Timbavati Game Reserve in South Africa

The Timbavati Game Reserve lies just north of Sabi Sand on the western edge of Kruger National Park and is considered to be one of South Africa’s prime game viewing areas. Within the reserve are a number of small privately owned game lodges and there are no fences between these lodges and the Kruger National Park, thus allowing for free movement of the wildlife. The Reserve is world famous for its white lions.

A safari to the Timbavati Reserve is unique in that we go off-road to track and find the animals and night safaris using a spotlight are also permitted. The safari vehicles used are open 4×4 vehicles which the animals have become accustomed to thus allowing us to get right up close to the wildlife. Daily walking safaris with an armed ranger is a highlight for one wanting to discover the smaller secrets of the bush veld. Sundowners are enjoyed in the bush whilst on safari and the days end with a mouth watering gourmet dinner in an open-air “Boma” around a huge glowing log-fire.

The terrain is undulating with altitudes varying between 300 and 500m above sea level. The area is characterised as ‘savanna bushveld’ with 6 different landscape types: acacia woodland, open woodland, mopane woodland, combretum woodland, mixed combretum woodland and mixed veld on Gabbro. Elephant, buffalo, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, impala, waterbuck and warthog abound together with their attendant predators which include lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena. The critically endangered African wild dog is also a regular visitor to the Timbavati Reserve. The larger and rarer antelopes such as Roan, Eland and Tsessebe have been slow to return to this area and their numbers are still critically low.