This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting our website.
Most travellers head straight to Kruger National Park in South Africa, but nearby in the Greater Kruger region, the Manyeleti Game Reserve offers a more private safari experience. With experienced guides, fewer visitors, and the chance to get up close to lions, elephants and rhinos, it’s the perfect way to enjoy an intimate and unforgettable wildlife safari.
Planning your first Kruger safari can feel overwhelming, but this guide will make it simple. From staying in a private luxury safari lodge to spotting the Big Five in the Greater Kruger National Park, we cover everything you need to know before staying at the Tintswalo Safari Lodge in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
During our stay in March 2025, we experienced firsthand what makes Tintswalo one of the most exceptional safari experiences in the Greater Kruger. The lodge offers private suites with plunge pools, luxury hospitality, and daily game drives that deliver incredible wildlife encounters literally right outside your room.
How to use this guide
Use the contents table above to jump straight to the section you’re most interested in. You can then click on the arrow or text of the heading of each section to take you back to the contents table for easy navigation.
The Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) is an extension of the main Kruger National Park (KNP). While Kruger is managed by SAN Parks, the Greater Kruger is made up of privately owned reserves that share unfenced borders with the park, allowing wildlife to move freely between them.
Combined, Kruger National Park and the Greater Kruger area create one of Africa’s largest wilderness regions, covering nearly 20 million hectares and including reserves like Sabi Sands, Timbavati, and Manyeleti.
Manyeleti Game Reserve shares unfenced borders between Timbavati and Sabi Sands, located near the Orpen Gate of Kruger National Park. As a private reserve, visitor numbers are limited, creating a more exclusive and authentic safari experience, where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the bush without the crowds.
Manyeleti offers some of the best opportunities to spot the Big Five, as animals move freely across the reserves. Rangers and trackers regularly communicate sightings across lodges, ensuring guests have the best possible wildlife sightings.
During our stay, an elephant wandered past the lodge as we arrived at our room, giving us a little teaser of the incredible wildlife encounters that awaited us.
Tintswalo Safari Lodge is a family-owned, 5-star lodge located in the heart of the “Place of the Stars” Manyeleti Game Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park.
As you walk into the lodge, you are instantly drawn to a massive jackalberry tree, which inspired the family to build Tintswalo around this iconic tree at the heart of the property.
One morning, we were having breakfast on the deck, and an elephant came up to the tree for a drink, not something you see every day!
From there, a wooden boardwalk stems off to the suites, each offering maximum privacy and immersing you right into nature.
Tintswalo offers extensive facilities, including a library, lounge, bar, wine cellar, boutique shop, gym and Bushwillow Spa. Expert guides and trackers provide personalised game drives, with insights into the reserve’s wildlife and local traditions.
Tintswalo Safari Lodge combines adventure, comfort and luxury, making it one of the most exceptional safari lodges in the Greater Kruger region.
Tintswslo perfectly blends comfort with luxury, with each suite thoughtfully designed to immerse you in nature without sacrificing convenience or style.
Private suites
The lodge offers eight luxury private suites, each with a private deck and plunge pool, overlooking the bush. Every suite has a unique design, inspired by Europe’s 19th-century explorers to Africa.
Interiors feature vintage binoculars, detailed bird books, chessboards, old briefcases, and elegant iron chandeliers, creating a warm and timeless atmosphere.
Guests can enjoy all the home comforts, including air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, a complimentary mini-bar, safe, hairdryer, tea and coffee facilities, cold drinks and snacks, laundry service, and even a cosy wood-burning fire.
The lodge’s exceptional attention and personalised service, including turndown service with a handwritten note, made our stay a truly memorable experience.
The Manor House
For families or larger groups, the Manor House offers a fully catered, exclusive villa experience. It has five bedrooms, a fenced property for safety, and comes with a private chef, guide, and vehicle for the duration of your stay.
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you can also sleep under the stars in the new treehouse, nestled beneath a Weeping Boer Bean tree, immersing yourself in the starry sky wilderness that gives Manyeleti its name.
Many first-time visitors to Kruger wonder what the difference is between a private safari lodge and a public camp.
We have stayed in both a safari lodge and a camp in Kruger, and we will compare the two to help you decide which one best fits your budget and preferences.
Private safari lodges offer a more exclusive and luxurious experience, with personalised service, fewer vehicles, professional guides who provide in-depth knowledge, and the freedom to explore off-road for enhanced wildlife encounters. This comes at a higher, all-inclusive cost, but guests are guaranteed comfort, privacy, and a stress-free experience.
Public camps, on the other hand, are more affordable and flexible, appealing to independent or budget-conscious travellers. Compared to private lodges, they tend to be busier, with shared facilities, and rely on self-drive or shared safaris with limited access to certain areas. A self-drive safari allows more flexibility to explore on your own schedule, making it particularly suitable for families.
For those considering a self-drive experience in Kruger, our comprehensive Self-Drive Guide explains how to plan your safari independently.
Before arriving at Tintswalo, we did several self-drive drives around Satara in Kruger National Park, hoping to see lions, which the area is known for, but despite our best efforts, we didn’t see any, even though we could hear them roaring at night in the camp.
Our guides from Tintswalo, Daniel and Pardon, accepted the challenge and made it their mission to show us lions. Not only did we see lions, but we also saw cheetahs and leopards for the first time in the wild, making the experience very special.
With their extensive knowledge of the Manyeleti Reserve, they tracked a wide range of animals in a remarkably short time.
We had two game drives each day, one in the morning and another in the late afternoon until sunset. Before setting out, there would always be a spread of treats and drinks to keep us energised before a proper breakfast. Blankets kept us warm during the early hours and were one of the best times to spot big cats.
Pardon, our tracker, taught us how to read tracks for rhinos and big cats, and the freedom to explore off-road made spotting a cheetah hidden in the savannah grass especially rewarding. We had multiple lion sightings, including lions from the Nharu pride.
One of the bucket list safari moments was watching the famous Red Road, a male lion with a beautiful mane roar against the backdrop of a glowing African sunset. Another highlight was finding mothers with tiny cubs in a dry riverbed, hearing the cubs’ soft cries as the females protected them from predators.
On one game drive, in the search for an elusive rhino, we drove through multiple orb spider webs. Along with our fellow guests, an Australian couple, we were in fits of laughter trying to avoid the webs, relying on our guides to stay focused on tracking the rhino.
We also witnessed a herd of elephants moving gracefully across the long grass, stopping at a glassy lake to drink after a hot day. On another morning, hyenas prowled near the tracks, their behaviour signalling that something was happening, and they led us to a pride of lions resting with full bellies.
Other highlights included a bull elephant walking right past the jeep and spotting a family of mongoose and chameleons, adding extra layers to the bush experience.
Breakfast in the bush was a real highlight, with tables laid out with a grand selection of hot food cooked over a fire, mimosas, coffee, fruit, freshly baked scones, and the sounds of monkeys swinging in the nearby trees.
On another drive, we enjoyed bush hot cocoa with a splash of Amarula, along with delicious cakes and biscuits.
Compared to our self-drive safari in Kruger, the game drives at Tintswalo were exceptional. Our guides’ in-depth knowledge of the reserve, combined with their understanding of animal behaviour, personalised touches, attention to detail and expert tracking, exceeded all our expectations.
For the first time, we also spotted cheetahs and leopards in the wild, along with a wide range of other wildlife. These experiences made for some of the most memorable safari encounters we have ever had in South Africa.
The staff at Tintswalo are 10 out of 10, friendly, approachable, and genuinely committed to making your stay unforgettable.
The trackers, from the local Shangaan communities, know the land intimately and have a remarkable gift for tracking animals. Their expertise ensures the best possible wildlife sightings, making every game drive truly invaluable.
Here’s what’s included in your stay at Tintswalo Safari Lodge, along with optional extras to elevate your safari experience.
Accommodation & Meals
Private suite with plunge pool
Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Two game drives every day in the Morning and afternoon
Inclusive house drinks, minibar, laundry, and bar access
Snacks and refreshments are provided before drives
Amenities
Wi-Fi, DSTV, air conditioning, ceiling fan, fireplace, sitting area, desk, safe
Daily cleaning, turn-down service, wake-up calls
Bathroom with separate tub and shower, hairdryer, bathrobe, slippers, and toiletries
Coffee and tea facilities, patio or terrace
Stocked mini bar with snacks and drinks
Included Activities & Services
Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles with blankets, ponchos, insect repellent, and sun protection
Guides and local trackers sharing wildlife knowledge and regional insights
Games drives have snacks and drinks on board if you get hungry or thirsty
Extras
Premium branded alcohol, transfers, park entry fee, and community upliftment levy
Additional activities include; guided bush walks, night drives, photography safaris, hot air ballooning, Manyeleti community visit and rhino conservation activities.
Spa treatments at Bushwillow Spa
As a year-round destination, you can expect to see wildlife throughout the year, but there are a few things to consider, for example, your budget and whether you want to avoid the busy peak seasons.
We stayed in March, and the weather and wildlife sightings were excellent, dry enough to see the Big Five, yet still lush enough for birds and other wildlife to thrive.
The cheapest months to stay at Tintswalo are during the low season of mid-January to mid-March, when it’s much quieter with fewer guests. Mid-range pricing is from March to June and September to November, still offering great wildlife viewing.
The most expensive time to stay at Tintswalo is during peak season, in mid-December to early January and July to August.
Tips for booking Tintswalo
Check on Tintswalo’s website for special promotions
Tintswalo also offer rates for residents from SADC countries.
Early morning drives are best for maximum wildlife sightings.
Rivers can become impassable in the wet season, later in the year (November to March), so plan accordingly.
April to October is considered the best time for wildlife viewing, as animals gather at watering holes and the grass is shorter.
Even visiting in March, when the grass is higher, we still had amazing wildlife sightings.
READ NEXT | What you need to know before visiting Kruger in March
When staying at Tintswalo in the Manyeleti, you may want to explore your surroundings and here are a few things worth seeing nearby.
Scenic Panorama Route | About a 2-hour drive from Tintswalo, the Panorama Route showcases Mpumalanga’s natural beauty with stunning waterfalls, lush forests, epic canyons, and viewpoints such as God’s Window. Highlights include the Blyde River Canyon, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and multiple scenic stops ideal for photography and nature lovers.
READ NEXT | Our ultimate road guide to the Panorama Route
Kruger National Park | Just across the border, Kruger National Park offers world-renowned wildlife viewing and is perfect for day trips or extended self-drive safaris.
Lowveld National Botanical Garden | Near Nelspruit (Mbombela), this garden showcases indigenous plants and wildlife, ideal for a relaxing walk in nature.
Letaba Elephant Museum | Located within Kruger, this fascinating museum focuses on the region’s elephants and their conservation. A must-visit for wildlife enthusiasts.
At Tintswalo, our safari adventure came alive with spectacular wildlife encounters in the Manyeleti. Staying in a luxury suite that felt like our own little hideaway in the bush, and game drives tailored by expert guides and trackers who knew exactly where to find the Big Five.
Every moment felt personalised, exciting, and unforgettable, the kind of Kruger experience that stays with you long after you leave.