Timbavati Primitive Trail, South Africa

The Timbavati Primitive Trail will expose you to the fine detail, the grandeur of the landscape and the thrill of moving among large mammals. Well beyond an activity, it is a fully immersive experience that permits participation in nature as opposed to traditional spectatorship.

Led by professional Wilderness Trails Guides, with thousands of trails hours experience each, you will spend three self-sufficient nights (four days) in the wild. By carrying all your equipment on your back, you’ll enter a world accessible to a privileged few.

There are no demarcated campsites or routes for these Trails. You set your own pace and explore according to your interests and capabilities, sleeping at a pristine site under the stars each night (no tents) and packing up in the morning to leave no trace. The only restricting factors are the availability of water and the midday sun. During the summer months when water is plentiful, you’ll collect from pools in non-perennial rivers, Elephant diggings and depressions or pans in the veld. Once the dry winter months arrive, the guides will do water-drops prior to the start of the Trail.

Content of the Primitive Trail

When attending the Timbavati Primitive Trail, you will fall into the gentle rhythm of Nature. The primary objective is to embrace the ‘being’ and move away from the modern human obsession of ‘doing’. There will be lots of time to be curious and to explore the diverse landscape of Greater Kruger National Park. Each morning will start with birdsong as darkness gives way to light. Enjoy some coffee and a light breakfast before packing your backpack and heading into a chosen direction.

Routing is generally dependent on wind direction and/or the fresh animal track. The guides love tracking animals during the morning sessions. Once the temperature starts increasing, the group will seek shelter in the shade of large trees for lunch and some time to relax. The afternoon session is used to find a suitable site to overnight and to secure water. It’s a beautiful time of the day to be on the move as the soft colours of the afternoon sets the stage for an African sunset and sharing stories around the small fire. The Timbavati Primitive Trail is a perfect blend of immersive experience, integrated interpretation, and uncompromising values. You are not going to want it to end.

Arrival in the Timbavati

This Primitive Trail takes place in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park. This reserve, in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, is in close proximity to the town of Hoedspruit, also the home of Lowveld Trails Co.. There are shuttle and flight options to Hoedspruit from Johannesburg.

Accommodation and board

Once on the trail, you'll sleep under the stars in the wilderness without tents. With no set routes or sleeping locations, each night is spent in untouched areas, sharing 'watch duty' responsibilities among participants. It's a chance to truly connect with nature and experience the tranquility of the Timbavati.

The region: Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

Situated in north-east South Africa, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park which is an open ecosystem. The landscape is characterised by quintessential Lowveld savanna, with large open sodic sites and intimate seasonal drainage lines. The area supports good numbers of all the large mammal species resulting in frequent animal encounters. It’s a classic and well-renowned safari destination.

If you want to know more about the Timbavati Primitive Trail, you can find detailed information here.