Timbavati Game Reserve

The Timbavati Game Reserve consists of a group of private game farms and reserves situated north of Sabi Sands on the western edge of the National Park. It is considered to be one of South Africa’s premier game viewing areas.

There are no fences between this reserve and the Kruger National Park therefore, allowing animals to move freely. The game lodges in the Timbavati are privately owned and managed, and offer guests an all-inclusive safari experience.

Timbavati Price Guide

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Timbavati Game Reserve

The Timbavati Game Reserve offers a variety of camps and lodges to choose from. In order to assist guests with their choice, we have divided the camps and lodges into three different categories being, Comfortable, Luxury and Premier. Our favourite lodges are Gomo Gomo Game Lodge, Motswari and Kings Camp.

Comfortable

Simbavati River Lodge | Shindzela Tented Safari Camp

Luxury
Umlani Bush Camp | Motswari | Ngala Main Lodge | Tanda Tula Safari Camp | Kings Camp

Premier
Ngala Tented Lodge

How to get there

Air

There are daily flights from OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg International) to Hoedspruit Airport (also called Eastgate). Phalaborwa airport can also be used to access the Timbavati lodges. Once guests arrive at the various airports they have a choice between, a car hire option (self-drive), a road transfer arranged by SUNSAFARIS or a short air transfer (flight hop) to the various lodges in the Timbavati Game Reserve.

Land

All the Timbavati 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.

Timbavati Game Reserve & Game Viewing

Introduction

Timbavati Game Reserve was established in 1956 by a group of like-minded game farmers. This 60 000 hectare reserve shares a common unfenced border with the Kruger National Park allowing animals to move freely over 2 million hectares of prime African bush. This hot lowveld area of wood and grassland is home to Africa's Big 5 as well as many other species of predator and antelope. This abundance of wildlife ensures that visitors to the area have an unforgettable safari experience.

Game Viewing

The area supports a variety of wildlife including the "big five", lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo as well as cheetah and wild dog. All antelope and gazelle species such as buffalo, blue wildebeest, bushbuck, Impala, kudu, waterbuck, Burchell's zebra can be seen. Other animals to look out for are giraffe, hippo, spotted hyaena and baboon. Nocturnal animals such as hyena, civet, genet, honey badgers, bush-babies and owls can be seen while out of night drives. Also, elusive nocturnal animals including the endangered African Wild Cat and the Pangolin (Scaly Anteater) are often sighted. Breeding herds of elephant make for exceptional viewing. White rhino sightings increase during the dry season. Large breeding herds of buffalo, numbering up to 400, have been moving through the area using the waterholes. The Timbavati is a bird-watcher’s paradise with over 350 species of birds. Species include the Woodland Kingfisher, Scops Owl, Crested Barbet, Marico Sunbird, Spotted-backed Weaver and White-throated Robin. Colourful birds to look out for are the Southern Yellowbilled Hornbill and the Redbilled Hornbill, hornbills are among the most conspicuous birds in African savannahs. Vultures and eagles soaring through the Ngala sky include the Lappet-faced Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Martial Eagle, African Hawk Eagle and Bateleur. All game activities will be accompanied by expert guides.

Map of the Timbavati Game Reserve Lodges

Click on the map on the right for Virtual Earth Maps of the safari lodges within the Timbavati Game Reserve.

Zoom in and out, drag and move the map, and click on lodge GPS markers for links to the lodges. The maps also show airstrips, park gates and other points of interest.

Click here to view the map