Bateleur Safari Camp is located in South Africa’s world renowned Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, an exceptional safari location. All artificial barriers between the Timbavati and the adjacent Kruger National Park have been removed and Bateleur Safari Camp itself shares unfenced borders with Kruger, allowing free animal movement.
This prime wilderness area boasts the Big Five, a large diversity of antelope species, the entire range of smaller predators, over 500 bird species, and a tremendous diversity of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. The landscape is typical of the undulating granitic Lowveld basin with large broad-leafed trees dominating the uplands, followed by Acacia woodlands, which give way to the large trees that form the riverine vegetation in the valley bottoms. Highly productive and open sodic areas dominate along the sandy riverbeds.
Bateleur Safari Camp is ideal for couples, singles and small groups who are looking for a South African safari that simultaneously exceeds expectations and offers an up-close experience of the true African bush and wildlife. Bateleur is totally eco-friendly.
All guests receive a safety brief on arrival, as this is untamed Africa at it’s best!
The feature of the camp’s central area is the covered, open-sided wooden deck that houses the lounge and dining areas and overlooks the riverbed and its seasonal waterhole. The comfortable lounge area is an ideal place for idle game viewing or relaxing with a good book and a cool drink between guided activities. Books are available from the library and drinks can be purchased from the bar. At meal times the dining area is the perfect location for enjoying sumptuous meals whilst absorbing the sights and sounds of the African bush. The wooden deck extends past the adjacent chemical-free swimming pool, which allows guests to cool off in the heat of the day without missing the wildlife and birdlife that frequent the area.
The central area is completed by a tastefully finished, low-walled boma area open to the stars with chairs set up around a central fireplace. This is an ideal place to relax around the fire and share stories of the day’s activities under a big African sky. Adjacent is the camp’s braai/barbeque area where food is often prepared by the chef on the open fire.
Accommodating up to 16 people, the camp offers very spacious, comfortable safari units with a unique design. Each unit has: a thatched A-frame roof with supporting gum-pole structure and covered patio; canvas sides with large windows offering fixed mosquito screens and roll-down flaps; double wooden front doors with fixed mosquito screens and roll-down flaps for the top half; a large en-suite bathroom.
The safari units vary in size, each sleeping 2-4 persons in comfort with spacious beds, quality linen, mosquito nets, bedside tables, solar powered bedside lamps, wardrobes, adequate storage facilities, secure safes for valuables and a solar powered fan for the hot weather. Plug points are provided for charging camera batteries. Each spacious en-suite bathroom has a flush-toilet, basin and a hot-water shower. Some units have an interior bath tub and a private outdoor shower. Quality towels are provided.
Bateleur Safari Camp enjoys an extensive transversing area. Vehicle density on this area is very low and guests often encounter no other safari vehicles from neighboring properties during their stay. The central location of the camp offers guests the best opportunity of seeing a host of wildlife and birdlife without being disturbed by other vehicles during game drives and bush walks.
This is true untamed Africa and it’s one of the few places left in southern Africa where you can enjoy such an experience. The location, size, layout and ambience of the Camp have all been chosen to enhance the experience for guests. Bateleur is a South African safari adventure without the crowds.
There are no fences between Bateleur Safari Camp and the Kruger National Park. As a result, the Bateleur traversing area has abundant numbers of all Greater Kruger’s game species. This is what sets the Bateleur walking and tracking experience apart from other lodges. Under the watchful guidance of armed qualified rangers and trackers, guests learn about the fauna and flora of South Africa as they walk across the wild land tracking animals for 3 to 6 hours. Guests who choose to engage in the tracking and trailing activities offered at Bateleur will be entering an area that is home, not only to the big 5, but rarer species like the Wild Dog and others. Bateleur is fast becoming the premier destination for walking safaris in southern Africa. The camp caters to those who are experiencing Africa for the first time and want to see as much game as possible, as well as those who want to absorb the finer details of the bush on foot.
Guests who prefer not to walk, are able to enjoy a drive on an open safari vehicle instead. Flexibility is unique to Bateleur Safari Camp and every effort is made to ensure that guests get exactly what they want from their South African safari adventure.
