Thornybush Game Reserve
Jackalberry Safari Lodge lies within the Big 5 Thornybush Private Game Reserve - 14,500 hectares of prime game viewing bushveld just west of Timbavati and the Greater Kruger Park.
The majestic Drakensberg Mountains provide a spectacular backdrop for this lodge, which offers understated comfort and a restful, ethnic ambience that blends harmoniously with nature. More than 60 species of wildlife can be found in the immediate vicinity of the lodge, including lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, elephant, hyena and cheetah, and more than 280 different species of birds have been recorded - a real paradise for birdwatchers.
Game drives are taken in open safari vehicles every morning and evening with highly trained rangers and trackers. Walking safaris can also be arranged.
In between game activities, guests can head to the swimming pool and enjoy the Lowveld sun.
At the end of a day, a hearty bushveld dinner is taken at the open boma next to the pool where guests can relax by the crackling camp fire, listening to the night sounds of Africa as the animals come to drink at the floodlit waterhole.
The views from each of the 5 suites are superb and your private patio is the perfect place from which to submerge yourself in nature's harmony. En-suite bathrooms wrap you in luxury, with double basins, a shower and corner tub overlooking an environment teeming with game. An extra outdoor shower provides a novel way to freshen up, to the lyrical strains of the bushveld choir.
There is also one Honeymoon Suite, which has a private lounge area.
There is also one Family Suite, with 2 separate bedrooms.
Guest Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 based on 1 ratings
I would just like to thank you for organising an absolutely fantastic safari for my group. It was faultless! Jackalberry Lodge was fantastic. The service was amazing, the staff lovely and the game viewing the best I've seen at any SA lodge. We even managed to see a cheetah catch and kill an impala from start to finish.
I would highly recommend both Travel Butlers service and also the lodge.
Thanks again and I look forward to one day booking another safari through you.
P MICHAELIDES
The trip was great, Jackalberry Lodge was all we'd expected. The staff there were great and we were treated like at a 5-star resort. Saw lots of animals (all but the leopard, which I hear is evasive).
K WILKIE
Got back from our Africa trip last week and just wanted to say thanks for everything. We had the most fabulous holiday – which even exceeded our expectations.
All of the accommodation was great. Darryl and Chrissie at Idle and Wild were very welcoming and helpful. And Jackalberry was wonderful! Your other recommendations such as Dyer Island cruises and the Shangana Cultural evening were all good too.
In terms of Wildlife - we saw far more than we expected to and were completely knocked out by both Thornybush and the Kruger Park. After the wonderful safaris with Dave and Lawrence at Jackalberry in which we had amazing sightings of all of the cats and the rest of the big five – we were a bit worried that our self-drive safari might be a bit of an anti-climax – but we couldn’t believe how bursting with wildlife the Kruger is. We saw a lioness with two cubs on our first night, elephants bathing, and one evening at the magic sunset hour we drove across a plain at the top of the Capricorn loop that was just teeming with zebras, buffalo, ostriches, all kinds of game and elephants too.
I wouldn’t say that Mopani is the best maintained of the rest-camps (we visited a few others) – but that’s not a criticism, as we enjoyed ourselves there and were grateful to have found accommodation at such short notice. And watching the hippos and crocs with a drink in hand from the restaurant terrace was lovely.
Now we have the Africa bug – we’d like to visit Botswana. Any chance that you might cover that area soon?
We will certainly recommend you.
D GUEST
Many thanks for your suggestions on where to stay. Both places were excellent and your advice on stopping first at Hazyview for a night was a good idea as to drive the whole way would have been tough after travelling. The accommodation, staff and service in both places we stayed were excellent.
As we drove into Jackalberry on the first day we came across about 7 giraffes. We spent so long taking photographs of them that the people who had been waiting for us thought we had a flat tyre! We really did not expect to get so close to the wildlife - it was brilliant. We were lucky enough to see the Big 5 on our safaris. We did 5 vehicle safaris and one walking safari. Our guide, Dave was very knowledgeable and got us almost within touching distance of many of the amimals and our tracker Lawrence was very determined.
The staff in both places were very helpful and it was nice to have everyone eat together in Jackalberry as we got to know the other guests more quickly.
Thanks so much for your help in organising the trip. It was fantastic.
L ABRAHAM