Ngala Luxury Lodge

Accommodation

Ngala Tented Safari Camp

While Ngala Tented Camp never lets you forget that you are in the wild, there is nothing primitive about this chic and contemporary camp.

The romance of canvas, with big night sounds and flickering lanterns lighting the camp grounds, mingles with the simple sophistication of polished wooden decks, textured fabrics and clean lines.

Ngala is a true safari experience where guests go to bed to the sounds of lion calling, safely cosseted in modern tented suites and pampered with the warm hearted service that embodies the soul of Africa.

WHY STAY AT NGALA TENTED CAMP

• Situated in Ngala Private Game Reserve, which shares unfenced borders with the renowned Kruger National Park
• Exhilarating Big Five wildlife sightings, with night drives and walking safaris
• The romance of canvas combined with simple sophistication
• Gentle humour with retro pieces from the 60s and 70s
Peering out onto the banks of the seasonal Timbavati River from the shelter of dense indigenous trees, six tented suites offer a tranquil escape for wired city dwellers and frazzled travellers alike. The sights and sounds of the bush provide a gentle backdrop to life at Ngala, as the ancient patterns of African life carry on around the Camp. Every step unveils a new surprise, whether it’s a dainty impala tripping down the Camp path or a smart detail in the clean lines and flamboyant styling of the guest areas.

Mounted on raised platforms, large gauze screen windows let the bushveld breeze into your tent, stirred and amplified by swirling overhead fans. Stone partitions and wooden sides carve cosy niches in the spacious suite. An oversized bathtub awaits on a wooden platform, where gauze screens open up to the outside and give the effect of bathing in a giant leafy chamber. An outside shower invites and entices from the embrace of a thick stone screen.

Caught between dense riverine forest and the sandy bed of the Timbavati River, extensive viewing decks give guests front row views of game wandering down to drink. A rim flow pool mimicks the contours of the river bed, inviting in for a refreshing dip. At night, when tales of the day’s adventure are shared and compared, a roaring fireplace springs to life. The stirring scents of Africa’s famous spices waft up from a meal shared in a spectacular setting - among islands or reeds in the dry Timbavati riverbed, beneath the canopy of massive trees or on our expansive deck.

Activities

Activities

A day at Ngala Private Game Reserve

At Ngala, the days are designed to thrill you with intimate wildlife encounters and the nights to delight you with the indulgence and romance of Africa.

Morning Game Drive - As dawn breaks over the African bush, a gentle tap on your door will wake you to the delights of a new day. Your ranger will discuss what you hope to see that day over fragrant tea or coffee and morning biscuits or rusks. Ngala is home to all of the Big Five, but is particularly well known for its rhino and wild dogs, as well as the large herds of elephant and buffalo. Go in search of leopard, lion or wild dog sleeping off the exertion of the hunt from the night before.

Breakfast - Return to your lodge for a delicious breakfast, with platters of fruit and cheese followed by a selection of hot breakfast dishes. Choose from eggs, oats, waffles or a number of other options.

Lunch - If you wish, you can walk off your breakfast on a short walk near your lodge, accompanied by your ranger, who will share his insight into the smaller animals and vegetation in the area, before returning in time for lunch.

Afternoon Tea - Cool off with a refreshing dip in the sparkling swimming pool, indulge in an afternoon siesta or simply watch the wildlife from your private veranda. Over a late afternoon tea, your ranger will discuss what you hope to see during the afternoon game drive.

Evening Game Drive - This game begins in the late afternoon and lasts until after dark, when spotlights are used for a glimpse into the nocturnal bush life. Drive down to the Timbavati River to watch the animals drink and bathe or watch out for predator getting ready for the hunt. Enjoy sundowners in a scenic location as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon.

Dinner - Return to your lodge for a mouthwatering dinner beneath the magnificent African sky.

At Ngala, it is our passion to share our knowledge and understanding of the bush and its inhabitants with our guests. Our highly trained rangers and trackers will do their very utmost to cater for delight our guests with a choice of the following activities:

Twice daily game drives - early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4x4 safari vehicle traverse an area of 14 700 hectares (36 300 acres), which shares an unfenced boundary with the world-famous Kruger National Park. Track the Big Five, as well as a rich variety of other game, in the company of an armed ranger and tracker. Strict vehicle limits at animal sightings ensure the exclusivity of your wildlife experience and careful off-road driving positions you for the best photo opportunities. Rangers are constantly in touch with each other to help keep track of game and the sensitive approach methods used mean that the wildlife has become accustomed to the presence of vehicles. Night game drives provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the predators, particularly the leopard for which Ngala is renowned.

Interpretive bush walks - in between game drives, take a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge and experience the sights, smells and sounds of the African bush. An armed ranger will accompany you and will share his vast knowledge of the local fauna and flora. Take in the intimate details of your surroundings, from the intricate patterns of a spider's web to the bright plumage of the local birds and the sharp alarms calls of a dozen small creatures. Wonder at the delicate beauty of the leopard orchid, which flowers in the forks of tree boughs in early summer, taste the fruit of the marula tree or examine the meringue-like nests of the foamnest frog suspended from branches on the edge of pools of water.

Directions

Getting There

Getting to Ngala Private Game Reserve

Ngala Private Game Reserve is located within the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga. It is possible to get to the area from Johannesburg by road or by air. Guests have a choice of flying to Nelspruit or Hoedspruit, which is followed by a road transfer to Ngala. The distance between Nelspruit and Ngala is approximately 190 km (120 miles) and the road transfer takes two hours and 45 minutes. Hoedspruit is located 40 km (25 miles) from Ngala and the drive is approximately half an hour long.

Flights

Alternatively, an air charter can be arranged directly to Ngala. The flight time from Johannesburg to Ngala is approximately one and a half hours. Flights directly to the game reserve are generally scheduled for the morning or early afternoon to allow arriving guests to enjoy an afternoon game drive on their day of arrival. Please note that luggage is generally limited to 20 kg per person.

Transfers

Should you prefer to travel by road, the drive from Johannesburg to Ngala is approximately 500 km (310 miles) and takes six hours on tarred roads.

Map / GPS

General Information

Introducing Ngala Private Game Reserve

Located on the boundary of the world renowned Kruger National Park, Ngala Private Game Reserve is well known for its high densities of elephant, buffalo and rhino, as well as for its African wild dogs. Ngala was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into the Kruger National Park and has exclusive traversing rights on almost 15 000 hectares (37 100 acres) of one of the richest wildlife regions on the African continent. A spectacular diversity of wildlife moves through this immense wilderness, including elephant, spotted hyena, giraffe, buffalo and white rhino. Ngala means “lion” in Shangaan and the Reserve lives up to its name, supporting several prides of these powerful cats. However, it is even better known for excellent viewing of a more elusive cat, offering regular sightings of leopard, particularly females with their young.

With more open bush than the nearby Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Ngala guarantees exclusive game viewing opportunities guided by expertly trained &Beyond rangers.

In one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements, an annual lease, traversing fee and percentage of Ngala’s profits is paid to the National Parks Trust to further conservation projects throughout South Africa.

Wildlife At Ngala Private Game Reserve

Ngala Private Game Reserve is home to all of the Big Five, but is particularly known for its elephant, buffalo and rhino, as well as its packs of wild dog. Leopard and cheetah are also often encountered. The largest of all land mammals, the African elephant, is most often spotted leisurely browsing on the vegetation. Elephant are completely dependent on water and will travel considerable distances to a watering hole, making this the perfect place to watch out for them. Elephant, as well as buffalo, are often encountered in the reed beds around the Timbavati River.

Although its numbers are not decreasing as steadily as before, the African wild dog is still highly endangered, with fewer than 3 000 remaining animals. Ngala is one of few reserves to offer regular opportunities to view this rare animal and its fascinating social structure. Packs of wild dogs operate along a strict hierarchy, with all members taking responsibility for the feeding of any pups. Although meat is obtained for the pups, the entire pack remains sedentary until they are old enough to join in the hunts. Another highly social species encountered at Ngala is the lion.

The blue wildebeest, with their low hindquarter, handlebar horns and long, as well as their cantankerous nature live up their reputation as the clowns of the bushveld, cavorting and engaging in head-butting contests. In contrast, the statuesque kudu enthral with their spectacular spiral horns, as well as their prodigious grace and jumping ability. Striking zebra with their vibrant stripes and intriguing social system are a common sight among the bushveld savanna. The typical raised tails of warthog act as a signal device for groups, allowing each warthog to follow the one ahead of it.

Rates

Pricing

Rates

WHAT YOU GET

• Accommodation
• Three meals daily
• Soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers
• Teas and coffees
• Refreshments on game drives
• Laundry
• Scheduled safari activities
• Nature walks (1 hour) accompanied by experienced armed trackers, subject to availability
• Emergency medical evacuation insurance
• VAT
• Transfers to and from the airstrip