Tanda Tula Safari Camp (Timbavati)

South Africa Big 5 safari holiday at the 5* Tanda Tula Safari Camp. A luxury fully inclusive safari experience in the Timbavati, bordering Kruger National Park. Where game roams freely between the Timbavati and the Kruger, providing an unforgettable safari experience.

Thanks to committed owners and a strong team, Tanda Tula is regarded as one of the best safari destinations in South Africa. This family feeling is ever present throughout each and every staff member and it continues on to every guest that passes through their doors. Here you connect to a distinctly authentic and immersive safari experience in Kruger.

At the heart of the camp lies the central area, featuring a split level lounge and bar that opens onto decks through expansive sliding doors. Offering breathtaking views. There is also a pool, library and gym, a secluded hide, Wellness Nest and the all new Shangaan inspired ‘guma’ (boma).

Tanda Tula Safari Camp allows children of 6 and over. WiFi is available in all the suites and main areas.

Skip to Tanda Tula Safari Camp Rates or Specials and Packages

Tanda Tula Safari Camp Accommodation

There are 7 x safari suites (125 m2), and 2 x family suites (165 m2) are dotted amongst the majestic trees. Each air-conditioned suite seamlessly blends glass, canvas, and steel. The intricate patterns in traditional Tsonga design. Contemporary local art. Fine linens. The pulse of the wild. And it’s deep calm.

Each suite is positioned overlooking the stunning Nhlaralumi riverbed with sweeping views of the bush. The entire front of the suite is a combination of sliding glass doors and canvas sliding walls. Allowing the light to flood in. Outdoor covered decks and private plunge pools, are ideal for dining and relaxing, with sunken bench seating. Participate in some “armchair game viewing”.

The Family Suites consist of two bedrooms. Each with their own en-suite bathroom, a shared lounge area and private plunge pool. Ideal for families with children or friends traveling together. In total the camp can sleep 22 guests.

Suite 3 is configured for guests with disabilities.

These ecologically sensitive suites are fully ‘off grid’. Powered by solar with water wise systems.

Tanda Tula Safari Camp Activities and Experiences

There are endless opportunities for adventure. And rest. For the curious to learn about nature. Or just to absorb the atmosphere. Watch a matriarch and her calves digging in a riverbed. Sip a sundowner G&T at Sunset Plains. Taste the tang of the first ripe marula fruit. Scour the soil for the tracks of wild dogs. Have your worries massaged away in the Wellness Nest. Feed your senses on a quintessentially South African food journey. Connect with people in the camp. Or quietly retreat in solitude with a book.

We will tailor your experience to meet any need, quirk, or obsession. For families, photographers, big cat seekers, avid birders, enthusiastic trackers, or other special interest travelers.

About Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is regarded as one of the top safari destinations in South Africa. The reserve comprises individual landholders who together have formed a protected area of over 53 000 hectares (131 000 acres) of unspoiled natural wilderness adjoining the Kruger National Park in an open ecosystem. The Timbavati is a highly professional and well managed reserve. That protects sustainable populations of many endangered species such as black and white rhinoceros, pangolins, saddle-billed storks, southern ground hornbills, and many others. The area has frequent sightings of elephant, lion and leopard.

Guided safari game drives

Game drives go beyond the ordinary to give guests unforgettable wildlife experiences in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. You may see the big 5 – lions, elephants, buffalo’s, leopards, and rhinos. But you’ll also discover so much more. Brown-hooded kingfishers nesting in river banks. The universe in a string of stars. Your own courage, staring into a lion’s eye. All while being led by some of the Greater Kruger’s most skilled guides and trackers.

Guided safari walks and tracking

Guided walks through the wilds of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve are more deep immersions than strenuous hikes. Lead by nature – and the most experienced and passionate guides; you’ll rediscover what it means to be wild. You’ll experience nature’s finer details. Tracking opens up a new world as the tracker guides teach you how to find animals. It’s expert artistry. It’s everyday miracles. And your own sense of wonder and curiosity as the experience wakens dormant senses. And you come fully alive.

Birding safari

The Timbavati’s birdlife tells its own story. Of ancient riverine trees, seasonal fruits and inter dependencies. Love and courtship. Life and death. Birdlife in the Greater Kruger is abundant. Especially in the summer when resident birds take on breeding plumage, and migratory species arrive in droves from further north in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The dawn chorus is a symphony with many, many stars.

Sound safari

Using specialized sound equipment, eavesdrop on the wild and hear what mammals, birds, insects and other animals have to say. From the more audible lion roar, hyena whoop to the quieter elephant rumbles, birdsong and insect buzz. There is much to listen to. Game drive vehicles are fitted with sound equipment and guests are connected with individual headphones to listen in to nature’s orchestra and discover that there is even more going on in our wild spaces.

Conservation Helicopter Patrol Flights

One of the key ways in which Tanda Tula contributes to the protection of the Timbavati and its wildlife is through patrol flights.

The primary mission of patrol flights is to spot any signs of unauthorized activity on the ground of the Timbavati from the air. If anything unusual is detected, a report is immediately sent to Timbavati Headquarters, so the appropriate teams can be deployed. Additionally, the visibility provided by airborne patrols significantly deters potential poaching activities.

Additionally, these patrol flights are not just functional but also offer a truly transformative, awe-inspiring experience for guests to take part in active conservation. This activity is at an additional cost of R13 000 in 2024 and R15 000 in 2025 per flight. Take advantage of our special that includes this activity.

Take to a helicopter for conservation of the Timbavati

Star gazing

Every ancient people had its cosmology, its stories written in the stars. The dark, unpolluted skies above Tanda Tula still tell these stories, and the guides are fluent in them. Your star safari at Tanda Tula will be a trip through time. A journey out of this world. A celestial experience you won’t forget. Just remember that it’s weather dependent.

Wellness

Spa. Gym. Both. Or either. Whichever facility you choose, you’ll leave with a rejuvenated body and mind. The gym is small but well equipped. And it is air-conditioned. Wellness treatments are customized to each guest. You can book massages, scrubs, and body treats as you wish. Tanda Tula Safari Camp uses gorgeous African products designed to unlock and indulge your senses.

Cultural/ Library

Set your mind exploring in the library. You can curl up with a book to learn about the area’s multiculturalism and history. Or talk to the team to discover their stories. Their links to nature. Their hopes for the future. You can get tactile with the curiosity cabinets. And follow the spiral on the shell of a giant land snail wherever it may lead. Ask questions. And connect the fascinating past to the vibrant, multicultural present.

Family experience and gatherings

Multi generational travel. Just you and the kids. Friends who have become family. Family who have become friends. Whoever you travel with, we know you’ll have particular needs. And we’ll cater to them all. Drives geared towards seniors. Babysitting and kids’ activities (tracking, cooking, Tsonga-inspired art and craft, wild gardening with spekboom, and more). Romantic evenings, just for two while your kids are well taken care of.

Small intimate weddings. Milestone celebrations. Engagements. Birthdays. Tanda Tula Safari Camp can accommodate and cater to them all. You can expect the same exceptional experience tailored to you and your gathering. Just remember to contact us well in advance.

Eating and drinking

Expect local flavors. Fresh ingredients from Tanda Tula’s own vegetable garden, Green Leaf. A journey for your palate. We try to source all our ingredients within 50 miles of our camp. You’ll have a daily bush breakfast. Light lunches. Think homemade breads and specialty butters. Crunchy salads. Then, South African inspired dinners that explore regional flavors and cuisines. Every plate tells a story. And we have a wine cellar with a complex note for every occasion.

The impact of your stay

Uplifting people is part of Tanda Tula’s DNA: through the work of the property’s foundation, your stay helps fund educational opportunities and scholarships for bright young minds. As well as an adult literacy program for staff. It also provides support for small business development, the establishment of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and encouraging environmental awareness. Through support from guests, they contribute to various important projects in the Timbavati and Greater Kruger National Park.

When to visit Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Tanda Tula Safari Camp is open all year round. It has a sub-tropical climate. Hot all year with summer rains and cold nights in winter. The main rainfall occurs between October to March, usually in afternoon thundershowers. Before the skies clear. It is quite beautiful and clears the air and heat.

How to get to Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Road transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle can be arranged from Hoedspruit and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (Nelspruit). You can fly directly from either Cape Town or Johannesburg to these airports.
From Johannesburg, you can also fly to Tanda Tula’s Rockfig Airstrip,
Self-drive from Johannesburg is approximately 5½ hours.

Tanda Tula Safari Camp Rates

These are the published rates but if you book with us, we will give you a discount.

Rates Include:
Accommodation, all meals, laundry, soft drinks, house wines, local beers & spirits, tea, coffee & mineral waters
Game drives & guided walks
Transfers to & from Rockfig Airstrip.

All rates exclude:
Wellness treatments, cellar wines, premium spirits & French champagne
Rockfig Airstrip Landing & Departure Fees and/or road transfers in and out of the Timbavati.
All curios & gratuities.
Timbavati Conservation Levy, Tanda Tula Foundation contribution, Land Management Fees & Bushbuckridge Community levy. This will be billed with your accommodation under Sustainability Levy.
Landing fees at Rockfig airstrip.
A vehicle entrance fee is payable at the Control Gate (self-drive guests only).

Tanda Tula Safari Camp Special Offers

Luxury Honeymoon Package

Tanda Tula Safari Camp is a favorite Kruger safari honeymoon destination. Spend your honeymoon here and one of you receives 50% off accommodation. Plus a complimentary private romantic dinner.
A minimum of 3 nights stay.
Valid all year. Honeymooners must stay within 1 year of marriage.

Stay Longer for Less at Tanda Tula Safari Camp

Stay 3 Pay 2 or Stay 4 Pay 3
Maximum 6 guests.
Valid: 1st November – 15th December 2024, 9th January – 31st March 2025 & 1st November – 15th December 2025 (offer will not apply if booking is moved to peak season).

Free helicopter patrol flight

Enjoy a complimentary helicopter patrol flight when staying 3 nights or more.

By taking advantage of our complimentary helicopter flight not only do you contribute to the critical work of safeguarding this protected area, but you also get a bird’s-eye view of the region’s stunning beauty as you soar above and take in the breathtaking landscapes below.

Valid: 1st November – 15th December 2024, 9th January – 31st March 2025 & 1st November – 15th December 2025
Maximum of 2 people | Subject to availability and weather dependent

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