This 55,000 acre private game reserve borders directly to the vast Kruger National Park, as well as the famous Sabi Sands and Timbavati Game Reserves. It is is situated on the eastern side of Kruger National Park, perched between the Sabi Sands and Timbavati. As such, you can be absolutely sure to only experience the best game viewing possible. As there are no fences between the national park and the private game reserves, wildlife is able to roam freely!

Manyeleti means “Place of the stars” in the local language. It truly is a unique safari destination well off the beaten path. You can be certain not to encounter big tour groups traveling around in busses, but rather expect a pristine bush experience in one of the world’s most beautiful places.

Manyeleti is prime “Big Five” territory, offering exceptional possibilities for viewing the elusive leopard. Other Big Five animals (lion, rhino, buffalo and elephant) are also often spotted on a very regular basis. Furthermore, with more than 300 bird species present in the area.

ACTIVITIES
Manyeleti makes a great safari destination for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers and bird watchers alike.

Game drives are interpretive drives in the bush specially adapted four-wheel drive vehicles, with the purpose of finding wildlife in a natural habitat. On a game drive you will be accompanied by ranger / guide (sometimes armed) with a comprehensive knowledge of all flora and fauna found in Manyeleti. Besides the ranger normally a “tracker” joins the ranger, who is being seated on the front of the car and scans the environment for (big) game. These are all very passionate people, who have a special ability to teach you about nature.

Just as with a game drive you will go out with a ranger / guide on a game walk. On foot you get a completely different experience: it is sometimes even possible to approach wildlife to a very short distance. It indeed is a very thrilling experience observing wildlife without the protection of a car. We do encourage participating in a game walk as it really is a very different experience. The minimum age for participating in a game drive is usually eight years, for a game walk this is fourteen.

Bordering the Kruger National Park and situated between the Timbavati and the Sabi Sand Reserves, lies an expanse of pristine wilderness; in prime Big Five country in the beautiful and unexploited 23,000-hectare Manyeleti Game reserve.

The camp offers breath-taking wildlife experiences, including the Big Five, superb cuisine and service excellence. Featuring 15 tents, each furnished with a king size bed (or two twin beds), and an en-suite bathroom with a sunken bath, double shower, his and hers basins, and a separate toilet.

The camp also boasts a large sitting area, an outdoor area with a splash pool and sun loungers, a bar area, and an extensive climate-controlled wine cellar. Wildlife drinking at nearby watering hole can be seen from the swimming pool deck which adjoins the reception area.

ACTIVITIES
Guests are taken on game drives in open game viewing vehicles in the early morning and late afternoon/evening. Late afternoon and evening drives include sunset drinks, views over the Mohwareng Hills, and glimpses of nocturnal creatures. Larger game frequently sighted in the reserve includes elephant, rhino, lion and hippo. In between meals and drives, watch the game and birdlife pass by while relaxing by the pool or take a walking safari through the deep bush, accompanied by an experienced, armed ranger; it can be hot work, but it’s very exciting – seeing the animals from a vehicle just doesn’t seem to compare. Group tours are available to the nearby village of Welverdiend, where guests will learn about the relationship between traditional and contemporary living. Activities include:
• Bird watching from a newly built hide opposite a watering hole
• Hiking and walking safaris
• Plant life/flora and footprint tracking
• Private guided tours
• Safaris in a private conservancy or into the neighbouring Kruger National Park
Wildlife photography.

The Sabi Sand Reserve is the oldest of South Africa’s private reserves, and the origin of wildlife tourism in Southern Africa. Comprising around 20 small but contiguous private reserves, the Sabi Sand area is arguably the most exclusive Big Five game-viewing location in Africa. This cluster of private reserves known collectively as Sabi Sand are renowned for their stylish lodges and peerless game viewing.

A western extension of the wildlife-rich southern Kruger, animals pass unhindered between the unfenced reserves. Known for its extraordinary leopard viewing, safari enthusiasts could not find a better place for close-contact animal sightings that many would insist are the best in the world.

The Sabi Sand Reserve shares a 31.25 miles unfenced border with the Kruger National Park. This extraordinary and unique wilderness area comprises a collection of privately-owned game reserves which combine to form a mammoth tract of pristine game land (165,000 acres). The Sand River flows through the reserve for 31 miles from north west to south east, while the Sabi River flows on the southern boundary. Because of these continuous water sources, the area enjoys one of the highest and most bio-diverse wildlife populations in Africa. Over two hundred different species live in abundance, and the dynamic bird life will appeal to both seasoned “twitches” and amateur enthusiasts alike.

Being privately owned, safaris are not restricted to specific times and routes. Open vehicles are able to traverse off road and into the dense bush, tracking animals in their natural habitat. It is home to a vast natural animal population including The Big Five and countless other species (some of which are critically endangered).The area is renowned for the frequency and quality of its leopard sightings, but it is also superb when it comes to close-up encounters with lions, cheetahs, white rhinos, elephants and most other large ungulates common in Kruger.

The Sabi Sand Reserve Animal and Plant Checklist would feature no less than 145 mammal species, 500 bird species, 110 reptile species, 30 amphibian species, 330 tree species and 45 fish species. The Sabi Sand Reserve is also renowned for the quality of its leopard viewing (the most elusive of predators).Visitors will also be treated to close contact sightings with elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and a vast variety of antelope and other species. A feature of the reserve is the superb night drives, which often yield sightings of nocturnal oddities such as bush babies, genets, civets and (occasionally) the bizarre aardvark. Off-road driving is also permitted, selectively.

The Lodge is located in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, considered by many to be the premier wildlife reserve in South Africa, and unfenced from the western boundary of the Kruger National Park. Located on the banks of the seasonal Sand River, the lodge is perfectly situated in one of the best Big Five game viewing destinations in Africa.

Set on wooden platforms, the lodge consists of six chalets with most overlooking the Sand River – tucked amid ancient trees offers a year-round water-based safari experience. Wildlife-viewing activities include exploring the channels by poled mokoro or motorboat, and tracking the larger species on guided nature walks on the many surrounding islands.

It is the ideal destination for guests who desire an affordable safari in the heart of the Kruger’s most premier private reserve – the Sabi Sand. Additional facilities include a swimming pool, lounge, bar and dining area and the traditional boma, where guests are served delicious and hearty South African meals. The focus at the lodge is of the view of the seasonal Sand River, and for obvious reasons. Almost daily guests are treated to sightings of various animals grazing in the riverbed, and it is never short of sightings and boasts a high concentration of leopard. Guests regularly see elephants, hippos, buffalo and antelope grazing in the river bed.

The lodge can accommodate 20 people at maximum. The interleading chalets are ideal for families. A communal boma area is where guests relax after their evening safari and exchange wildlife stories about recent sightings. During the hot summer months guests can relax at the pool, which overlooks the Sand River.

Informal, relaxed and ideal for guests wanting an authentic safari in a premier private reserve!

ACTIVITIES
Twice daily game drives in the Sabi-Sands Park!