South-African hotel Kruger Shalati: the Train on the Bridge is offering safari enthousiasts a whole new way of experiencing the country’s wildlife. As the name suggests, the luxury hotel is located inside a series of train carriages, formerly operated by Transnet, that have come to their forever halt on the Selati Bridge. Other than luxurious suites and perched pools, the hotel offers a view over the Sabie River, where, with a little luck, tourists can spot Africa’s Big Five.
As far as safaris go, railways used to be an important means of transportation for tourists visiting South Africa and the Kruger National Park in particular. The Selati Railway Line was used for steam trains that often halted on the Selati Bridge for an overnight stay, offering early 20th century tourists the chance to spot lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffalos and many more animals that went to the river in order to quench their thirst.
By the beginning of the 1970’s, the line was no longer useful and was therefore decommissioned. In 2016, however, Motsamayi Tourism Group, the company behind the Kriger Shalati hotel, was offered the chance to buy the former train and to restore the bridge to its former glory. After a few years of renovations, the hotel finally opened its doors to the public in 2020, offering tourists a very similar experience as one could have had in the early 20th century.
The hotel, which offers 31 rooms decorated in a mix of modern and Art Deco styles, is quite different from what you’d usually expect from a safari holiday. The breathtaking views offer guests the chance to spot some of Africa’s rarest animals but, meanwhile, the carriages offer all the luxury one can dream of. Travellers can however take part in a game drive through the Kruger National Park, wether it is alone or with an experienced guide, to get a taste of life on the ground.
“Having hippos grunting underneath the carriage attracts people who want to be in the wild but don’t want to be immersed in the wild,” Jerry Mabena, CEO of Motsamayi Tourism Group, told CNN.
At the hotel, travellers will find no less than three pools, a spa and a fine dining restaurant, which uses produce from the hotel’s very own garden and local meats, including crocodile and springbok. Prices for a room aboard the train start at 335 euros a night based on double occupancy.
