MalaMala Rattray's Camp ^{★ ★ ★ ★ ★}

situated in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin – bordering the Kruger National Park

Tucked away in a forest of green, on the banks of the world-renowned Sand River, lies a special place. MalaMala Rattray’s Camp offers an intimate glimpse into an era long lost, when travellers from afar married the magic of the African bush with elegance and refinement. Combining humble opulence and romantic exclusivity with unrivalled game viewing, MalaMala Rattray’s Camp is the premier safari destination for those seeking to experience the wild heart of Africa.

MalaMala Rattrays Camp is the epitome of classic style and good taste. Each luxurious, freestanding and spacious suite offers an atmosphere of lush seclusion and boasts spectacular views of the Sand River where wildlife of all shapes and sizes can be viewed whilst taking a dip in the private plunge pool, cooling off in the outdoor shower or enjoying a massage on the deck.

At MalaMala Rattray’s Camp, wildlife safaris are our number one priority. A maximum of only four guests per safari vehicle is the norm and a flexible operation ensures your adventures into the bush will be intimate and unforgettable. An experienced and proficient ranger will serve as your guide and host, offering a level of service second to none.

Sumptuous meals can be enjoyed in a variety of locations including the “boma,” the deck, the dining room or in the privacy and comfort of your own suite.

WHY MALAMALA

MalaMala Game Reserve is the benchmark for the luxury safari industry in southern Africa. It is one of the largest private Big Five game reserves in South Africa and is world-renowned for offering the finest and most consistent Big Five game viewing this side of the equator. Capacity on game drives: four guests but can be increased to six guests per safari vehicle based on guests travelling together and triple share.

Location, Location, Location - comprising 13 200 ha (33 000 acres), MalaMala shares a 19 km (12 mile) unfenced boundary with the world-famous Kruger National Park (KNP) and lies strategically sandwiched between the KNP and the Sabi Sand Reserve. Importantly, MalaMala has 20 kms (13 miles) of Sand River frontage. This perennial river acts as a magnet for animals in this pristine wildlife area and is the foundation of MalaMala’s unrivalled game viewing and wildlife experience.

Preserving and protecting the environmental integrity of this special piece of Africa has always been at the core of MalaMala’s existence. This philosophy has paid off and international photojournalists and film-makers have made MalaMala their wildlife destination of choice.

THE WILDLIFE

“Not even Tanzania’s famed Serengeti Game Reserve or the awesome Ngorongoro Crater fills your camera viewfinder faster with Africa’s legendary Big Five – at MalaMala, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant appear magically, as if on cue,” says acclaimed wildlife photojournalist Geoff Dalglish in his Sunday Times review. “Nor could Hollywood script the wide-screen wildlife encounters any more dramatically or frequently than nature does routinely in the private game reserve that is arguably South Africa’s most famous internationally.”

Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros are the most sought after and dangerous of the world’s big game. Folklore and legend are rich regarding the Big Five, encompassing beliefs such as: “The Great One put the animals here for us to use wisely and respect, even as we hunted them. But he knew that without fear we might lose our respect for these creatures, so he put the five here to help us remember. The lion and leopard taught us fear of the night, that only the daytime was ours. The buffalo, the elephant and the rhino taught us to fear their strength, that we might respect the strength of nature.”

MalaMala Game Reserve was the first privately owned and commercially operated game reserve in South Africa and is the model on which all other private game reserves now operate.

A map of the reserve demonstrates the significance of MalaMala’s size and location in relation to the Kruger National Park. The unfenced eastern boundary with the Kruger National Park allows wildlife to move freely onto MalaMala and many of the territorial animals such as leopard, lion and rhino will have territories overlapping on both reserves.

MalaMala’s river frontage, running north to south, is the lifeblood of the reserve and acts as a natural drawcard for animals, especially in the dry winter months. The wildlife moves from the Kruger National Park, across MalaMala, to the river and back again, resulting in two-way traffic across the reserve where we conduct our safaris.

The land to the east of the river has no human habitation, no access roads, no electricity pylons and no telephone poles and this area is left exclusively to the wildlife for upwards of 16 hours a day.

There is no shared traversing on 70% of the MalaMala property allowing guests to enjoy exclusive, uninterrupted game drives. There is no time limit on sightings and no “queue-to-view” on this enormous tract of land.

Due to the superior environmental policies of MalaMala over a long period of time, the land has remained in pristine condition resulting in a prolific abundance of tertiary grasses. This attracts the herbivores which in turn attracts the predators.

MalaMala has over 55 years of game viewing experience and was the first game reserve to transition from hunting safaris to photographic safaris. This not only gives us many generations of animals which are accustomed to the game drive vehicles, but also superior knowledge on how to manage sightings with the utmost respect for the animals.

Our rangers are expertly trained and all have accredited field guide qualifications. Most of the rangers studied the natural sciences at university and as a result we have specialists in many different scientific fields e.g. Ornithology, Entomology and Zoology.

We allow a maximum of 3 vehicles per sighting.

In a concerted effort to reduce the human footprint on MalaMala, the bed and vehicle densities have been kept to an absolute minimum. At 1 bed per 500 acres (200 hectares) and 1 vehicle per 2 350 acres (950 hectares), these densities are amongst the lowest of any private game reserve in the country, consistent with the principle that the environment is the essence of MalaMala.

One of the great advantages of having an unfenced boundary with almost 5 million acres of the Kruger National Park is that the wildlife is free to live and move in a natural, unconstrained environment with minimal need for human intervention and interference.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE

MalaMala Game Reserve offers some of the very best wildlife photographic opportunities on the planet.

"Over the past 10 years I've travelled the world documenting wildlife for National Geographic but nothing has compared to what MalaMala has to offer. Nowhere in Africa can the scenic beauty and wildlife behaviour be remotely compared to MalaMala in any aspect and it's hands down the most remarkable place I have ever filmed in." Russell MacLaughlin - Nat Geo Wild

The photographic experience includes a dedicated ranger to guide you through your safari. Their intuitive knowledge of animal behaviour and skilled positioning of the vehicle affords one enhanced wildlife photographic opportunities. This, coupled with the option of either a sliding, cushioned camera rail or a fixed, cushioned camera rail, affords one the greatest comfort and stability when attempting to capture those quintessential wildlife images you’ve been waiting for.

The photographic experience can be booked for individuals, families or small groups travelling together. It is ideal for both enthusiastic amateurs as well as seasoned veterans.

Features of the photographic experience include the following:

• Three rows of bucket seats on the vehicle complete with inter-changeable storage boxes for your gear/sundry items
• A sliding, cushioned camera rail or a fixed, cushioned camera rail attached to the vehicle
• Bean bags for added camera stability
• A dedicated ranger
• Packed breakfasts/lunches available to facilitate more time spent in the field in pursuit of your best shot

Rattray’s Camp does not accommodate children under the age of 16.

This is a low risk Malaria area, especially in the winter months

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