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Motswari Safari Lodge - Timbavati Private Reserve - Kruger National Park

Motswari Safari Lodge is situated on a very special piece of Kruger National Park, it's in the Timbavati Private Reserve and the Umbabat private reserve, Motswari falls in an area bordering Kruger National Park which makes it a busy intersection for wildlife crossing from and back to the Kruger National Park.

Motswari offers exclusive accommodation in two unique styles of accommodation. Motswari safari lodge boasts sixteen luxury en-suite bungalows, each suite offers authentic yet luxurious safari accommodation with air conditioning and in private settings. All suites are furnished to reflect the African themed natural surroundings with amazing bush views.

The luxury Motswari safari lodge provides all elements to ensure an incredible safari experience. The name Motswari means to care and protect  in the local Tsonga language, Motswari is owned by a family that prides itself on being involved in the conservation and safari industry for generations. Wildlife at Motswari is so rich that you can expect to see Africa's Big Five and much more.

Giraffe's Nest - Sleep-out Experience - Hide

When booking the Giraffe's Nest Sleep-Out option, you will still keep your suite/bungalow in the main lodge for that night, in case of bad weather. Giraffe's Nest cannot be booked on its own, it can only be added on your existing reservation at the main lodge.

Sabi Sands Lodges Reviews

Awesome experience  

This was a great experience overall. The resort was nice and homely. Our ranger Kelsey and tracker Bennett were very

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Omaha, Nebraska
Awesome experience  
latif8109    Omaha, Nebraska   
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This was a great experience overall. The resort was nice and homely. Our ranger Kelsey and tracker Bennett were very knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions that we had. The game drives were exciting and the search for the leopard was one of the highlights of the trip. The rooms were spacious, and the food was almost unending. The only downside, and understandably so, was the inability to move from one room to another, after dark. While our sons were older and able to stay on their own, families with slightly younger children may have to stay in one chalet. Strongly recommend it!!

“A memory for a lifetime”  

I can´t stop thinking about my visit at Arathusa. Just want to go back. It was so amazing in every

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Stockholm - Sweeden
“A memory for a lifetime”  
Twirly72 via tripadvisor    Stockholm - Sweeden   
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I can´t stop thinking about my visit at Arathusa. Just want to go back. It was so amazing in every way. The lodgin itself was so nice and luxury, the food excellent and you really had everything you could possible need.

"OY!" Watch That Charging Rhino!  

Fabulous three days at Idube Game Reserve. Lovely people. amazing food. So many highlights. But one stood out. When we

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Boston, Massachusetts
"OY!" Watch That Charging Rhino!  
Charles520    Boston, Massachusetts   
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Fabulous three days at Idube Game Reserve. Lovely people. amazing food. So many highlights. But one stood out. When we surprised a rhino and it charged our Land Cruiser, leave it to our guide, Brogan, to take care of business. With a sharp, "OY!", the rhino stopped it charge, turn around and trotted back to its mate. Note that the wifi was only available in the office when we went, but it's due for an upgrade any date. Pro-tip: No cell coverage, but the office has a cell tower booster. Turn off your wifi, and your phone will pick up the cell booster if you have a local phone or international plan

“Look no further”  

If you are planning a trip to S.A. And want to spend time in the bush, then Sabi Sands is


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Windermere, United Kingdom
“Look no further”  
angiep389 via tripadvisor    Windermere, United Kingdom   
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If you are planning a trip to S.A. And want to spend time in the bush, then Sabi Sands is a must. We have been travelling to to South Africa every year for the past 12 years and stayed at many game reserves including the Krugar many times. This year we saved up hard and achieved our dream, to stay in Sabi Sands. All that I can say it's Well Worth every penny, the reserve is just something else! It's the best and it's a must, forget the rest push the the boat out and and stay at in Sabi Sands.. We chose Elephant Plains due to our budget. It was wonderful food fantastic, staff brilliant, service first class.
We saw the big five for the the first time in 12 years....
So if you are looking for a safari holiday then look no further this place is the best.
Memories we will never forget.

“Absolutely the best experience.”  

Highly recommended. Amazing in many ways. Great safari experience. Unsurpassed food. Kind staff. Two safaris a day for three days.

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New Jersey, USA
“Absolutely the best experience.”  
podrozniczka60 via tripadvisor    New Jersey, USA   
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Highly recommended. Amazing in many ways. Great safari experience. Unsurpassed food. Kind staff. Two safaris a day for three days. One extra walking safari midday. Excellent game viewing. Night time star gazing by the fire. Trip to the village. Great amenities. Boma, Observation points. Nice little library. The staff will walk you to your cabin at night. Our first time here was 2006 but this is the place to come for the best safari lodge experience.
This is the place to come back to.

“Perfect place for safari”  

This was a perfect place for a safari. We stayed in one of the two suites, and this was perfect.

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Lillehammer, Norway
“Perfect place for safari”  
EvMe via tripadvisor    Lillehammer, Norway   
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This was a perfect place for a safari. We stayed in one of the two suites, and this was perfect. The game drives were so exiting. Of 8 game drives we saw leopards at 7 of them.
The staff were so friendly and helpful. The food was nice. The skills of the tracker and ranger was fantastic. It was so nice to follow how they read the tracks in the sand and bushes. We saw the big 5 and a lot more. If would go back? YES

“Absolutely fantastic”  

Everything wonderful, just come back from part of Titan Tour. We saw the big five and so much more. Couldn't

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Hampshire,UK
“Absolutely fantastic”  
DillonHampshire_UK via tripadvisor    Hampshire,UK   
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Everything wonderful, just come back from part of Titan Tour. We saw the big five and so much more. Couldn't fault it and would love to go back. You have to be there to believe how good it is, and how close you get to what is after all wild animals. I could have almost touched one of the lions we saw!!

“Breathtaking scenery, service and amazing experience.”  

I don't usually write reviews however, I travelled to Lion Sands with my girlfriend in March 2017, it was her

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London, UK
“Breathtaking scenery, service and amazing experience.”  
Raymondo84 via tripadvisor    London, UK   
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I don't usually write reviews however, I travelled to Lion Sands with my girlfriend in March 2017, it was her birthday and I was planning to propose. From the moment the booking was made until the last minute we left the location the service was impecable.

“Felt like home, but better”  

We absolutely loved this resort. The staff is so warm and welcoming, the rooms and public areas are beautifully and

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United Kingdom
“Felt like home, but better”  
Stacy C via tripadvisor    United Kingdom   
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We absolutely loved this resort. The staff is so warm and welcoming, the rooms and public areas are beautifully and comfortably decorated, the food was delicious (I'm a San Francisco foodie pescetarian and absolutely loved the food/presentation), and the game drives were unforgettable. Don't miss the bush walk--we walked through a field of butterflies, saw all kinds of animal tracks, and enjoyed a different view of the landscape we'd been driving through all week. I would also highly recommend visiting the Thornybush Community Project gardens with Gavin, where some of the beautiful food served in Sabi Sand resorts is grown by local women as part of a community collective. We also visited a school, which had an incredible impact on us. I loved Simbambili--a little piece of my heart is still there

“Fantastic Bush Experience”  

Our family just spend 3 days in the Cottage.
The safaris were outstanding led by our intelligent and passionate guide


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Johannesburg, South Africa
“Fantastic Bush Experience”  
Czerno via tripadvisor    Johannesburg, South Africa   
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Our family just spend 3 days in the Cottage.
The safaris were outstanding led by our intelligent and passionate guide Michael. We saw so much and learnt so much in the "Land That Time Forgot". Leopard with Waterbuck kill, wild dogs, Lion and Elephant swimming and wrestling in a dam and so much more!!
The camp manager Gary was so welcoming and friendly. His enthusiasm for the bush is infectious. Thanks for a wonderful time in a special place.
Also thanks for arranging a truly unique bat sighting!!!!
Stayed May 2017, travelled with family

Loved Nkorho!  

Loved our time at Nkorho. Our guide, Matt, and tracker, David, were extremely professional and knowledgeable. The safari rides were

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Atlanta, Georgia
Loved Nkorho!  
bgrove    Atlanta, Georgia   
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Loved our time at Nkorho. Our guide, Matt, and tracker, David, were extremely professional and knowledgeable. The safari rides were incredible and we certainly saw everything we came to see. The entire staff works hard to ensure a great experience for their guests. Our suite was great, very clean and comfortable . The swing was cozy on the front deck! Enjoyed our meals and evenings in the bar. Thanks to all for a great time!

“You will not be disappointed...its amazing”  

It's hard to put into words what a wonderful place this is , even before you arrive the staff are


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London, United Kingdom
“You will not be disappointed...its amazing”  
stuBamville via tripadvisor    London, United Kingdom   
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It's hard to put into words what a wonderful place this is , even before you arrive the staff are extremely helpful with information and when you arrive they make you feel part of the lodge community not just a guest (truly welcoming).

The staff are genuinely interested in your adventure and happiness joining in stories and experiences of each game drive .Be prepared for the early starts 5.30 am game drive however believe me this is the best time of the day to see the animals and is a magical time to see the bush. The lodge and rooms are to a very high standard with all rooms having great views and the best bit being no fences !!!! YOU REALLY ARE IN THE BUSH 🙂 .
This is without doubt a luxury Safari

“A continuation of the dream”  

After spending 2 nights at the Dulini River Lodge we spent 2 nights at the Dulini Lodge. Even though both

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Maennedorf, Switzerland
“A continuation of the dream”  
bscyb via tripadvisor    Maennedorf, Switzerland   
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After spending 2 nights at the Dulini River Lodge we spent 2 nights at the Dulini Lodge. Even though both Lodges are in the same Reserve and very close they offer a different athmosphere. The Dulini Lodge gives you a stronger "Africa feeling" in terms of decoration and setup in my view.

The bungalows are very spacious and well equipped.The welcome is kind and warm and the staff is amazing. They provided me with a special birthday dinner which made the stay even more memorable.

The game drives with the Ranger Fred and our tracker May where an experience. We saw a lot and as haveing been on Safari before we received so much more indepth information since we did not have to worry about seeing all the big 5 (which we saw anyway).

Will try to be back whenever possible

“Leopards, lions, many elephants and much more!”  

I cannot express how great my experience was at Idube, I have a lifetime of memories from the 4 nights

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Melbourne, Australia
“Leopards, lions, many elephants and much more!”  
Brett S via tripadvisor    Melbourne, Australia   
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I cannot express how great my experience was at Idube, I have a lifetime of memories from the 4 nights we stayed there. Highly recommended.

MalaMala is the best  

We had a great overall experience at Mala Mala. We saw abundant animals and several exciting interactions between them. Our

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San Diego, California
MalaMala is the best  
Shannon S    San Diego, California   
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We had a great overall experience at Mala Mala. We saw abundant animals and several exciting interactions between them. Our guide was knowledgeable and nice (the others in our group had a guide who had had incredible intuition for finding animals and we benefited from it). The rooms are nice, beautiful and comfortable. The food was good/okay... We were there for three nights and it seemed like there were a lot of repeats between the meals. The staff were all friendly and the customer service was great!

“Couldn't have been better!”  

My daughter and I spent 3 nights at Notten's in April 2017 and we loved everything about it! We loved

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Hobart, Australia
“Couldn't have been better!”  
Mrs V via tripadvisor    Hobart, Australia   
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My daughter and I spent 3 nights at Notten's in April 2017 and we loved everything about it! We loved the fact that we were teamed up with the same driver/tracker/four other guests in the same car over the course of all the days - we had such fun together and really got involved in trying to spot the animals. And we were rewarded with multiple leopard sightings and the other big 5, as well as all the other beautiful animals - zebra, giraffes, kudu, impala etc - and many birds. The rooms - including outdoor shower, dining area, food, pool, gift shop, massage, the lovely candle light (and lack of electric lighting) and special sundowner by the river were all fabulous. We felt so relaxed and welcomed. The staff were professional and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. They went the extra mile to engage with my 9 year old daughter. This place suited us perfectly. It was top class without being pretentious. Worth every penny - and actually better value than some other lodges. Recommended without hesitation. We hope to return one day. Thank you to all - Dale, Suzie, Gift, Desmond, Tulani, Riddent, Joe and everyone else (sorry if names are miss-spelt).

Stayed April 2017, travelled with family

“Incredible experience at Sabi Sabi”  

We just came back from our first ever safari trip. We went not knowing what to expect. After our first

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New York City, New York
“Incredible experience at Sabi Sabi”  
Zack T    New York City, New York   
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We just came back from our first ever safari trip. We went not knowing what to expect. After our first game drive, we got to know why Sabi Sands Lodges are the best when it comes to big five game viewing. We managed to view all of the big five on one day.

The accommodation was perfect and the staff were exceptionally friendly. We are hooked, we will certainly visit Sabi Sabi again, very soon.

“Good to be back!”  

A wonderful visit that was nothing short of perfect. Amazing game sightings, the best I've had (and it is always

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London, United Kingdom
“Good to be back!”  
Meohmy68 via tripadvisor    London, United Kingdom   
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A wonderful visit that was nothing short of perfect. Amazing game sightings, the best I've had (and it is always good), our Ranger and Tracker were great fun and very knowledgable, the staff were on the ball and the atmosphere and mood relaxed and attentive. My 6th visit, and great that Ulusaba is back to its best, thank you!


Motswari Safari Lodge - Image Gallery

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INCLUDES

  • Three meals daily & high tea
  • Game drives & guided walks
  • Local drinks
  • Game drive drinks
  • Tourism levies & taxes

EXCLUDES

  • Park entrance fees
  • Premium drinks
  • Phone calls
  • Personal purchases
  • Gratuities

Motswari Safari Lodge – Timbavati Private Reserve – South Africa

An African dream beckons; one that is defined by extraordinary scenery, an authentic atmosphere and warm hospitality. Guests are exposed to professional hospitality, incredible wildlife and personal service. This is Motswari Safari Lodge, a family-owned and operated luxury safari lodge. Here, majestic creatures including the Big Five, offer incredible viewing opportunities as they bask in their natural habitat. Motswari means “to conserve and protect” in Tswana and that is what the reserve aims to do.

Motswari Safari Lodge is located within the Timbavati and Umbabat Private Reserves, it stretches out over 150 square kilometres and it has been in existence for over four decades and its friendly staff members are intrinsic to its success. Great emphasis is placed on personal service, ensuring that each guest instantly feels welcome in this stunning setting. Artworks by owner, Marion Geiger-Orengo, additionally bring the lodge to life and add to its visual appeal.

Accommodation at Motswari Safari Lodge includes fifteen luxury bungalows, complete with en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers, air-conditioning and overhead fans, mini-bars, and captivating views of the surrounding vegetation and wandering wildlife.
The breathtaking Timbavati and Umbabat Private Nature Reserves form part of the Associated Private Nature Reserves region, which borders on the Kruger National Park. The Timbavati and Umbabat Private Nature Reserves share an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park, which allows animal species to move freely between these expansive parks. Guests can therefore look forward to exceptional game viewing moments. The region is easily accessible by air or road and is a 6- to 7-hour drive from Johannesburg. The climate in this area is subtropical and rains fall during summer. The warmer months of the year roll in from October to March, whereas winter is from April to September. Generally speaking, daytime temperatures are pleasant, but mornings and evenings can be cool.
Children 0 to 5 years of age are regrettably not permitted at Motswari due to safety regulations. Children in inter-leading rooms pay single occupancy rate for the room. Children should be 6 years & older for game drives. Persons should be 16 years or older for bush walks and 18 years or older for Overnight Safari Walk Experience.
• BY ROAD: • From Johannesburg, continue onto N12 -  Merge onto N4 (Toll road) -  Take the exit toward R33 -  Turn left onto R33 -  Turn right onto Steven Masango St -  Continue onto R540 -  Continue onto Lion Cachet St • Continue onto Hugenoten St -  Continue onto R540 -  Turn left onto R36 -  Turn left onto Voortrekker St/R36/R37 -  Turn right onto De Clercq St/R36/R37 - Continue to follow R36 - Turn right onto R533 -  Turn right to stay on R533 • Continue onto R532 - Turn right onto Hoof St - Continue onto R533 - At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto R40 - Turn right - 20,9km - Turn right - 150 m - Turn left - 11,2 km - Sharp right - 1,3 km - Turn right - 5,9 km - Turn left - 7,7 km - Turn left - 120 m -Turn right - 200 m - Turn left - 64 m - Turn right - 180m Motswari Safari Lodge - From Timbavati Main Gate Please Note: Entering through the Timbavati Private Game Reserve gate you will be required to pay a Conservation levy of R170 per person and R120 toll for your vehicle. The entrance fee can only be confirmed at the time of making your reservation (prices subject to change) • Road transfers to Motswari are contracted locally, per person each way. • Children younger than three years old travel for free. • Please note that transfers from KMIA require 2-3 hours travelling in the heat of the day. Motswari recommends that guests make use of the air transfers offered. The reserve asks that you advise during reservation to arrange the transfer company payment of the conservation levy at a rate of R100 per person (subject to change). Children younger than ten years old pay not conservation levy. • BY AIR: • Scheduled flights from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit/Eastgate Airport take approximately 50 minutes, followed by a road transfer of approximately 50 minutes. • Scheduled flights from Cape Town to KMIA (Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport) take approximately 2.5 hours, followed by a road transfer of approximately 2.5 hours. • Motswari private airstrip • Runway details: Gravel strip with concrete run-up pads. • Length: 1350m 01/19. Co-ordinates: 24 11.522´ South 031 232.188´ East. GPS: -24.197833 (latitude) 31.388552 (longitude)

Motswari Safari Lodge - Wildlife Gallery

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Motswari Safari Lodge - Video

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