Shindzela Tented Camp, Timbavati (Review)

Last year we set out to visit some smaller lodges in private game reserves and in our search of going rustic we spent a night in a generally under-valued lodge, Shindzela. The name itself actually means one of my favourite animals of all time, the Honeybadger! What an awesome little affordable camp, read here why you should definitely visit this camp on your next African Safari adventure. Get in touch with us if you’d like us to tailor the perfect wildlife safari for you 🙂

Shindzela accommodation

The camp consists of 8 walk-in safari style tents, (each with an ensuite bathroom attached at the rear), and the camp is situated on approximately 6,000 hectares of private game reserve in the south of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. All 8 tents have big comfortable beds, mosquito nets, luggage racks, fans and their own ensuite bathroom with a shower, flushable toilets and hot water. Although the tents do not have air conditioning, both the front and rear flaps can be left open with insect screens still protecting you from all the creepy crawlies! Over and above the comfort of the rooms the added benefit of the tented rooms mean that night sounds are a lot better and all the typical African animals can be heard at night.

One of the most attractive things about Shindzela is that the camp is unfenced which means that you have the opportunity to see cool animals right in camp! Don’t worry, armed guides do escort you to and from your tent at night so there is no need to worry about anything. The camp is also very environmentally friendly using minimal solar electricity and gas as energy sources.

Shindzela Food

If you like hearty homecooked meals Shindzela will definitely not disappoint you. The meals at Shindzela are perhaps not as fancy as some of the five star lodges put of offering however they are more than substantial  and extremely tasty! Cooked by a local chef, it can truly be noticed that every bit of effort is put into feeding you with pride! All meals are communal which gives you a chance to get to know the other guests and we were even lucky enough on the night we spent there to be treated to a boma dinner while sitting around a fire and overlooking the very productive waterhole.

Game Viewing at Shindzela

Although we were only there for one night (one afternoon game drive and one morning game drive), we still managed to see three of the big five with only cats eluding us but this was more than made up for by being able to spending most of the morning drive at an African Wild Dog denning site! Unfortunately the pups were simply too young to make an appearance but while we spent some time at the den the pack returned from a hunt and it was extremely special to see the interaction between some of the den guarding members and returning hunting party. While we missed cats, we know from social media posts that Shindzela offers a good chance of finding cats – particularly lions. Plus the game viewing continued while in camp, when a nice herd of ellies came down to drink at the waterhole during breakfast! Here’s a (slightly shaky) video of the wild dog sighting:

The game drives that we went on were extremely informative and the guide we had (Jaco) was very helpful with identifying birds and giving a more personalised experience in the bush- rather than chase up and down the road which happens at a lot of game reserves where the guides only search for the big five and tend to overlook the other cool things in the bush. If you are lucky enough to stay at Shindzela you can also ask for Johan, the head guide, as he is awesome and extremely knowledgeable and he will ensure that you have a great experience on drives! Johan is a very good photographer so if you are keen on photography he will be of good assistance there too.

What we love about Shindzela

• Good hearty meals and plenty of food (go hungry)!
• The safari tents are very comfortable while keeping it rustic
• Very knowledgeable guides
• Owner run-on site. Call on the owner/manager and speak to them about anything!
• Free wifi at the main area
• Only 8 tents so even when full it is still intimate and relatively quiet
• Good quality game drives and game viewing
• More of a personal feel rather than you being a random “guest” or “room number”
• The camp is completely UNFENCED so you are in the bush! (animals could move freely into and through camp)
• The camp waterhole is quite productive so game viewing continues even when not on drive
• Offer guided game walks in big five area
• Very affordable compared to other game lodges in this area
• There are not many lodges in the area so you are typically able to spend longer at sightings than when staying at lodges in higher traffic areas (south of timbavati or many places in Sabi Sands for example)

Considerations (things some people may not like)

• 

  Basic rustic accommodation, if you’re after luxury you will have to spend some more $$$

• Ensuite is open so during winter could be quite cold plus there is no bath
• No air conditioning, so during the summer months you may be a little less comfortable (particularly in the day)
• Drinks are not included in package (additional cost)
• Unfenced camp – we personally love this but some people prefer the added security of a fence
• The traversing area is smaller than many other lodges and fewer lodges around mean less help in finding sightings (and calling them over the radio) – this means you tend to get quality over quantity in terms of sightings. Personally this is a good thing for us, but if it’s your first safari and you desperately want to find the Big 5 in only a few days, it may not be the best option.

So should you stay at Shindzela?

We cannot recommend Shindzela enough if you are looking for great value! This is truly a remarkable little rustic camp where you are more likely to leave as a friend than a guest. All the staff will ensure that your stay is hassle free and that you do not want to leave. The owner run management means that great care is taken and as most guests here are known by names and not room numbers. It’s not the right option if you want five-star luxury, but if you want a great value, intimate and ‘wild’ experience with great game viewing then it’s definitely a great option! Contact us if you’d like us to create the perfect African safari for you!

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