Simbavati River Lodge

Property class: 4

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You can look forward to free full breakfast, a free roundtrip airport shuttle, and game and wildlife viewing at Simbavati River Lodge. Treat yourself to a body wrap, a body treatment, or a body scrub at the onsite spa. In addition to a free daily manager's reception and a terrace, guests can connect to free WiFi in public areas.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Breakfast included
  • All inclusive
  • Spa
  • Free airport shuttle
  • Parking included

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

View all photos for Luxury Tent

A bedroom with a large bed, a bench, a basket, and a chair.

Luxury Tent

  • River view
  • 38 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Family Chalet

A bedroom with two beds, a large window, and a view of a tree and landscape.

Family Chalet

  • River view
  • 50 sq m
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed OR 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Family Chalet, 2 Bedrooms

A bedroom with two beds, a large window, and a view of a tree and landscape.

Family Chalet, 2 Bedrooms

  • River view
  • 50 sq m
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 5
  • 5 Twin Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Tent

A modern outdoor pool area with lounge chairs and a wooden deck.

Deluxe Tent

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • 38 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Twin Bed
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About the neighborhood

View more Safari Tentalow in Africa
Map
Timbavati Private Game Reserve, Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, 1380

What's nearby

  • A leopard resting on a tree branch.
    Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
    1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • A dirt path with a lion walking away from the camera.
    Selati Nature Reserve
    28 min drive - 22.7 km

Getting around

  • Hoedspruit (HDS)
    160 min drive

About this property

Simbavati River Lodge

  • Upscale all-inclusive tentalow by the river
  • At Simbavati River Lodge, you can look forward to free full breakfast, a free roundtrip airport shuttle, and game and wildlife viewing. Treat yourself to a body wrap, a body treatment, or a body scrub at the onsite spa. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities such as a free daily manager's reception and a terrace.
  • Other perks include:
    • An outdoor pool along with sun loungers and pool umbrellas
    • Free self parking and valet parking
    • A safari, babysitting (surcharge), and books
    • Coffee/tea in the lobby, concierge services, and games
  • Room features
  • All guestrooms are individually furnished, and feature comforts such as premium bedding and air conditioning, as well as thoughtful touches like safes and bathrobes.
  • Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
    • Bathrooms with designer toiletries and hair dryers
    • Decks/patios, electric kettles, and heating

All inclusive details

  • This tentalow is all-inclusive. Onsite food and beverages are included in the room price (some restrictions may apply).

Food and beverages

    • All buffet and à la carte meals, snacks, and select beverages included
    • Basic alcoholic beverages included

Land activities

  • Childcare

Similar properties

A spacious lounge area with a high wooden ceiling, a central fireplace, and comfortable seating arrangements.
Kapama River Lodge
Hoedspruit
  • Pool
  • All inclusive
  • Spa
  • Free airport shuttle
9.8 out of 10, Exceptional, 342 reviews
The price is P91,034
P104,689 total
includes taxes & fees
Nov 7 - Nov 8
Kapama River Lodge
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Frequently asked questions

Does Simbavati River Lodge have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Simbavati River Lodge pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking and valet parking are free at this property.

What time is check-in at Simbavati River Lodge?

Check-in start time: 2:30 PM; Check-in end time: 5 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Simbavati River Lodge?

Check-out is at 11 AM.

Does Simbavati River Lodge provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's a free airport shuttle that runs 9:30 AM–3:30 PM on request.

Are there all-inclusive benefits at Simbavati River Lodge?

Yes, the property is all-inclusive. Food and beverages are included (with some restrictions).

Where is Simbavati River Lodge located?

Located on a river, this family-friendly tentalow is steps from Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and 11.6 mi (18.7 km) from Selati Nature Reserve. Kapama Private Nature Reserve is 31.6 mi (50.9 km) away.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Simbavati River Lodge Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

9.8

Cleanliness

10

Location

9.8

Staff & service

9.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 28 out of 34 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 34 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 34 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 34 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 34 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved our 3 nights stay! The whole staff was very friendly and present when needed. We loved our drives with Sarah and Joseph, their knowledge, patience and enthusiasm made the drives extra special. They made great effort to see the animals we wanted to see on each drives. We saw the big 5 from really close, multiple times! We loved the terrace in our lodge facing the river, during breaks we would watch elephants, waterbuck and hippos cross the river. The food was diverse and very good. Ralph made sure we had everything we needed and was so welcoming.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Simbavati River Lodge encompasses a combination of luxury and Safari adventure。 While being papered with an amazing room with 5 star accommodations, you are submerged within the best Safari viewing experience one can imagine. Staff is professional friendly and extremely happy and hospitable. They go way beyond what was expected in all aspects leaving you with an experience that may be lived in very few places in this type of vacation. The food served is phenomenal with all sorts of choices for every breakfast lunch dinner and drinks. Our Field Guide, Tracker provided us with knowledge and viewings of all sorts of species while always providing a safe environment with upbeat and fun momments to be remembered. The rest of the staff including our Butler were all on opoint. We dream on returning soon.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What we like the best is the people in this property! They are warm and welcoming! Every staff there are giving their best services to us! They are working hard to make sure the customers happy! Our guide named Happy was exceptional in terms of knowledge, competence, skills and his happy nature and disposition impressed us! He works extremely well with our ranger/ driver named Marte-lize, who has tremendous passion for her job and very good at her job! We are very blessed to have the best game drives every day! Our waitress Chrinah, was sweet, attentive and thoughtful. We are very grateful to have the wonderful unforgettable experiences! We cannot help but feel grateful for the memories we had made during our stay. It was a journey that awakened our sense, rejuvenate our spirit , and left us with a profound appreciation for the untamed the beauty of Africa wilderness! The memories of our Safari adventure will forever remain tattooed in our heart!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a wonderful stay! We honestly booked without expectations and were blown away. The staff has your whole day planned and makes sure you are cared for and pampered the entire time. The massage therapist was amazing! Our guide and tracker (Mark and Nickel) made the drives completely memorable. Our butler was also very professional and accommodating to our preferences! Owners take pride in their property and went out to their way to make sure our experience was perfect. My family highly recommends!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Phenomenal property and staff and game drives. Food and rooms were excellent.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing experience!!! We couldn’t expect better.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place. If you like elephants you will see many here. Overall a great place, from the people working there, to the food and amazing game drives.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Yes
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Meilleur guide TJ.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Einzigartige Tierbeobachtungen möglich, direkt von der Lodge aus. Lage direkt an einem Fluss, auch in der Trockenzeit mit Wasserlöchern gefüllt. Essen sehr gut, Personal teilweise unpersönlich. Driver und Tracker für die Gamedrives hervorragend. Unterkunft wird in Teilen renovierungsbedürftig. Ob einem der sehr hohe Preis gerechtfertigt erscheint, muss jeder selbst entscheiden.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
La tente de luxe était superbe Les games drive quelle aventure formidable, un merci tout spécial à Dennis Le personnel était à l’écoute de nos moindres besoins
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The lodge is well positioned with great facilities and comfortable accommodation. The guides and trackers and knowledgeable and friendly making for the best game drives.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Excellente

Chambre confortable. Chaque lodge est a l’écart des autres ce qui donne un sentiment d’être seul. Les prestations sont excellentes. Le personnel au petit soin. Les games drive au top avec le chauffeur et pisteur qui vous accompagne pendant le séjour. Beaucoup d’animaux dont les big 5. Je retournerai dans cet hôtel avec grand plaisir.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Simbavati sensation

5 star accommodation, food and wildlife experience.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing wild dogs sighting

Very nice lodge located on a river bank in the Timbavati Game Reserve with good food and with excellent and talented staff. They could not do anymore to make us feel comfortable and welcome. From the front desk ladies to the waiters and cooks they are all so nice and attentive. The guide (Nichole) and the tracker (Thabo) tried everything to show us some amazing animal sights. The game drives can vary depending on your luck, but the guide and tracker did everything they could to show us some quality sightings such as leopards and hyenas with kill and the high light for me, a pack of more than 30 wild dogs which Nichole chased off road for more than 15min. The information and explanations from the guide were just enough to keep us interested and to let us enjoy the moment. I also liked the fact that the guides use a hear piece to maintain radio contact with the other vehicles. In other lodges you have to be submitted to listen to the constant radio talk. This was a far, far better experience. We definitely recommend this lodge for a fantastic stay and a truly bush experience. Thank you to all and well done for your dedication
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The guide and tracker and butker qere excellent. So kind and helpful. The drives were FANTASTIC. Included the Big 5 as well as nuanced things like birds, vegetation, insects and reptiles. Just excellent. ,
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wunderschöner Platz mit vielen vielen Tieren direkt beim Frühstück und an den lodges, tolles Essen und klasse Personal, alles wie eine Familie, spitzen Safaris mit Leopard, Nashorn, Löwen Elefanten.....
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nothing better than being greeted by a herd of elephants and impala as we sat on the veranda sipping a drink and sailing up the sun
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

60th Birthday celebrations

What a 60th Birthday bucket list adventure Family from around the globe joined together and we were super spoilt by team at Simbavati
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Leider war das Lucyszelt In der River Lodge nicht wie auf den Bildern am Fluss , kein Blick . Bei Hitze ueber 40 Grad funktionierte die Klimaanlage nur unzureichend . Außer 2 Ganes drives keinerlei andere Aktivitaeten moeglich . Gebiet um die Lodge bzgl Tieren ziemlich leergefegt , morgens in 3 Stunden 2 x nur 2 Tiersorte gesehen . Zu teuer fuer die Leistung , schade .
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Decepcionados

Buscávamos um safári de alto nível e não tivemos isso. A qualidade dos safáris foi mediana. Fizemos outros em outro lodge e foi imensamente superior (mas o dobro do preço). A ranger era inexperiente e o tracker apático. Na maior parte das vezes, se restringiram a rodar pela reserva e encontrar os animais na sorte. No outro lodge, eles foram totalmente envolvidos e ativos na busca, e os safáris foram emocionantes. Não voltaremos e não recomendamos. A parte isso, o lodge é lindo e a reserva tem uma natureza belíssima. Os animais que vivem por lá são especiais. Vimos os 5 grandes. Também fomos presenteados por uma manada de elefantes que atravessou o rio, bem em frente ao lodge, enquanto tomávamos café da manhã.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
O hotel é muito bom, a equipe é MUITO educada, prestativa são ótimos. Achei só que na hora do safari não conseguimos ver os big 5 e faltou um pouco de foco, senti que rodávamos sempre os mesmos perímetros e não explorávamos muito.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Traveller from Toronto

Great with African cuisine dinner, thank you so much to Nicholas, Stefan, Kyle for the game drive. it was a great experience in my life. Nice to try kadu, buffalo meat for dinner. 3 meal plus 4 snack time per day.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Truly Loved It

We stayed in what are called "tents" but are actually much nicer including a complete bathroom, minibar, a/c, overhead fan, etc. The staff was wonderful, nice small pool, food good. Oh, the animals -- unbelievable. We stayed 4 nights at roughly $515/night, worth every penny, and had a great time on all the drives. Didn't get bored for a second.
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great for safaris

A great location beside a river bed, that sadly only carries water during heavy rain. Never the less we still saw many animals walk along the river bed and drink from the water hole in front of the lodge. Internet is intermittent, due to the isolation of the area, but we found that all the lodges we visited had the same problems. Comfortable and very friendly staff.