Simbavati Hilltop Lodge

Simbavati Hilltop Lodge sits on a hillside inside Timbavati Private Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park — meaning game moves freely across the landscape. The lodge looks out over the Mbali Dam and the Nhlaralumi River, both of which draw elephant, buffalo and a wide range of birds to the water's edge. The Drakensberg Mountains are visible on the horizon.

The lodge has eight tented suites, each positioned for views over the bushveld, the dam, and the river. French doors open onto a private deck fitted with a sala pavilion and a double day bed. The en-suite bathroom connects to the sleeping tent through a short passage, and each suite has its own plunge pool. Beds are available as king or twin. No children under twelve are permitted.

Game drives run twice daily — early morning and late afternoon, when animals are most active. Each vehicle goes out with an English-speaking guide paired with a tracker from the local Shangaan community, who between them read spoor, bird alarm calls, and fresh sightings radioed across the reserve. The Timbavati is home to the Big Five, with leopard and wild dog sighted regularly.

Several evenings a week, dinner moves to the boma — a circular, lantern-lit enclosure — for a campfire meal under the open sky. The lodge also has a spa, a bar, a restaurant, and a library. A pool, spa treatments, and stargazing round out the time between drives.