Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Thabamati Luxury Tented Camp
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve · Kruger
Four Java-style safari tents with free-standing baths and indoor-outdoor showers on a dam facing the Drakensberg, in the Timbavati; maximum eight guests, camp exclusivity available, solar and gas power.
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The stay
Four tents on a dam, and the option to take all of them
Thabamati is the more comfortable of two family-owned camps in the Timbavati (Shindzela is the other) and holds just four tents, so eight guests fill it. The tents are open-plan under canvas with a writing desk, a seating area, a free-standing bath, indoor and outdoor showers and a deck facing a dam with the Drakensberg beyond. Power is solar and gas; unlimited Wi-Fi, laundry, bottled water and sundowner drinks on the drives are all included, and the camp can be booked exclusively. Days run to the classic pattern: morning drive, optional hour-long walk after breakfast, afternoon drive into the evening, dinner, star-gazing.
Why Thabamati
Thabamati is the choice for a couple or a party of friends who want the Timbavati at small scale with a bath and a view rather than a bigger lodge's facilities, and it is one of the simplest camps in the region to take over entirely: four tents, eight people, one vehicle. If you want a lower price and do not need the bath and the drinks, Shindzela next door shares the ownership and the reserve.
Rooms & Suites
Luxury Safari Tent
Max 2 adults
Maximum 8 guests in camp.
Safari & Experiences
Game drives
Morning and afternoon drives in open 4×4 vehicles in the Timbavati, with sundowner drinks included.
Morning bush walk
Optional guided walk of about an hour after breakfast.
Optional; included in the rate
Star-gazing
After-dinner star-gazing in camp.
Good to know
Families
Child rates apply for ages 10-11 and the conservation levy is reduced for under-12s. With only four tents, families would usually take the camp exclusively.
Power & connectivity
- Solar and gas powered
Solar and gas power. Unlimited Wi-Fi included.
Getting there
- Nearest airport: Hoedspruit (Eastgate) Airport
- Drive time: About 1.5 hours from Hoedspruit Airport; about 6.5 hours from Johannesburg
Private transfers from Hoedspruit, KMIA and Johannesburg and a shared Johannesburg-Hoedspruit shuttle can be booked. Vehicle entry fee payable at the Timbavati gate for self-drivers.
Sustainability & Conservation
Eco-friendly camp using only solar power and gas.
Timbavati conservation levy and vehicle entry fee paid to the reserve; the reserve runs mosquito-control spraying in the wet season.
Add the road leg
Private transfers, arranged with the stay.
Spurwing can arrange private road transfers from Johannesburg, O.R. Tambo, regional airports or another lodge where the routing is practical, or build the road leg into a wider South African itinerary.
Tell us where you are coming from and where you are going next. We confirm the practical route, vehicle and timing before anything is booked.
Request This Stay
Rates on request
One trusted partner for the whole journey — speak to us and we’ll help plan the stay alongside the rest of your trip.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can we book Thabamati exclusively?
Yes. The camp publishes a camp-exclusivity option for a maximum of eight guests across its four tents.
Are drinks included?
Drinks on game drives are included (local beers, soft drinks, local spirits and house wines), as are bottled water, tea and coffee. Drinks in camp outside activities are charged.
Does Thabamati have Wi-Fi and electricity?
The camp runs on solar power and gas and includes unlimited Wi-Fi.
How is Thabamati different from Shindzela?
Same owners and same reserve. Thabamati has four tents with free-standing baths and dam views, includes drinks on drives, laundry and camp exclusivity; Shindzela is larger (eight tents), more basic, and charges for all drinks.