Cabins in Timbavati Game Reserve

It was amazing. The rooms were excellent. With great views over the river, often frequented by animals. The food was terrific. Our guide and tracker, Noel and David, could not have been better. We saw the big 5 and much more- many giraffes, Zebra, hippo etc. we arrived about 1pm. Lunch is at 2.30, game drive 3.30-6.30pm, dinner at 7.30pm. On the day we left we did the normal 6.30-9.30am game drive, followed by a wonderful brunch at 9.30am. We left at 11. So you get a lot extra. For 3 nights we had 6 game drives. There was good hot water, comfortable beds, great leather chairs with a nice balcony. There is also a nice pool. All staff were super friendly and helpful.

- to be very close to the animals; we watched 15 lions including their babies eating two buffalos from a distance of less than 10m - awesome - highly motivated staff and guides - familar atmosphere - live in harmony with the nature

Stunning location in front of a large dam/pool populated by hippos, not a puddle of a waterhole like many lodges. The camp is simple, 2 tented rooms either side of an open main lodge building leading onto a terrace with small swimming pool and overlooking the water. But what else do you need ? Small, intimate, and stamped with understated luxury the camp is exclusive. As a family we occupied 3 of the rooms and had the lodge to ourselves for 3 of our 6 nights. The 4 tented rooms were a perfect size and beautifully decorated. The food was delicious, great attention was paid to portion sizes, presentation and all our dietary needs and requests carefully addressed (peanut allergy) The staff are lovely, approachable, always on hand and very attentive. Charlie and Mish, the managing couple along with Courtney make you feel as though you this is your home. The guiding experience was probably my best ever, and thats after 25 years of safari, we had started going on courses as we had heard it all so many times before, but Charlies breadth of knowlege is astounding, he is a master of timing, keeps you engaged and doesn't overload you, I was learning information that I had never heard before. Needless to say the sightings were amazing; leopard, lion, wild dog, many birds and some fascinating small stuff as well. The traversing rights mean that there are very few vehicles in your area and some drives we didn't see any other vehicles at all. The game viewer seats 8. The middle seat is converted for storage so no one ever has to sit in the middle. We absolutely loved it and will return.

It felt very private, with only a few villas in the camp. It was beautifully designed and decorated. All of the staff were friendly and helpful.

Our time at Simbavati Hilltop Lodge was outstanding! The staff was exceptionally polite, and our guide and tracker worked tirelessly to show us as much as they could while providing detailed information. The butler was sweet and attentive, accommodating to our food restrictions. Our room was consistently spotless and cozy. We had a wonderful time and would love to come back!

We stayed 3 nights at King's Camp out of a total of 11 nights in South Africa and this was by far the best part of our entire trip. The place is immaculate - very large and comfortable rooms, extremely friendly staff and a beautiful location in the TImbavati game reserve. We were taken out for dawn and dusk game drives by our own dedicated ranger Cynet and spotter Sunnyboy, in vehicle we had to ourselves most of the time. All the seats were next to the side (so there were no obstructed views), there were warm blankets in the car for the cold and we stopped for sundowners every evening and watched the stars come out - and what stars - amazing views of the milky way. The game was excellent too - lions including cubs, leopard + kill, and all the rest of the big five (if that's what you're into), hyena and cubs. A big highlight was following a leopard through the bush in the car - simply unforgettable! Plus a multitude of birds from eagles to wax-bills - and our extremely knowledgeable ranger Cynet could identify them all! Our room was enormous and luxurious - private secluded pool and veranda area, carefully designed so that it was not overlooked but looked out into the bush with animals traipsing past! There's also a wonderful hide by the waterhole so you can watch the animals coming down to drink and mud-bathe - including a whole herd of elephants! The staff still have a sense of wonder about the animals they see and are just as excited as the guests. And there are steenboks and kudu who visit the grounds and wander around the rooms - and a lovely night-watchman who escorts you to and from your room after dark. The trouble with the food was that it was too good and too plentiful - hard not to gain weight! Well cooked, well presented and served by lovely, attentive staff. Every other night we had a buffet in the traditional "boma" around a fire with our guide.

Location was amazing to see all the wild life. We saw the Big 5 within the first 2 days. Every single staff was highly professional. The lodging was simply luxurious and amazing. Great attention to detail from start till the end of our stay. Free shuttle to and fro to airport. We were upgraded to the Mvubu Cottage - we had a private chef and all guests also had a butler, a tracker and a guide for the game drives.

Location: right in the middle of the African bush. Very peacefull. Food: Top notch. Typical African cuisine. Staff: Extremely friendly and catering to every need. Chef, butler, camp hand, guide, cleaner Activities: Twice daily walks in the veld with the armed guide, who is extremely knowledgeable. Very educational. The highlight undoubtedly was the elephants comeing to drink from the camp pool (dry season), literally metres away - hugely thrilling.

The walk and drives with the rangers Charlie and Julian were exceptional. They are passionate and extremely knowledgeable. They went the extra mile to provide us with a rich experience of the bush. Close encounters with Lions, Leopards and all the other wild animals were really thrilling! The staff at the camp were all very friendly and welcoming.

Staffed mainly by the local villagers who have a majority stake in the hotel making for an authentic experience. Veronica gets a special mention for her attention to detail for the guests and smooth running of the hotel. Food is fabulous and the orpen gate around the corner.