Timbavati Game Reserve Travel Guide
Timbavati Game Reserve Travel Guide
Bordering Kruger National Park, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is a vast Greater Kruger wilderness known for its quieter atmosphere, excellent Big Five viewing, and the rare occurrence of wild white lions.
Highlights
- Privately-owned reserve within Greater Kruger
- Unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park
- Excellent Big Five game viewing
- Lower vehicle density than Sabi Sands
- Off-road driving and night drives permitted
- Walking safaris and tracking experiences
- Mostly mid-range lodges, with some budget and luxury options
- Famous for rare wild white lions (occasionally seen)
Like the other private reserves in Greater Kruger, Timbavati shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger, allowing wildlife to move freely. What sets Timbavati apart is its combination of authentic safari space, fewer vehicles than Sabi Sands, and a strong mix of mid-range lodges in a diverse bush landscape.
A vast private reserve in Greater Kruger
Large herd of buffalo in Timbavati Game Reserve
Timbavati is part of the Greater Kruger ecosystem, where landowners have dropped internal fences by mutual agreement. This creates one of South Africa's largest contiguous wildlife areas outside the public Kruger National Park.
The reserve lies:
- west of Kruger
- north of Sabi Sands
- east of Klaserie and Thornybush
The habitat is varied, including areas of mopane woodland, open savanna, and riverine bush, supporting excellent biodiversity and strong game viewing throughout the year.
Big Five game viewing in a quieter setting
Off-road game viewing
Timbavati offers the same diversity of wildlife found across Greater Kruger, including:
- lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino
- giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and antelope species
- hyena, wild dog and smaller predators
- prolific birdlife
Game viewing is excellent, although leopard sightings are generally less dense and predictable than in Sabi Sands.
One advantage is the overall sense of space: Timbavati has fewer lodges than Sabi Sands, which means fewer vehicles on drives and often a more unhurried safari feel.
White lions: rare, but part of Timbavati's story
Timbavati is famous for being the only place where wild white lions occur naturally due to a rare recessive gene.
However, it's important to manage expectations: white lion sightings are very uncommon, and most visitors should not travel to Timbavati expecting to see one.
The reserve's real strength is its broader safari quality: excellent guiding, strong Big Five viewing, and a more remote atmosphere than the busier southern reserves.
Safari activities
Most lodges in Timbavati offer a full range of classic private reserve safari activities:
- open-vehicle game drives
- off-road tracking of predators
- night drives with spotlights
- guided bush walks
Walking safaris are a highlight here, offering a deeper focus on tracks, plants, and smaller details of the ecosystem.
Timbavati also enforces stricter sighting etiquette than many areas, typically allowing a maximum of two vehicles at a sighting at a time, which helps preserve the experience.
Accommodation and price range
Bush dinner at Kambaku River Sands in Timbavati
Timbavati has a smaller lodge collection than Sabi Sands, with accommodation ranging from simple tented camps to high-end safari lodges.
Overall, Timbavati sits in the middle of the Greater Kruger price spectrum:
- Budget: ZAR 5,000–10,000 pppn (limited options)
- Mid-range: ZAR 10,000–20,000 pppn (most common)
- Luxury: ZAR 20,000–50,000 pppn (select lodges)
A daily conservation fee is payable by all guests staying in Timbavati, similar in principle to Kruger's park fees.
Best time to visit Timbavati
Timbavati is rewarding year-round, but seasonal differences matter:
Dry season (May to September)
- Best visibility and most consistent game viewing
- Cooler temperatures
- Predators often concentrate near water
Green season (October to April)
- Lush scenery, excellent birding, newborn animals
- Wildlife still present but slightly harder to spot in thicker vegetation
For travellers prioritising classic Big Five viewing, the dry winter months are usually best.
Getting there
By road
Timbavati is approximately a six-hour drive from Johannesburg.
Direct access into Kruger is not possible from within the reserve. To visit Kruger, you must exit Timbavati and re-enter via Orpen Gate.
By air
The nearest airport is Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport, with scheduled flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town. Transfers can be arranged onward to lodges.
Our take on Timbavati
Timbavati is an excellent choice for travellers who want a private Greater Kruger safari with fewer vehicles, a strong mid-range lodge selection, and an authentic wilderness atmosphere.
While it's best known for white lions, sightings are rare. Timbavati's real appeal lies in its space, variety of landscapes, and consistently rewarding Big Five safaris without the intensity and price level of Sabi Sands.
For guests who want high-quality game viewing in a quieter, more grounded setting, Timbavati is one of Greater Kruger's strongest options.
Not sure this is the right reserve for you?
Wondering how Timbavati compares to Sabi Sands or Manyeleti in terms of sightings, crowds and lodge style?
Timbavati Safari Planning Questions
Yes. Timbavati is a private reserve within Greater Kruger and shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park.
No. White lions occur naturally here but sightings are rare, and most visitors will not see one.
Timbavati is generally quieter with fewer vehicles and more mid-range lodge options, but leopard sightings are less dense than in Sabi Sands.
Most lodges offer off-road game drives, night drives, and walking safaris.
The dry season from May to September offers the best visibility and most consistent wildlife viewing.
Umlani Bush Camp
Umlani Bushcamp provides a rustic bush experience that will give you a unique safari in the Timbavati Private Reserve. It offers simplistic luxury and 'getting away from it all’. The camp operates without electricity, wifi and air conditioning: allowing you to simply soak up the sounds, scents and sights of the surrounding bush.
Kambaku River Sands
Nestled on the banks of a perennial river, Kambaku River Sands offers an affordable yet luxurious safari experience in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. Unfenced and sharing borders with Kruger National Park, the camp allows wildlife to roam freely, bringing safari enthusiasts right into the heart of nature.
Kambaku Safari Lodge
Located in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve, Kambaku Safari Lodge offers an intimate, rustic luxury experience with just 16 guests. This exclusive, eco-conscious lodge offers excellent game viewing opportunities and is the perfect base for exploring the wild beauty of the Greater Kruger National Park.
Motswari Game Lodge
Motswari Lodge is in the Motswari Private Game Reserve, part of the pristine natural habitat that is the Timbavati Game Reserve. The boundaries of the Timbavati are open to the Greater Kruger National Park. Motswari is a traditional, established lodge. Reasonably-priced, this inviting lodge offers spacious accommodation in 15 luxury en-suite bungalows. Visitors can experience up-close game viewing of the Big 5 on daily games drives and bush walks.
Simbavati Hilltop Lodge
Simbavati Hilltop Lodge is an exclusive, river-facing luxury lodge set in the private Timbavati Game Reserve which shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park. This allows the Big Five and many other animals to move freely over more than 20,000 km² of pure wilderness.
Simbavati River Lodge
Simbavati is a family-orientated safari lodge, situated in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The lodge offers a choice of six luxury safari tents, two tented pool suites and three luxury, two-bedroom chalets, all air-conditioned, privately situated with en-suite facilities and ideal for those wanting to experience an authentic but affordable African safari experience. Open vehicle game drives afford guests great game viewing opportunities and a chance to see the Big 5, as well as the elusive white lion in its natural environment.
Kings Camp
Kings Camp is a luxury lodge situated in the Timbavati Game Reserve in South Africa. The lodge lies on the boundary of the Kruger National Park and is known as one of the top safari destinations in South Africa. Kings Camp offers luxury accommodation, world-class cuisine and various game activities.
Ngala Safari Lodge
Ngala, meaning 'lion' in Shangaan, is situated at the junction of the Mopane forests and the Timbavati flood plains, sharing unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park. This gracious, colonial-style safari lodge provides an unbeatable family safari experience.
Ngala Tented Camp
Ngala Tented Camp is a luxurious tented safari camp, with just nine spacious tents featuring wooden decks. The chic and modern camp fuses effortlessly with the surrounding bush. Ngala is situated inside the Timbavati Game Reserve, sharing unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, offering superb game viewing opportunities.
Bateleur Safari Camp
Bateleur Safari Camp is situated in the game-rich Timbavati Private Reserve. All fences between its famous neighbour, Kruger National Park, have been removed so the game can freely roam across this vast wilderness area. It's home to the Big 5, a huge variety of antelope and plains animals, predators, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and over 500 bird species on a 10,000-hectare diverse and scenic traversing area. Unhurried, uncrowded and unscheduled, Bateleur offers a unique, personalised safari experience, with a mix of game drives and bush walks.
Tanda Tula Safari Camp
Tanda Tula Safari Camp offers bygone-era luxury in 12 East African-style tents. Situated in lush riverine surrounds, Tanda Tula overlooks the Nharalumi river bed in the Timbavati Game Reserve, which shares unfenced borders with the famous Kruger National Park. It's a game-rich area famous for the White Lions of the Timbavati.
RockFig Safari Lodge
Located in the heart of the Timbavati Game Reserve, RockFig Safari Lodge is a luxury, waterhole-facing private game lodge. With six spacious chalet-type suites and a maximum of four guests per safari vehicle on game drives, RockFig Safari Lodge offers guests an intimate, boutique-style bush experience with a twist. RockFig's swimming pool is regularly visited by thirsty elephants.
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