Simbavati Hilltop Lodge In the heart of the wildlife-rich, 'Big Five' Timbavati Private Game Reserve, guests are served delicious cuisine while enjoying the excellent hospitality.

Surrounded by magnificent views of the bushveld, the Nhlaralumi River and the hills of the Drakensberg Mountain Range

Simbavati is situated approximately an hour away from the Hoedspruit Airport and a 7 hours drive from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, the luxurious tented camp offers guests beautifully designed accommodation overlooking the seasonal river and surrounding plains.

The Timbavati lodge offers an out of this world safari experience where all guests are encouraged to relax and feel at home. The lounge area is the perfect setting to rest on a comfortable couch with a book or enjoy an afternoon siesta.

During the hot sunny days, guests can indulge in soaking up the sun and taking a dip in the outdoor swimming pool. The lodge accommodates a maximum of 16 guests in 8 Luxury Safari Tents has en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers. Some of the luxury tents are on slopes and are therefore only accessible via steep stairs. A note for anyone that is mobility impaired.

For early-risers, an early morning tea/coffee is served with a selection of fresh fruit and pastries on the deck overlooking the river. Lunch is served a la carte style or chef's specials. Afternoon tea, or coffee, is also provided with a delicious selection of freshly baked sweet and savoury treats. Dinner is usually African-inspired cuisine and is available on the deck, or weather permitting, in the open-air boma around the fire under the stars which make for an unforgettable experience.

Thrilling safari drives through the Timbavati Private Game Reserve are available for safari enthusiasts early in the morning and the late afternoon / early evening when the game is most active. During the adventurous safari drives, one can learn about the smaller creatures of the wild.

The Spa is in the natural bush surroundings with traditional African massages on offer and other health; beauty treatments can be enjoyed at this spa retreat. Trained therapists ensure complete relaxation by providing spa treatments including a full body massage, foot massage, manicures, and pedicures as well as an ever inviting hot stone massage.

This famous game reserve in South Africa is home to the 'Big 5' - those animals considered most dangerous to hunt on foot - lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, rhinoceros, and elephant. The Timbavati Private Game Reserve claims to be home to the highest density of lion in the country. The reserve is also frequently traversed by vast herds of elephant and buffalo.

On the safari drives, you can look forward to seeing giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, warthog and many graceful herds of impala. During the evening safari drives, the tracker will be able to point out various nocturnal species such as bushbabies, pangolin, aardvark, and civet.

There are approximately 400 species of birdlife either resident or migrating to the area in summer. Raptors, such as the majestic Martial Eagle, Bateleur and Fish Eagle are frequently seen, and enthusiastic birders will delight in trying to differentiate various warblers, Cisticola, finches and canaries.

The Lodge is a 7-hour drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria. Guests are to follow the signs to the Simbavati River Lodge while the lodge is busy completing the concrete crossing to the Hilltop Lodge. When using a GPS, please do not type in Simbavati River Lodge into your GPS. The GPS will pick the lodge name up but will try and direct you to the Kruger National Park, which is not the correct direction. The Timbavati Hilltop Lodge cannot be accessed through the Kruger National Park but only through the Timbavati Gate as per the instructions below.

The lodge offers complimentary scheduled transfers at set times to coincide with the scheduled flights into and out from Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport. Please note that this is planned transfer and travellers will be sharing the vehicles with other guests coming to the lodge. If you are planning to drop a rental car at Hoedspruit Airport, please ensure that you arrive well before the flight arrival time to get the transfer in time.

The transfer time from Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport is approximately one hour. All complimentary transfers must be pre-booked as the Lodge only meets flights if they have passengers on that flight. Please note that the complimentary transfers exclude the vehicle entry fee.

Luxury Safari Tent features:

• Twin beds
• En-suite bathroom with bath/shower and double vanity basin
• Air conditioning
• Complimentary toiletries provided
• Outside shower/bath
• Private viewing deck
• Two points plug converters
• Mini-bar
• Safe

Facilities:

• Game-viewing deck overlooking the river
• Outdoor, Infinity swimming pool with panoramic views
• Covered pool lounge for shaded outdoor relaxation
• Curio shop
• Bar with spectacular 360º views
• Lounge offering a selection of books and board games
• Wi-Fi connectivity (reception room and deck area)

Services

• Airport transfers
• Inclusive meals and local beverages
• Safari drives
• Laundry service
• Housekeeping

Activities

• Early morning safari drives including a coffee/tea stop in the bush
• Afternoon safari drives including a bushveld sundowner break
• Swimming
• Game viewing
• Bird watching
• Spa treatments

Scheduled collection times from Hoedspruit:

• 11h20
• 12H10 (only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays)
• 13H15.

Scheduled departure times from Simbavati:

• 09h30 (for the 12 departure)
• 10h15 (for the 12h45 flight on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays)
• 11h25 (for the 13h50 flight).

For guests arriving at a different time, then the lodge arranges private transfers from Hoedspruit, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport KMIA, Phalaborwa Airport or from the Timbavati Gate.