Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp

Personeel, safari ervaring, het eten

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Très joli camp dans une réserve privée, très bien équipé. L’ambiance est familiale et tout est très bien organisé. Les derniers 10km de route se fond dans la réserve, il est mieux d’avoir au moins un SUV.

Tinha entendido ao fechar a hospedagem que teria 2 safáris por dia, porém ao realizar check out foi cobrado um safári, ou seja a estadia tem um safári incluído mas oferecem dois no dia.

Wij hebben een paar hele mooie dagen bij Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp gehad. We werden met zoveel liefde ontvangen. Ze hielpen ons overal mee. Wanneer je er een gamedrive bij boekt, krijg je de full experience. Veel persoonlijker dan in de grote parken. Super vet ook dat je er tussendoor uit gaat voor een drankje of koffie/thee. Dat brengt extra spanning met zich mee. We hebben geluk gehad dat we braaidag mee konden maken en één keer avondeten op de vlonder. Alles was perfect. Echte rust ervaar je. Buiten douche en buiten zwembad was ook echt relaxed.

Wifi in de tent is soms wel handig, omdat er gecommuniceerd word via whatsapp. En in de tent had je soms ook geen internet. Maar wij vonden het wel heerlijk zonder wifi.

Absolutely loved our stay, in total we were three 3 nights; the tents were spacious and comfortable. We slept so well at night and the daily menu was delicious! But the best part was definitely the friendly and knowledgeable guides. Steven went out of the way to make sure we saw game (giraffe, lions, to name a few) during our drive and was extremely funny and knowledgeable. Was a magical experience.

Le décor de la chambre et du lobby. Style authentique et magnifique. Enchanteur La vue dominante sur le bush

Nous avons vu peu d’animaux comparé à la durée des safari. Beaucoup de route et des animaux qui se font rares même si nous avons réussi à les rencontrer.

Wat een prachtige plek! Alles is echt heel goed geregeld! Leuke safari's met leuke mensen die er veel verstand van hebben. De jacuzzi met uitzicht is echt zo mooi! Eten is ook echt goed.

Korte safari's

L’emplacement, le personnel la nourriture

True natural experience but with excellent service. Food lovely, staff very helpful, room clean and big comfy bed. Game drives were fantastic and the guides were so knowledgeable.

Not really able to take a walk etc as it’s in the open park so not safe - but that was a choice of ours to experience the ‘real thing’. This is the ultimate natural experience to be immersed in it all.

Hotel muito bom !!! Funcionarios super atenciosos !! Safari de manha e a tarde ok

De prachtige ligging en accomodatie, de super vriendelijke mensen - je wordt met zoveel liefde ontvangen, het heerlijke eten en de prachtige game drives met gidsen die overduidelijk houden van de natuur en hier al hun kennis over willen delen. Aanrader!!

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De omgeving is echt prachtig. De Safari's met Pierce

Helemaal niets

Nothing really

Too cold. Items arriving together… fruit and main breakfast

Het uitzicht was fantastisch en de Lodge was super!!! Maar het personeel is geweldig. Ze willen alles voor je doen om je een fantastische ervaring te laten beleven. Zeker Estalie en vooral Piers die heeft voor ons het verschil gemaakt. 👍😀

Dat er in je lodge geen wifi 🛜 had

Ontzettend fijn verblijf gehad! Prachtige lodge met jacuzzi en gezellige gezamenlijke ruimtes in een prachtig gebied. Zeer goede en snelle communicatie via whatsapp in de dagen voordat we arriveerden. Door de zeer slechte weersomstandigheden de dagen voordat wij arriveerden, konden er geen echte game drives plaatsvinden. Toch deed het team er alles aan om het ons alsnog zo goed mogelijk naar de zin te maken met alternatieve game drives. Dank Estalie, Piers, Youri en de rest van het team!

. De persoonlijke aandacht en hulp bij een zeer vervelende val.

Niks

Pontos bons e ruins pra se considerar sobre essa acomodação, começando pelos bons, foi nosso primeiro safári, a acomodação é linda como nas fotos, bem equipada, a área comum com piscina é linda e com vista. A alimentação é ótima nas 3 refeições e você tem a experiência da comida local sul-africana. Sobre o safári, bem confortável e legal, elegantes, zebras, rinocerontes, mas não vimos os big 5, e me pergunto se realmente é possível de ver lá, é um parque meio afastado do Kruger e um terreno com mais morros, o guia até comentou que é difícil ver Búfalos por conta desse terreno, então vai da sorte mesmo (ao contrário de outras regiões que é mais certeza de ver)

Gostaria de saber desses pontos antes de reservar, então deixo aqui: pra começar, são 2 safáris por dia, mas não especificaram que nessa reserva pelo booking temos 1 safari incluso por cada noite, ou seja, chegamos na sexta até domingo e das 4 oportunidades de safari que tivemos só duas já estavam previamente pagas, então pagamos 2 safáris a parte que custam 600 ZAR por pessoa (1200 duas pessoas por cada safári). Não somente nós, mas outros turistas estavam confusos com isso também, pois todos tinham entendido 2 safáris por dia inclusos, o que dá a entender que eles passam a informação em partes de propósito pra você pagar a mais. Apesar da pensão completa, você deve pagar bebidas como refrigerante a parte, mas eles oferecem água da casa e café gratuitos. Esses pagamentos devem ser feitos no checkout no link que eles enviam, mas não aceitam cartão de débito (contas pré pagas) então você precisa pagar com cartão de crédito, achei chato pra um lugar que recebe tantos turistas. Enfim, aproveite a experiência, mas saiba desses pontos.

The staff was amazing and the view from the hilltop is the best you can wish for.

The food options were a bit limited, but all dietary requests (which were proactively requested ahead of our stay) were met by the staff.

Ontzettend attent personeel, prachtig gelegen

Ik heb goede koffie gemist. Er was alleen Nescafé of hele slappe filterkoffie

Wat een prachtige lodge met zeer vriendelijke staf die er alles aan doet om het verblijf zo aangenaam mogelijk te maken.

Kan niets bedenken.

Tudo perfeito.

Prachtige locatie, lekker eten en het personeel doet erg hun best. Vanuit de jacuzzi lunchende aapjes bekijken en in het donker stond er een kudu dichtbij onze tent.

Helaas hadden we weinig geluk tijdens de gamedrives (daar is niets aan te doen). Maar de auto waar we mee gingen, sloeg constant af en tijdens de laatste gamedrive ging hij zelfs helemaal kapot. Ik hoop dat de auto inmiddels vervangen is.

Such a beautiful and peaceful location. In the middle of the game reserve and no fences so you really feel close to the wildlife! The real highlight though is the team who takes care of everything and are so friendly, fun and knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and all the game drives with Estalie, Yuri & Haruka.

Nothing

Super genoten bij Parsons hilltop. Hier staat een team die je letterlijk een super fijne tijd wil bezorgen. Leuk jong team. Game drives zijn top, Haruku doet echt haar best en neemt de tijd zodat je de dieren goed kan bekijken. Je kan een extra game drive boeken zodat je nog een keer kan gaan op dezelfde dag. Eten netjes verzorgd, op woensdag en zaterdag een Braai, gezellig met de andere gasten. Kleinschalig, totaal kunnen ze 10 gasten kwijt. Tent super netjes ook, geen enkele comments.

Niks we hebben echt super genoten om nooit te vergeten

Het was een fantastische ervaring. Het personeel was echt super attent en deed alles voor ons.

Alles klopte! Alles netjes geregeld en personeel is super vriendelijk en attent.

magnifica accoglienza da parte di Mirjam e di tutto il suo staff, ho apprezzato molto la loro professionalità

Everything was perfect the staff was so amazing

That we didn’t see all the big five from the frame drives

excellent safaris, we saw leopard lion, elephant close by, it was really amazing

very private and lovely team, the food was great and the service was perfect

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Fantastic location, excellent game viewing and super service, more than five star! I loved the game drives with Estalie and Marijn, loved the food, every day another african inspired meal. It was more than I could wish for.

nothing! all was more than I expected, this place is well priced for excellent 5 star experience, a gem in the Balule.

We want to thank Jurie for his knowledge, hospitality and kindness during the game drives. You made them very informative and enjoyable and honestly we had the best time during our stay. We made memories during our honeymoon that will last forever!

Lovely

Not a lot of game and birds, rest was amazing

A região é incrível, porém, a estadia foi terrível com 2 dias sem água sequer para escovar os dentes e também ao final da estadia fui cobrado por um serviço que não foi contratado.

Wow! Where do I start…. This place is AMAZING! Parsons Hilltop is comprised of 4 “tents” and a shared lodge, all I would describe as authentic luxury. The “tents”, whilst having canvas walls (your door is a zipper), have thatched roofs, super comfy double beds and a fully plumbed, tiled bathrooms (certainly like no tents I’ve been in before!!!) The views are stunning, and as an unfenced camp you do have some unexpected visitors, which makes the experience so authentic. The food is delicious and plentiful, and we experienced some SA specialities. As a solo traveler, I was lucky enough to be in camp with two other solo travelers, who have become friends! Two of the main reasons I had a wonderful time are Estalie (camp host) and Wiehahn (game drive guide)… what these two don’t know about the reserve isn’t worth knowing. They are two of the loveliest people I have ever met, and made my first Safari so very special! (Mirjam… protect these two at all costs!!!)

Absolutely nothing!

One word: AMAZING! Thank you sooo much! My stay was exactly as I imagined it: beautiful tent, great food, unbeatable views and attention to every detail! I couldn’t dream of anything better. It felt authentic in every detail. A lot of animals come to the waterholes, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and even elephants! The drives were great and the rangers extremely knowledgeable and caring. Mirjam and all her crew are awesome. Extremely professional and efficient. Special mention goes to the rangers Wiehahn and Estalie, who are incredibly passionate about what they do and committed to their job, animals and nature and who shared their knowledge willingly! Having a breakfast with a view to Drakensberg mountains was a special treat. I stayed in other luxury safari properties but Parsons Hilltop felt ultra special! Loved my every minute there. I shall definitely be back! Thanks again!

Absolutely minor: Espresso machine or Bialetti cafetière would have been great for people like me, who love strong coffee. Otherwise, their filter coffee was of a high quality and excellent taste.

Loved the view and how relaxing it was. Rooms were neat and clean. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

The game drive seats are very uncomfortable to sit for 3 hours. And it was a little bit hard to get on as I'm very short and the steps are way too high.

Amazing stay at Parsons. Great facilities, good food, super friendly and helpful staff. Game drives in the early morning and late afternoon are great. Views from the lodge (where you eat) and your tent are great. Jacuzzi nice little extra :-) Definitely recommend staying here!

Absolutely incredible stay, staff were amazing. Food was delicious. Game drives in the morning and evening were spectacular!! Up close and personal with Ellies and other bugs and goggos! Nothing was too much trouble for the staff! Tented rooms were airconditioned and plunge pools amazing with views over the valley. The drive to the lodge was along "game drive" roads so definitely watch out for the game on your way in and out.

The view was amazing. The tents were also great. The food was good and the staff was amazing.

Nothing

Knowledgeable guides and friendly staff. Truly a chance to be part of nature in the SA Bush. But it's not back to basics, because the food is diverse and was delicious every night. We couldn't have picked a better place to start our honeymoon. We were able to see all of the big five, spread out over different game drives. But we were happy that there was also time spent on other land animals, birds, trees, animal behaviour and even the animal droppings. It was a luxury, educational and fun stay at a classic bush camp.

Nothing really, just realise you sleep in the bush so you might hear lions, elephants and the wind at night.

We just loved our private pool and tent with superb views

I loved the location, the staff were very eager to please. The tents were comfortable.

The odd thing like bath towels with holes in them and stained hand towels were unacceptable. The lamp switch in our unit didn't work, together with the canvas window flap. In the main lounge area the music system worked off a faulty charger. One of the couches had a broken foot, and the magazines were outdated. The food was extremely disappointing, with no choice whatsoever. Not even a glass of fresh juice at breakfast, just cordial! The Jacuzzi needed a good scrub!

Wat hebben we genoten van safari’s onder begeleiding van Ras en Lars. Wat een toffe gasten met gevoel voor humor en kennis van de natuur. De accommodatie was ruim, schoon en met veel oog voor detail. De gerechten van Patience en de service van Mathilde maakten het tot een super fijn verblijf! De braai met de andere gasten was erg gezellig en goed verzorgd.

My friend and I had a wonderful stay at Parson's Hilltop. On our first day, we saw a lion, an elephant, and all manner of other animals. On our second day we saw a large group of elephants that walked within feet of our vehicle. It was thrilling to say the least. On our final day we saw a group of three giraffes who walked up close to us when they heard us talking when we stopped for coffee and snacks. We enjoyed watching them for an hour. The facility is small and lovely with a Heminwayesque lodge with a gorgeous view. The tent was charming and very comfortable. The staff were wonderful and in particular our guide for the three days Lex. I can't recommend this safari lodge enough.

Everything was great.

I’ve given a low score to everything because of how upsetting our experience was.

We booked to stay for 5 nights in December. We made our reservation back in March. This was the first place of a once in a lifetime trip. We arrived at Parsons after a 12 hour flight followed by a 6 hour car transfer from Johannesburg to be told that we could stay for the first 2 nights but then we were going to be moved for 2 nights somewhere else and then back again to Parsons for our final night. We arrived on Christmas Eve. We were shocked. Turned out they’d double booked us and the other people that hadn’t yet arrived needed our tent. The poor employee that had to give us this news had only been working there for a week. The owner, the manager/ranger and the chef were all offsite. I spoke to the owner who was abroad. She told us there had been issues with builders. To be honest I cannot recall the details as it just didn’t feel like our responsibility. I begged her to let us stay. We had deliberately booked 5 nights so that we could completely relax. And we’d paid £1500. After a truly awful year, we wanted to sleep, spend time together (I was travelling with my husband) and enjoy the peace and quiet. We were gutted we were being told we’d have to pack up and move twice during our 5 day stay to accommodate other guests. The owner finally agreed to let us stay. Note that we had already paid. I couldn’t understand why they had waited to tell us the day we arrived rather than in advance; we could have tried to find alternative accommodation for the 5 days. Sadly, the owner felt it appropriate to tell the other guests that we had ‘refused to move’. They shared that with us over a very awkward conversation during dinner. We were horrified. To make us feel so uncomfortable, unwelcome and then blame us felt really wrong. We were offered nothing in the way of compensation for this and I heard nothing more from the owner about it.

We enjoyed every single moment of silence, the great view, the authentic tents the excellent service and of course the fascinating animals everywhere. We even had an elephant visiting us.

The stay on Parsons was perfect for who wants to get to know the Safari world with much care, attention and in a safe way. We were wonderfully cared by Chris, who took care of everything on our stay. Mirian also was super attentive on every detail. Would come back for sure.

Very kind staff, nice tent, very good food and amazing ranger

Beautiful breathtaking views, amazing food and friendly staff. Tent and jacuzzi was great.

Everything was perfect

Once we arrived we had a wonderful stay at the Parsons Hilltop ;-) do not use Google Maps for navigation. Great views, good food, amazing game drives - very special thanks again to our guide Lars for teaching us about the bush - helped a lot for the rest of our trip. Very friendly staff - we highly recommend a stay here.

absolutely amazing stay in beautiful surroundings. The game drives done by Lars were outstanding and very respectful towards the environment and animals. Mirjam was an amazing host. The cherry on top of the cake was an elephant walking by our tent at night. Hopefully see you soon!

We had a pleasant 2 night stay at Parsons Hilltop Camp. The camp is remotely located within the Balule Game Reserve with beautiful views out over the valley. The tent accommodation is superb! Our tent was very comfortable and had two private decks including a small plunge pool overlooking a small watering hole. The staff were friendly and every meal prepared by Patience (chef) was very tasty. Mirjam (host) even baked traditional Dutch olliebollen for NYE which were delicious! We had two game drives during our stay and saw 2 out of the ‘big 5’ animals - Raas (the ranger) was very informative and engaging. On our second day we decided to do a self drive to Kruger Park (Skukuza Gate) where we saw a lot more animals.

This is a very intimate camp with 4 tents. This means you will be dining and going on the game drives with the other guests. This is perfectly fine if you are sharing the camp with a few different couples. However, during our stay we were sharing the camp with a family of 5 adults who were spread across the other 3 tents. At times we couldn’t completely relax as they were constantly bickering amongst each other and we sometimes felt like intruders in their family. We appreciate that the chef was able to pick up on this and separate our dining tables on the second day, however, we would have had a much better experience if we were able to have some more private space. We feel the intimacy of this camp is better suited towards couples.

Amazing accommodation in a fabulous location with the best hosts you could hope for! The game drives were fantastic - I was lucky enough to see leopard, jackal, giraffe, elephant and numerous lions in my three night stay. I also loved the bush walk with Russ who is a very knowledgeable ranger and lots of fun! The luxury tent with adjoining plunge pool was a delight as were the views and the yummy food. Thanks Mirjam and team for a truly wonderful stay! You really made me feel like a special guest. Highly recommended!

Our stay at Parsons was an Amazing experience. The Situation of the Camp on the hilltop is really beautiful and animals come into the camp often. We had a group of elephants strolling the camp at Night. The Best Part about our stay was the staff, especially our Ranger Ras who Made the Game drives a really fun and educative experience. We also enjoyed the food very much - They Made really good Vegetarian options for us as well, which we appreciated a lot. Last But Not least the Tranquility of our private whirlpool was so nice to relax inbetween activities.

the only thing to Mention for longer stays, is the Areas size, which is comparitively a Bit smaller.

We have received a warm welcoming by the staff and the room (tent) was at high standart and in a high qulity. The service was excellent and the served dishes were very tasty and enjoyable. Mark the ranger was very knowledgable and with patience and the game drive was very nice.

The way from the gate to the lodge is 10 km on a limestone road which took us 1 hr to pass. We reccomand to have a high and thick tyre vehicle for it

Amazing views Well located in the greater Kruger area. Our tour guide Mark was very very good and kept the drives entertaining. You get a ridiculous amount of food, from a two course breakfast, to a sizeable lunch, to a three course dinner every night. And all of it is incredible so prepare to gain weight. You get one free game drive per day and an additional is well worth the money

If we had to pick something we would say the envelope left on the bed asking for tips at the end of our stay. With the room rate and additional costs of game drives we felt that the staff would have been well compensated.

Great camp in the middle of the bush with knowledgeable rangers. The staff made us feel very welcome and safe in the (unfenced) camp! Furthermore, tents and views from the camp are top notch. And last but not least: we hade some very nice sightings in the Balule reserve!

Highly Recommended! We enjoyed our stay in Parsons Hilltop especially when all the staff are very attentive and helpful. The room is clean and bed is super comfortable (hotel standard). The food is good and chef will arrange special dietary needs if any. The game drives are fantastic with very informative guide.