High-quality accommodation within South Africa’s Mala Mala Game Reserve on the banks of the Sand River
Lounge, library, dining room, bar, viewing deck, boma, boutique, gym, massage service, and infinity pool
Ten luxury Suites, eight luxury rooms, and one single room, all with a private deck
Game drives, night drives, bush walks, photographic experiences, and children’s programme
MalaMala Game Reserve has the largest river section of any reserve within the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, supporting impressive wildlife populations.
Led by an experienced guide, game drives take place during the early morning and late afternoon in customised 4×4 safari vehicles. Among the highlights are all Big Five – lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. In fact, MalaMala Reserve boasts its own Big Seven, consisting of the traditional five species with cheetah and wild dog in addition. Other predators you might come across include hyena, jackal, serval, and wild cat, while the herbivore count features giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and numerous antelope species. The rangers are in constant radio communication, ensuring guests maximise the game-viewing opportunities.
Boasting powerful spotlights designed to zoom in on nocturnal wildlife with minimal disturbance, MalaMala Camp’s private reserve location means night drives are possible here. You might spot a bush baby, genet cat, civet, or even an elusive porcupine.
Led by an armed ranger, bush walks allow guests to discover some of MalaMala’s smaller details, including plant life, grasses, insects, and some of the many birds, such as cuckoos, raptors, hornbills, francolins, and barbets, to name a few.
Photography enthusiasts are well catered for at MalaMala Camp, where vehicles are kitted out with interchangeable storage boxes for your gear, sliding or fixed cushioned camera rails attached to the vehicle, and bean bags for added camera stability. You’ll be allocated a dedicated ranger who’ll help you get your positioning right, ensuring your favourite safari moments are skillfully captured. The MalaMala photographic experience is suited to both enthusiastic amateurs and seasoned veterans.
Younger guests receive a MalaMala backpack, which includes an interactive checklist, bird and mammal colouring books, lip ice, and water. Your allocated ranger will tailor activities according to age and interests, including animal tracking, basic survival skills (where to find water, what plants are good to eat, medicinal uses of plants, and the toothbrush and toilet-paper trees), warning signs of dangerous animals, first aid for emergencies in the bush, and communicating on the radio. Special meals can also be provided for children while out on game drives. Please note that families with children below 5 years must book a private vehicle.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
MalaMala Camp is located within the privately owned MalaMala Reserve in Sabi Sand Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park. Guests can fly by light aircraft from Johannesburg to MalaMala airstrip, followed by a 10-minute drive to the camp.
The communal lodge at MalaMala Camp features a spacious lounge with plenty of comfy and well-cushioned sofas around rustic coffee tables, and walls adorned with basketry and artwork.
Bar
Traditional boma
Infinity pool
Gym
Safari boutique
Wi-Fi
There’s an air-conditioned dining room, the inviting ‘Buffalo Bar’, and a library with a satellite TV and DVD player – known as the Monkey Club. Outside, you’ll find an expansive wooden deck overlooking the Sand river, shaded by a Jackalberry tree. The camp has a traditional reed boma, where guests are invited for fun evening meals around the fire. There’s also an outdoor infinity pool with gorgeous views across the Sand river and a small, well-equipped gym for those who want to keep fit on safari. The camp boutique stocks a well-chosen selection of clothing, jewellery, and crafts, so you can stock up on gifts and souvenirs. You needn’t worry about staying connected either, as there’s mobile phone network here and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Guest accommodation at MalaMala Camp consists of ten 85m2 luxury suites, eight 55m2 luxury rooms, and a luxury 40m2 single room – all well-appointed, ochre-coloured structures built from timber, stone, and thatch, nestled into the tree line alongside the river.
Deck with views
Air conditioning
Mini-bar
Tea-and-coffee facility
Insect repellent
Accessible suite
All units have decks with views of the Sand River or waterhole, where guests can enjoy early morning coffee or relax with a book between activities. The interiors are a fusion of contemporary style with traditional elements, including lofty thatched roofs, wicker armchairs, basketry, and African prints. Furniture includes a double or twin bed/s, bedside tables and reading lights, a writing desk, and an indoor sitting area. Rooms also have 24-hour temperature control with air conditioning, heating and an overhead fan, a direct dial telephone, a mini-bar, a tea-and-coffee station, a safe, a hairdryer, and insect repellent. Each en-suite washroom has a flush toilet, twin washbasins, and a shower, and the suites also have freestanding bathtubs. MalaMala proudly offers a universally accessible suite – designed in accordance with the Disabled People’s Information Service of South Africa, this has a ramp entry and exit, a fully accessible bathroom, wheelchair-level table surfaces, and ramp access into a suitably equipped Land Rover for vehicle safaris.
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