Antares Bush Camp & Umgede Hide

We spent 8 days at Antares Bush Camp over the Xmas period. It was a truly memorable experience. From the moment we arrived we felt at home. Ian and Mel Owtram are exceptional hosts, always making sure that we were enjoying the facilities and that there weren’t any issues. The game drives with Ian were the true highlight for us - he is extremely knowledgable about wildlife and the area. We all learned a lot from him and he entertained us with great bush stories. The other highlight is the Umgede hide - it was really great to view the animals that come to drink water at such close quarters. If you love the bush and want to have a great experience I can highly recommend visiting Antares.

What an AMAZING place to stay. Mel and Ian (and Savannah and Cary) couldn't have made our trip (and Xmas) more special - such a lovely family. They were so dedicated to showing us the best the game reserve had to offer and Ian's knowledge and dedication to finding the animals we wanted to see was formidable. The property itself was perfect for our family with the bedrooms on the outside and the main house for our daytime lounging. The hide is definitely a great USP - we couldn't have seen more elephants! The building does need a little upgrade here and there and sometimes the bedroom/bathrooms could have been a little more rigorously cleaned but these are niggles from a couple that lives in the city and not in the bush with critters!! We will definitely be back and the entire family had the BEST time!

What a lovely place, we booked this place to start off our safari holiday and it didn’t disappoint. We are lucky enough to visit South Africa (Kruger area) every year now and we stumbled across this place while looking at some new places to stay and we have already booked it again for our next trip in 2025. We did a few game drives with the very knowledgeable owner/manager and you can feel the passion he has for the area & animals that are around the area. The hide is a great part of the holiday home if you are interested in that and for us was a big part if not the main reason we booked this place. The house & rooms are nicely decorated and has everything you need to have a great stay, we did self catering which was perfect for us for our 3 night stay. We loved our stay and were already looking forward to being back at Antares next year.

When we arrived at Antares we were immediately blown away. We were greeted by Ian and Mel and a herd of elephants. We immediately went to Umgede hide to enjoy the elephant from up-close. During our stay we were lucky enough to have two more encounters with elephants at the hide. When the elephant weren't around general game and birds would entertain us. The rooms were very comfortabel and the camp (including the hide) is very well equipped and everything we wanted/needed was available. The staf was very friendly and a special mention to Linky for helping out with washing our clothes, since most of our clothes were missing due to issues at our local airport. Thank you Mel and Ian for the friendly and heart-warming stay. Can't wait to be back in 2025!

My wife and I spent 4 nights at Antares Bush Camp. The first big plus for us was the policy that once you have made your booking, the lodge is for your exclusive use, in other words Ian does not mix groups at all. The Lodge facilities are a treat, comfortable and spotlessly clean. There are 4 rooms all en suite, kitchen, dining room, lounge, outside deck overlooking the braai area and pool, and then of course Umgede Hide, eye level with the water hole. The hide is a fantastic experience, both for it's fittings and amenities, as well as the up close encounters with the varied wildlife and birdlife that visit the waterhole. Be prepared to photograph elephant literally 2 to 3 meters away at times. Added to that, the waterhole is floodlit at night, making night photography an absolute pleasure. The hide is well equipped for photographers, with bean bags, gimbals, WiFi and charging points provided. Seating is comfortable, sleeping or resting on the day bed is a pleasure, and tea and coffee making facilities with a fridge are also catered for. Ian is a first class host, and is an excellent source of knowledge with regard to all of the wildlife and photographic aspects that you will experience at Antares, and more. This, owing to his experience in training field guides and his many years spent in the bush himself. Antares is a special experience, and whether you go for the photographic experience, or just to enjoy the experiences of being close to nature at the waterhole and spending quality time in the bush, you're wishes will be satisfied!

Antares Bush Camp, and in particular Umgede Hide is an absolute must visit! You will have the opportunity to get eye level with some of Africa’s most iconic species. Making I contact with an elephant just meters away from you is something that just can’t be described! It is a photographers dream, but even if you’re not a photographer, you can still marvel in the most amazing animal encounters at the waterhole, all from the safety of the hide. I couldn’t leave because you just don’t know who will visit next, but there is plenty to keep you entertained if you need a break from the hide, like the amazing deck area and pool, Ian is the perfect host and has all the knowledge you need to make the most of your stay. My advice, book today! You won’t be disappointed.