SHARE
The Train on the Bridge has retained its two MICHELIN Keys, reaffirming its place among the South African properties recognised when the MICHELIN Guide first extended its hotel distinction to Africa last year. For Concession General Manager Gavin Ferreira, however, the story behind the Keys begins with people.
When Kruger Shalati first received two MICHELIN Keys, the award surprised everyone. There was no warning, no known MICHELIN Guide inspector, and no chance to prepare for a particular guest.
Ferreira believes that made the recognition all the more meaningful.
The anonymous inspector had experienced Kruger Shalati as any guest would: arriving at the train above the Sabie River, meeting the team, dining at the property and heading out into the Kruger National Park in the South African Lowveld.
“The guest made a booking just like anyone else and experienced the high quality of service that every guest receives at Kruger Shalati,” says Ferreira. “It’s a huge credit to our team’s daily service standards. And continues to be so.”
Retaining the two Keys has brought a different challenge. “Winning the award is one thing. Retaining it is another.”
Following this initial recognition, the team has continually elevated every facet of the guest experience; from housekeeping and room details to food and wine offerings. To further enhance the wine menu, a dedicated sommelier has joined the Kruger Shalati hospitality team, while Ferreira and Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha travel twice a year to experience leading restaurants and new menu trends, bringing world-class inspiration back to the Kruger.
Yet some of Kruger Shalati’s greatest strengths cannot be imported.
Many team members come from local communities surrounding the park, and for some, Kruger Shalati provided their first job in hospitality. They bring a natural “service heart” defined by warmth, empathy, and a desire to serve guests. This is further complimented by technical skills and efficiency developed through ongoing training.
That approach runs through the entire guest experience. Ferreira talks about creating a series of “small wows”: the welcome at reception, the first step onto the deck, the pool above the river, the view from a room on the bridge. Food is part of that too. As he puts it, warmth matters, but it has to be matched by good service: “You can’t just serve them a smile for breakfast. They’re going to eat something.”
Under Mbatha, the food draws more and more on place, culture and the landscapes surrounding Kruger. That philosophy will come into sharper focus on 27 and 28 November, when Mbatha cooks with acclaimed, classically French-trained chef Wandile Mabaso as part of the Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series. The initiative grew from a desire to bring outside chefs into the kitchen not simply for a special menu, but to transfer skills, bring new perspectives, and achieve what Ferreira calls the “cross-pollination” of knowledge.
For Motsamayi Tourism Group, Kruger Shalati’s MICHELIN recognition carries another significance. As an independent South African hospitality group growing its international profile, Motsamayi has had to build that confidence through the quality and consistency of the guest experience. The two Keys offer valuable independent reassurance to guests considering a stay, while confirming that the experience meets an internationally recognised benchmark.
For Ferreira, the recognition is therefore not an endpoint. It validates how far Kruger Shalati has come and incentivises continued refinement of the guest experience.
And, perhaps more importantly, to keep asking what the next small wow might be.
IMAGES
a. Arial: Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
b. Concession General Manager Gavin Ferreira
c. Michelin Keys logo
d. Executive Chef Vusi Mbatha
e. Kruger Shalati pool overlooking the Sabie River
Event Summary and Bookings
· Event: The Motsamayi Chef Collaboration Series at Kruger Shalati
· Dates: 27 and 28 November 2026
· Location: Kruger Shalati – Train on the Bridge, Kruger National Park
· Information & Reservations: www.krugershalati.com
Instagram: @Kruger_Shalati
Facebook: @KrugerShalati
About Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
· Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge is a luxury hospitality experience set on the historic Selati Bridge above the Sabie River in the Kruger National Park.
· Offering 31 rooms, consisting of 24 Train Carriage Suites and 7 Bridge House Suites.
· Each suite offers immersive comfort from the most unique location in the Kruger National Park: the historic bridge, where the very first visitors to the Park had a pioneering stay within the carriages, following a night of feasting, performance and tales from times long-gone.
· High above the riverbanks, aligned with the floor level of the train, lies the pool and deck, offering a swimming vista unlike any other – with crocodile, hippos, buffaloes and elephants greeting guests metres below!
· The property forms part of Motsamayi Tourism Group, whose portfolio also includes Sanctuary Mandela in Johannesburg. Motsamayi focuses on distinctive South African hospitality experiences rooted in place, culture, and storytelling.
How To Get There
· Self-drive from Johannesburg or fly to Skukuza Airport with Airlink from O R Tambo International or Cape Town International. Kruger Shalati collects guests at Skukuza Airport.
INFO SUPPLIED.