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OVERVIEW:
Hilltop Lodge has a lot to recommend it. We love the laidback chic of the suites dotted around the hill. This is a great base for exploring Timbavati and absolutely brilliant for keen photographers!
ACCESS & LOCATION:
Hilltop Lodge is positioned on the top of a small kopje, overlooking the Nhlaralumi River and offering superb vistas of the Drakensberg Mountains beyond.
ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT SIMBAVATI HILLTOP LODGE:
All the communal areas are open-sided, for guests to enjoy the views. The lounge offers comfortable and colorful seating, a selection of books and a few board games, while the circular bar boasts 360-degree views of the surrounding bush. There is also a curio shop, and a deck for dining and viewing passing game. The infinity pool has its own lounge, for the ultimate in relaxation!
The guest accommodation at Hilltop Lodge comprises eight pavailion-style safari suites, spaced around the kopje to ensure privacy while maintaining a village feel. Each unit consists of a wooden deck supporting two canvas tents, one for the bedroom and one for the bathroom. All bedroom tents are elegantly furnished and feature twin or double beds with electric blankets for winter, air conditioning, ceiling fan, bedside lamps, two-point plug converters, eco-friendly insect repellent, hairdryer, safe, tea and coffee station, and well-stocked mini bar! Bathroom tents are linked via a passageway that can be opened up for outdoor showering. Some of the suites have very steep steps and we recommend a lower-level unit for guests with mobility issues.
ACTIVITIES AT SIMBAVATI HILLTOP LODGE:
Activities from Hilltop Lodge focus on exploring Timbavati.
- After an early breakfast, guests can venture into the bushveld for a three-hour game drive, bush walk or photographic safari. There is loads to see in this area. All Big Five animals roam the reserve, with huge herds of lion, elephant and buffalo!
- This is also the place of the famous white lion.
- Other mammals include cheetah, zebra, antelope, giraffe, wild dog, hippopotamus and warthog.
- The birdlife is equally impressive and birders relish the opportunity to spot such species as herons, egrets, storks, kites and vultures.
- A further drive or walk is available in the afternoon, following a leisurely lunch and afternoon tea at the lodge.
- This activity incorporates a sundowner break before guests return to lodge for dinner.
- After dinner, night drives are available, a great chance to check out the nocturnal life of the reserve and catch a glimpse of civets, genets, porcupines and servals!
- Guiding is of a very high standard, while photographic safaris include equipment hire and use of the lodge’s special photographic safaris vehicle. A professional photographer offers one-on-one instruction, so guests are guaranteed fabulous images!
*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.
