Time to switch off from modern life and step into the wild ... This 3-day Timbavati bush camp safari stays at Umlani Bushcamp, an award-winning, off-grid eco-camp in the Big Five Timbavati Private Nature Reserve of Greater Kruger. With no electricity or distractions, it offers a rare chance to reconnect with nature in a truly authentic setting.
Ideal for a short escape, this immersive safari includes expertly guided game drives, optional bush walks and a small-group experience in a secluded bush camp surrounded by unspoilt wilderness.
Your 3-Day Timbavati Bush Camp Safari at Umlani Bushcamp starts with collection from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Your shuttle travels towards the Kruger National Park in the Limpopo Province, South Africa's leading safari region, stopping to admire the views en route. The shuttle takes us to a well-known bush pub where a driver collects us and transfers us into the exclusive Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
On your arrival at the Umlani Bushcamp, a delectable lunch awaits. You can then settle into this award-winning eco-lodge and rest up before we embark on our first sunset game drive in Timbavati. The camp's expert ranger and tracker take you in search of the Big Five animals (buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, and rhino) and other incredible wildlife, birds, and marvels of this crowd-free wilderness area. Stop for a sundowner to watch the setting African sun before you head back to camp, keeping a lookout for nocturnal animals beginning to emerge. Back at Umlani Bushcamp, enjoy a hearty meal and stress-free evening by the campfire. The camp is lit by lanterns, solar lamps and candles, creating an intimate ambience - ideal for tuning into the magic of the African bush.
Today, our Greater Kruger Safari rises early. After a morning coffee or tea and light snacks like muffins or pancakes, we are on our way by 5:30 am (6:00 am in winter) to take advantage of the cool morning hours when the animals begin to move about. The morning game drive is conducted in an open 4x4 safari vehicle with an expert guide and tracker. Should you wish, a game walk can be arranged instead, bringing you closer to the smaller details of the African bush. The walks are subject to weather conditions and a group decision. Walking or driving, your rangers and trackers are exceptionally skilled at tracking the many wildlife and birds that make the Greater Kruger so exceptional, ensuring that you get the most out of your time in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
Returning to Umlani Bushcamp at about 9:00 am (9:30 in winter), tuck into a scrumptious breakfast. Then you are at leisure to enjoy being in nature and rest at the comfortable camp. Retreat to your suite, take a dip in the lovely pool, or simply sit on the deck overlooking a nearby waterhole watching the animals come and go. Lunch is served in the dining area around 13:30 pm, then relaxation continues. Time for a siesta or daydreaming in a hammock, maybe a refreshing drink in the bar.
Venture back out into the unspoilt bush on a sunset game drive later in the afternoon. Once again, we stop for sundowners, marvelling at the changing colours. As the day fades, new sounds emerge, and nocturnal animals begin to rustle around in the growing darkness.
Back at our eco-friendly camp, tuck into a hearty dinner in the open-air boma under starry skies. Then sit around the campfire once more, swapping tales of adventure, or perhaps unwind at the bar. Enjoy the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere - listening to the calls of hyena and other nocturnal animals and birds nearby.
Note: The itinerary is subject to slight variations based on weather conditions and any extraordinary wildlife sightings that warrant extra time.
Waking up to the sights, smells, and sounds of a fresh new day in the bush is a really special experience. We start with an early cup of coffee or tea and snacks once more, before embarking on our early morning game drive in Timbavati Private Reserve. Your guides use their finely attuned senses and honed skills to search for wildlife, especially the animals that may have eluded us so far. After our last exciting game drive in exclusive Timbavati, we return to camp for a final delicious breakfast. Then we bid the camp staff farewell and make our way out of Greater Kruger and back to the bush pub to meet up with our return shuttle to the city.
Arriving in Johannesburg, the shuttle takes you to OR Tambo International Airport, where your excellent-value 3-Day Timbavati Bush Camp Safari at Umlani Bushcamp comes to a close.
Eco-friendly Umlani Bushcamp is tucked away deep in Timbavati Game Reserve, forming part of the Greater Kruger. Staying at the eco-camp is an exclusive African bush experience for those wanting to escape the crowds and get away from it all in style. This award-winning destination has an excellent reputation for its outstanding wildlife guides, service and food.
Accommodation is in twin- or family-sized eco-huts, based on the traditional African design. Interiors are tranquil, simple and inviting - natural tones and materials with vibrant splashes of colour. Rooms feature comfortable beds with crisp linen and towels, mosquito nets, and come with complimentary bottled water, insect repellent and bathroom goodies. The eco-huts are en-suite, with open-air showers for refreshing stargazing. At night, oil lanterns, candles and solar lamps light the camp and the rondavels, creating a cosy atmosphere. A campfire is lit in the outdoor boma (reed enclosure) at night, and there is a thatch-covered dining room and bar. The camp features a swimming pool, and the bar leads out onto a wooden deck overlooking a nearby waterhole.
The camp uses renewable and alternative energy, including solar power and wood fires for hot showers. It's an ideal place to take a break from all-pervasive modern technology and enjoy some peace - there is no TV, no cell phone reception and no electric points in the rooms. There is WiFi available during the day and a place to charge phones and cameras in the gift shop. Umlani Bushcamp is committed to responsible tourism and is Fair Trade certified, extending its ethical practices to local social upliftment and wildlife conservation.
A private treehouse can be booked in advance. The treehouse is a real back-to-nature treat - set about 2,5 kms from the camp, in a quiet spot looking out over a dam.
Game-viewing drives are conducted by highly skilled rangers and trackers in 4x4 safari vehicles. The guides are experts at tracking game, and offer a wealth of knowledge on the flora, fauna and cultural heritage of the region. Game walks can be arranged, when the weather cooperates, and group consensus is favourable. Longer nature walks replace a game drive, and the shorter walks entail walking back some of the way from one of the morning game drives. Rangers are armed to ensure your safety, as Timbavati is home to wild predators and some potentially dangerous large herbivores.
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, enabling wildlife to roam freely within the entire Greater Kruger wilderness area. Timbavati is one of the oldest and most acclaimed private reserves in Greater Kruger, offering world-class game viewing in the unspoilt African bush. The reserve covers some 53,392 hectares (534km²) of open terrain - mostly grasslands, riverine bush and woodlands. There are more than 40 mammal species, 360 bird species and a rich array of other creatures and plants found in Timbavati.
Timbavati is home to Africa's Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo), with elephant and buffalo herds being a common sighting. Timbavati is world-famous for the rare subspecies of white lions originally found here. Timbavati is home to other predators too, including cheetahs, jackals, caracals, wild cats, spotted hyenas and endangered African wild dogs. On the herbivorous end of the spectrum, there are plenty of different antelope species to be seen, such as kudu, sable, roan, nyala, eland, reedbuck, klipspringer, waterbuck, wildebeest and impala. Other herbivores range from giraffes and zebras to hippos, with some of the oddest-looking creatures including the bushbaby, pangolin, aardwolf, porcupine and honey badger.
Access to Timbavati is restricted to guests staying at a small selection of reputable lodges set within the reserve. This restricted access keeps visitor numbers low, maintaining an exclusive and more private game-viewing experience. Game drives are conducted by the professional guides based at the private lodges, ensuring that superb safari etiquette and respect for nature are the norm in Timbavati.
See our 4-Day Timbavati Bush Camp Safari at Umlani Bushcamp
See our 5-Day Timbavati Bush Camp Safari at Umlani Bushcamp
Collection times on the first day:
Drop-off times on the last day:
Note: Pick-up and drop-off are at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. For more details and times, please enquire. Transport to and from this location is not included in the tour price.
Please note that we offer convenient pre- and post-tour lodge accommodation for before and after your Timbavati Bushcamp 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. View pre- or post-safari lodge rates.
If you are looking for an excellent-value Kruger National Park safari, this 4-Day Kruger National Park Safari spends four days exclusively game-viewing within the Kruger National Park.
This tour does take children.
Children of all ages are welcome at the lodge and must be accompanied by parents on game drives.
Children under the age of 12 are not allowed on bushwalks due to safety reasons.
Babysitting services and baby cots can be arranged, with prior notice, at an additional cost.
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