Having been the Camp Manager for this beautiful camp for a few years now – I wanted to give some inside secrets you may not have known about Pioneer Camp. While I may be bias – this has to be my favourite camp! Versatility, adaptive, and fun are three words I would use to describe Londolozi’s Pioneer Camp. This camp is all about adjusting itself in order to suit the needs and wants of whoever walks through the front door. It’s a smaller camp than the others, with only three suites, but it is mighty. Being able to sleep 6-16 people at a time, adults or children, you name it, it’s a camp for everyone. Located at the most western point of the lodge it is the perfect getaway for a couple or for a family. You can read up about all the features of this camp on our website but here I’d like to give you a small insight into the special intrinsic qualities of this camp that you only get to know from working here.

A personal favourite feature of Pioneer Camp for myself is the interactive kitchen. This is distinctively unique as of the five camps at Londolozi, Pioneer is the only one with this sort of layout. It is such a great way for anyone to interact with the chefs and ask them questions about any of the produce used in any of the meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner the Pioneer chefs are cooking up a storm and doing so with a smile. The love they have for food really shows in everything they create, from a savoury beetroot Poke bowl to an indulgent biscoff cheesecake, they can do it all. This kitchen is also open for anyone who would like to show off their culinary skills and teach us some tips and tricks. From grandparents letting us in on ancient family secrets to children wanting to make their own homemade pizza, this interactive kitchen is the perfect place for families to come together and share a meal and a laugh.

Pioneer Camp is one of three Relais and Chateaux camps at Londolozi, the other two being Tree Camp and Private Granite Suites. Being a part of the Relais and Chateaux association means that we have a commitment to high quality of service, food, personalisation and sustainability. Pioneer Camp compromises of three suites, however depending on the type of booking this camp can vary from an adult only (above the age of 16) camp to a multi-generational family camp. If you book the entire camp to bring your whole family or a large group of friends, children above the age of 6 are welcome. Once all three rooms are booked out by a group the camp transforms into your own private villa with which you have the freedom to customize your stay. Kick off your shoes, jump in the pool and enjoy your sanctuary with the comfort of knowing that no one beyond your inner circle will be interrupting your special time together. If you book a single suite as a family, we will then only allow other families to book the other two suites – creating a family friendly camp. However if you book a suite with no kids or with children above the age of 16, the other two suits must be booked by adults – making this Londolozi’s most versatile camp. If you have brought your family along, rest easy knowing that if you need some ‘me’ time in the Healing House or merely resting your eyes, your little ones will be well looked after in our Cubs Den programme. Fishing, archery and track moulding just to name a few are great outdoor activities for the kids to be kept busy and learn about the nature around them at the same time.

Staying on the topic of children on safari, what happens in the evening? Well we do beautiful long table dinners for the whole family to enjoy together to reminisce on all the wonder they saw that day. If one evening you and your partner or family need some adult conversation, we have a plan to keep everyone happy. Pioneer Camp is lucky enough to be home to a cozy lounge area which we can transform into the kids own private cinema. We like to disconnect from technology at Londolozi but there comes a time where you need to bend the rules to keep the little ones entertained. We set up a projector packed with hundreds of kid friendly movies for them to enjoy with their dinner while the adults aren’t far away and can enjoy a three course candlelit dinner. This space is so versatile and perfect to adjust to whatever your family needs.

As previously mentioned, Pioneer Camp has three suites. These suites are identical in size and amenities, however there is one slight difference. One suite stands alone while the other two connect via a long tunnel. There is a door on either side of the tunnel that allows the rooms to lock if you so wish. If you are a family or a group of friends, however, this connection is great to keep in touch and pop to each other’s rooms when wanting to share a gin and tonic together by the plunge pool or borrow a dress for dinner.

Although each suite already has their own private plunge pool, Pioneer Camp has an additional long swimming pool on the main deck area. With wooden stairs leading down to a secluded sunken pool area with loungers to lay on. This is the perfect spot to spend those long sunny afternoons after your morning safari. With cocktails to order when needed, you can get lost in time at this pool and next thing you know it is lunch time. If the water is too good to leave but the hunger is setting in, we are more than happy to bring some bites down to you. Lunch by the pool in the glistening African sun, sounds like a dream to me. Elephants tend to like the Western side of Londolozi and are often seen to stroll right past the pool minding their business while you swim.

Sound like the perfect place for you and your family? I’m going to assume you said yes. All five camps at Londolozi have something unique and special to them but I hope this blog gave you a little sneak peak into just five things that I believe make Pioneer Camp so wonderful. Come and see for yourself all the wonder it holds – I’d love to hear from you what you believe stands out about this safari oasis?