Timbavati Game Reserve, South Africa

Limpopo Game Reserves

Timbavati Game Reserve, Limpopo

The Timbavati Private Game Reserve lies in the western region of the Kruger National Park, north of Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, the borders between all of them unfenced allowing greater freedom of access to wild life. This is typical lowveld terrain and home to the big 5, not least because the huge tracts of land that make up the Timbavati Game Reserve have only ever been very lightly inhabited and have thus remain largely unspoilt and wild. The Game Reserve has never had to resort to restocking its wild life.

The other famous fact about the Timbavati is its association with the white lions, known as the 'white lions of Timbavati'. Timbavati in ancient Sangaan means 'the place where something sacred came down to earth from the heavens' and refers to these genetically rare specimens that are not albino lions but are actually listed as a sub species of lion. Chris McBride first spotted two white lion cubs in the Timbavati Reserve back in 1975 and today there is a whole pride of white lions in the greater Timbavati area. People come from all over the world to spot them, and they're the stuff of legends.

The number of lodges within the Timbavati remain few in a bid to keep the level of game drive vehicles low and the number of visitors to a minimum, thus sustaining the amount of game in the park, which is one of the best. You can hope to see elephant, cheetah, buffalo, rhino, over 360 bird species, 79 reptiles and over 80 species of tree.

Timbavati is in turn divided into smaller private game reserves that include Motswari, Ngala and Umlani Game Reserves. It lies but five or six hours' drive from Johannesburg and normal sedans can reach all of the lodges in the Timbavati reserve.

Timbavati Game Reserve

Game Lodges in Timbavati Game Reserve

Shindzela Tented Safari Camp

Shindzela is a rustic tented safari camp, set within the greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. Here, we offer you an authentic wildlife safari, in an unfenced wilderness environment. Safari activities are conducted within a private concession area in the Timbavati Nature Reserve ...

Umlani Bushcamp

This authentic camp is the ultimate experience of true wilderness and seclusion. Umlani, meaning Place of Rest, accommodates only 16 guests in traditional African reed and thatch huts. Umlani's traditional African huts will not only provide you with all the comforts you need, but will ...

Motswari Private Game Lodge

Deep within the Timbavati Nature Reserve lies Motswari Private Game Reserve. As part of the Greater Kruger National Park Conservancy and traversing close on 200 square kilometres of pristine habitat ...

Timbavati Game Reserve

Accommodation nearby

For accommodation outside of the reserve, see these towns which border the reserve:
• Gravelotte Accommodation • Hoedspruit Accommodation • Karongwe Accommodation
• Klaserie Accommodation • Letsitele Accommodation • Manyeleti Accommodation
• Mohlabetsi Accommodation • Motswari Accommodation • Phalaborwa Accommodation
• Thornybush Accommodation • Timbavati Accommodation • Tzaneen Accommodation
• Umhlametsi Accommodation • Kruger Park Accommodation

Or to see all towns bordering the reserve at once, visit Valley of The Olifants Accommodation.

Visiting Timbavati Game Reserve?
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game and nature reserves in the limpopo province