Limpopo
Kings Camp
The luxurious Kings Camp sits in shady scrub on the edge of an open plain in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, which adjoins Sabi Sand and the much greater Kruger National Park.
There are only nine large suites, beautifully designed with elegant colonial decor, a four-poster double bed and private bathroom featuring both indoor and outdoor double showers and a Victorian-style claw foot bathtub. All the huge rooms have air-conditioning, well stocked minibar, safety deposit box, telephone, hair dryer, bathrobes, umbrella and a private verandah overlooking the bush. There are also two even larger deluxe honeymoon suites available which include an outdoor dining table and private plunge pool on the patio with complimentary WiFi, iPod dock and a Nespresso coffee machine.
The main lodge at Kings Camp consists of an elegant open plan lounge and well stocked bar, and a large thatched roof dining room with open sides to maintain a breeze. Meals are always freshly prepared and consist mainly of typical South African dishes. Outside there is a garden with sun loungers and small swimming pool plus a thatched viewing platform which overlooks the waterhole, ideal for viewing the local wildlife. Other facilities include a massage and spa treatment room, gym, library with computers, WiFi and satellite TV. There is also a curio shop selling a good range of local crafts, souvenirs and useful safari equipment.
The game drives in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve benefit from being very exclusive as there are few other vehicles present. Kings Camp also offers bush walks and Out of Africa-style al fresco dining and camping under the stars.
Facilities
Private bathrooms, restaurant, lounge, bar, swimming pool, viewing deck, air-conditioning, minibar, safety deposit box, telephone, hair dryer, umbrella, laundry service, WiFi, satellite TV, gym, massage and treatment room, curio shop and computer library.
Local Wildlife
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is a healthy bushveld ecosystem with large areas of open savannah and supports a great diversity of large mammals. It is an excellent reserve for seeing all of the Big Five. Elephant, buffalo, lion and white rhino are frequently seen and even the notoriously elusive leopard can be seen with a little luck. The commoner species of herbivore can be seen in abundance and spotted hyena, black-backed jackal, several mongoose species and African civet are occasionally seen. Some of the rarer species sometimes seen in the reserve include African wild dog, cheetah, black rhino and roan antelope. The birdlife is equally exciting with over 360 species recorded. There is also an impressive 79 species of reptile present including some huge Nile crocodiles.
Optional Activities
Game drives and bush walks.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
Although less well known, Timbavati is every bit as rewarding as neighbouring Sabi Sand for wildlife viewing.
If you have any questions regarding our South Africa tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
We have just received the feedback form from you for our recent trip to South Africa which I will fill out shortly but I also wanted to thank you personally for organising us such a fantastic trip. The sheer variety of scenery and activities was amazing and the accommodation was uniformly excellent. We enjoyed good weather for our first few days in Cape Town allowing us get the best from Table Mountain as well as travel down to the Cape of Good Hope. A storm front did give a couple of wet days but this had little impact on our wine tasting in Franschhoek. In Hermanus we were fortunate to spot an early southern right whale as well as a humpback. We absolutely loved Montusi mountain lodge – what a view! We were also glad we visited the battlefields and the drive to Fugitive’s Drift lodge was quite enjoyable although I will never complain about potholes in the UK again. The suites at Tanda Tula were amazing and well beyond anything we have previously experienced on safari. The wildlife viewing for mammals was excellent with great sightings of lions and rhino in particular. Once again, many thanks and it’s now time for us to start our diet as we ate and drank rather too well.