Ngala Safari Lodge (Timbavati Private Nature Reserve) South Africa
Located on the boundary of the world renowned Kruger National Park, Ngala Private Game Reserve is well known for its high densities of elephant, buffalo and rhino, as well as for its African wild dogs. Ngala was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into the Kruger National Park and has exclusive traversing rights on almost 15 000 hectares (37 100 acres) of one of the richest wildlife regions on the African continent. A spectacular diversity of wildlife moves through this immense wilderness, including elephant, spotted hyena, giraffe, buffalo and white rhino.
Ngala means “lion” in Shangaan and the Reserve lives up to its name, supporting several prides of these powerful cats. However, it is even better known for excellent viewing of a more elusive cat, offering regular sightings of leopard, particularly females with their young. With more open bush than the nearby Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Ngala guarantees exclusive game viewing opportunities guided by expertly trained &Beyond rangers. In one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements, an annual lease, traversing fee and percentage of Ngala’s profits is paid to the National Parks Trust to further conservation projects throughout South Africa.
Accommodation:
The magic and mystery of Africa come alive in the colonial ambiance of elegant Ngala Safari Lodge.
A timeless, unhurried atmosphere, combined with the quaint traditions of a bygone era, creates an aura of romance and nostalgia. This old-world haven in the midst of the African bush charms with its colonial antiques, silver cutlery and crystal glassware.
Style and grace mingle faultlessly with the rugged natural beauty of the setting, as manicured lawns give way to dense mopane thickets and wild animals saunter down to drink at the waterhole that forms the heart of this authentic safari lodge.
Protected by a living canopy of immense mopane and tamboti trees, Ngala Safari Lodge carves out a set of intimate, elegant spaces sheltered and secluded by the thick vegetation. Twenty thatched cottages with shaded verandas nestle among the trees, ensuring the perfect privacy of your retreat. For those in need of even more personal space, the exclusive Safari Suite offers its own sitting room and swimming pool.
Creamy soft linen on curtained beds, soft tinted prints and etchings combine with the evocative smell of thatch to carry the classic safari atmosphere into your private cottage. The green slate of the bathroom reflects the dappled sunlight from outside, creating the dazzling effect of leafy shadows carried into interiors that cannot be separated from the luscious beauty outside. At night, a myriad lanterns and candles peep out between the boughs of trees, shining out a promise of warmth and comfort.
Activities / Wildlife:
Twice daily game drives - early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4x4 safari vehicle traverse an area of 14 700 hectares (36 300 acres), which shares an unfenced boundary with the world-famous Kruger National Park. Track the Big Five, as well as a rich variety of other game, in the company of an armed ranger and tracker. Strict vehicle limits at animal sightings ensure the exclusivity of your wildlife experience and careful off-road driving positions you for the best photo opportunities. Rangers are constantly in touch with each other to help keep track of game and the sensitive approach methods used mean that the wildlife has become accustomed to the presence of vehicles. Night game drives provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the predators, particularly the leopard for which Ngala is renowned.
Interpretive bush walks - in between game drives, take a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge and experience the sights, smells and sounds of the African bush. An armed ranger will accompany you and will share his vast knowledge of the local fauna and flora. Take in the intimate details of your surroundings, from the intricate patterns of a spider's web to the bright plumage of the local birds and the sharp alarms calls of a dozen small creatures.
Wonder at the delicate beauty of the leopard orchid, which flowers in the forks of tree boughs in early summer, taste the fruit of the marula tree or examine the meringue-like nests of the foamnest frog suspended from branches on the edge of pools of water.
Accommodation Rates:-
From $575 per person per night sharing. Please contact us
for a quote and suggested itinerary.