I explored another lovely home of the Big Five by driving north to the Timbavati Game Reserve. After the prolific wildlife of Sabi Sands and exclusivity of Singita Lebombo in Kruger, what I found in Timbavati is the wilder and quieter side of my South African safari.
With a very low density of lodges and a very large area to cover, game drives here tend to be tranquil and intimate with nary another vehicle in sight.
Bountiful wildlife, although not as dense as in the Sabi Sands, roam a largely unspoilt terrain on the western edge of Kruger National Park. Their laid back attitude lets you sit back and contemplate your luck to be in such close proximity to nature’s best documentary scenes.
For a truly immersive experience, you can spend the night in a private hide under the stars as seen below, with the sound of the savannah lulling you to sleep or keeping you wide awake!
The area is renowned for its biodiversity and the slow pace will have you take notice of smaller and no less fascinating creatures that call the Timbavati home.
Terrapinn
Colorful grasshoppers
Jackal
Crowned lapwing
Iridescent starling
Southern yellow-billed hornbill
Woodland kingfisher
And just like in the other private game reserves, there’s a lodge tailored to your tastes and desired level of comfort. Home style luxury awaits at Makanyi Private Game Lodge. What used to be an exclusive private property was recently turned into a 7-suites safari camp offering one of the most intimate experiences around.
Your classic thatched-roof villa has all the luxury comfort you’ll ever need with a private plunge pool on your outdoor terrace and direct view of the local watering hole in the ‘backyard’ which receives a fair amount of thirsty visitors. I won’t soon forget waking up in the middle of the night to the loud screams of a pack of hyenas nearby, clearly fighting over a meal. I had almost forgotten the wild outdoors in such plush surroundings…
At the opposite end of the Timbavati, all the way to the north, you’ll find an entirely different private game reserve along a scenic river called Motswari.
The vintage bush lodge is family-run with possibly the warmest welcome and hospitality you can hope for and a commitment to conservation that is sure to warm your heart.
Traditional African bungalows are spread out amid the vegetation with animals roaming freely within the camp.
Nothing more threatening than a few vervet monkeys with their bright blue scrotum showed up at my door, thankfully!
When the heat gets to be a little too much, there’s also a delightful plunge pool with a great vantage point for cooling off in the afternoon.
Game drives are the reason you’re here though and they won’t disappoint. Stretching out over 150 square kilometres, the Motswari Private Game Reserve will have plenty to keep you enchanted and snapping away.
Waterbuck
Kudus
The amazing guides will make sure you also come up close and personal with some of the more majestic creatures in these parts… all somewhat lethargic when we passed by.
My most beautiful memory though has to be this hour long river scene we witnessed on the way back to the lodge. A family of elephants just doing their ‘Sunday in the park’ thing, playful, gracious, and so darn majestic we all wished we could have attached a web cam to this very spot for future enjoyment.
And that’s why going on a safari will always be at the top of my “best experiences” – these fleeting and fragile moments are worth so much more than what it took to be in their presence.
