Camp Bethel

We’ve recently returned from Safari staying six nights at Camp Bethal and one night at Sanctuary Mandela Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg. This was such an amazing holiday and a small group tour organised by Newmarket Holidays. The memories and experiences will certainly stay with us for a lifetime and all down to Camp Bethal team, from meeting our guide Vusi at the airport and the wonderful dedicated team at Camp Bethel. The Sanctuary Mandela Hotel is an amazing boutique hotel where attention to detail and preserving the artefacts and home of the late President Mandela. It’s a small museum within a hotel and a guided tour is definitely worth going on. All the rooms have a story and a picture which relates to Nelson Mandelas life. The hotel has been tastefully renovated preserving as much as possible of the original house. Its attention to detail and ensuring guests stay at the hotel is both memorable and exceptional. A wonderful experience and a delightful rest before a 9 hour journey to Camp Bethel the following day. All the rooms are comfortable and of a high standard. The food was exceptional and delicious. On arrival at Camp Bethel you soon come to realise how special this place is and you’re welcomed like a friend returning home. Our guide Vusi was a fantastic guide who remained with us on all our excursions, game drives and took us to amazing restaurants to eat. Vusi taught us so much about South African life, surroundings conservation and the animals and wild life. Vusi is so knowledgeable and passionate about giving guests the utimate experiences during tteir holidays. Camp Bethel team at camp are a truly amazing dedicated team and committed to looking after their guests, ensuring they have everything they need. They are a very loving caring and hardworking team who deliver incredible high standards of customer care to their guests. One of the team responsible for catering is Chef Gibbs, an extremely talented chef providing meals of highest quality and definitely cooked with love and passion. He is extremely passionate about food, checking with us all each day what he planned to cook for dinner for our approval and something to look forward to on our return. Our picnics packed by Chef were delicious. As a Coeliac it can be challenge eating out but it didn’t Phase Chef Gibbs. He took up the challenge and created amazing dishes. You certainly don’t go hungry at Camp Bethel with Chef Gibbs in the kitchen!! Bush walk around the camp with Vusi was an experience not to be missed. Our tented accommodation was extremely comfortable with an electric blanked should we be cold. It’s home from home with a lovely decking to enjoy animal watching during daylight hours. It’s early nights around 10ish when Camp Bethel locks down for the night and everyone’s expected to be in tents for their own safety and getting a good nights sleep ready for the early morning starts. The roar of the lions from the game reserve next do

We returned from camp bethel last week and cannot say enough good things about our holiday. Everyone in camp is so welcoming and friendly, the food was incredible, they helped with all of our queries and made our stay so relaxed. There are some incredible wildlife in camp that we were able to watch from our veranda and hear the lions of an evening/morning. Vusi was our guide and he was so enthusiastic knowledgable friendly and made sure he got us in all the best spots to view the wildlife and take amazing photos to remember this incredible experience. It is well worth doing the optional excursions too This was the best holiday we have ever had! We would be back next week if we could!!!

This was my 7th South African safari and without a doubt this was the best yet. The camp is set in a tranquil location, the rooms are comfortable and have everything you need, even an electric blanket for the coldercseasons. Zebras, impalas and other small animals can be seen from your patio and at night we could hear the lions roaring from a nearby reserve. Thembi and her staff are wonderfully attentive without being overbearing, and what can I say about Chef Gibbs! I'm a vegetarian and he produced wonderful food every day, checking with all guests (there were 11 of us) that they were happy with the menu he had planned. We were up early every morning to go out on our safari drives and saw everything we wanted except the elusive leopard! This was the most wonderful holiday and would recommed it to anyone looking for that special safari experience.