Travel To Kambaku
Everything You Need To Know
When is the best time to travel to South Africa for a safari holiday?
The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is a year-round destination of extraordinary beauty — but the season you choose will shape the experience you have.
For the best wildlife viewing, the dry winter months of May to September are ideal. As vegetation thins out, animals concentrate around permanent water sources making game drives particularly rewarding. Wildlife viewing improves as the dry season wears on, making September an especially excellent time to visit.
The summer rainfall period from November through April transforms the reserve into something equally spectacular — lush, green and teeming with life. This is calving season, when baby animals abound, and bird watching is at its best with the arrival of summer migrants.
Timbavati is easily accessible — a half-day’s drive from Johannesburg however many visitors choose to fly into Hoedspruit Airport or Kruger International in Nelspruit, which is served by direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Whatever time of year you choose, Kambaku is ready to welcome you. Our door is always open.
What to pack when going on safari in South Africa?
- Lightweight, cool, and comfortable clothes made of a natural, “breathable” fabric.
- A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen – even in the winter months.
- Walking shoes.
- Binoculars
- Camera and accessories
- Lip balm and insect repellent
- Bathing costume
What is the best time for a game drive?
While the wildlife of the Timbavati do not stick to a schedule, generally the best time for a game drive is in the early morning.
Be prepared for a few early mornings during your stay with Kambaku, but we promise that the early mornings will, without a doubt, be worth it.
Be Open-Minded
One of the greatest gifts a safari in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve can offer is the unexpected. No two game drives are ever the same — and that’s precisely what makes each one so memorable.
If this is your first safari experience, embrace the unpredictability. You may witness all of the Big Five on a single drive, or you may spend a golden afternoon in the company of a herd of impala moving quietly through the bush. Both are extraordinary in their own right.
At Kambaku, our guides do everything possible to deliver an unforgettable experience — but the wilderness sets its own agenda. When the big game proves elusive, the Timbavati rewards the patient observer in other ways. With over 360 bird species recorded in the reserve, and a remarkable array of smaller wildlife, there is always something worth stopping for.On safari, learning to look closer is often where the real magic begins.
Game Drive Etiquette
Game viewing is one of the biggest reasons you visit the bush which makes game drives the highlight of each day.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you are on your daily game drives:
- Do not stand up in the game drive vehicle.
- Do not hang over the side of the vehicle.
- Do not call, whistle or throw things at the animals in an attempt to get them to react.
- Noise level on the vehicle is to be kept to a minimum, this is for the benefit of both the animals and any other vehicles.
- Never hang out of the vehicle while it is moving.
- Respect the environment you are in.
