Rhino Plains Camp is an intimate and authentic trails camp, situated on a private concession within a prolific game viewing area of the world-famous Kruger National Park.
The camp occupies an outstanding location in the wildlife rich south-western section of the national park on the 12,000 hectare Mutlumuvi concession and is carefully positioned overlooking the Timbetene plain and active waterholes, which are frequented by various species throughout the day and night. The property enjoys exclusive rights to operate on foot in an area of fantastic game viewing and the concession shares a fenceless border with the prestigious Sabi Sands and MalaMala Private Game Reserves, with wildlife granted unrestricted passage between these areas. The camp is constructed from canvas and wood, with stunning antiques providing touches of elegance harking back to a bygone era of safari camps. The main area consists of a spacious wooden deck, firepit, dining tent and a lounge tent with comfortable leather couches and an honesty bar stocked with water, soft drinks, beers, spirits and liqueurs, cellar wines can be ordered from Plains Camp’s sister property, Rhino Post Safari Lodge. A refreshing plunge pool with sun loungers is the perfect spot to relax during the heat of the day, positioned overlooking active water holes with elephants seen daily.
Plains Camp comprises four well-appointed en suite explorer-style tents under the shade of a cluster of knobthorn trees. Overhead fans cool the spacious rooms, equipped with comfortable extra-length twin beds with quality white percale linens, soft bamboo throws, elegant wooden furnishings, safe and private deck with chairs overlooking the Timbetene plain. The bathroom is screened from the bedroom and consists of a toilet, brass shower and basin with hot running water. The camp employs an eco-friendly approach and runs on battery power, charged by a generator throughout the day. The fans and lights are available 24 hours a day, however there are no power points in the guest tents, with charging available in the dining area for electronic devices and batteries.
Walking safaris provide visitors with an opportunity like no other, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the bush, sampling wild fruits and noticing intricacies that can often be missed on game drives. Not to mention the potential for breathtaking encounters with big game on foot; imagine the thrill of standing upwind of an elephant herd to avoid detection or heart stopping moments whilst face to face with a lion. The experienced armed guides at Plains Camp will always respect the behaviour of wildlife, maintaining safe distances and hold the highest possible academic and practical qualifications for guiding on foot and are backed up by assistant Trails Rangers with a lifetime of experience to ensure guests are in safe hands when walking in Big Five country. Many of the assistant Trails Rangers are retired SANParks (South African National Parks) Field Rangers, whom have spent almost their entire working lives patrolling the national park for signs of poaching, disease or unusual activity. The usual format consists of a 4-hour morning walk and a shorter afternoon walk, combined with a game drive. Before each activity, the guides decide whether to walk from the camp or to drive into the bush and walk from the vehicle to maximise the chances of sightings.
To compliment the outstanding walking safaris on offer, another adventurous activity at Plains Camp is the opportunity to spend the night sleeping under the stars on truly immersive Sleep-Out decks. Accommodating two people and overlooking a busy waterhole, the elevated wooden decks provide an incredible place to drift off, surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of the bush with just a high-density foam mattress, soft duvet and sheer shade cloth creating a barrier with the Kruger National Park and the sleeping quarters.
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