Timbavati Private Game Reserve

Timbavati Private Game Reserve is approximately 53,000 hectares and forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. That means that animals can roam freely between Kruger National Park (the government owned and run park) and Timbavati, which is privately owned (by multiple land owners), as well as other Greater Kruger reserves like Thornybush and Sabi Sands. We prefer to go to reserves open to Kruger because that means wildlife has about 20 MILLION HECTARES to roam, which means a) not as many fences, b) no ‘management’ of wildlife and c) YOU COULD SEE ANYTHING AT ANY TIME. This is in contrast to smaller, managed reserves that have to trade wildlife to prevent in-breeding and manage the ecosystem.

Timbavati Game Reserve Accommodation

Elephant walking in Timbavati Private Game Reserve — Timbavati is a good place to find elephants

Timbavati is home to about 14-20 lodges, including Kambaku River Sands, Kambaku Safari Lodge, Motswari, Shindzela, Kings Camp, Tanda Tula, Umlani, Ngala (safari lodge and tented camp), Rockfig, Walkers River Camp, Kings and Simbavati (river lodge and hilltop lodge).

Each lodge has their own charm. Feel free to contact us if you would like more information or a better comparison (or indeed if you’d like us to put together an unforgettable safari experience for you).

Game viewing in Timbavati

Hippo yawning in Timbavati Private Game Reserve — I may have forgotten to brush my teeth. … for the past 20 years.

Being part of the Greater Kruger means you can see all your African safari favourites while out on drive in Timbavati, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, hippos and more. Not to mention the amazing diversity of bird life!

Timbavati Private Game Reserve is one of my favourite reserves, not just because I met my husband there five years ago but because it offers excellent game viewing and (if staying at the right lodges) it can be a lot less crowded than other reserves like Sabi Sands, Thornybush and Madikwe.

The lodges in Timbavati all have different traversing rights, which means each lodge has a certain area they are allowed to drive

Two male lions mating in Timbavati Private Game Reserve — There are other lions though, and sometimes they get up to some interesting antics!

within when out on safari. This can be both a good and bad thing when compared to reserves like Thornybush and Madikwe where lodges are typically allowed to drive wherever. On the one hand it means sightings can be a lot more quiet and you may get longer to stay within a sighting, but it also can mean if there is a really cool sighting on another property you may not be able to go and see it. It really depends on the lodge and how large their traversing area is to know whether this is good or bad! I personally prefer the potential option to stay at a sighting for longer, but this is still no guarantee. Regardless of lodge there’s usually enough happening across the reserve to make sure you see lots of amazing wildlife sightings – particularly if you stay for 3+ nights.

Please note that while a lot of sites promote that Timbavati is home to rare wild white lions, unfortunately the two female white lions that existed in recent years have since died (the remaining female was killed in a lion fight in 2017). The only existing wild white lion we are aware of is a male that hangs around Kruger National Park, between Satara and Singita.

We would recommend Timbavati as a good reserve to consider when booking your safari. Here’s the list of pros and cons:

Leopard sitting in Timbavati Private Game Reserve — Some of my favourite leopard sightings have been in Timbavati

Why stay at a lodge in Timbavati Private Game Reserve?

High standard of lodges – all with good reputations and reviews
Some lodges have traversing areas that are relatively quiet, meaning there’s an opportunity to spend longer at sightings (good for photography)
High density of wildlife with a good chance of seeing the Big 5 if staying for 3+ nights (keep in mind you could easily see them in one drive if lucky)
Excellent for hippo and hyena sightings (probably the best reserve I have come across for hyenas- including hyena cubs)
Good for elephants, lions and leopards (some lodges/areas better than others for big cats)
One of the better reserves for wild dogs and cheetahs (though you still have to be lucky)
Off-roading allowed for all predators and Big 5
Open to Greater Kruger so no management of wildlife – higher likelihood of seeing wildlife interactions
Lots of dams that offer wildlife and photographic opportunities
Close to Hoedspruit airport makes it easier to get to/from if flying. 1.5hr flight from johannesburg.
Generally good standard of guiding and guiding etiquette, plus most lodges have trackers (potentially higher chance of finding wildlife)
Great diversity of landscape and bushland – feels ‘wild’ and not too much exposure to fences and city/town influence as with some other reserves
Great quality anti-poaching means it is one of the best reserves in terms of preventing rhino poaching