South African Safari – 2 nights Timbavati Game Reserve | 2 nights Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Itinerary
Upon arrival at Hoedspruit Airport, you make your way to the Europcar Kiosk and collect your hire car. From here you depart and make your way to Timbavati Game Reserve and onto Simbavati River Lodge.
Arriving at your lodge in the early afternoon, you are met by the lodge members and a refreshing welcome drink before you are taken to your safari tent for your 2-night stay.
You check into your room and have time to relax before high tea is served. After a delicious High Tea on the deck, you depart on your afternoon game activity.
Return to the lodge for a wonderful dinner before retiring to your room.
The Timbavati forms part of the 2 million hectare Greater Kruger National Park. It was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into the Kruger National Park and is part of one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements. The Timbavati is 14 700 hectares (36 300 acres) and shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park. Track the Big Five, as well as a rich variety of other game such as antelope, zebra, warthog, giraffe and hippo, in the company of an armed ranger and local Shangaan tracker. Bird viewing is spectacular, with over 360 recorded species including various eagles, vultures, kingfishers, woodpeckers, buzzards, herons, egrets, owls, weavers. The Timbavati is also home to the world-famous “White Lions of Timbavati”.
Game drives take place in the early morning and evening to ensure game viewing when animals are most active. Midmorning you can enjoy a bush walk with your guide.
In the morning, after a light snack you are taken on a morning game drive. You return to the lodge for a grand brunch. There is time to relax around the sunny pool, do some bird-watching from the observation deck, read a book in the peace of your room’s private verandah or go on a unique walking safari with an armed game ranger knowledgeable in all aspects of conservation, ecology and the environment of the bush.
After High Tea you set off on your afternoon/evening game drive – providing a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the predators, particularly the leopard for which this area is renowned. You return to your lodge in time for a sumptuous safari cuisine dinner.
You enjoy the early morning game drive, followed by a hearty breakfast at the lodge and then check out. From here you depart and make your way to the northern section of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, where you spend 2 nights.
You check into your chalet and have time to relax before high tea is served. After a delicious High Tea on the deck, you depart on your afternoon game activity.
Return to the lodge for a wonderful dinner before retiring to your room.
Forming part of the Greater Kruger National Park, the Sabi Sand Reserve has no fences and the wildlife is able to cross freely between the Sabi Sands and the rest of the Greater Kruger National Park. The safari experience in the Sabi Sand is highly personalised because game drive vehicles have exclusive traversing rights in their area. The Sabi Sand Reserve is a remarkable natural sanctuary known for its exceptionally high concentration of animal and bird life. Close contact encounters are guaranteed as the animals are not threatened by the presence of vehicles thanks to sound conservation management policies. Safaris are led by experienced rangers coupled with local Shangaan trackers. With exceptional sightings of leopard (usually the most elusive of cats), lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo during game drives – visitors are never lacking in exciting photographic content.
You enjoy the early morning game drive, followed by a hearty breakfast at the lodge and then check out. You bid farewell to this African Wonderland.
You depart the lodge and make your way back to Hoedspruit Airport. Here you hand in your hire car and check in for your flight home.