Kings Camp

Kings Camp nestles in the private 53 392 hectare Timbavati Game Reserve which is located to the north and west of the renowned Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands. The Timbavati Game Reserve is known for its gorgeous white lions, along with the other members of the Big Five.

Highlights

Kings Camp offers luxury accommodation in a secluded bush setting
Seven spacious Luxury and Family Suites and two extravagant Honeymoon Suites
Kings Camp faces an open savanna plain with an active waterhole and has access to 100km2 of traversing

You should know

Children aged from 6 and above are welcome at the Lodge.
Children ages 6-11 years can share a room with their parents.
Children sharing a suite with 2 full paying guests will pay 50% of the adult sharing rate.

The detail

Kings Camp boasts seven Luxury Suites, two Honeymoon Suites, and a private Waterbuck Villa.

The Luxury Suites are spacious and feature en-suite bathrooms with indoor and outdoor double showers, air-conditioning, mini-bar, bathrobes, hairdryer, mosquito repellent, umbrella, in-room safe, telephone, and a private verandah.

The Honeymoon Suites feature en-suite bathrooms with indoor and outdoor double showers, air-conditioning, mini-bar, Nespresso coffee machine, bathrobes, hairdryer, mosquito repellent, umbrella, in-room safe, telephone and a private verandah with large plunge pool overlooking the African bush.

The Waterbuck Private Camp Villa - is ideal for families or small groups of 8 people with an upstairs Master Suite with open plan bathroom and a comfortable viewing lounge; two ground floor Luxury Suites and a detached Luxury Garden Suite. Other features include air-conditioning, Victorian baths, indoor and outdoor showers (in downstairs suites), flat screen televisions, DVD players, a satellite network, telephones, in-room safes, open plan, fully equipped kitchen, dining area and lounge; library and access to two personal computers with Wi-Fi, boma, private viewing deck, private safari vehicle, and the services of a butler, chef and guide.

The camp facilities include a lounge, dining area, boma, bar, gym, complimentary internet access, laundry service, library, curio shop, swimming pool, and a spa.

Decades-old, the Timbavati reserve is a much-treasured getaway destination. With more than forty individual mammal species and over 360 bird species, guests are guaranteed a rewarding bush adventure.

Activities offered at the camp include twice daily open-vehicle game drives, guided bush walks, and a range of spa treatments.

Kings Camp is ideal for solo explorers, couples, and families looking for a luxury safari getaway.

Price includes

Luxury accommodation, three meals daily, tea and coffee, two game drives per day and walking safaris on offer. All beverages, excluding premium brands.

Sally P

...or close to it. Kings Camp is an extraordinarily wonderful place. It's beautifully designed and situated, the staff is marvelous, and the game drives the experience of a lifetime. As a family group, we stayed in Waterbuck, a separate villa about 400m from the main lodge, and it was perfect for us. Four beautiful bedrooms, spacious living rooms and kitchen, our own pool, a huge shady patio overlooking a great game-viewing area---we wanted to stay forever! Our charming host, Hayley, and our wonderful ranger, Grant, were with us exclusively for the 4 days we were there, and they were a delight in every respect. Overall, the hospitality of Kings is truly something special.

Helen

We recently spent 5 nights at Kings Camp during a trip to South Africa and were highly impressed with the whole experience. It was our first time on Safari and the staff at Kings Camp made it an exceptional experience. The attention to detail and thoughtful touches - such as a candle lit hot bath waiting for us after our first evening safari and hot water bottles and blankets for the morning outings, hot towels to freshen up before coffee breaks - were wonderful. Our guide Jade and tracker Albert were also exceptional: Jade is so knowledgeable about the animals and abundant birdlife and also took us on several fascinating guided walks. We saw the Big 5 within the first 24 hours and it just kept getting better. So many wonderful leopard and elephant sightings, lions, wild dogs, giraffes and even a rare cheetah sighting as a bonus. They went to amazing lengths to enable us to see as much as possible. The accommodation was beautiful with quality furnishings (and our own private pool) and again it was the attention to detail - coffee/ tea making, fresh cookies, fresh fruit, filtered water, ipod dock, books about the animals and birds to enjoy, as we sat on our patio and watched animals wander past. We saw elephants, warthogs, impala, kudu and an enormous monitor lizard (which lived on our patio roof) just from our room, not to mention the other animals also around the Camp (bush bucks, monkeys, baboons, beautiful birds). The staff were friendly, helpful and attentive and did everything possible to ensure you could relax and enjoy your stay. If you are contemplating a safari we would highly recommend Kings Camp; we were amazed that we were able to get up so close to the animals, at times in the middle of a herd of 40 or more elephants, a huge herd of buffalo and a leopard with her cubs walking right past our vehicle. It was an exceptional experience thanks to Jade and Albert and all the staff at the Camp. We would love to go back!!

Emanuel

We recently completed a two-week trip to South Africa and Victoria Falls; Kings Camp was the absolute highlight of the vacation.From the moment of our arrival, when we were warmly greeted by the entire Kings Camp staff, we knew that our stay was going to be really special. Every element of this operation is aimed at giving guests the experience of a lifetime. The setting--replete with beautiful birds and freely roaming (mostly smaller) animals--is idyllic. The accommodations are luxurious and romantic.Best of all, our game drives were simply spectacular. Our expert guide, Jade, and tracker, Albert, spared no effort to introduce us to the multitude of animals inhabiting the Timbavati Reserve. Our sightings ranged from super-sized elephants and rhinos; to magnificent lions, leopards and buffalo; to zebras, giraffes, monkeys, baboons, hyenas (a delightful surprise--Thanks, Jade), wild dogs, warthogs and beautiful kudus; to birds of every description; and down to the smallest creatures who share this ecosystem. On these game drives, Jade's and Albert's professionalism, knowledge and enthusiasm were always evident. What a pleasure to meet these guys!Thank you to Warren. Lisha and the entire Kings Camp staff for giving us the safari of our dreams!

matthew

We arrived at Kings Camp directly from another camp, staying 4 days at each. Kings Camp is a beautiful, relatively new facility, with colonial decor, lawns with wildlife grazing, a large pool, and huge rooms with a giant chandelier in it. The bedding was wonderful and we loved the outdoor shower. Warren and Lisha, the managers are extremely nice and accommodating. Our safari drives brought us new sights we had not experienced at our other lodge, even though we thought we couldn't possibly see more! This camp had a very formal feel to it from food to staff and gave us a very "business-like" experience. Our previous camp, Leopard Hills made us feel more like family and called us by our names from the moment we arrived. I am not saying you would not enjoy your stay at Kings Camp, the whole Africa experience is worth it, but for us, the many many small details we enjoyed at our previous camp were missing. We didn't care for the food schedule or safari schedule so much either, just our personal preference. The outdoor breakfast after a morning safari was our favorite.

Kat F

We spent 4 nights at Kings Camp in Sept 2014 and had a fabulous stay. The location of the camp is amazing - you really are in the middle of the bush. The staff were incredibly friendly and the food we had was delicious - lunch was definitely my favourite meal due to the sightings at the water hole (one day we had numerous elephants stop by). The room we had was spacious, decorated in the colonial style, comfortable and clean and I particularly liked having an outdoor shower. Remember and Elvis were a great guide and tracker team - within the first 24 hours we had seen the big 5 and more. I will never forget the sundowners, the drive through the bush to find the wild dog, my first leopard sighting, or being watched intently by some hyenas. A truly memorable stay at a fabulous camp and I would certainly return.

Michael R

We spent 5 nights at Kings Camp starting Aug. 31, 2014. This was our first safari experience so we were excited to arrive around 1 PM on our first day. After that afternoon's game drive we had already seen 4 of the big 5. Our ranger was Dean and our tracker was Albert and they were an outstanding team. Over our stay we saw virtually every mammal (most of them multiple times) on the list as well as many birds, reptiles, and fauna. Dean is exceptionally knowledgeable and took time to explain animal behavior and details that were easy to miss. The room was spacious and comfortable and well equipped. The food was very good and plentiful as were the beverages and wine. Warren and Lisha are certainly excellent hosts and show great leadership setting a welcoming and professional tone and Pollen does a great job in support. Overall a great first experience in Africa.

Lynna

Here's what my 11 year old daughter says, "you may think, when they tell you your schedule that waking up so early for a game drive isn't worth it, but believe me, it is." She's right! This was the first camp our family of three stayed at on our 11 day trip to South Africa. From the moment we arrived we were made to welcome. Warren, Alicia and the entire staff were so kind to us. Our room was beautiful and comfortable with a little back patio that included two chairs, a coffee table and a hammock with a view of the bush. Lisl and Emma made delicious, creative food for us during our stay. The monkeys on the grounds were very cute. One morning, after our last game drive, we were treated to a herd of elephants drinking from the water hole next to the camp. This all unfolded as we ate breakfast! The outdoor showers were lovely next to the spacious bathroom and a great way to be refreshed after a morning game drive. Speaking of the game drives it's hard to describe how special it is to be out in the bush in the early morning and again in the late afternoon. Our ranger Cynet and tracker Sam were excellent. Knowledgable, eager to show us all kinds of birds and animals. My friends and colleagues have been amazed at how close we were able to get to so many animals. We saw all the big five and even saw hippos out of water one day. A truly exceptional experience. We are already dreaming about back!

Pat Berkhamsted

We have just returned from our trip to South Africa.Our first 4 nights were spent at Kings Camp.We were warmly welcomed on arrival and soon off on our first game drive with Remember and Elvis.We saw 3 of the big five during this first drive and we had soon notched up all 5 and much more.Remember shared his invaluable knowledge of the bush with us and he and Elvis gave us some amazing sightings. All the staff at Kings Camp were wonderful and the food was delicious. We had several different dining experiences during our stay and all were very enjoyable. Kings camp is a magical place and the camp was just what we wanted and more. Thanks to everyone for making our stay so memorable.Greatly missing the sundowner in the bush!

Julliette P

My family and I were blown away by our first safari experience (August 2014). The natural setting is stunning, Kings Camp is lovely and intimate, the game viewing on drives twice a day breathtaking...but most crucial was the extraordinary hospitality provided by ranger Grant Murphy and our "host" or "caretaker" (for lack of a better word) Hayley Cooper. The two of them, aided and abetted by an incredible team, most notably tracker Sunnyboy, treated us personally and professionally at once and we all fell in love with them during our short week in the Waterbuck house. They are a treasure of a team and all seven of us hope to see them again, there or anywhere. Thanks to GM Warren for running a great show. I dream, we all dream, of returning to Kings Camp.

Lindzy Blair

Kings Camp was the most amazing experience!!! We went on 3 morning and 3 evening game drives and saw every single animal we had hoped to see.... more than once! We were able to get really close to the animals, but never felt unsafe thanks to our guide and tracker, Cynet and Sam. They were amazingly friendly, knowledgeable, and excellent at finding the animals. In the morning we stopped for a coffee/hot chocolate break and in the evening we had a "sundowner" cocktail of our choice. Every single detail was thought of, right down to the hot water bottles and blankets for cold, early morning drives. The staff at the lodge were all friendly, attentive, and helpful. The food was delicious. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We stayed in the honeymoon suite and it had a great back patio with a private pool, a table and chairs, and lounge chairs. The staff even provided a private dinner on the patio our first night there. My husband and I are already talking about when we should make a return visit.

Susan

We just completed an amazing 3 day visit to Kings Camp. My first safari trip a year ago was at Londolozi lodge in the Sabi Sands. Kings Camp is every bit as luxurious and far exceeded my expectations - for service, ambiance, and the opportunity to see all of the Big 5 and more. The rooms are enormous at Kings Camp - much larger than our lovely room in Varty Camp at Londolozi - and immaculately clean. The outdoor shower is one of the most fantastic experiences I have ever had! We were there in the winter time so our night time game drives got very cold. On our first night, a marvelous hot bubble bath was waiting when we got back to the room. (My only complaint was that this was only done on the first night.) The staff at Kings Camp, from Patience who greeted us when we arrived to Benjamin who walked us to our rooms at night, were all warm and friendly. Our ranger Jade and tracker Albert were a wonderful team and I loved how they shared sightings with the guides from other camps so that everyone had a chance to see the leopard and lions. Even though we occasionally saw cars from other camps, we mostly felt like we were the only people in the reserve. We saw all of the Big 5 on our first two game drives and lots of other animals and birds, I spent hours and hours researching different safari lodges when planning this trip - so many that my head was exploding! Kings Camp was the perfect decision and I would absolutely come back again! I loved that Kings Camp had working wifi (for the most part) which meant that we could check in when we wanted to. There is a really nice gym - which you need because the food is plentiful and absolutely wonderful! Everything is included except some specialty wines and laundry, which means you don't have to think about anything - including whether or not you will have a surprise bill at the end of the trip. This makes an enormous difference in terms of being able to relax. Kings Camp is a short 40 minute drive from Hoedspruit airport, which you can reach via SA Express. On the ride from the airport, we saw elephants and giraffes. On the way back to the airport, we saw zebra, kudu, and impala so even the short transfer was a treat. I can recommend everything about Kings Camp without reservation - this was truly an amazing experience and I can't wait to come back! Thank your Warren, Lisha, and the entire Kings Camp family!

S R

Simon and I spent 4 days at King's Camp and enjoyed every minute. Our room was spotless with decor reminiscent of a movie set in colonial times. The food was either hearty and plentiful or gourmet with rich, smaller portions depending on the theme of the night. The staff were extremely polite and efficient and our ranger Remember and tracker Elvis went to great pains to ensure we saw as many of the big 5 as possible - we saw all, several times! Christina is a fantastic masseuse and her presence adds an extra touch of luxury. I cannot fault our experience or the resort and I cannot wait to return!

Mukesh

This is the best Game Hotel and Safari and in particular the people who were in charge were very nice and make you comfortable. They even did the best veg food to satisfy our tests. The rooms were clean and quite big. We would love to go again with my family.

Niki Schmidt

We spent very nice days at the Kings Camp during may, with excellent Ranger and Tracker (Dean/Moses and Shelby). Accommodation is very good and nice. the only comment I would have are the electric candles in the rooms (which are terrible - I think on our last stay, they were real candles) and the staff in the Restaurant, which is mostly not interested and very slow...

Jason Daniel

The property staff was so gracious and nice. The food exceeded our expectations. The room was very comfortable, private and well appointed; we did have plumbing/flushing issues that were never fully addressed. We were disappointed not to have a view from the back porch (just into tall grasses). While the game viewing met our expectations, our guide (Remember) and tracker (Elvis) were disappointing from an educational standpoint. They seemed to be minimally knowledgeable (like reading from a memorized script; basic trivia). We learned more in 30 min on the drive to the camp with Warren, than in several days of game drives. Other than that, we had a very memorable visit and would recommend the camp to others.

Anonymous

We were fortunate enough to stay at Kirkmans in October for 3 nights and it was an awesome experience. Thomas was our butler for the duration and nothing was too much trouble for him - he was an absolute delight with a wicked sense of humour and we gelled to him immediately. We told him that we were vegetarian which is sometimes a problem to us in South Africa, such a big meat eating nation, but he arranged for the kitchen to make us some gorgeous meals and we were royally fed and watered. The room was divine and so very clean. Kirkmans is a typically old colonial property which added to its charm. We overlooked the bush and frequently had impala grazing outside our balcony and a family of monkeys with their young playing in the trees - mischevious little babies too! Don't leave your clothes on the chairs - they might be very quickly missed! Our ranger Jonty and tracker Elvis were amazing - Jonty had only just arrived at the camp for a months secondment and had only just met Elvis but, as the 3 days went on, they became an amazing team and it was warming to hear Jonty ask Elvis's opinion and advice on the area. These local trackers have an incredible knowledge and expertise to be marvelled at. All the staff at Kirkmans made you feel as though you were part of their family - the welcome was so generous. Game drives were excellent and we certainly saw the big 5 and more - I can fully recommend hot chocolate made by Jonty with a little Amarula in it for extra strength - gorgeous! All in all a very special place and we will certainly try to go back.

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Highlights

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