Thornybush Private Game Reserve comprises 11,500ha of bushveld adjacent to the greater Kruger National Park. Other reserves include Kapama, Balule and Makalali...
There are several game reserves close to the Kruger National Park. These are make up the Greater Kruger Park. Choose between safaris in Thornybush, which has an open border with the Timbavati, or Kapama. Other options include the Klaserie and Manyeleti game reserves which both have open borders with the Kruger. However all offer an excellent safari experience, nevertheless.
Thornybush Private Game Reserve comprises 14 000ha of bushveld adjacent to the greater Kruger National Park. The biodiversity of Thornybush attracts a wide variety of wildlife and bird species including good sightings of the Big Five whilst on safari. Thornybush has an open border with the neighbouging Timbavati, which in turn has an open border with the Kruger. So the animals can wander freely.
Kapama Private Game Reserve lies adjacent to Thornybush, a 13 000ha private reserve which has four camps. An added benefit of Kapama Reserve is that you can easily visit the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre for endangered animals which lies close by.
North and east of Hoedspruit are the private Balule Game Reserve and Klaserie Game Reserve. Makalali Private Game Reserve lies slightly away from Kruger but its size enables it to offer the Big Five as well.
The Manyeleti Game Reserve lies just north of the Sabi Sands. It borders the Kruger National Park to the east. So diverse is its habitat and wildlife that you have an good chance of spotting many of the Big 5 – elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard. Leopard are less frequently seen at close range. But the Manyeleti is unusual in that it only has three private safari concessions. This allows for an exclusive game-viewing experience.
Note:
Cedarberg Africa has visited nearly every safari lodge in this area. The important issue to evaluate is the quality of the game-viewing and not just the price!
We arrange trips to more than 100+ destinations throughout the African continent.
Thornybush Game Lodge runs like a well-oiled machine. They are very precise with time and schedule, which is probably a good thing for a lodge of this size. The lodge itself is on the large side: spacious and very well constructed (with 18 suites and 2 family suites). The rooms are all aligned along the seasonal riverbed and there’s a beautiful walk way that leads to the rooms where you can see some animals grazing. Rooms are quite spaced-out, given the number of rooms, so perhaps not the best option if you have difficulty walking long distances.
They also have 2 family suites which have a small sitting area with sleeper couch for children and private plunge pool on the deck. There’s a kids safari programme.
The food was fantastic - great variety of food and very well presented. Plus the staff were some of the best I’ve seen. They call you by name and you feel as you are the only guest in camp.
Game viewing was very good given the time of year. We’ve seen the Big Five on our two drives, with an unexpected and magnificent black rhino sighting! They now have completely open borders with the Kruger reserves (via the Timbavati), as fences were dropped a couple of years ago. Definitely good place for game-viewing as the guide and tracker were excellent.
Great game-voiewing, good food and amazing staff, is definitely a big YES to me. Overall, we really enjoyed our short stay.
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