South Africa Safari Holiday at Tanda Tula, a luxury fully inclusive Big 5 safari experience in the Timbavati, bordering Kruger National Park.

Tanda Tula, meaning to love the quiet, is inspired by the people and wildlife-rich region of the Greater Kruger National Park. This is a safari business that has been around for more than 30 years and thanks to committed owners and a strong team is regarded as one of the best camps in South Africa. Here you connect to a distinctly authentic and immersive safari experience in Kruger.

Tanda Tula Safari Camp is where it all began and it will return as a gorgeous new camp in May 2023, in its same prime location in the Timbavati. In the meantime, Plains Camp will fill its shoes during the build, offering guests the same atmosphere, experience, and unforgettable staff. It will join Tanda Tula Field Camp, which was launched in 2014, and is the first of its kind in South Africa. With the owner's passion for real, connected, and wild experiences, this non-permanent explorer-styled tented camp has a dedicated focus on being a top, environmentally friendly camp in South Africa.

The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is regarded as one of the top safari destinations in South Africa. The reserve comprises individual landholders who together have formed a protected area of over 53 000 hectares (131 000 acres) of unspoiled natural wilderness adjoining the Kruger National Park in an open ecosystem. The Timbavati is a highly professional and well-managed reserve, that protects sustainable populations of many endangered species such as black and white rhinoceros, pangolins, saddle-billed storks, southern ground hornbills, and many others.

Founded by Don and Nina Scott, Tanda Tula is an owner-run company alongside the Jackson and Mathebula families. This family feeling is ever-present throughout each and every staff member and it continues on to every guest that passes through their doors.

 

Tanda Tula is a leader in conscious travel offering an authentic and connected safari experience at their luxury camps – Tanda Tula Plains Camp and Tanda Tula Field Camp.  

 

The much-loved Tanda Tula Safari Camp is situated in the heart of the Timbavati, adjacent to the Kruger National Park where game roams freely between the Timbavati and the Kruger, providing an unforgettable safari experience. This East African-styled camp is set on the banks of the Nharalumi Riverbed, shaded by majestic trees with magnificent views of the wilderness ahead.

After 27 years of operation, Tanda Tula Safari Camp has undergone a complete revamp (literally from the ground up), modernizing the infrastructure and by doing so protecting the wilderness for generations to come. Guests are welcomed back to a more ecologically sensitive camp with a lighter footprint. The new design embodies the essence of Tanda Tula Safari Camp which will continue to connect guests to the African wilderness through canvas tents.

7 x Spacious tented suites (125 m2) and 2 x family suites (165 m2) are dotted amongst the majestic trees, each with its own private deck overlooking the Nlharalumi Riverbed. All tents are en-suite with an indoor bath and outdoor shower. Relax in the various seating areas of the main area, including by the pool, or in the bird hide overlooking the waterhole.

SEASONALITY: Open all year

CHILDREN: 6+ years 

Rates Include Vat, Accommodation, Guided Activities, All Meals, and Bar Drinks.
Rates Exclude Timbavati Conservation Levy, Tanda Tula Foundation Fee, and Transfers to and from Hoedspruit Airport. 

Tanda Tula Plains Camp, our home for the next year, is perched on a ridge with sweeping views across the Timbavati plains stretching to the Lowveld mountains in the distance. 

At Plains Camp, guests will be hosted by the same wonderful team they have grown to know and love from Safari Camp, including Chef Ryan and his culinary creations, and the warm and knowledgeable safari specialists who guide them through the same wild spaces by vehicle and on foot. The Tanda Tula family remains the heart and soul of the guest experience through authentic moments of connection.

The camp is comprised of 8 x luxury suites, including 2 x family suites, all complete with private plunge pools, A/C, and indoor and outdoor showers. All this is highlighted by the same look and pieces of Safari Camp, keeping you connected to the atmosphere that Tanda Tula is known for.

 

SEASONALITY: Open all year

CHILDREN: 6+ years 

 

Plains Camp Rates: R12 600 per person sharing (Per child sharing with 2 adults (6 - 12 years) - R 6 300 per night

Rates Include Vat, Accommodation, Guided Activities, All Meals, and All Bar Drinks.
Rates Exclude Timbavati Conservation Levy, Tanda Tula Foundation Fee, and Transfers to and from Hoedspruit Airport.

“Treading softly on the surface of the earth” is a foundation principle of everything that Tanda Tula stands for and a principle that is echoed throughout each element of the Tanda Tula Field Camp experience. This camp has evolved to meet the growing requirement in the market for privacy, exclusivity, and immersion into the wild in one of the few remaining private wilderness areas in South Africa.

Tanda Tula Field Camp is a unique safari experience unlike any other.

 

 

Consisting of four custom-designed tents, each with en-suite open-air bush bathrooms (hot water bucket shower and a compostable toilet) and a communal mess tent. The camp caters to between 4 and 8 guests on an exclusive-use basis only. Guests are hosted by some of the safari industry’s leading iconic guides who accompany them on an extraordinary journey of exploration and adventure.

Field Camp does not have wi-fi or electricity but operates with oil and solar-powered lanterns.

Having a maximum of 4 tents makes it perfect for groups of friends traveling together or the perfect family safari with the ultimate exclusivity. Imagine your teenage children spending quality time with you in this environment - real bonding time for you all.

 

 

Tanda Tula Field Camp is the ultimate exclusive experience in guided walking safaris where guests are led by iconic and highly trained trackers and guides, tracking general game and the big five on foot making this a thrilling and life-changing safari experience. The atmosphere of the camp is that of a bygone era.

The experience at Tanda Tula Field Camp is unlike most other safari camps. In a completely exclusive concession, guests will rediscover the true African walking safari, just as the early explorers did. Immersed in nature, the walking safaris are led by highly experienced guides and trackers. The focus is on tracking big game on foot and guests can expect to track lions, elephants, and rhinos, as well as all other game species in a very informative and exciting experience, bringing you closer to nature. A game drive vehicle is available for game drives for guests as and when needed.

Early Morning Routine & Game Walk
Just after sunrise – morning wake up. You will meet in the mess tent for coffee, tea, rusks, and hot porridge. You will then depart with your field guide and tracker for a 3 to 4-hour bush walk where you will track game, and learn the art of tracking, birding, and tree and plant identification. Tracking and finding rhinos or elephants on foot is not an uncommon occurrence! You will then return to camp mid-morning where you will be welcomed with a hot water bush shower, followed by a sumptuous brunch.

Siesta Time
After brunch, you can relax under the trees, have a siesta in your tent, or take it easy in the mess tent area where a selection of books and games will be available. This is a great time to do a bit of bird watching or tree identification with your field guide. The Field Camps are completely unfenced and animals are able to move freely through the camp during the day and night.

Late Afternoon Routine & Game walk

SEASONALITY: Open 1st April – 30th September. Minimum stay 3 nights.

CHILDREN: 13+ years, Field Camp is a walking experience and by Kruger Park regulations children only 13 years and older are permitted to participate on a safari walk.

 

Field Camp Rates:
Minimum rate (up to 4 guests) fully inclusive: R 40 656
Per additional guest: R 10 164
Rates Include Vat, Accommodation, Guided Activities, All Meals, and Bar Drinks.
Rates Exclude Timbavati Conservation Levy, Tanda Tula Foundation Fee, and Transfers to and from Hoedspruit Airport.

Tanda Tula has always been committed to strengthening communities, empowering individuals, and conserving wild spaces. Through responsible business practices and people-facing programs, they enable change immediately and provide growth for years to come. Tanda Tula is focused on community development and conservation. 

Their community development programs are largely associated with education, but also provide support for small business development, the establishment of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and encouraging environmental awareness. Through support from guests, they contribute to various important projects in the Timbavati and Greater Kruger National Park.
Every stay contributes through:

When staying at any of the Tanda Tula camps, you contribute towards the Tanda Tula Education Foundation and the Greater Kruger National Park conservation initiatives in the Timbavati Private Nature reserve.
Knowing that responsible tourism is the foundation upon which Tanda Tula’s conservation efforts, community programs, and research projects have been built.
Contributing R 165 (2022) or R 200 (2023) per person (all ages) per stay to the Tanda Tula Foundation. 
This contribution made by each guest goes a long way in helping make the scholarship program truly sustainable. Tanda Tula’s vision is to assist with educating the next generation and provide them with the knowledge to build a stronger future.
Paying R 460 (2022) or R 510 (2023) per person (all ages) per night Conservation Levy. 
100% of this fee goes to the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and directly supports the Greater Kruger National Park conservation projects including anti-poaching and security, as well as sustainable development for communities.
Finally, every stay at Tanda Tula contributes to a monthly fuel donation and feedback on any endangered ground-hornbill sightings for the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology researchers. 

All rates exclude:
Curios, gratuities & telephone calls.
Transfers to and from outside the Timbavati and the Tanda Tula Camps.
Timbavati Conservation Levy.

Landing fees at Rockfig airstrip.
A vehicle entrance fee is payable at the Control Gate (self-drive guests only).