Kings Camp in Timbervarti Private Game Reserve, everything about it was excellent, the people, the service, the room, the driver, tracker and guide and the food. Nothing was too much trouble for them.
The drives through the game parks were such an amazing experience. The guide, Cynert, was incredibly knowledgable and entertaining. We really got to experience the animals up close and met lovely people from all over the world.
Can't wait to get back there.

My wife and I visited KC in March 2011 and loved it so much we revisited 8 months later. On this occasion we stayed for 4 nights. On our first trip our ranger and guide were Patrick and Albert who were so good we requested (and got) them both again.
We were picked up at the airfield by Patrick in a game vehicle and transported to the lodge where we received a warm welcome and cold drink. We stayed in one of the honeymoon suites (a large room really) with it's own patio and plunge pool which is very nice indeed with a huge, comfortable bed with it's own mosquito net. Other on-site facilities include a small souvenir shop, an outside pool, a spa room , a very well equipped gym and a library area with a PC and a TV. Wifi is available throughout.

Our day began with Patrick's early morning wake-up call at 5am followed by tea/coffee/juice and muffins on the elevated viewing deck before leaving for the morning game drive. After the morning game drive breakfast is served in the dining room, we then took the rest of the morning at leisure up to lunch time (morning game walks are available). After lunch relaxation was the order until the afternoon game drive at 4pm during which sundowner drinks are served (a cold G&T was most welcome on the hot afternoons).
On our 4 nights dinner was served twice in the Boma, once in the dining room and once in the garden.

Throughout our visit the food was superb as was the service provided by the bar and waiting staff. The management staff (Warren and his wife who's name I've forgotten - sorry) would speak to all the guests at meal times for a general chat - a nice touch and not done everywhere.

I've left the best until last - the game drives - during which we saw the expected big 5, including an incredible viewing of a herd of elephants bathing and wallowing in a water hole and a white lion. However it's the unexpected little things that we like - the dwarf mongooses peeking out of holes in the ground, the young hyenas in their lair, a troop a baboons at the dam at sunset.

As they were during our last visit, Patrick and Albert were superb, both enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable - we left here for Earth Lodge in Sabi Sabi where the ranger and tracker we had were not a patch on these guys.

Should management read this review I've a couple of small suggestions to make.

During one Boma dinner we had the heat was almost unbearable - please install some overhead fans in the seating areas. Secondly, the very handsome chairs in the dining room have very hard, flat seat bases - some cushions would be appreciated.

All in all a fantastic visit and we hope to return in the not too distant future. Thanks to all concerned.

King's Camp is a small, welcoming "oasis" in the midst of the seclusion of the Timbavati Game Reserve adjacent to Kruger Park. We didn't know what to expect. Would we be roughing it at this remote location? Quite to the contrary, we had all the amenities necessary to feel pampered if not down right spoiled. Gourmet food and open bar......check! Friendly and efficient staff.....check! Spacious, well appointed room with private pool.....check! Hot bubble bath surrounded by lit candles on returning from our evening safari.....check! Wifi.....check! Big five sightings.....check! Rare white lions sighting.....check! Knowledgable, personable guide and tracker.....check! Let me pause in my accolades about King's Camp and tell you the best part of this whole experience. That would be Patrick, our guide. We had never met anyone quite like him. He knew everything about everything from the largest mammal to the smallest insect and respected every living creature's intrinsic value. On the rare occasions that we had to search for a while for an animal sighting, Patrick would keep it interesting by giving a dissertation on what lived in a little hole in the ground that we found. Or when following a female leopard leaving her "calling card" on various trees we were thoroughly informed about this animal behavior. I could go on and on but let us suffice to say Patrick is the best guide on the planet!

Our Party:
There were 6 in our party, 3 teenager girls, Gran and my partner & I. On arrival at Kings Camp we were told we'd been upgraded to the separate Waterbuck Private Villa which is just wonderful. We had our own butler called Mandla, chef called Jobida and dedicated Safari driver called Colbert and tracker Sunny Boy plus a team of support staff who worked behind the scenes. The welcome by all the staff and management was exceptional and being a relatively small Lodge the service is friendly and welcoming.

Accommodation and Grounds:
The Villa had three main very large double bedrooms and a separate outbuilding bedroom which slept another two but we didn't need this. My partner and I took the upper room in the main Villa which was huge and consisted of large double bed and sitting area overlooking the grounds and beyond into the African bush. The girls and Gran took the ample bedrooms on the lower ground.

The Villa is set in lovely well kept grounds with its own small swimming pool which is good enough to cool off from the hot African sun. Ample shade from trees and parasols and you don't have to compete for the sunbeds or places to sit. Not that the main Kings Camp Lodge was full anyway. We took a look around to explore the place where we should have been staying and although everything is to the same high standard as our Villa it was just nice to have everything 'just for us'.

Food and service:
Were just amazing with a wide variety of food available all freshly cooked and prepared. Jobida would prepare something special for those with fussy tastes given a bit of notice. Breakfast was typically served outside under the trees and overlooking the dry river bed where you can sometimes see the wild life passing. Dinner was also served here one night but they varied the location from inside the Villa in the main dining room to a specially built open BBQ area

Safari:
There were two trips per day; 6 am and 4 pm each lasting 3 hours. Colbert and Sunny Boy did a fantastic job of seeking out the wild life and it wasn't long before we saw the majority of the big 5. Indeed the only animal that eluded us was the Cheetah but this is rarely seen by anyone. Colbert managed to get us very close to Elephant, Lion, Water Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Rhino which allowed us all to get some amazing photos. You feel even closer to the animals as the Safari is in an Open Sided and Open roof Land Rover which is capable of going anywhere...and it did much to our excitement ! All well under control and professional as was Colberts knowledge which made the whole experience one to remember for life.

Thank you everyone for making our first Safari such a memorable experience.