Shiviko Kruger, a private-villa safari lodge on the edge of Kruger National Park in South Africa, has launched a fully kosher program built to the Mehadrin standard, Travelling for Business reported on October 20. The lodge developed it with Kosher Certified South Africa (KCSA) and Kosher in the Bush after requests from kosher-observant travelers.
How the Kosher Program Works
Each villa runs its own independent kitchen, which lets the lodge keep strict kosher standards while it continues to host non-kosher guests. The program includes mashgiach supervision, fully separate meat and dairy preparation areas, Chalav Yisrael products, mevushal wine, and Glatt and Chalak shechita meat.
Kosher in the Bush is a South Africa-based kosher catering and mashgiach service founded by Aharon and Adrienne Bogatie. It has served safari lodges since 2016 and says most of its work is certified through KCSA.
Shabbat at the Lodge
Shabbat observance is part of the stay, with timer-controlled lighting and dedicated walking areas for guests who choose not to travel. The announcement does not spell out Shabbat meal arrangements, so families should confirm those details with the lodge when booking.
Private Villas, Guides and Game Drives
Shiviko Kruger is made up of four exclusive-use villas named Pula, Ekasi, Shaka and Thobela, and each is booked by one group at a time. The two-bedroom villas sleep up to four guests and the three-bedroom villas sleep up to six. Each villa has its own private chef, butler, guide and game-drive vehicle, so a family sets its own schedule for drives and meals.
The lodge sits outside the public gates of the park, about 7 km from the Paul Kruger Gate, which the lodge says allows flexible timing. A shared clubhouse has a pool with water slides, a cinema, a gym and a sauna.
Panorama Route Day Trips
Beyond game drives in the Greater Kruger area, guests can tour the Panorama Route, including God’s Window and Blyde River Canyon, and then return to a Mehadrin-supervised meal. Bourkes Luck Potholes is another stop on the same route.
Kosher Certification, Booking and Location
The kosher program is described as Mehadrin standard, developed with KCSA and Kosher in the Bush, with an on-site mashgiach. Shiviko Kruger’s own website does not yet list a kosher certificate or the program’s rates, so ask the lodge for the current certificate before booking. Kosher in the Bush says it takes requests three to six months ahead and welcomes short notice.
Shiviko Kruger is a single property. Address: Elephant Point, 1350 Skukuza, near the Paul Kruger Gate, Greater Kruger region, South Africa. Reservations: +27 (0)87 057 2526. Email: stay@shiviko.com. Website: shiviko.com.
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