Simbavati Trails Camp is a hidden gem, offering a luxury yet back-to-basics walking safari experience in a secluded corner of the Timbavati Game Reserve. Nestled in the heart of an unspoiled 11,000-hectare wilderness area bordering Kruger National Park, the camp invites you to connect with nature on foot, guided by expert rangers who lead stimulating and immersive walking trails.
With no electricity, WiFi, or cell phone reception, the camp offers a truly unplugged experience. Here, the rhythm of nature takes center stage, allowing guests to slow down and immerse themselves fully in the raw beauty of the African wilderness. Meals are prepared over an open fire, adding to the camp’s rustic charm while offering hearty, delicious dishes to enjoy under the stars.
The minimum stay is two nights, but to truly experience the tranquility and pace of the walking trails, a three-night stay is highly recommended.
Please note that the camp operates seasonally, from March to November, during the cooler months, ensuring the most comfortable and rewarding experience in the wild. Simbavati Trails Camp offers an authentic, immersive safari like no other.
Luxury Tent
Four en-suite Meru-style tents are surprisingly spacious with proper furniture and mosquito nets. En suite bathrooms have a proper flush toilet and a simple basin with a jug of hot water for washing. The back of the tent opens out to your private al fresco en suite ‘bathroom to the stars’. Here you find a gloriously simple bucket shower which is filled on demand with warm water.
In front of the tent there is a small shaded area with two chairs.
Property Facilities
Bar, Barbeque Facilities, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Pool, Restaurant, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Dressing Gowns, Mini Bar, Outside Shower, Shower, Tea / Coffee
Available Services
24-hour Security, Airport Shuttle (Available)
Activities on Site
Big 5, Bird Watching, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Walks (Guided), Wildlife Tours
Activities Nearby
Big 5, Bird Watching, Game Viewing, Walks (Guided), Wildlife Tours
Walking Safari
The aim of a walking safaris is to gain a holistic understanding of the bush, led by an armed and specially trained walking guide. The pace is relaxed and your guide will often pause to talk about trees and bushes and their traditional and medicinal uses, dung middens, animal spoor, anthills, termite mounds and more. Whereas a game drive is very much about “spotting” and the sharp-eyed will get lots of kudos, a bush walk uses and sharpens all five senses. Being on foot in the bush can be both grounding and thrilling at once, but always informative.
Without the hum of an engine, you will begin to notice all the sounds of the bush, from the serenading songbirds to the crackle of branches betraying elephants feeding in the distance. With our qualified walking guides, you will discover a sense of true connection with nature and you may even get the chance to view our larger game on foot. Encounters with large animals are always possible but the objective is to observe the wildlife from a safe distance, rather than walk toward big game.
Boma & Campfire dining
Several times a week, dinner in the camps is a more hearty, campfire style meal served under the stars in a ‘boma’, a circular enclosure originally made from branches. The cosy, lantern-lit ambience recalls the early days of safari pioneers.
Another authentic safari experience is dining out under the star in a boma (an enclosed circular dining area) around the campfire. This usually takes place every 2nd night.
The gentle flicker of lanterns, candle-light and a welcoming open fire truly conjures up what is magical about a safar
