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 other game reserves close to the Kruger National Park. These are make up the Greater Kruger Park alongside the Sabi Sands and Timbavati.
All of these reserves are accessed most easily from Hoedspruit Airport which has direct flights from Cape Town, Johannesburg and soon to be the Garden Route. All offer an excellent safari experience.
Klaserie Private Game Resereve has an open borders to the Kruger National Park. Klaserie offers similar game-viewing to the Timbavati with good lion sightings.
Thornybush 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 neighbouring Timbavati, which in turn has an open border with the Kruger. So the animals can wander freely without fences. It offers some top and mid-range game lodges.
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 is the private Balule Game Reserve. Makalali Private Game Reserve lies slightly away from Kruger but its size enables it to offer the Big Five as well. Balule and Karongwe offers a number of well-priced safari lodges.
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.
This is the newest Simbavati Lodge (it opened in April 22). The main lodge looks out over a huge waterhole which is a WOW factor. It is a five star lodge with a fully equipped gym, spa treatment room for couples, wine cellar and very stylish main areas and suites.
Expansive public areas with many sitting areas / day beds, loungers to choose from. Stylish modern boma (serving plated meals, not buffet) overlooking the waterhole.
Behind the suites is a large swimming pool and pool deck.
Some of the suites have a view of the waterhole view but most are facing the bush. These are very spacious and stylish. They have a semi-open plan bathroom behind the bedroom (bed faces away from bathroom), separated by headboard and desk. They are elevated so that you can have a bush view from the bathroom. There’s an enclosed toilet and an indoor shower leading to outdoor shower. Two of them have private kolkol plunge pools (at no extra cost) on the decks so try to request these!
Several suites are two-bedroomed for families with a main bedroom with same bathroom layout as the normal suites (not elevated however) and a second smaller bedroom (with its own en suite shower room.) These are ideal for families with kids under 12.
Finally we thought the Staff were excellent - friendly and very well-trained. It seems like they enjoy what they do which creates a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The food was excellent.
This is a well-priced lodge for the quality. This mainly reflects the fact that it’s in the Klaserie which is less well known that the Timbavati. So I suspect that it may change over time.
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