Motswari Private Game Reserve

We found Motswari via the travel agent Go2Africa and stayed at their Geiger's Camp. I cannot imagine how it could have been a better experience. From our first day, the game were plentiful. We visited in December, in the early summer when baby animals abound. We saw lions playing with their cubs, lazing leopards, hyenas scrapping over a kill, and wild dogs on a morning hunt. We saw rhinos on several days, making their slow grazing way through the bush. Elephants, giraffes, hippos, and every variety of antelope were bountiful. Every additional day and every new sighting was worthwhile, from the young elephants tussling in the water, to the aggressive snaps of the hippos at sunset. Our guide Landon and tracker Jacky were the best, and made the drives educational and entertaining. We felt very well looked after by Desmond and his team at Geiger's Camp, one of Motswari's smaller lodges. The rooms were extravagantly comfortable; the food was plentiful and sumptuous. Motswari (like many of the South African safari lodges) is an expensive experience. It was about 4x the amount we've spent on any other vacation. But we would absolutely do it again. 10/10.

What a truly special place this is. Delightful, friendly, welcoming, relaxed, inclusive. So many words! The staff really make this very special, from those who cook outstandingly delicious and nutritious meals, to the reception team with their welcome smiles and the bar staff who generously serve great wines and greater conversation! |Our room was spacious and comfortable and well appointed. No complaints. I personally loved the lack of WiFi in our room, adding to the ability to really shut the world out. Special mention to our guide Hayden and his tracker George. Not only are they knowledgable and generous with their time, they are warm and friendly and got the mood just right for every drive. We saw all of the big 5 and so much more thanks to their skills and commitment. I really felt like they enjoyed each day, even though it’s what they are paid to do. |This is not 5^. But no idea why it’s not. It was 5* service, 5* food and 5* game drives.

We recently stayed at Motswari Game Reserve as a family for three nights, and we truly could not have had a better experience. Our rooms were absolutely beautiful, spacious, and spotless. The entire property was stunning, and the food far exceeded our expectations. You can really feel the “family” atmosphere throughout the lodge — from the staff singing before lunch to the incredible send-offs performed after dinner for guests on their last night. Every single staff member was so friendly, welcoming, and attentive. Housekeeping was also excellent. A special highlight of our stay was our guide, Josh, and tracker, David. Josh’s passion for wildlife — especially birds — was contagious and added so much excitement to every drive. He even inspired us to start bird watching ourselves (we’ve already bought bird books back home!). Both Josh and David worked so hard to make each drive memorable and helped us see an amazing variety of wildlife. It was such a nice touch having Josh join us for dinner on our last night as well. If I ever return for another safari, Motswari will absolutely be my first choice and we will recommend it to friends and family.

It was a very special stay at Motswari, we thank especially George for our engagement experience. He made the perfect shoots and videos of our engagement and decorated the venue beautifully with flowers. Besides the engagement we had a very very lovely 3 night stay. We were so happy with our experienced safari duo Tawu and Rudolph - they showed us the big five and many more animals and plants and their knowledge was extraordinary. We even saw a honey badger 🦡 We were so amazed bc our bungalow was close to the waterhole and there were elephants in front of our veranda. We really enjoyed the menus so much, the food was just amazing as was their service. And the coffee was great too. And we want to thank Phaswane for organizing everything so well - she made us feel so welcome from the second we arrived till we left. You guys do a great service and work - keep going like that. Quick tipp: bring a torch or use your phone for light

This was our first safari experience and Wow what an introduction! From start to finish it far exceeded our expectations. We stayed 3 nights in the Elephant 🐘 Suite which was so spacious and had all the amenities we needed including a private terrace with sunlougers where we enjoyed a coffee while watching A giraffe and herd of zebras grazing only metres away.|The food was amazing, so varied with local dishes to sample as well as more regular choices when not feeling adventurous. |The drives were amazing - Rudolf and Hendry were focused on helping us to see as many animals as possible - their skills at tracking are expectional. However, this did not come at the cost of disturbing the animals, they are their priority and they are so mindful of their well being. ||Tips - |Early starts but well worth it. Take a book for lazy afternoon chills between drives. Down time 9.30 -3 ||No WiFi in rooms... bonus for me. Go to the communal area for it ||Don't be put off by lack of toilet facilities on drives. Drivers well used to stopping and very discreet and safe ! ||Don't take fancy clothes for evening, its very chilled - trousers and top - I took dresses .. never came out of the wardrobe! ||Enjoy ! Amazing staff and amazing experience

We spent 2 nights in Motswari Private Game Reserve and it was an unforgettable experience! Wonderful food, service, exclusivity and personal attention. Our ranger, Marius was exceptional and made every game drive and our walking safari unforgettable. His trackers, Elvis and Misha was just as amazing with their knowledge of the animals and the bush. We saw 3 of the 5 "big five" in just 1.5 days of being there, thanks to these guys. The food and service at the lodge was beyond our expectations in every way. I was a vegetarian and they catered for me with exceptional skill and charm. The food was really outstanding, thank you Glenda and team! Our other hosts, Desmond and MJ looked after every detail and made our stay wonderful. Our room was large, luxurious and comfortable. We each had a great massage too (thank you Lerato), in a space where you can watch giraffes walk by... The setting of this private lodge is amazing, you overlook a river with giraffes and elephants walking by. We even had a hyena come close to us while sitting around the camp fire - so special. This was a once in a life time experience and we hope to be back again soon!

We had the most amazing honeymoon experience here! The staff are all so welcoming and warm, with lots of fantastic food and drink. The location is perfect for good access to Timbavati reserve, we saw the big 5, plus hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, hyenas, zebras and many, many more. Animals come amazingly close to the lodge, offering the chance to watch them as you relax in the pool! Josh our guide was fantastic, with so much knowledge and experience. Our tracker Difference was also incredible, it was fascinating to see his skills at work. We would definitely go back, and would recommend this fantastic lodge to anyone and everyone who wanted to have the safari of a lifetime

We had the most amazing time at Motswari — truly unforgettable! Every moment was special. All the meals were excellent, with breakfast and dinner set in different beautiful locations each day, which kept things exciting. Our guide and tracker, Owen and George, were outstanding — incredibly knowledgeable and made sure each drive felt unique. We were lucky enough to see the Big 5 within our first two drives, and got incredibly close to the animals. Elephants and giraffes even wandered right past our room, which was surreal. I’d recommend at least 3 nights to really soak it all in. The lodge’s location is also a big plus — close to Hoedspruit airport, so no need for a private plane. The only small downside is that there’s no phone in the rooms. Once escorted back at night, there’s no way to call staff for something simple like water. On our first night, a short circuit knocked out the lights and hot water, and while it wasn’t serious enough to blow the emergency whistle, it would’ve been nice to contact staff more easily. That aside, Motswari is an incredible place, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience.