All aboard Africa’s wildest luxury safari lodge

What happens when a train stops on its tracks, permanently, in South Africa’s infamously wild Kruger National Park? Is it mothballed? Does the jungle reclaim the territory? Do troops of naughty baboons take control, ransacking all in sight? Turns out, it’s none of the these.

This train, parked on Selati Bridge high over the Sabie River, has been turned into a unique five-star South African safari lodge called Kruger Shalati. Guests staying at Kruger Shalati are going nowhere. But the journey this train offers is one of Africa’s ultimate adventures. It’s luxurious, a little quirky and offers the chance to see Africa’s Big Five – maybe even from the bath in my train carriage suite.

I decide to put the bath-spotting theory to the test. Beyond my bubble bath bliss, the Sabie River stretches as far as I can see. It’s February and the rains have all but stopped. The wide, sandy riverbed is exposed, but strong streams still wind through patches of vegetation along with hundreds of animal tracks.

Big, heavy footprints, deeper holes cut by sharp hooves, delicate trails and sinister-looking slides cross the ground, right underneath us. It looks like an animal highway. And it doesn’t take long to see a few of the commuters.

In the distance, elephants stop for a cooling dip as they move across the river. A few hippos have laid claim to a stretch of backwater, poking their heads up to see what’s going on. Buffalo graze quietly, while baboons create chaos along the riverbank and a water monitor feasts on insects.

My room is in carriage 14. It’s a five-star suite, cleverly designed within the footprint of a train carriage. You might expect narrow lodgings, but there is nothing cramped about the space. The whole room is a viewing platform, with full-length windows stretching from the open bathroom, past the vanity, king bed, two armchairs and the small balcony outside.

There’s a minibar stocked (and restocked often) with drinks and snacks that are included, a coffee station and that glorious, freestanding bath facing the river. You don’t need to go looking for wildlife. It’s already here.

Safari time

It’s hard to tear yourself away from Shalati but the urge to go on safari is irresistible. Game drives are part of the stay, and we head out morning and evening into Kruger National Park in an open vehicle with guides who have grown up in the area and can "read the bush."

The first close encounter comes quickly. A leopard crosses the road ahead of us. It disappears briefly into the grass before reappearing right beside the vehicle, close enough to see the detail in its coat and the glint in its eye. It’s completely at ease, but my heart is pumping wildly. Why doesn’t it attack us?

"Because they are used to us and we are not a threat," our guide informs us. "And we are part of this one big vehicle. It would be different if you were out there on your own."

The usually elusive leopard glances up, then continues on, unbothered.

I have been warned Kruger National Park can be busy. In the public sections, sightings often draw crowds, with vehicles gathering quickly around a single animal. It’s sadly part of the reality of a park this size and reputation. Staying at Kruger Shalati changes that dynamic.

We have access to the park before the gates open and can remain after they close, which means there are long stretches of time where it feels like we have the landscape to ourselves. There’s no rush to get in position, no sense of competition. It’s calmer, more considered and the focus stays where it should be – on the animals.

Wild encounters

Not long after our leopard sighting, the guides pick up movement further ahead. Painted dogs stand guard near a temporary den. Encounters like this are meant to be rare but suddenly we’re face-to-face with these endangered wild dogs.

Two tiny cubs leave their mother’s side for a quick curious look. Then come the lions and a warthog. It’s not exactly how we wanted to see the warthog. "Pumba" had become a feast for a lioness with three cubs.

It’s not easy to watch, but also horribly fascinating. The cubs are learning, testing, pulling, while mom keeps a steady watch. It’s raw and confronting, but haven’t we come to see the ‘real’ Africa?

Over three days, our morning and evening game drives unfold in layers of wildlife experiences. Elephants move through the scrub and cross the road in front of us, sometimes so close I can count their eyelashes through the camera lens.

One night, a herd with calves turns to face us, stomping, ears spread wide, making it clear we’ve come far enough. We stop and wait, giving them space to move on.

Giraffes appear above the trees, impossibly tall and slow-moving. Zebras cluster near the road. I still can’t get over how their coats are in perfect symmetry.

Buffalo are not bothered by our presence. Safety in numbers, perhaps? Hippos surface in the river, snorting and flipping comical ears, then disappear again. There is birdlife everywhere. Eagles, vultures, owls and always flashes of color in the trees. Delicate, nervous impala dart around, always alert, always being hunted.

"See the big ‘M’ on their back ends?" our guide asks. "We say that’s the M for African McDonald’s. That’s what the predators hunt for their dinner."

I can never unsee that.

Back on track

Returning to the train between safaris is a chance to relax in our carriages, have lunch in the lodge or swim at the pool, also suspended from the bridge. And it’s where we learn how Kruger Shalati came to be.

The story dates back to 1898 when James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed as the first warden of the Sabie Game Reserve.

"The train was the only way to reach this area," Shalati General Manager Gavin Ferreira says.

"It was Stevenson-Hamilton who suggested in 1923 that the train park on the bridge to allow guests to disembark, eat and view the game in daylight. He would regale guests with tales of the reserve around a bonfire before they returned to their carriages to sleep."

It became one of the most popular stops on the trip and led to a campaign to decree the reserve a national park. Kruger National Park was proclaimed in 1926.

"Kruger Shalati is our rendition of the story back in the day," Ferreira says. "Now, the journey stops here, suspended above one of the busiest wildlife corridors in the park.

"And once a week we offer guests another taste of history with Trackside Dining. Special tables are set alongside the train tracks, fires lit and a feast prepared, just like it was 100 years ago."

Beyond the carriages

While the train is the centerpiece at Kruger Shalati, it’s not the only option. There are garden suites set back from the bridge, offering a different perspective but the same access to wildlife experiences. Some are designed for families with interconnecting rooms and bunk beds, while others, like the west-facing Sunset Suite, come with a plunge pool and outdoor shower.

There’s also the nearby Kruger Station precinct, a restored station with a restaurant, bar and small museum.

The hardest decision you have to make at Kruger Shalati is whether to go out on safari or stay on the bridge to watch the wildlife. There are sightings from the train that would be highlights anywhere else. Either way, you’re on track for one of Africa’s ultimate adventures.

Kruger Shalati is a six-hour drive from Johannesburg. Alternatively, guests can fly to Skukuza Airport, where a complimentary 10-minute transfer to the lodge is available.

For more information, visit krugershalati.safari.com