One of Jake & Antonia's favourite reserves
Timbavati Nature Reserve
Greater Kruger · South Africa
“Located in the wild north-eastern part of South Africa, adjacent to the world-famous Kruger National Park — a wilderness that extends over 20,000 square kilometres.”
75+
Years of custodianship
75+
Years of custodianship
75+
Years of custodianship
In the operator’s own words
"Devoted in our vision to inspire a wilderness-led planet."
“Timbavati is devoted to wilderness. For more than 75 years, we’ve worked day and night to protect, nurture and expand this teeming landscape of wild animals in north-eastern South Africa.”
“We are the guardians and stewards of Timbavati, but we do not stand above the wild animals. Instead, we stand alongside them.”
Copy and imagery courtesy of Timbavati Nature Reserve.
Highlights
Pristine bushveld, a thriving ecosystem, and no fences to Kruger.
The wildlife
“Revered not only for its large numbers of the big five but also for thousands of other wild species, which makes this bushveld paradise one of the wildest and most exciting destinations on Earth.”
Safari lodges
“There are 18 lodges and 4 self-catering camps located sensitively around the reserve. Each lodge is a signatory to Timbavati’s stringent code of ethics, which has set the standard for best practice safari and wilderness operations.”
The landscape
“Mopane, marula, and leadwood trees dominate the woodlands, interspersed with red oat grasses that shift with the seasons. A landscape of quiet resilience and ecological depth.”
Conservation & community
Where your bed night actually goes.
“Since 1956, the reserve has maintained a ‘wilderness first’ philosophy. Our dedicated team of highly-trained and well-equipped armed rangers patrol the reserve day and night. Some have given their lives to the protection of Timbavati and its animals.” “The Timbavati Foundation was formed in 2010 to actively improve the education, livelihoods and wellbeing of our neighbouring communities” — its philosophy based on Ubuntu, roughly, “we are who we are, because of each other.” If you’d like to see that work first-hand rather than read about it, we can build a morning of it into your stay.
Design my safari
Let us put you in the right camp.
Tell us who’s coming and roughly when, and we’ll match you to the right corner of the reserve — then handle the charters, transfers, levies and gate paperwork so none of it is your problem.
