The term rest camp as used by Africa Deluxe Tours in our itineraries, and within the broader African context, refers to an accommodation centre/ village within a national park. While the term lodge normally indicates more upmarket accommodation, rest camps are mostly geared more towards middle-range and budget travelers. Most offer self-catering accommodation. Some rest camps, for instance Skukuza in the Kruger Park, feature a wide variety of services such as restaurants, cafeterias, amenities stores, petrol filling stations, etc.; while others provide only a selection of these services and yet others provide accommodation only. In rare cases rest camps may offer camping facilities only.

Although all rest camps are accessible to international travelers they place a strong emphasis on catering for locals as well, for one thing by being more affordable than other options. Because of this you'll have a lot more interaction with locals when staying in a rest camp compared to an upmarket game lodge. The flip side is that it makes for a much less exclusive experience. The same is true when comparing national parks to private game reserves.