Wherever you come from, you’ll find home at RETURN Africa – and we’ll be here to welcome you. Our ethos is rooted in three decades of friendship with the Makuleke people, who lost their ancestral land under apartheid but successfully reclaimed it in 1998 when they regained ownership but decided to keep the land within the Kruger National Park and to use it responsibly for the benefit of the people and the wildlife. For us at RETURN Africa, it is a privilege to be part of this great endeavour. We pay a concession fee for the use of their land. We also create jobs, support local entrepreneurs and invest in community development projects.

Our walking safaris explore arguably the most beautiful area and certainly the most biologically diverse corner of the Greater Kruger National Park, a corner that promises to become the centre of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. With low road density guests can walk for hours without seeing any sign of humanity … unless your guide happens to point out a stone age hand axe, a one thousand year old pot shard or a Makuleke era ash midden. On our walking safaris you can expect to encounter an array of changing landscapes, from bushveld to riverine forests, mountains to floodplains, as well as perennial and seasonal pans which attract a spectacular variety of animals and birds. Discover forests of fever trees, groves of baobabs and palm fringed wetlands, all falling within this extraordinary RAMSAR site. You will be likely to encounter large and potentially dangerous animals, whilst having the opportunity to appreciate many of the smaller hidden secrets of the African bush. You’ll call our seasonal bush camps home, at one with nature’s sounds and smells, a place to recharge and refuel. A hot shower, delicious food, fireside stories and starry nights before surrendering to sleep in comfort serenaded by whooping hyenas and stirring leaves. Throughout your stay our professional Field Guides will share their intimate knowledge of Pafuri, all of its inhabitants and its history.

Set in the heart of the Makuleke Contractual Park at the northern tip of the Kruger National Park, RETURN Africa’s Pafuri Collection offers guests a rare glimpse into one of South Africa’s most biodiverse and culturally rich regions. This remote corner, where the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers meet, is home to fever tree forests, ancient baobabs, and an extraordinary array of birdlife and wildlife. The surrounding area is steeped in history, with nearby archaeological sites and ancestral paths that tell stories of centuries past. It’s a destination for the curious and the adventurous – wild, untouched, and utterly unforgettable.