This Greater Kruger Safari stays at an unfenced bush camp in Big Five country, offering a fantastic mix of game drives and bush walks in Greater Kruger National Park.
Embark on two safari activities a day, choosing between open 4x4 game drives and guided walks on the day.
Enjoy the advantages of game viewing in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve of Greater Kruger National Park with expert guides - taking exhilarating night drives, going off-road driving and venturing into the wilderness on walking safaris.
At the start of this Greater Kruger Tented Safari you are collected from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. From there the shuttle transfers you to Greater Kruger Park, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Travel to a bush pub just outside of Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, stopping to admire the scenery along the way. From the bush pub, you are then transferred to the private concession area within Timbavati.
Arriving at the charming camp, it's time for a tasty lunch surrounded by unspoilt nature, followed by leisure time. Sit back on your own little porch, splash in the pool, or take a nap before embarking on our first sunset game drive in the Greater Kruger National Park.
On days two and three of this wildlife safari you can choose between game drives and walking safaris in the Greater Kruger National Park. Two safari activities are included each day, with a choice of game drives or bush walks, depending on animal movements and your preferences. Game viewing is done early in the mornings and late in the afternoons as these are the best times to see wildlife in the bush.
Your full days at camp follow roughly the same schedule, beginning with a wake-up call at about 5h00. Days typically start with a cup of tea or coffee and some rusks (tea biscuits), before setting off on your morning game viewing drive or walk in the Timbavati Game Reserve. Departing by 5h45 we are in the bush as day breaks and the creatures begin to stir. Game drives take up to three and a half hours, whilst walking safaris last about three hours.
At about 8h00 we pause for coffee in the wilds, before returning to camp for a scrumptious brunch in the mid-morning. Brunch is followed by free time for you to relax at the camp, take a dip in the pool and enjoy the natural surroundings. Lunch is served in the dining area at about 14h30 and then we embark on an afternoon game viewing activity, leaving camp between 15h00 and 16h30. Your guide may suggest a combination game drive and short walk based on where wildlife is more likely to be sighted, or a game drive. On both walks and drives, we stop for sundowners in the wilderness, admiring the beautiful colours of the evening sky before darkness falls. Then we continue exploring the bush into the night, looking out for nocturnal wildlife in the safari vehicle. Those doing an afternoon walk will switch to a game drive after sunset.
The late afternoon wildlife adventures end back at the tented camp, by about 19h00. Dinner is served at about 19h30, then we settle in for the night, relaxing at the bar or around the campfire under the stars.
Both game drives and bush walks take place in the Timbavati Nature Reserve, within the Greater Kruger National Park of South Africa. The wildlife reserve offers excellent game viewing, hosting the famous Big Five - lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant - and many more. Exploring Big Five country with the knowledgeable game rangers of the camp is an incredible experience, both on foot and by safari vehicle. The game viewing drives and walks focus on experiencing the wild habitat and the diverse fauna and flora that make this rich ecosystem so special, as well as seeing the Big Five.
Walking in the bush with an experienced guide is especially ideal for getting a closer look at the variety of animals, insects, reptiles, birds and signs of animal activity. The walking safaris are all about being immersed in the bush - encountering game such as antelopes, zebras and giraffes, and learning about the natural environment and its diverse inhabitants. You have plenty of opportunities to stop and watch animals and birds along the way, examining interesting features of the African bushveld, and taking photographs under the guidance of your ranger. You may also come across bigger mammals, including the Big Five, on the guided walks, thus your guide is armed to ensure your safety. Before setting off the guides run through safety guidelines and the rules of walking in the bush, then you head off in a group of eight guests at most.
All game drives are conducted in open 4x4 safari vehicles, specifically modified for game viewing in the African bush. At times the guide may venture off road to follow predator sightings and unusual animals - one of the perks of game viewing in a Greater Kruger Park concession area. Another advantage of game viewing in Timbavati Private Reserve is that afternoon game drives can stretch into night drives with powerful spotlights. This enables us to spot nocturnal creatures, from bushbabies to porcupines and civets. We also encounter fewer safari vehicles on the game drives in Timbavati than in national parks, spending more time at each wildlife sighting.
Rise and shine early in the morning for your final game viewing adventure in the exclusive Timbavati Game Reserve. Start with a cup of coffee or tea and snacks, before setting off into the wilderness with your experienced guide.
After spotting wildlife and birds we return to the bush camp for a delicious breakfast. Then we leave Greater Kruger National Park, heading back to the bush pub to catch our return shuttle to Johannesburg. The shuttle takes you to OR Tambo International Airport, where this affordable Greater Kruger bush adventure comes to a close.
Pick-up and drop-off are at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. For more details and times please enquire.
The tented camp is set on spacious, natural grounds along the banks of a dry riverbed, looking onto a small watering hole. The safari camp provides a genuine African bush experience, situated in a private concession area, within the Big Five Timbavati Game Reserve. This camp is unfenced allowing wild animals to roam onto the grounds freely. Guests are immersed in nature at the camp, where honey badgers and warthogs are often spotted. Elephants, antelopes and buffalos are sometimes seen at camp and occasionally lions are sighted along the river banks.
Accommodation is simple, yet comfortable with an emphasis on being immersed in the untamed wilderness of Greater Kruger Park. The camp accommodates 16 guests at most, featuring eight permanent tents with double or twin beds. Each of the canvas tents is set on a wooden platform with a shaded deck area overlooking the natural surroundings. The tents have thatched roofs, insect netting and canvas flaps to open and close the windows, as well as en suite bathrooms with shower, toilet and hand basin fixtures.
The thatch-roofed dining and bar areas open out onto the tree-dotted grounds, featuring a splash pool with deck chairs around it. There is an open-air boma area with camping chairs for sitting around the campfire under star-studded skies. The tented camp runs mostly on solar power and uses gas geysers for hot water. The charm of this basic camp is its back to nature atmosphere in the African wilderness.
Timbavati is an exclusive game reserve which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park of South Africa. Timbavati Reserve shares unfenced borders with Kruger National Park proper, allowing wildlife to move freely between the private reserve and Kruger, the most famous game park in the country.
Timbavati is one of the most prestigious game reserves in South Africa, offering outstanding wildlife viewing. This renowned reserve hosts the Big Five of Africa (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant), amongst its 40 mammal species. Sightings include hyena, jackal, giraffe, hippo, wild dog, zebra and a variety of antelopes, such as kudu and impala, along with 350 bird species.
Timbavati Private Game Reserve incorporates private concession areas, one of which is reserved solely for the tented camp on this safari.
Please note that we offer a convenient pre and post tour lodge accommodation for before and after this Greater Kruger Tented Lodge Safari, which can be added to your tour booking upon request. The 4 star lodge accommodation is located 10-15 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Follow the link for information on rates.
This tour does take children.
Children 10 years and older allowed at the camp.
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