Kruger Shalati - The Train on the Bridge

"When Kruger National Park first officially welcomed visitors in the 1920s, its trains would pause overnight on Selat Bridge, which overlooks the flowing Sabie River. Now, Kruger Shalati (named for an African warrior queen) is stationed here permanently without moving, offering 31 locomotive-style, earth-toned accommodations. The rooms are glass-walled, revealing animals like elephants, leopards, and buffalo roaming in the distance. From Kruger Shalati, visitors can experience everything from game drives and South Africa–inspired cuisine to lolling in their clawfoot tubs after in-room facials or by the circular pool, suspended as if floating above the wildlife-filled terrain. From $1,200." - Nora Zelevansky

"A true feat of design, this unusual property is built into a train that sits atop a bridge in Kruger National Park. Described as a sanctuary from the world, it’s easy to see why: Jaw-dropping views, indulgent facilities, and exceptional dining are on offer for guests in the rooms of this boutique wonder. All the while, the Kruger Shalati's articulate design gives a comfortable nod to its industrial heritage. If you’re looking for something very new and very different, this is it."

"The most innovative way to stay in South Africa’s Kruger National Park offers a rare look at the social history of the country’s famous wilderness. Kruger Shalati hovers 50 feet above the Sabie River on a retired train track that carried Kruger’s earliest visitors into the park about a century ago. Developed by Motsamayi Tourism Group, which describes itself as South Africa’s oldest Black-empowered tourism group, Kruger Shalati offers 31 guest rooms (some fashioned out of refurbished train carriages) where travelers can look down at waters filled with crocs, hippos, and elephants." - Jennifer Flowers