Manyeleti

When you look up at the night sky from a warm campfire you’ll understand where the Manyeleti, which means “Place of Stars”, got its name from. This 230km2 private game reserve, owned and run by the local Mnisi tribe, is wedged between the larger Sabi Sands and Timbavati game reserves on the western border of the Kruger. The borders are unfenced letting wildlife roam freely between the reserves. At Manyeleti the Big Five is just as abundant than in the rest of the Kruger, but other human visitors are much harder to spot since it sees much fewer visitors than the neighboring reserves. Keen birders will have plenty to tick off their lists though, as more than 300 species have been recorded in Manyeleti.

Manyeleti offers guests three accommodation options: luxury safari tented camps, an exclusive manor house and a five-star luxury lodge. The two tented camps, Khoka Moya and Mantobeni, cater for couples and families respectively while the Tintswalo Manor House is the ideal private setting for groups. If you want the full monty in luxurious living (spa, private pools, library and wine cellar!) the Tintswalo Safari Lodge is where you want to be.

Highlights

• Twice daily game drives in open 4x4 vehicles (at dawn and dusk), provide ample opportunity to see the Big Five in their natural habitat.

• Guided game walks led by experienced guides give you a different and unique experience of the environment and it is an exhilarating experience tracking animals on foot.

• Leopard is notoriously hard to spot, but at Manyeleti they can be seen on a regular basis. An experienced guide who knows their territories and behaviors will give you the best chance of seeing these beautiful cats.

Practical information

Tintswalo Safari Lodge

• Manyeleti is nearly 500km by road from Johannesburg. The city’s OR Tambo International Airport is served by daily international and domestic flights to major cities in the rest of the country. From OR Tambo you can schedule a charter flight an airport near Kruger National Park. Hoedspruit is the nearest; from here a road transfer to Manyeleti takes 45 minutes.

• All the lodges in Manyeleti have their own airstrips, so you can choose to travel directly to your accommodation in a small aircraft from the Hoedspruit, Kruger Mpumalanga or Phalaborwa airports. The low flying transfer is the most scenic way to kick off your African adventure!

• Come prepared for hot daytime temperatures and pack sunglasses, sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. In the winter the nights and early mornings are chilly, so bring something warm too.

• Manyeleti is in a malaria zone, so be sure to consult your doctor about recommended medication before you travel.