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Lodge · Timbavati
Kambaku River Sands
Kambaku River Sands has received international acclaim for being one of the most frequented safari lodges in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
From R 13 120 per person sharing, per night
Special offer available on selected dates.
Lodge · Timbavati
Kambaku River Sands
Kambaku River Sands has received international acclaim for being one of the most frequented safari lodges in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
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Kambaku River Sands
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Kambaku River Sands
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About the lodge
An overview of Kambaku River Sands.
Kambaku River Sands has received international acclaim for being one of the most frequented safari lodges in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
Highlights
- All-inclusive, five-star experience
- World-class cuisine and specialist wine tastings
- World-renowned "Magnificent Seven": lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, and wild dogs roam freely in an untouched habitat
You Should Know
- Children from the age of 12 and up are welcome at Kambaku River Sands.
The Detail
Sitting majestically on the banks of a dry riverbed, Kambaku River Sands invites guests to sit back and relax. Kambaku (Solitary Bull Elephant) takes its name from one of the "Magnificent Seven" tuskers who roamed Kruger Park for the greater part of the last century. These elephants were renowned for their impressive tusks, with at least one tusk weighing over 60 kilograms.
This unfenced camp is perfectly situated on a perennial river, allowing continuous free-flowing movement of game, both big and small, through the camp.
Guests at Kambaku River Sands often enjoy a unique safari experience from their private decks or the main lodge area. There are frequent up-close encounters with elephants, buffalo, and bushbuck, to name just a few of the visiting wildlife.
The main lodge features a spacious lounge with two enormous open fireplaces to keep guests warm during cool winter nights. The bar provides a relaxing space to watch elephants drinking from the swimming pool while enjoying a cold beer or a chilled glass of wine.
All 10 suites are elegantly decorated and feature private viewing decks with spectacular views of the dry riverbed or the surrounding bush. Sliding doors are protected with mosquito netting, while beds are draped in classic white satin nets. Guests can indulge in the luxury of their suites, with amenities such as a minibar, butler’s tray, outdoor shower, air conditioning, and a variety of guest toiletries.
The main lodge is thoughtfully designed with its high thatched roof overlooking the Kambaku River Sands waterhole. Guests can unwind in the luxurious surroundings of the lounge. The lodge also offers uncapped Wi-Fi in the main lodge area for connectivity.
Due to the unfenced nature of the camp, wildlife is free to roam throughout the lodge. Game drives provide the ideal opportunity to encounter the Big Five and more. Additionally, bush walks allow exploration of the smaller wonders of the wilderness, while downtime in camp offers the chance to observe relaxed animal behavior from your private deck.
Game drives are conducted in an open vehicle, offering excellent photographic opportunities. The experienced and passionate rangers ensure an unforgettable bush experience.
Price Includes
- Accommodation, all meals, two game drives per day, game drive snacks, brunch, high tea, tea, coffee, local beers, and soft drinks
You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup.
The same as booking direct
Rates and dates.
Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.
Valid until 31 Dec 2026
Peak / migration
1 Jul 2026 – 31 Oct 2026
All Inclusive - Two game drives per day, bush walks, all meals, tea & coffee, house wines, local spirits, beers & soft drinks
R 17 500
per person · night
Shoulder
1 Nov 2026 – 30 Nov 2026
All Inclusive - Two game drives per day, bush walks, all meals, tea & coffee, house wines, local spirits, beers & soft drinks
Special offer
R 13 120
per person · night · normally R 17 500
Rates are per person sharing, per night. Where a reduced rate is shown, it reflects a stay-pay or long-stay offer for those dates; honeymoon and other offers are applied separately when we prepare your quote. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.
Current offers
Special offer available.
Where the rates above show a saving, it comes from a stay-pay or long-stay offer. Honeymoon and bush-and-beach offers are applied by your safari specialist when preparing your quote.
Stay & Pay
Stay four nights and pay for three only, a saving of 25 per cent, available for travel from 1 to 30 November 2026. The offer applies to four-night stays only and cannot be extended to longer stays or combined with any other special, and is available on new bookings only.
Long stay
Combine two nights at Kambaku Safari Lodge with two nights at Kambaku River Sands and receive 10 per cent off the River Sands rate. Available year round on new bookings only, for the four-night lodge itinerary, and not combinable with any other special.
Bush & beach
Pair the Timbavati with the Garden Route on a six-night journey: three nights at Kambaku At Sea in Sedgefield and three nights at the lodge, with 10 per cent off the lodge rate. Available year round on new bookings only and not combinable with any other special.
Honeymoon offer
For couples celebrating a wedding.
Documented from Kambaku Lodges's 2026 rate sheet. A formal offer you can claim, not marketing language.
Honeymooners Special
50% off bride's rate (25% total discount); complimentary bottle of bubbly and private dinner included
Honeymooners staying at Kambaku River Sands receive 50% off the bride's rate (equating to a 25% total discount) for a stay of exactly 3 nights. The offer includes a complimentary bottle of bubbly and a private dinner. A valid marriage certificate must be presented at time of booking, and the arrival date must be within 1 year of the marriage. Valid for new bookings only until 30 November 2026.
- Minimum stay
- 3 nights
- Valid
- 30 November 2026
- Booking
- New bookings only; arrival date must be within 1 year of marriage
- Proof
- Valid marriage certificate must be presented at time of booking and arrival date must be within 1 year of marriage
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Terms and eligibility may change. Your specialist confirms all offers at the time of booking.
Photographic safari options
Built for photographers.
Specific photographic infrastructure available at Kambaku River Sands, taken from Kambaku Lodges's published rate sheets, not marketing copy.
Hide
Sleep Out Hide
A raised sleep-out hide set on the banks of Nduna Dam, where abundant game come to drink. The three-level structure offers views of the dam on one side and bushveld on the other, providing exceptional nocturnal wildlife-viewing and photographic opportunities. Maximum 2 guests; charged in addition to accommodation at ZAR 3,500 per person per night. Can be pre-booked but payment is taken in camp only, as the stay is weather-dependent. Guests retain their lodge room during the stay.
Max 2 guests. Three-level raised sleep-out deck on Nduna Dam. ZAR 3,500 pppn. Noapplicable. Weather dependent; payable in camp on departure only. Guests keep their lodge room. Children must be old enough to stay in the lodge independently if parents use the hide.
- Cost
- ZAR 3,500 pppn
- Availability
- advance booking required
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Family policies
Travelling with children.
What our safari specialists know about bringing children to Kambaku River Sands, current as of May 2026. They plan family trips here all the time, so anything below that needs arranging, they will sort. For the bigger picture, see our guide to safari with children .
- Minimum ages
- Stay All ages · Game drives All ages · Walking safari 12+
- Child rates
- Adult ZAR 8 700; Child (2–11 yrs) ZAR 5 220. Conservation Levy: Adult ZAR 660. Child ZAR 330 per person per day.
- Family rooms
- Family unit available.
- Care
- Kids' programme
- Exceptions
-
Kambaku River Sands (4-star Classic Lodge) is family-orientated and accepts children of all ages, with 3 family rooms and the included Kambaku Kubs Programme. Note: sister property Kambaku Safari Lodge (5-star) operates a different policy — children 12+ only, no family rooms and no child rate. Hide sleep-out: no babysitters are available overnight, so children must be old enough to stay in the lodge on their own if parents wish to sleep out. Hide accommodates a maximum of 2 guests. A private game vehicle is available on request at ZAR 15 500 per day (not required for families).
Sleep-outs
Under the stars.
Star beds, sleep-out hides, walking sleep-outs and overnight platforms documented at Kambaku River Sands.
Sleep-out hide
Adventure Sleep-Out Hide
A raised, three-tiered sleep-out deck set on the banks of Nduna ('Old Wise Man') Dam, where abundant game come to drink. Guests arrive after dinner, enjoy a pre-bedtime drink under the stars, sleep in an enormous super-sized bed open to the African night sky, and are collected by their guide for the morning drive. The en-suite bathroom includes a shower, flush toilet, robes and slippers. The structure has dam on one side and bushveld on the other, with no city-light interference. Maximum two guests; guests retain their lodge room for the duration.
Max 2 guests. Additional to accommodation cost — not bookable independently of the lodge. Payment on departure only; no pre-payment taken. Stay is weather-dependent. Can be pre-booked. No babysitters available overnight — children must be old enough to stay in the lodge unaccompanied if parents wish to sleep out. Price listed as ZAR 2,000 pppn (2022 rate); listed as excluded from rack-rate inclusions in 2026 rate sheet.
- Cost
- ZAR 2000 pppn additional to accommodation cost (2022)
- Availability
- Subject to weather; can be pre-booked; payable in camp only
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Cultural
Beyond the game drive.
Community visits, cultural walks, and dining experiences documented at Kambaku River Sands.
Village visit
Sigagule Village Walking Tour
A guided walking tour of Sigagule Village, operated in partnership with Nourish Eco Village. The experience connects guests with the local community, supports sustainable income for community members, and contributes to breaking the poverty cycle by building resilient, healthy, and educated rural communities. Guests can purchase handmade crafts from local villages at the on-site Craft Shop.
Community project visit
Nourish Eco Village Immersion Tour
An immersive tour of Nourish Eco Village, a community project focused on building resilient wildlife communities through health, education, and access to opportunities. The experience gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at the lodge's community development work and its role in addressing poaching by tackling poverty in rural areas.
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Imagery
A closer look.
Your specialist for this lodge
Safari Specialist - Southern Africa
Knows Kambaku River Sands backwards. Your direct contact from first enquiry to the day you come home.
With Lynn and Lana across the team.
"Sara Van Coillie was an absolute pleasure to work with. Our trip to Hoedspruit and Timbavati was fantastic and everything she organized went seamlessly. I would 💯 recommend her and the company. Thank you Sara!"
Speak to a safari specialist
Let's design your stay.
From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Kambaku River Sands: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.
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