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#1 of 12 lodges in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Luxury Safari Camp located on an exclusive 3500 hectare property in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Prime location and exclusivity during guided activities provide wildlife and birdlife sightings amongst the very best available commercially in the Greater Kruger Park. Accommodation, guided bush walks and game drives, bushcraft and survival skills, and incredible included and optional extras exceed expectations.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Family
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park 7700 South Africa
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Nestled in the heart of the wilderness, Bateleur Safari Camp is lauded for its exceptional service, with staff members who are not only friendly but also well-versed in creating a familial atmosphere. The spacious and comfortable rooms, which blend seamlessly into the safari environment, receive high marks for cleanliness and attention to detail.
The camp is celebrated for offering superb value, with guests frequently expressing that the wildlife experiences far exceed their expectations. Additionally, Bateleur's commitment to sustainability enhances its luxurious atmosphere, and the range of top-notch amenities, including a refreshing pool and diverse dining options, consistently impress visitors.
Atmosphere
Sustainable
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Exceptional
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Outstanding
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I did not know what to expect booking at the Bateleur Safari Camp, as I had not been to that part of the Timbavati before, but the camp came highly recommended. It was a post lockdown decision to head to the bush for a December break and of course the Covid-19 pandemic was still in full swing.
The team: All I can say is wow! The small but efficient team running the camp and taking care of the guests could not do enough for us. Our guide Jaime and tracker Temba were an exceptional team. So knowledgeable on the area, the animals and birds. No day was boring and we had a lot of laughs over the 7 nights we were there.
We had the most spectacular sightings of Leopard, Wild Dog, Hyena, Lion, Giraffe and so much more. They worked so well as a team to give us the best experience we could have asked for.
The Accommodation: I love the luxury tents that we stayed in, they had all we needed for our stay and were very comfortable. They were serviced every day by magical fairies that made it such a good experience.
The Food: Chef Kalmay did a wonderful job at keeping us fed. A blend of home cooked biscuits and rusks, stunning food (Catered for vegetarians and gluten free as well) and the best desserts ever!
The Management and Office team: Sophia, Brad, Sioban, Brian and Solly made our check-in, check-out, arrivals back from game drives and our rest times a pleasure. As mentioned, they could not do enough for us to ensure our stay was amazing. It was evident that the staff worked as a family to ensure the camp operated to the best possible standard. The other guide Christiaan and tracker Lucky were a great addition to the team and shared so much in terms of their knowledge and skills in the bush. The innovative adjustments to their normal operation to adhere to the Covid protocols were great and cleanliness, sanitization and masks etc were all adhered to.
If you are looking at a 2 night stay or a week to relax and enjoy the bush, Bateleur Safari Camp is a welcome change from a busier and more commercial offering in the area. The personal touches made it all worthwhile and you felt like you were surrounded by friends all the time. I would go back in a heartbeat!
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Date of stay: December 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â All of the rooms have a view of the river, some have more beds for families, but ours had more...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Lehr, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 1 Jan 2021
Wow! What a phenomenal and in depth review covering all aspects of your stay at Bateleur Safari Camp, thank you. It is so heart warming to read how much the staff, the 'bush fairies' and the style of the camp made your safari within the Timbavati; especially mentioning your guiding team Jaime & Temba who kept you entertained and enthralled throughout, with the help of the phenomenal wildlife sightings no doubt! We look forward to welcoming you in to our bush family in the near future soonest, hopefully next time without all the COVID restrictions and protocols, so that we may truly entertain and spoil you.
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I’ll begin by saying that everything about Bateleur is absolutely fabulous! Every staff member at the camp was so eager and enthusiastic to make our time there special. This was our first safari and we really didn’t know what to expect. Jamie and Temba were our guide/tracker during our time there. We were in absolute awe about their passion for their work, their abundance of knowledge about the bush, animals, animal behaviour, insects, birds, the grasses, trees (the list goes on) and their respect for the environment and the animals that inhabit the area. They were extremely relaxed, enthusiastic and determined to find animals (in a very respectful way) the entire time and you can’t help but feed off their great energy. There was always a smile on everyone’s face! The groups are small and therefore able to be personalised and we were able to have some really great discussions, ask as many questions as we like and get to know one another. The food is amazing and there is so much variety. The chefs are so lovely and make the effort for every meal to tell you face to face what is on the menu. Everything we ate was delicious and you could taste that it was made with love! Super fresh too! The rooms give a very authentic feel, you couldn’t be any more connected to nature. There are even animals that are right outside the room! The rooms are clean, the beds are super comfy and the outdoor shower is just divine! The structure of the days are planned perfectly and ensures we are out at the perfect times for animal sightings. We spotted the big 5 a lot sooner than we expected! I couldn’t rate the Bateleur team and what they offer high enough. They’re just fabulous. Every single one of them! They make you feel like family. If we didn’t have a planned schedule, we’d definitely be hanging around longer! Thank you to the Bateleur team for creating an enriching experience and wonderful memories that will truly last a lifetime. We will be back one day! Dani :)
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andrew739, Public Relations Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 6 Jan 2020
Thanks very much for your detailed feedback! We're looking forward to seeing you at Bateleur again one day!
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A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
In April 2022, as the first part of our honeymoon we stayed at the Bateleur Camp for 3 nights. From the moment we arrived at the camp the experience was fantastic.
We were greeted upon arrival with a cold drink, wet towel to freshen up after travelling and then given our safety briefing before being led to our "tent" to relax ahead of our first afternoon drive.
From an accommodation perspective we didnt really know what to expect, but we were not disappointed. The room was very spacious and comfortable, with an outdoor shower plus bath tub, and we had a deck that looked out over the dried riverbed.
Next thing to mention was the food, we didnt have a bad meal whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner we both thought the food was fantastic. This was also accompanied by some fantastic hosting from the team, and they genuinely couldnt do enough for you.
Finally the Game Drives; these certainly how the WOW factor. Our Guide Christian was fantastic not just sharing his knowledge about the animals we saw; and we were lucky enough to see Lions, Lion Cubs, Leopards, Elephants, Rhinos and many more. But he was also telling us about the Stars, insects, plants, trees and birds it truly was a fantastic experience. We did manage to also do a bush walk which allowed us to see a group of elephants very much up close.
In short, the trip was everything we wanted it to be and we are already looking at our next trip in 2024 and encouraging family members to join us...
David & Charlotte
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Date of stay: April 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Marais, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 8 Jan 2023
Oh Yay! We cannot wait to have you return in 2024!!! And what a wonderful review of your stay with us, thank you. From the frontline team, the chefs, camp hands and the guiding teams, we are thrilled that all were spectacular and added their own value to your African safari. We look forward to seeing you again.
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It's taken me a while to get to this, but we were lucky enough to stay at Bateleur on our honeymoon in January. We got to spend almost 2 weeks in Africa and all of it was amazing but, Bateleur was definitely my favorite place. I loved that it was small and everything felt very personal. Between the staff and the other guests it felt more like being with a group of friends than staying at a lodge or hotel.
With a combination of luck and awesome guides we saw basically every animal we could ask for on our safaris. (I'm still planning on going back to make Jaime find me a honey badger.)
Service, food, atmosphere, and everything else all a 12/10.
The only "negative" thing, if you can call it that, is that the walls of the rooms are mesh which adds to the experience, but also means no air conditioning. I don't sleep well if it's too hot, but there are fans and with the breeze I didn't have trouble sleeping. But, depending on the time of year it might be something to keep in mind. It definitely wouldn't keep me from going back regardless.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â I don't think you can get a bad room.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Lehr, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 4 Sept 2020
Fantastic to hear that you had such a wonderful honeymoon in South Africa and that your stay at Bateleur Safari Camp was your favourite destination during your visit! It is truly wonderful to hear that you were lucky to see all that you you could imagine and more; excepting that honey badger; but as you say, we'll hold Jaime to finding you one on your next visit! The canvas tents are an experience and a half, and a great way to stay connected to the surrounding outside nature; however YES, in the summer months it may get rather stifling without a breeze, even with the ceiling fan running. Perhaps your next visit could be during one of our cooler winter months, where the bush will be in a completely different growth phase and the ambient temperature much lower, allowing for more comfortable evenings. We look forward to your return for another wild bush experience!
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Our family of 4 stayed here for 3 nights in July and it was an amazing experience, to say the least! We were paired to go on safari with another family with children, which was perfect. Our guide was Victor and our tracker was Lucky; we couldn't have asked for a better team. Lucky was a fantastic tracker and somehow tracked lions on foot our last day. He also took time to show the kids how to tell the difference between a lot of the animal tracks (leopards, lions, cheetahs, etc.). One day he even did a bush survival skill class with all of us! Because the kids were too young to go on a bush walk, Victor and Lucky took us hunting for scorpions and spiders on one of our drives, which was a unique experience we could not have gotten anywhere else. Both Victor and Lucky were great with out kids and answered all our questions.
The accommodations were also beautiful. I was worried about staying in a canvas tent, but it was very luxurious and I'm so glad we did it this way. It was cold on some nights but they sent us to our rooms with hot water bottles that made a ton of difference. We had an indoor bath tub and an outdoor shower, which made for a really unique experience as well.
Food here was absolutely amazing and it felt like we were constantly eating! We also had plenty to drink if we wanted it and pricing was really not too bad at all. Kitchen staff and Phillipa in reception were all very friendly and helpful. Kitchen staff also made my son pancakes one morning because he kept talking about them.
We had a lot of unique sightings, and while we didn't see as much here as we saw in Kruger itself, the ability to drive off road was a whole other experience. We thought that doing the 2 nights in Kruger and the 3 nights at Bateleur was the perfect combination, as we were able to have lots of different experiences. While Kruger was amazing, it was very fast-paced and it was nice to slow down a bit and enjoy the camp at Bateleur.
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Date of stay: July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Marais, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 17 Feb 2023
Thank you for your wonderful review. We look forward to welcoming your return.
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Our family of 5 has had an amazing time at this location but more specifically the service provided by the team there has been excellent!
Our room was super clean and we loved mostly the connection with the nature in the tent, listening to all the sounds coming from outside but feeling perfectly safe inside, the windows all around the tent including the bathroom. The outdoor terrace was placed on the edge of a river bank which would attract wildlife and it would be a perfect spot for an amazing sighting right at the camp.
I loved that the camp is Eco friendly using solar panels only and having their own underground aquifer. The guide was actively stopping the car to collect any rubbish/plastic from the bush.
The food was absolutely delicious and the chef was always speaking to us, introducing what him and his team have cooked for us. Plenty of drinks choice and you could even have a drink outside in the bush when you were going out for a Safari trip.
Lastly the service quality received especially from Victor & Lucky (our Safari guide and tracker). They are clearly very passionate about the wildlife and you can see that through the way they speak about animals and how excited they get when we were at a sighting. They knew how to listen to what we wanted to see in the wild, they were communicating with transparency about what is possible to see and what not based on the tracks that they could find. We felt part of the team by being given a choice of what it was possible to see in the bush and how long we wanted to spend when we were at one sighting. They are also super friendly and amazing story tellers, we have some great memories of listening to their adventures and watching the sunset at the same time.
The whole experience feels intimate and personal. We would love to come back again and explore even more of the bush!
Thanks, Cripps Family
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Date of stay: August 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â river bank view tent
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Marais, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 17 Feb 2023
Thank you for your wonderful review and that the family enjoyed their Safari with us! We look forward to welcoming your return.
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Me and my wife stayed for 3 nights at Bataleur and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The stay consisted of 3 nights stay accompanied with 6 game drives with the wonderful Temba! Temba was our game driver and guide and he was absolutely amazing. His depth of knowledge of the bush and his stories of past experience were absolutely outstanding and he made the stay 5 stars for us. He even went out of his way to complete a survival course with us which was really impressive, entertaining and interesting. He also ate breakfast and dinner with the group which was a nice touch to further explain aspects of what we saw and to tell some of his stories. Very polite and a true gentleman, I would highly recommend him as a guide to go over and above expectations.
Every element of the experience was excellent and to a high standard.
The food was plentiful, very tasty and had a great mix so it wasn't like eating the same or similar things each day. The chefs would also detail everything you were eating in an initial presentation, which was a nice touch.
The decking and pergola areas were also a very high standard, modern and comfortable which made chilling by the pool in the early afternoon a very nice experience with the view to see a few antelope, birds and monkeys as we lay there! The antelope also made their way through the camp and were comfortable with us humans which was magical.
The only thing to be aware of when staying here which was a little disappointing initially for me and my wife was that from the pictures we thought our room would have a bathtub and a view, however we were in the room towards the back of the camp with just a shower and no view. This can be misleading from the pictures so be aware when you are booking.
Overall an excellent stay and somewhere I would recommend to anyone considering a safari.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Marais, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 17 Feb 2023
Thank you for your wonderful review. We look forward to welcoming your return.
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We really enjoyed our stay here. All the staff was very welcoming and friendly. It felt like a home away from home. Lucky and Christian make a fantastic team, they have so much fun and work very well together. We learned lots of new things, although we have been on safari countless times before. We loved the way we tracked animals together and went on several short walking safaris to get closer to rhinos.
Lucky also teaches you how to survive in the bush.
The food was very delicious and creative. You would like to take Karmel (I hope I spelled her name correctly) home!
Covid measurements are taken very seriously, they checked our temperature every day, aswell as our oxygen levels and everybody keeps on sanitizing all the time.
We would love to go back here! Thanks Sophia, Brad and team!
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: It is quite a long drive firm Jo’burg to the camp, so make sure you depart on time (before 8.00am)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Marais, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 31 Aug 2021
Wonderful to hear that you enjoyed you time on safari with us & that the camp felt like your home away from home. This is exactly how we would want one to feel & take away from their safari experience with us at Bateleur Safari Camp. Christian & Lucky are a dream together and it's lovely to hear that they added to our knowledge of our surrounding bush environment; as well as the thrill of spending time on foot tracking & trailing, immersing ones self and getting a feel for the behaviour and natural movements of our wildlife species within their habitat; a truly different experience all together! Sorry to stay that Kalmay (no worries about the spelling) is staying here with us and could not be taken home with you, but super happy to hear that you enjoyed her delicious food offerings each meal. We strive ourselves on adhering to our COVID protocols and practices to ensure the safety of not only our guests but also that of our amazing team on the ground; and it is wonderful to hear that the daily temperature & oxygen level checks are not too much to ask of our guests each morning. Safety comes first in ALL aspects of your safari, not just while being out in the bush. Myself, Brad and the entire Bateleur team look forward to welcoming you return to us for your next safari adventure, hopefully sooner rather than later.
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We stayed at Bateleur after a recommendation from a friend, and also a qualified game ranger as he far as he was concerned it was a great place to start. He was absolutely correct and the trip surpassed all expectations!
The camp itself is fantastic and the rooms are amazing. The bedrooms are permanent tents which give you the outdoorsy feel but also the home comfort of mosquito nets/overhead fans/running water/good shower etc. The camp also provides a nice social space and fire pit for drinks and dinner, overlooking a river. The small pool came in very handy to cool offer during the day as it was hot when we stayed. The food was excellent too, great variety with every meal. As the camp is based within the game reserve you can also expect a few visitors, for us this was monkeys hoping to snatch some food around meal times, although the staff were wise to their tactics!
The game drives were also amazing and we did manage to see 4 of the big 5, with just the Leopards eluding us, although the pack to wild dogs did make up for this. We had Christian and Temba with us on our drives and their depth of knowledge across pretty much all wildlife was outstanding! They obviously know the park like the back of their hands and regularly stopped to talk about the natural habitat, wild grass, insects in between sightings off the larger animals. One real treat was when we got off the truck and went for a walk through the bush to track 3 Rhino, although I was quietly pleased we didn’t get too close! Back at camp Temba also gave us a bush craft survival lesson too which included making a fire using Elephant dung.
I couldn’t recommend this place highly enough and I hope one day I’ll be back!
Thanks for everything Bateleur!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andrew739, Public Relations Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 21 Feb 2020
Thanks very much for your comprehensive feedback! We look forward to your next visit to Bateleur!
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If you just want to race loudly from one 'Big 5' sighting to another - maybe go elsewhere. But if you're looking for an exceptional guiding experience, come here! We really enjoyed the deeper dive into tracking, into learning about animal behavior, conservation issues, and bush survival. But we also had fantastic 'Big 5' experiences! The tents were very comfortable, especially the outside seating and shower facilities. The cooking was exceptional - not as 'fancy' as some 5* places, but lighter and more creative.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophia Marais, General Manager at Bateleur Safari Camp
Responded 20 Apr 2022
Thank you so much for your wonderful and honest review! We are extremely proud that our ethos of the camp, our conservation standards and the entirety of the bush as a complete system was portrayed and felt by you during your stay. We look forward to welcoming your return for future adventures.
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Eindhoven, The Netherlands29 contributions2 helpful votes
I forgot our room number already, our room was the closeset one to the main building. This was still very private, you could not hear or see anything from the main building or other rooms. I would say there is not much difference in the rooms, none is very far away and they are all private and quiet. Bateleur was definetily a very good safari destination.
Hi Mark,
I'm not sure yet what our specials are for 2025. But if you send through an email to our reservations, they will be able to assist. Alternatively you can pop onto our website for more information.
We look forward to welcoming you back to Bateleur!
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, South Africa1 contribution1 helpful vote
Hello,
And sorry for our delay in reply.
You children are more than welcome to join on both game drives and bush walks, however the guide has the final say as to allowing the children on walks, depending on their behavior and maturity.
There are more places to choose from in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve area.
PRICE RANGE
₹70,805 - ₹79,960 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaKruger National ParkTimbavati Private Nature Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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