Highlights

• Seven luxury en-suite tented suites with private decks over the bushveld
• Big Five game drives across the 23,500-hectare Manyoni Private Game Reserve
• Over 420 bird species recorded on the property
• Family-owned and run, with a small-camp, personal feel
• All-inclusive rates covering meals, drinks, game drives and Wi-Fi

You Should Know

• Children aged 5 to 12 qualify for a 50% discount and must be accompanied by an adult or older sibling
• Maximum capacity is 14 guests across seven tents, so exclusive-use bookings are possible
• Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge and tents, though signal in a remote reserve can be limited

The Details

Location

Mavela sits inside Manyoni Private Game Reserve, roughly 58,000 acres of protected wilderness in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The reserve was formed in 2004 when 17 landowners dropped their fences to create one contiguous conservation area, chosen soon after as a release site for the WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project.

The camp overlooks a secluded valley in a quiet corner of the reserve, with the main lodge veranda facing a waterhole that pulls in resident game.

Accommodation

Seven safari-style tents are spaced for privacy along the bush line. Each has en-suite facilities, air conditioning, premium amenities and a private viewing deck with a birdbath that draws wildlife close to the veranda. The look is contemporary tented rather than old-school canvas, built for comfort over several nights.

Dining

Meals run through the day: early morning coffee before the first drive, full English breakfast on return, a light lunch, and a three-course dinner. Drinks are included and cover South African wines, beers, spirits, soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and filtered water. The main lodge is a two-storey thatched space with a help-yourself bar, dining area, pool and veranda over the waterhole.

Activities

Two game drives run daily with the camp's own guides across Manyoni's varied habitats, which support the Big Five alongside cheetah, wild dog and both black and white rhino. Walking safaris, night drives and dedicated photographic safaris can also be arranged, and the birding is a genuine draw with more than 420 species recorded on the property.

Price Includes

• Luxury en-suite tented accommodation
• All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Two game drives daily with an experienced guide
• All drinks, including soft drinks, juices, South African wines, beers, spirits, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and filtered water
• Snacks and refreshments on morning and afternoon game drives
• Wi-Fi in the main lodge and tents