Motswari Private Game Lodge
A warm, family-owned Timbavati lodge offering a classic safari at good value, with no more than 30 guests in camp.
Overview
Motswari is a family-owned lodge that has been welcoming guests for over forty years. It sits on more than 18,000 hectares of the Timbavati and Umbabat reserves, which share an unfenced border with the Kruger. The name means “to conserve and protect”, and the lodge’s motto, “arrive as visitors, leave as friends”, sums up the feel: unpretentious, warm and personal. It’s a traditional safari at good value. There are never more than 30 guests in camp, game drives are in open Land Rovers, and dinners are around the boma fire. Look out for the gallery of work by the owner, artist Marion Geiger-Orengo.
At a Glance
Type: Classic safari lodge
Location: Timbavati and Umbabat Private Nature Reserves, Greater Kruger
Rooms: 15 thatched bungalows (bush- or river-facing), 35–45 m², each with a king bed, private deck and air-conditioning
Also here: Geiger’s Camp (a small private camp) and the Giraffe’s Nest Hide, a treehouse sleep-out
Children: 10 and older at Main Camp. Bush walks 16+
Included: All meals (brunch, high tea, dinner), two game drives a day, bush walks on request, laundry
Wi-Fi: In the main areas
Malaria: Malaria area. Speak to your doctor before travelling
Best for: Couples, families with older children, and anyone wanting a classic, good-value safari
Activities & Dining
Game drives run in the early morning and late afternoon in open Land Rovers, and guided walks can be arranged after the morning drive. On some afternoons the rangers give short talks over high tea. For an extra cost, guests 18 and older can spend a night in the Giraffe’s Nest Hide, a treehouse over Xanatsi Dam with a retractable canvas roof for sleeping under the stars.
Meals are a big part of the stay. There’s brunch after the morning drive, high tea before the afternoon drive, and dinner in the lounge or the open-air boma, announced with drumming. On some mornings, breakfast is cooked over coals out in the bush. Between drives there’s the pool, the library, the gallery and in-room massages.
Getting There
By scheduled flight (recommended): Daily flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Hoedspruit Airport, then a road transfer of about 50 minutes.
From Nelspruit (KMIA): About 2.5 hours by road.
By road: About 6 hours from Johannesburg via Hoedspruit and the Timbavati gate. You can’t drive in directly from the Kruger.
Insider Tips
Book the Giraffe’s Nest Hide for one night. It’s one of the most memorable sleep-outs in the Greater Kruger.
Ask for a river-facing bungalow when you book.
Watch for the Timbavati’s white lions. Sightings aren’t guaranteed, but this is one of the few places they’re found.
For a private group of up to six, ask us about Geiger’s Camp.
Self-driving? Bring a card or cash for the Timbavati gate fees, and expect no phone signal on the last stretch of road.