Hoedspruit

Look at Hoedspruit on the map and you'll see a compact town that's hemmed in by countless national parks and nature reserves. To the south sit the rugged massifs and tabletop mountains of the Klein Drakensberg. The west houses the province of Limpopo's Wolkberg Wilderness – a land of cloud-topped peaks and thistle forests where baboons hide. But it's to the east that perhaps the biggest natural drawcard of all resides: the gateway to the Kruger National Park. Amidst that vast reserve, it's possible to spot lion packs, water buffalo and elephants, in fact seeing the whole Big Five and staying in some of the world's top luxury safari lodges as you go. Back in the city of Hoedspruit itself, a clutch of great eco lodges and guesthouses offer the perfect base for exploring all the wonders listed above and the Blyde River Canyon as well, and Hoedspruit tour guides even put together bespoke safari packages to make the most of your odyssey through the South African bush.