TIMBAVATI PRIVATE SAFARI

An Unhurried, Soulful African Safari

Exquisitely curated by a passionate family with purpose

What you will love

1 guest per 143 Hectares
Big 5 (just the start)
Our People
Stylish Accommodation
Customised Experiences

Tanda Tula offers an authentic, luxury private safari experience in the vast wilderness of the Timbavati Nature Reserve (part of the Greater Kruger National Park). In this tranquil and untouched landscape, you will reconnect with yourself, nature, and your loved ones in a deeply personal way. Here, guests quickly become part of a family that values heritage, conservation, and lasting human bonds.

Our spacious, one-of-a-kind suites, unhurried game drives with exceptional guides, exquisite dining in the wild, and deeply personal, intuitive service combine to create unforgettable memories that will stay with you forever.

At Tanda Tula, we provide the environment and experiences to truly reconnect and celebrate the beauty of life, leaving you feeling restored, inspired, and deeply in touch with the natural world.

A safari designed for you

Click to discover your personal safari

Why Tanda Tula?

The reserve & safariThe peopleThe camp & suitesDiningExperiences
The reserve & safari

Tanda Tula is part of the Greater Kruger National Park, a vast 4.2-million-hectare wilderness.

With just a handful of lodges across its 55,626 hectares, the Timbavati Nature Reserve offers an extraordinary sense of space—equating to 143 hectares of wilderness per guest. Fewer vehicles also mean a lighter footprint on the land.

At Tanda Tula, safaris are personally crafted and guided by one of the Greater Kruger’s most experienced teams—many born on this land, spending their lives perfecting their art.

The people

Intentional and heartfelt African hospitality.

Proudly African, we are co-owned and managed by the Scott, Jackson, and Mathebula families after 44 years of transformation.

We are family, with three generations of incredible people who share a purpose of creating meaningful and immersive safari experiences. With passion, dedication, and a genuine love for what we do, we welcome guests into our home as we would our closest friends and kin.

The camp & suites

Since 1978, Tanda Tula has evolved through thoughtful transformation to create a camp that is as elegant as it is light on the land.

With just nine hybrid canvas-and-glass suites, including two family suites, you'll enjoy a sense of exclusivity and harmony with nature.

Designed for comfort and connection, our eco-conscious camp blends Tsonga heritage with a contemporary touch—where the wild feels close, yet you feel completely at ease.

Dining

At Tanda Tula, food is personal. Each dish is rooted in tradition—our own favourite childhood recipes, reimagined with an artful, sophisticated twist.

Our chefs personally present every meal, showcasing impeccable flavours, the finest local produce, and thoughtful pairings with South African wines.

But dining here is more than what’s on the plate. It’s about the experience—breakfasts fireside in the bush, long lazy lunches on the lawn, and dinners under a sky ablaze with stars. Every meal is an experience unto itself.

Experiences

Synchronise with the rhythm of nature while we craft each day around your unique pace, expectations, and style. Whether it’s tracking big cats at sunrise, unwinding by the pool to soak up the sun and good company, or retreating to the library for quiet reflection, your time is entirely your own.

Indulge in a soothing treatment at our bush spa, or slip into stillness at the hide at the edge of the camp—watching as wildlife drifts in to quench their thirst, birds flit between the trees, and the bush vibrates around you.

“In addition to 4 out of the big five, we saw giraffes, zebras, impalas, kudus, warthogs, a jackal, hyenas, and various other animals. Every game drive was loaded with sightings. Timbavati Reserve is well organized. The guides share sightings over the radio, and rotate vehicles so no more than two vehicles at a time are at a particular sighting. We consistently got great views.”
Tripadvisor
" Our guide was Chad, someone we have known for years and our tracker was Glen, a wise finder of things nobody else can see! Over the course of the next four days we saw everything that the Timbavati has to offer - birds and small grazers, rhino, elephants galore, leopards, buffalo, zebra, giraffe and lions.....fifty one different lions! "
Tripadvisor
" Repeated sightings of all of the Big 5 - and much more. Our guide (Tristan) and tracker (Glenn, who tracked down a pride of lions on foot and then guided our vehicle to a kill) are the best that there could possibly be. Their knowledge, insight, and easy manner are second to none. "
Tripadvisor

Stories from the wild

Recently Tanda Tula guests got actively involved with some on the ground conservation projects within the Timbavati
Shara Burger | blog
A summery of the past month on safari in the Timbavati through a pictorial lens
Chad Cocking | blog
Find out why it is important to celebrate Earth Day in order to all contribute to the longevity of our planet
Shara Burger | blog