Manyeleti Game Reserve Travel Guide
Manyeleti Game Reserve Travel Guide
The Manyeleti Game Reserve is one of the hidden gems in the Greater Kruger conservation area. Situated adjacent to the Kruger National Park, between the famous Sabi Sand and Timbavati game reserves, this 24,000-hectare reserve is home to the Big Five and offers excellent game viewing opportunities. Manyeleti is not as busy as the Kruger Park or the Sabi Sand and offers an excellent safari experience.
Highlights
- Open to the Kruger National Park
- Shares boundaries with Kruger, Sabi Sand and Timbavati
- Excellent game viewing
- Very easy to get to
- Variety of upmarket and budget lodges to choose from
- The bush is more open compared to the Sabi Sand - great for photography
- Very good predator sightings and elephant sightings
The Manyeleti Game Reserve is a community-owned reserve. It is adjacent to the Kruger National Park, just north of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. One benefit here is that all the lodges have access to almost the entire reserve for traversing, and are not restricted.
Excellent game viewing
Safaris are all about game viewing, and game viewing is all about location. Manyeleti enjoys an excellent location and is situated in one of the most productive areas of the greater Kruger. There is an abundance of game here, including all the big cats (lion, leopard and cheetah) as well as hyenas and wild dogs. Elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and other plains game are plentiful.
Fantastic predator sightings in the Manyeleti
To find out more about what people say about the Manyeleti game viewing experience and why they consider the Manyeleti Game Reserve to be one of Kruger's best-kept secrets, take a look at our blog Another Kruger Secret: The Manyeleti Game Reserve.
Huge traversing area
Since the land is not privately owned, all the lodges can traverse across the entire reserve, which means you will cover more ground and see more animals. This is a definite plus. Off-road driving is officially not permitted here, but we have found that most lodges and operators do tend to go off-road from time to time for prime sightings.
A good selection of lodges
You have a good selection of safari lodges to choose from, from very basic tented camps for the budget traveller to upmarket tented camps such as Honeyguide Khoka Moya and high-end luxury lodges such as Tintswalo Safari Lodge. And compared to the Sabi Sand, you'll get lower rates and excellent value for money in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
Our take on Manyeleti
We would rank Manyeleti Game Reserve very highly as a safari destination. Certainly on par with the likes of Sabi Sand and Timbavati Game Reserves, if not better. The bush is relatively open in many areas, the wildlife is abundant, and the camps and lodges here offer good value for money. Please contact us for more detailed advice on choosing Manyeleti Game Reserve as a destination for your next safari.
Manyeleti Main Camp
Manyeleti Main Camp is the old government-run main camp of the Manyeleti game reserve, open to the public but generally not very tourist-friendly. We don't recommend staying here because it can be noisy and the camp needs maintenance, but please contact us regarding suitable accommodation options nearby.
Ndzhaka Camp
Ndzhaka is a budget-friendly tented camp in the heart of the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
Tintswalo Safari Lodge
Tintswalo Safari Lodge is a nostalgic, luxury safari lodge situated in the Greater Kruger's Manyeleti Private Game Reserve. Nestled between the trees on the banks of the seasonal Nwaswitsontso River, Tintswalo Safari Lodge has six suites, a family suite and a fully-inclusive presidential suite, all aptly named after intrepid 19th-century explorers. Attention to detail, excellent guides and superb Big Five game viewing make Tintswalo the top choice for luxury safari accommodation in the Manyeleti.
Honeyguide Khoka Moya Safari Camp
Honeyguide has two safari camps in Manyeleti, Khoka Moya and Mantobeni. Khoka Moya is an established safari camp with a strong reputation, situated in northern Manyeleti.
Honeyguide Mantobeni Camp
Mantobeni Camp operated by Honeyguide is one of two Honeyguide camps situated in the Manyeleti Game Reserve. Contact your consultant at Wild Wings Safaris for the best rates at Mantobeni.
Pungwe Bush Camp
Pungwe Bush Camp is a rustic and adventurous tented camp in the heart of the Manyeleti Game Reserve. Speak to your consultant at Wild Wings Safaris to check availability and get the best rates for Pungwe Bush Camp.
Buffelshoek Safari Camp
Buffelshoek is a basic, rustic tented safari camp in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
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