Manyeleti Game Reserve

Manyeleti Game Reserve Highlights

Manyeleti means 'Place of the Stars' in the local Shangaan language. Guests will have the opportunity to experience incredible stargazing here.

Manyeleti Game Reserve is situated between the Timbavati Private Reserve, the Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and is home to some of the best game viewing in South Africa, including the Big Five and many other species of wildlife.

The reserve is renowned for its minimal vehicle density and offers a traditional safari experience. Wildlife activities include bush walks, game drives in open safari vehicles and guests can expect to see lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino as well as zebra, giraffe, cheetah and many other antelope species and smaller animals.

Manyeleti Game Reserve Viewing and Activities

The reserve is renowned for its minimal vehicle density, hence offers a true exclusive safari experience. Expert game rangers will accompany guests on guided bush walks or game drives in open 4x4 game viewing vehicles and guests can expect to see lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino as well as zebra, giraffe, cheetah and many other antelope species and smaller animals.

How to Get there

Air

There are daily flights from OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg International) to Hoedspruit Airport (also called Eastgate) and we recommend that guests use this airport for the Manyeleti Game Reserve lodges. Once guests arrive at the airport they have a choice between, a car hire option (self-drive), a road transfer to the lodge where they will be staying or a short air transfer (flight hop) to the various lodges in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.

Land

All the Manyeleti Game Reserve lodges are accessible via self drive with a sedan rental car from anywhere in South Africa. Obviously the drive time depends on where you are driving from! To self drive from Johannesburg will take approximately 6 hours.

Seasons and Climate

The climate is classified as subtropical. Summers bring rain with hot and humid days and winters are cool and dry.

Summer is from October to March and the days are hot and humid with occasional thunderstorms in the afternoon. Temperatures during the day can climb to 32 degrees Celsius; however the evenings are pleasant and cool. The dry bushland becomes alive after the rains, the foliage becomes lush and green, however this means the animals are more difficult to find.

The winter months are from April until September. The days are warm and sunny, however the early mornings and evenings can get cold with temperatures as low as 10 degrees Celsius. Water is scarce during the dry winter months and the wildlife in the region tend to flock around the water holes, hence game viewing in the winter months is classified as the best game viewing months.