Kruger Shalati - The Train on the Bridge - Kruger National Park

By the time of the completion of the Selati Line in 1915, the Selati goldfields had been almost worked out and the gold diggings became less profitable. The economic value of the railway line came under serious discussion again. In 1921 concessions were granted to prospect for coal along the Selati Line north of Crocodile Bridge and until 1922 prospecting beacons regularly made their appearance in the southern part of the Sabie Reserve. Some of these old beacons can still be seen today between the Bume River and Crocodile Bridge. The railway administration, casting about for means to make the Selati Line less of a white elephant, advocated the de-proclamation of a strip of land on each side, allowing for timber cutting and where possible farming. This happened at a time when there was not much support for the national park concept. James Stevenson-Hamilton described these as the ‘black years in the history of the Sabie Game Reserve’. Letters in the press remarked: “This so called-called game reserve is merely a refuge for dangerous wild animals, a focus of disease, and should be swept away”. Another indicated “In the twenty years which have passed, the land might have held hundreds of happy smiling homesteads instead of only lion and disease”. Fortunately none of these threats came to fruition. The railway line, in itself created easy access to outsiders and contributed significantly to the decimation of game from the area in the late 1800’s.

Offering 31 rooms, consisting of 24 Train Carriage Suites and 7 Bridge House Suites, all of which will provide a deeply visceral experience, tailored for immersive comfort. Whether you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind adventure, an enthralling break or to simply unwind while surrounded by earth’s finest creations, Kruger Shalati looks forward to welcoming you on a journey of discovery with nature in the most extraordinary way imaginable.

Unique, thought-provoking design is core to our offering, but the holistic experience is centred around our humanity, our cultural nuances, the people who crafted each element and, ultimately, the kindness with which we receive our guests.

Sighting the “Big Five” has become something of a quest for many people when on safari, and the Kruger National Park has more than its fair share of these, with an estimated 1,500 lion, 17,000 elephant, 48,000 buffalo and 1,000 leopards. It should certainly not be a pre-requisite of a safari to see these or even a priority, as there are plenty of other fascinating animals and birds in the African bush.

Kruger is one of the premier game-watching destinations in the world. Approximately 147 mammal species occur in the park. It is possible to see all the classical African big game, including elephant (KNP Elephant Census Summary), black and white rhino, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog and many antelope species. Large carnivores include lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyena. There are also many smaller mammals equally enticing species.

Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to stay in the Train on the Bridge Carriage Suites. Children over 6 years old can be accommodated in the Bridge House Suites which has interleading rooms for families.