Manyeleti Game Reserve — Attraction in Bushbuckridge

It's difficult to give advice about Manyeleti because once you have been here, you know that it's not a place for everyone... but the toilets are clean so I didn't have a problem... you can drive a normal town car to the main camp but after that I would only recommend a 4x4... if it rains, then the jeep track roads can become un-drivable by any except high ground clearance vehicles. This is a reserve that has several concession camps and many vehicles you meet will be game drive vehicles. Most of these drivers are pretty ok, but stay off the concession roads unless you want to meet the "dark side"... The main Manyeleti camp is rundown - although there has been painting and maintenance going on to a small extent. It's run by the Mpumalanga Parks & Tourism. The staff are mostly quite friendly, but they do cater for wedding parties and day visitors so the swimming pool area can get noisy... complaining about this may not get the reaction you had hoped for... Baboons and Hyena inside the camp need to be respected. The primates are intelligent and strong. They have learned how to open an unlocked car door and anything then found may be destroyed... I will probably come back again, but I'm not sure I'd openly recommend it... it can be peaceful and beautiful here, but not everyone will find it so. If you come here with an open mind... willing to take the rough with the smooth... willing to love what's here and forget what isn't... then I would say to give it a try. Oh, and I did find a power point in the campsite that worked... but I was prepared for having no power, I would suggest you...

We had booked 4 nights in Kruger camps when we heard of this place so I booked a 4 day/3 nights safari at Honeyguide Lodge in Manyeleti Game Reserve and it was the best decision we ever made on a 3 week vacation/holiday in Africa.

We saw the Big 5 within 24 hours. A pride of lions, one male and 5 females which we saw mating. We saw 2 leopards on separate nights. We saw plenty of Cape buffalo, elephants, white rhinos.

We also got to see a cheetah, hyenas, zebra, hippo, giraffes, jackals, more lions with cubs, many types of antelopes, warthogs, baboons, velvet monkeys and on the last safari drive we got to see and follow through the bush wild African dogs, and endangered species. There were other many animals we saw.

Out ranger was Fanuel who was very good and out spotter Johnson, who saw the cheetah at more than a kilometer away. Great job Johnson!

The food was excellent, the tent was clean and comfortable, the camp was safe, the safari vehicles in excellent condition. Overall a great experience without having to...

What an amazing place. I couldn't afford the luxury lodges so decided on the camping route. I was not dissapointed they also had very comfort chalets. I would recommend an awd or 4x4 here if you want to adventure onto the 4x4 roads. The game viewing can be tough but very rewarding. It is truly amazing and there is always something to see at the main dam. We saw lion, hyena, elephant, giraffe, waterbuck, wildebeest, zebra, and impala at the dam. The campsites are a little run down, they do have water, wash basin, dusbins two electrical outlets as well as a bench and chairs. The caravan sites have a level section for caravans. Beware the baboons they come through here daily. The chalets are comfortable and make for a pleasant stay. There is also th AM restuarant on site and pub that also sells charcoal. The staff ate all extremely friendly. Loved this place and will...