Private and serene, Motswari Private Game Reserve is small and intimate with no more than 30 guests present at any one time, allowing for peace and quiet aplenty. Family-run and All Inclusive, you’ll enjoy Southern African hospitality at its best here. Individual bungalows, each slightly different, offer a superior level of comfort with luxurious bathrooms and stunning views of the surrounding wilderness from your terrace. The owner has personally added her own unique touch with individual art pieces across the property. Extended game-drives at sunrise and sunset allow plenty of opportunity to spot the 'Big Five' as does a guided walk through the Savannah with one of the resort’s highly experienced and very friendly trail guides. If the sun feels too warm, it’s not a problem, enjoy a refreshing dip in the swimming pool any time of day. There’s also a lovely lounge area overlooking a waterhole where you can admire the visiting wildlife as you relax. Meals are served in the lounge or in the boma, a traditional fire side meeting place. Season dependent, you can also head into the bush for a picnic style breakfast or an early evening dinner under the stars.
Amenities
Safari
Bar
Internet Access
Laundry Service
Restaurant
Swimming Pool
Near National Park
Where is it
Set in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, part of the Kruger National Park Conservancy. Transfer time from Hoedspruit Airport: 50 minutes.
Hotel information
15 bungalows, 2 per unit. All with air-conditioning, ceiling fans, a terrace offering unrivalled bush views, safe, hairdryer and some with outdoor shower offering a serene and peaceful environment. Standard Rooms are naturally furnished to reflect the African surrounds with 1 king-size bed or twin beds, generous sitting area and en-suite bathroom, sleeping maximum 2 adults or 2 adult and 1 child.
All Inclusive of: all meals and soft drinks, local wines, beers and refreshments on game-drives. Daily game-drives and a guided safari walk.
Conservation fee is payable locally on departure.
Standard Interconnecting Rooms also available which are perfect for families, sleeping maximum 2 adults and 2 children.
Geiger's Camp is a nestled a few kilometres from the main lodge and offers an escape to African beauty, tranquility and comfort. The lodge comprises of 2 stone houses with 4 beautiful en-suite bedrooms, a large communal lounge area/library and it's own swimming pool with breathtaking views of the Nhlaralumi River. Geiger's Camp is also available for exclusive hire - perfect for groups and families.
Why not spend a romantic night under the stars in your very own private treehouse? Add a night in the Giraffe’s Nest Treehouse to a stay in either camp.
Meals are served either in the lounge, inside the Boma or on the breakfast terrace. Bush breakfasts and dinners can be arranged locally. Bar. Infinity swimming pool. Library. Gift shop. Extended sunrise and sunset game-drives. Daily bush walks, bird watching and local community village tour. Giraffe's Nest Treehouse*. Complimentary WiFi access in the Indaba Room (public area). Library and art gallery. Curio shop. Laundry/dry-cleaning facility*.
2 nights between 1 May-30 Sep and 3 nights between 29 Dec-2 Jan.
* Denotes local charge.
Please note: children should be 6 years and older for game-drives, 12 years and older for bush walks and 18 years for the Giraffe's Nest Overnight Experience.
Please note: guests having dinner at Geiger’s Camp are requested to dress in smart/casual attire. Gentlemen are requested to wear long trousers and closed shoes.
Based on 1067 reviews
Rating summary
Location
Sleep Quality
Rooms
Service
Value
Cleanliness
Traveller rating
Excellent (995)
Very good (45)
Average (17)
Poor (8)
Terrible (2)
First safari. Struck gold.
مايو 9, 2025Denise B
This was our first safari and we couldn't have chosen a better place. The staff were friendly and very welcoming. We were allocated the same guide Lola and tracker Tembo for our full stay. They made us feel part of the adventure and not just spectators. Their wealth of knowledge and experience added greatly to our game drives. The lodge itself… Read more
This was our first safari and we couldn't have chosen a better place. The staff were friendly and very welcoming. We were allocated the same guide Lola and tracker Tembo for our full stay. They made us feel part of the adventure and not just spectators. Their wealth of knowledge and experience added greatly to our game drives. The lodge itself was very comfortable with an excellent river view. The food was excellent. Presented by joyful staff .Lots of thoughtful touches such as sundowners on the game drive. We hope to return . Read less
Motswari experience
Apr 29, 2025Matthew SJersey, United Kingdom
We had a superb time at this beautiful lodge. The rooms were great and the food (and dancing) were excellent. Of course, the game drives were fantastic. Lola and Thabo were brilliant, and very knowledgeable and professional. Yoga on the decking was a surprise. I would highly recommend this.
Highly recommend - incredible experience in every way!
Apr 16, 2025Vivian Z
Motswari provided us with a truly amazing and memorable experience in every way! Every aspect of the lodge - the rooms, the service, the food, the game drives, the staff - was absolutely incredible! We were particularly impressed with the delicious food and how well they accommodated someone in our party with dietary requirements. The game drives… Read more
Motswari provided us with a truly amazing and memorable experience in every way! Every aspect of the lodge - the rooms, the service, the food, the game drives, the staff - was absolutely incredible! We were particularly impressed with the delicious food and how well they accommodated someone in our party with dietary requirements. The game drives were FANTASTIC. The guides and trackers were amazing and we saw the Big 5 and so many other beautiful animals. They truly do treat the guests like family, and we felt a special connection to them in the 4 nights we were there. Highly recommend! Read less
Fantastic!!
Apr 12, 2025anahaynesBillings, Montana
Amazing! We loved our time at Motswari - it was perfect in every way. The staff were so kind and accommodating, the food was excellent (I’m a vegetarian and always had plenty of options), the rooms were beautiful, and the safari drives were fantastic. We had Owen and Hendry as our guide and tracker - we could not recommend them more! We saw all… Read more
Amazing! We loved our time at Motswari - it was perfect in every way. The staff were so kind and accommodating, the food was excellent (I’m a vegetarian and always had plenty of options), the rooms were beautiful, and the safari drives were fantastic. We had Owen and Hendry as our guide and tracker - we could not recommend them more! We saw all the Big 5. We loved that this lodge had all the modern amenities while still maintaining an African safari feel. Read less
Absolutely fantastic for a safari experience
Mar 25, 2025Ann-Marie WBanbury, United Kingdom
Just arrived home from Motswari it really was the perfect place for our safari experience, Food is spectacular Staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming It’s very intimate as only serves a small amount of guests so you get that personal touch from all the staff & amenities The lodge was perfect Super clean and comfortable Our guide Hayden… Read more
Just arrived home from Motswari it really was the perfect place for our safari experience, Food is spectacular Staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming It’s very intimate as only serves a small amount of guests so you get that personal touch from all the staff & amenities The lodge was perfect Super clean and comfortable Our guide Hayden is an asset to the reserve so knowledgeable & interesting he made our safari so very special he’s an incredible guide we were very lucky to have had him We saw everything & more than we dreamt we would. Read less
First safari. Struck gold.