Leave the noise of everyday life behind and spend four days immersed in the African bush ... This 4-day Timbavati bush camp safari stays at Umlani Bushcamp, a secluded eco-friendly camp in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in Greater Kruger. With no electricity and minimal environmental impact, it offers a truly authentic safari experience.
With more time than shorter safaris, this best-value option allows for additional Big Five game drives, guided bush walks and relaxed time at camp — giving you a deeper connection to the wilderness and its wildlife.
Your 4-Day Timbavati Bush Camp Safari at Umlani Bushcamp sets off from Johannesburg, where you are collected from OR Tambo International Airport. The shuttle takes us on a scenic drive from Johannesburg, the biggest city in South Africa, to the Lowveld of Limpopo Province. The shuttle drops you at a bush pub close to the gate of Timbavati Game Reserve, where you are met by Umlani Bush Camp staff and taken to the award-winning eco-camp.
Arrive at Umlani Bush Camp in time for lunch, then there's time to unpack, settle in and put your feet up before our sunset game drive. Take a quick swim or just soak up the natural setting before we venture into the pristine bush of Timbavati in search of wildlife. Your rangers and trackers are exceptionally skilled, so get ready for a rewarding game viewing adventure in this exclusive part of Greater Kruger!
Arriving back at camp, the gentle glow of lanterns, candles and solar lamps welcomes you, and a delicious dinner is served in the traditional boma or the dining area. Enjoy an evening under the stars by the campfire, or relax in the bar area.
The next two days of your Greater Kruger Safari are spent exploring Timbavati, a world-renowned private nature reserve, and relaxing at the remote eco-camp. Your days follow the time-honoured safari rhythm, including two game viewing activities, plentiful meals, and morning snacks and refreshments. Meal times may change slightly to accommodate exceptional wildlife sightings and the weather, so the programme is flexible.
Early mornings are an excellent time for game viewing, so we get up bright and early on both days - 5:00 am in summer and 5:30 am in winter. After a quick coffee or tea and a tasty light snack, head off into Timbavati Private Nature Reserve with your expert ranger and tracker. The guides take us in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) and other large mammals, from giraffes to African wild dogs. Alternatively, we can opt for a game walk if the weather allows and the group vote is in favour of walking. This is an exhilarating way to encounter large mammals in the wild and to experience the flora, birds, smaller wildlife, reptiles and insects up close.
Returning from our morning exploration of Greater Kruger, tuck into breakfast, served at about 9:00 am (9:30 am in winter). Then you are free to laze around at the secluded camp and simply enjoy being in nature. Snooze in your eco-hut or lie in a hammock, cool off in the pool and soak up the peace of being in the middle of nowhere. Enjoy a light lunch followed by more leisure time, watch the antics of the wildlife at the waterhole from the vantage of the deck, read a book, nap or enjoy a cool drink at the bar.
As the heat subsides, we set off into game-rich Timbavati for another crowd-free game drive offering superb wildlife sightings at close range. The afternoon drive departs at about 16:00 pm in summer and 15:30 pm in winter, returning after sunset. We stop for sundowners to watch the sun set over the wild African savannahs. As the colours fade from the sky and darkness replaces the warm light of the setting sun, we drive back to camp while keeping a lookout for the curious nocturnal animals that are beginning to stir.
Evenings are spent relaxing around the campfire in the boma, chatting at the bar, or watching the stars from the deck. Lie back at night in your comfortable bed, soaking up the sounds of the wild - a world apart from modern life.
On the final day of your Timbavati Bush Camp Safari, wake up in the untamed bushveld for the last time and freshen up with an early coffee or tea and snacks. Then it is off into the bush we go, on a final 4x4 game drive in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. The guides are excellent at finding and spotting wildlife, greatly improving our chances of encountering animals we might have missed so far. After experiencing the pure joy of being out in the unspoilt bush one last time, return to camp and savour a tasty breakfast.
Then we make our way out of Greater Kruger, saying farewell to Timbavati and the magical bush camp staff. We meet up with the shuttle at the bush pub, making our way back to the bustling city of Johannesburg. You are dropped off at OR Tambo International Airport, where this excellent-value 4-Day Timbavati Bush Camp Safari at Umlani Bushcamp comes to an end.
Umlani Bushcamp is an eco-friendly camp in the heart of Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, one of the top game parks in South Africa. This secluded camp offers an exclusive African bush experience removed from modern development and its noise, bustle and bright lights.
Umlani Bushcamp only features 10 reed-and-thatch eco-huts and an even more remote treehouse tucked away in a private spot about 2,5 kms from the main camp (that can be reserved in advance, but sleep-outs are weather dependent and subject to availability). The huts have en-suite bathrooms with open-air showers fed with hot water from wood-burning fires. The interiors are decorated using natural materials in earthy and warm colours that create a calm and cosy ambience. They come with comfortable beds, fresh linen, towels and mosquito nets. The main thatched area of camp features a dining area and bar, which leads out onto a wooden deck overlooking a waterhole visited by wildlife. There is also a swimming pool for cooling off.
At night, the camp is lit by oil lanterns, candles and solar lamps, creating an intimate atmosphere. The lodge is consistently praised for its delicious cuisine and its excellent service. The campfire is set in an outdoor boma (traditional reed enclosure) under the stars. Meals are served in either the open-air boma or the more sheltered dining area. During the day, there is usually WiFi available and charging points in the gift shop. The camp uses mostly clean energy, operating off the grid with the use of solar and alternative power sources. It is an ideal place to get in touch with nature, see the beauty of untamed Africa and the wildlife that make Timbavati Game Reserve world-famous. Umlani Bushcamp is Fair Trade certified, and committed to responsible tourism, nature conservation and the well-being of local communities.
Game viewing activities are conducted by highly skilled rangers and trackers with exceptional guiding abilities and a deep knowledge of the local flora, fauna and heritage. Game walks can also be arranged during your stay, depending on the weather and group consensus. Long game walks are conducted instead of one of the game drives, and shorter walks can be done as part of morning game drives on the return journey to camp. The rangers are armed for your safety as Timbavati hosts big predators and large herbivores that can be dangerous.
Timbavati Game Reserve shares unfenced boundaries with Kruger National Park, forming part of the collective Greater Kruger Park that encompasses 2 million hectares of wilderness. The absence of fences means that wildlife can move freely in this vast area, resulting in more diverse and healthy animal populations.
As one of the oldest, largest and most acclaimed private game reserves within Greater Kruger, Timbavati is amongst the very best game-viewing destinations in South Africa. Timbavati covers about 53,392 hectares (534km²) of open savannahs and woodlands, inhabited by over 40 mammal species, 360 species of birds and a rich array of reptiles, insects, and plants. Africa's Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) are all to be seen, often at close range, in Timbavati. Of the Big Five in Timbavati, lions are the most famous, including the rare subspecies of white lion that are endemic. Timbavati Game Reserve is home to many other predators too, including cheetahs, jackals, caracals, wild cats, spotted hyenas and endangered African wild dogs. Then there are the herbivores with a variety of different antelope species present, including kudu, sable, roan, nyala, eland, reedbuck, klipspringer, waterbuck, wildebeest and impala. Giraffes, zebras, warthogs and hippos are also to be seen, as well as pangolins, aardwolf, porcupines and honey badgers.
In Timbavati, day visitors are not permitted, and game-viewing is restricted only to guests of the handful of lodges within its borders. This means the experience is less crowded, better regulated and of higher standards. Game drives are conducted by the professional guides of the private lodges, ensuring that superb safari etiquette and respect for nature are the norm in Timbavati.
See our 3-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 the meetup point is not included in the safari price.
Please note that we offer convenient pre- and post-tour lodge accommodation for before and after your Kruger 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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