Motswari Private Game Reserve

This was our first safari and it exceeded all our expectations. From the moment we arrived at Motswari, until we left, the service was exceptional and always with a smile. Great food, comfortable rooms, and an amazing safari experience. A particular shout out to our Guide and Tracker Lola and Lot who really embody everything about Motswari and the reserve. They made it a fun, educational and relaxing experience…and even made sure we ticked off all of the Big 5. The leopard (and impala) in the tree, rogue elephant in the camp, pride of lions and “black cows” 🤣 were all highlights. Thx from Ben, Louise, Ollie and Georgie. Read less

There must always be an element of luck with Safaris, as you never know what animals will be in the region, we struck gold as it was plentiful and made even more amazing by the guide and tracker we had for 3 days Hayden and Patrick. they really made the experience come alive with informative info throughout the tours. I like the fact there were no roofs on the trucks for better vision, the accommodation was rustic outside but everything you need inside, and within keeping of the environment, the food throughout was great and created a social atmosphere. interesting to hear each morning what animals had wandered through the camp each night!! The staff were so helpful, nothing was too much trouble, and as mentioned we saw practically everything and more, this was a lifetime experience and one we have recommended to friends already. You will not be disappointed. We went in July, where the midges are less, the grass and trees are shorter (better visibility) that's why we chose to go in their winter. it still hit 35* each day around lunchtime, but 1st thing in the morning when you set off, take your ski gear!! Read less

A trip of a lifetime. Just exceeded our expectations every day. So well managed and organised. A special thank you to our driver Paul for sharing his passion of Kruger national park with us. We did the 3 nights in early July and it was a perfect length of time although we could have easily stayed on another day or two. As others have noted, take a decent hat, gloves and two fleeces and some warm trousers for the morning drives. I would recommend you do a little research on gratuities for drivers/trackers and house keeping before you go and take sufficient cash for this purpose (although it’s completely optional). I would recommend Motswari without hesitation. Read less

My wife and I enjoyed a memorable 4 night stay at Motswari in June this year and could not recommend this property highly enough as a first class safari destination experience. This was our second stay at Motswari following a similar length stay last year in June 2023, and once again on this occasion, Motswari exceeded our expectations. The location of Motswari, deep inside the Timbavati, bordering the Umbabat reserve, makes for a remote, exclusive guest experience, with the size of their traverse and lack of lodge density in the area serving to complement this vibe further. The lodge itself is stunning, unfenced and perched overlooking a perennial river bed, which was drier than last year but despite that afforded us sightings of numerous antelope species, warthog, Hyena and Elephant from camp. Our Rondavel style accommodation was superb in all aspects. We were a little concerned when upon check in we were assigned a different room than we requested. However, this turned out to be a blessing because we absolutely loved and preferred the room they had given us, which due to its contrasting position, afforded us a completely different camp experience to last year. One of the many things that sets this property aside from others is the sheer size of the property versus the relative low occupancy of guests. This meant there was always a ‘nook or cranny’ you could find between game drives where you have peace and quiet to read or just simply relax in the most picturesque of safari surroundings. This variety and feeling of space extended to meal times as guests are treated to a variety of settings come meal times which really added to the sense of occasion and avoided the sometimes stayed experience you may experience in a multi night stay elsewhere. That sense of occasion and romance is amplified in the evenings when you return to camp by the clever use and placement of candle light and paraffin lanterns which evokes a real sense of safari magic, not least when entering the spectacle that is Motswari communal Boma complete with fully functioning bar area and roaring campfire, it may just be my favourite Boma of all time. I must touch on two other aspects which makes the Motswari guest experience just exceptional and that is the quality of the food and the genuine warmth of its staff. In 15+ years of going on safari, I have never eaten more delicious and varied food or likewise, I have never come across a collectively more cohesive and friendly lodge workforce. I could rhyme off individuals who we met as strangers but left as friends, such as Trust, or friends we made last year who we met again such as Sipho or Timothy or Daniel… however suffice to say, as a whole, the staff at Motswari are wonderful. The majority of its staff are long standing employees and it shows, both in their knowledge, attitude, professionalism and warmth towards ensuring their guests want for nothing during their stay. The game drives (8) were wonderful, led ably by our guide Paul and Release who was our tracker but soon to be a Motswari guide in his own right. We managed to spot 6 of the magnificent 7 with only Cheetah eluding us. Within that, there were many highlight sightings, two in particular spring to mind. One would be a truly exceptional sighting at a wild dog den site where we were fortunate to be the first guests to view the pack’s new born puppies, who were so little that they were yet to have their markings. A second was on our final drive where we managed to spot and spend a brief amount of time with Shakubasa, the white lion of the Timbavati. As you can probably tell, we adored our time at Motswari and despite 15 years plus experience of safari lodges, Motswari lived up to all of our hopes and expectations. It truly is a particularly special place to spend time in the bush and one I would wholeheartedly endorse to anyone planning to safari in the Greater Kruger area of South Africa. Read less