Area Background
Spread across 10 000ha of pristine African Bushveld, providing exclusive access only to guests staying at Hamilton’s Tented Camp, Hoyo Hoyo, or Imbali Safari Lodge. This area offers the ultimate secluded and private Kruger Park Experience, set over the basalt plains of the Satara Region, this is said to be the ultimate Kruger Experience! On this magnificent basalt range, we find a well-established Mixed Bushwillow Woodlands Eco-Zone. This Eco-Zone features some iconic Trees of Kruger Park , which include the following trees: Baobab, Marula, Leadwood, a variety of Bushwillows, Tree Wisteria, Jackal Berry, Fig Trees, Knob Thorn and a variety of acacia species. We are privileged enough to offer sweet grass (Low Lying Areas) as well as Mixed grass on our midslope to upper crest areas. This attracts a wide variety of Plains Game (From Duikers to Elephants and everything in between) which provides the perfect variety of food on offer to the flagship predators of Kruger!
Getting to the lodge
The recommended airport for Imbali Safari Lodge is Skukuza which is located within the Kruger National Park and allows guests to enjoy a leisurely safari en-route to the lodge
SA Airlink to Skukuza (1.5 hours), Hoedspruit (2 hours) or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (3.5 hours)
SA Airlink offers flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town direct to Skukuza or Hoedspruit airports which are closest to IMBALI SAFARI LODGE.
SA Airlink also offers direct flights from Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Livingston Victoria Falls or Vilanculos Mozambique direct to Nelspruit Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (THIS IS A LONG TRANSFER OF AT LEAST 3.5HRS). Transfers from ANY of these airports can be booked at the time of reservation, at an additional charge.
Road transfers from either Hoedspruit Airport or Skukuza Airport are booked on request at time of reservation. Transfer rates as indicated below are based on a minimum of two people and are quoted per person one way.
Hoedspruit Airport – R 1 107.00 per person one way
Skukuza Airport – R 1 146.00 per person one way
Rates exclude Kruger National Park gate entry fees.
Light aircraft transfers
Guests will fly into the Manyeleti airstrip adjacent to the concession (Imbali Safari Lodge) where they will be collected by the lodge. Driving times from the lodge is approximately an hour. This transfer is charged.
Connecting Times
We recommend the following connecting times to ensure that passengers do not miss any connecting flights:
Departing Johannesburg
Domestic flights into Johannesburg must arrive two hours prior to the departing times of your connecting flight to Hoedspruit or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
International flights into Johannesburg must arrive two and a half hours prior to your connecting flight to Hoedspruit or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
Departing Skukuza/Hoedspruit/Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga International)
Domestic flights departing from Johannesburg must be booked to depart OR Tambo two hours after the arrival of your connecting flight from Hoedspruit or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
International flights departing from Johannesburg must be booked to depart OR Tambo three and a half hours after the arrival of your connecting flight from Hoedspruit or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
Getting there by road
Getting There By Road (6 hours by road from OR Tambo)
- Depart from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg
- Take the R21 highway North towards Pretoria
- Before reaching Pretoria, take the N4 highway East
- Turnoff at Belfast, take the R540 towards Dullstroom (approximately 37km)
- At Dullstroom, take the R540 towards Lydenburg (approximately 43km)
- At Lydenburg, take the R36 towards Ohrigstad (approximately 62km)
- At Ohrigstad, take the R527 towards Hoedspruit
(Note: You will pass through the JG Strijdom Tunnel) - 16km before Hoedspruit, at the Swadini Reptile Centre, turn right onto the R531 towards Klaserie
- After about 30km, turn left onto the Orpen Gate Road (R531)
- After 40km you will reach the Orpen Gate of the Kruger National Park
Paul Kruger Gate Entry (Estimated Driving Time: 2.5 – 3 hours)
- Pass Skukuza and take the H11 towards Satara
- After approximately 20kms turn left onto the S36 (Dirt Road), it is signposted. Carry on along the S36 for approximately 39kms
- For Imbali Safari Lodge, keep right at the Hamilton’s Tented Camp sign, continue on the S36/S125
- After 2km you will reach a T-junction, turn left onto the S36/S125
- After 4.5km you will reach a T-junction, turn right onto the S36
- After 6.5km, turn left onto the S145
- After 2.3km, turn left at the ‘no entry’ sign for Imbali Safari Lodge
- After 3.5km you will reach a T-junction which is signposted, turn left for Imbali Safari Lodge.
Orpen Gate Entry (Estimated Driving Time: 2 hours)
- Take the H7 towards Satara
- Drive for approximately 6.7km
- Turn right onto the S106 (Dirt Road)
- After 1.6km, turn right onto the S140 towards Talamati
- After 19.5km, turn right onto the S145
- After 10km on the S145, you will see signposting with a no entry sign, turn right for Imbali Safari Lodge
- After 3.5km you will reach a T-junction, turn left for Imbali Safari Lodge
Useful Facts
Imbali Safari Lodge is located within the private 10 000-hectare concession of Mluwati in the western region of the Kruger National Park, bordering the northern Sabi Sands and Manyeleti Game Reserves.
Kruger National Park gate fees
Due to us being located in a private concession area our guests enjoy a once-off access fee of R121.00 per person per stay, which is payable at the entrance gate or Skukuza Airport as a conservation levy
Kruger National Park entrance times
Kruger Park gate opening times:
| October – March | 05h30 |
| April – September | 06h00 |
Kruger Park gate closing times:
| November – February | 18h30 |
| March – April | 18h00 |
| May – July | 17h30 |
| August – October | 18h00 |
12 Month Gate Times:
| Gate Times | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | Jul | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Entrance Gates Open | 05:30 | 05:30 | 05:30 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 05:30 | 05:30 | 05:30 |
| Camp Gates Open | 04:30 | 05:30 | 05:30 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 06:00 | 05:30 | 04:30 | 04:30 |
| All Gates Close | 18:30 | 18:30 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:30 | 18:30 |
Speed limit
While driving within the Kruger National Park, please adhere to the legal speed limit of 50km per hour on tar roads and 40km per hour on dirt roads.
Safety precautions
Please adhere to the Kruger National Park safety precautions, and do not disembark from your vehicle unless you are in a designated area.
Cellphone reception
Due to the remote location of the camp, there is no cellphone reception at the lodge. Cellphone signal is only available at the entrance gates and close to Skukuza, it is therefore recommended to make any necessary calls at the gate upon entry. Should you need to make an urgent call, we do have land lines available.
Water
The water at the lodge is safe to drink, however, for your convenience, we also provide complimentary bottled water in the suites.
Fences
As the lodge is fenced, it is not advisable to walk around alone after dark. Our guides will escort you to and from dinner.
Young children
Children eight years and older are welcome at the Imbali. Extra camp beds are available for your children to share with their parents. Please note that we allow a maximum of two children per suite. Safaris for children are at Management discretion. Private vehicles are available at a surcharge which allows guests to be guaranteed safaris for children.
Children older than twelve years of age occupy their own room at full rate.
Perfect safari packing
- Tight-fitting sun hat, cap or beanie in winter (it gets quite windy on an open safari vehicle)
- Light jacket (and fleece in winter)
- Lightweight cotton or linen shirts and shorts Tracksuit or warm longs
- Closed shoes and socks
- Comfortable open sandals
- Camera, spare batteries and memory card
- Binoculars
- A stick of mosquito repellent
Flights between Skukuza and Johannesburg, Cape Town