a large outdoor deck. The lodge’s Head Chef Vusi Mbatha’s has a love for classical cooking with an African flare to it. Breakfasts include classics like Eggs Benedict and freshly baked croissants, but there are also Shalati favorites like Bobotie croquettes with bacon jam and mini-omelette. Lunch and dinner menus change daily to ensure food adventures. Some of the lunch menu items include fried calamari, Asian salad, spiced chicken kebabs, and roasted cauliflower with dukkah. The dinner menu features dishes like braised oxtail raviolo, sous vide Zucchini scale kingklip, and perfectly prepared duck fillet. On selected nights, a braai (barbecue) around a boma (outdoor enclosure with fireplace) is organized.

Rates at Kruger Shalati include two game drives daily in open game drive vehicles. The game drives within the Kruger National Park leave before the park’s camps & entrance gates open and continue after the camps & entrance gates close. This provides guests of the lodge with the opportunity to explore the Kruger Park before other tourists have arrived (in the morning) or after other tourists have left (in the evening), guaranteeing tranquil and more authentic wildlife sightings, which is a rare and rather unique experience in Kruger where you often have to share a wildlife sighting with dozens of other cars. Led by well-trained ranger-guides, the game drives are focused on finding all of the members of the Big Five. The early part of the morning drives as well as the last part of the evening drives are done in the darkness of the night and are especially thrilling, since they offer to a chance to spot nocturnal Kruger creatures like hyena, jackal, bushbabies, and aardvark.

Kruger Shalati is a min stroll from the Kruger Station lifestyle precinct. The nearby old Kruger Railway Station has been transformed into this lively lifestyle district which centers around the magic of the station’s past, paying homage to a significant piece of South African history. At the station, guests can find the Enroute Grab ‘N Go Deli and the Departing Soon coffee and ice cream cafe, where visitors are able to either enjoy some refreshments while sitting in the open seating area or where they can quickly stop for a takeaway en route to their next adventure. The Round in 9 (bar and casual dining) and 3638 sit-down family restaurant (housed in the last locomotive to run on the Selati Line) are perfect for families wanting a longer, more leisurely stop, while the Li’l Gricers play zone and the 360-degree cinema will keep the whole family entertained. Guests of Kruger Shalati can have their dinner at the Kruger Station lifestyle precinct, but the meals here are not included in the room rate.

The Kruger Shalati Train is named after Shalati, an African warrior queen. The beginnings of Shalati’s reign date back to the 19th century. It’s said in tales that Shalati was one of the first warrior chiefs of the Tebula, a small clan of the Tsonga tribe who lived in the bush around the Murchison Range in what is now Limpopo Province. This warrior hosikati (queen) was no ordinary woman. While most queens wanted a brave king to come and save them, she would pick up a war axe when she needed to save her clan.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Kruger Shalati offers twice daily game drives in Kruger National Park. Within the park, all vehicles – including the lodge’s jeeps – must stay on the public roads, some of which are tarred (which might not feel very authentic). Also, when a good sighting (e.g. pride of lions) occurs near the road, there will be a build up of vehicles, resulting in traffic jams around the sighting, which is definitely off-putting. The safari experience is vastly different in the private game reserves bordering Kruger National Park (such as Sabi Sand), where off-road game drives are allowed and therefore, if the animal(s) you are following head into the bush your ranger can follow them and hopefully get a close-up view. In the private game reserves, there is also a limit on the number of vehicles that is allowed around a sighting, offering much better photo opportunities. So, if you want to combine a stay at Kruger Sahalati with one of the Sabi Sand lodges, make sure to stay at Kruger Shalati first to avoid a disappoint when it comes to the game drives.

The carriages suites at Kruger Shalati feature an open-plan bathroom layout. So, if you are not traveling with your loved one, mind that there is no separation between the bathroom and the room. Also, if you are a light sleeper, mind that the carriage suites are not completely soundproof (you do hear the hippos at night!) and they bounce a little – it’s a train on a bridge, after all.

While breakfast at the lodge was excellent, I was not blown away by the meals served during lunch and dinner (with the exception of the delicious boma dinner). The meals were still great, but they lacked some flavor and sophistication. IMHO, the food at Kruger Shalati is not quite up to the standard expected at this price and underwhelms a bit in comparison with other 5 star properties in the area (definitely when compared to the ultra-luxe lodges in Sabi Sand, where exceptional fine dining is the norm).

Kruger Shalati does not have a wellness or spa facility, which might come as a slight disappointment for some guests given the property’s fabulous reputation. The spa services are outsourced and upon request, a massage can be organized within the privacy of your suite, but the price of the treatments is on the expensive side and the quality of the treatments is rather mediocre. I do hope that Kruger Shalati will open its own on site spa facility in the near future, which would be a fantastic addition to an already great property.

MY VERDICT

Location: 8/10
Design: 10/10
Pool: 8/10
Room: 8/10
Food: 7/10
Breakfast: 7/10
Spa: N/A
Service: 8/10
Wow factor: 10/10
Value for money: 8/10
Overall experience: very good 8/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Kruger Shalati (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit Kruger Shalati, The Train on the Bridge really depends on your personal preferences – nature has something to offer throughout the year. Incredible game viewing can be experienced at any time and there is not really a ‘best time of year for game viewing’. The Sabi Sand Game Reserve enjoys high temperatures, frequent rains and dramatic thunder storms in the summer months (October to April). The vegetation is lush and verdant attracting incredible bird life while many new borns appear at this time of year. The winter months (May to September) are drier and cooler – the vegetation is sparser resulting in improved visibility for game viewing as the animals make their way to the watering holes for hydration.

HOW TO GET THERE

Kruger Shalati, The Train on the Bridge is easily accessible by road from Johannesburg in under 5 hours. Most guests though will prefer to travel by air, by making use of a commercial flight to one of the two nearby airports:

The tiny Skukuza Airport – the only commercial airport within Kruger National Park – is located about 15 minutes from the lodge and offers daily flights from Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
The distance to the other airport in the area, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport near Nelspruit, is approximately 110 kilometers (68 miles) and it takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to the lodge

PHOTOS

Below is a selection of my photos of Kruger Shalati, The Train on the Bridge in South Africa. To view more photos (including food and game drives), click here.