Mala Mala

  Safari Lodges

MAIN CAMP - RATTRAY'S - SABLE CAMP

Entering its 5th decade, MalaMala remains unswervingly dedicated to its vision from the time the reserve was founded: an exclusive and unmatched game-viewing experience led by guides without peer.

MalaMala is the largest and oldest private reserve in South Africa, covering 70 sq miles of the Mpumalanga Lowveld, sharing an unfenced boarder with Kruger National Park. It supports a very broad selection of wildlife in its varied habitats which include: riverine forest, acacia bushveld, and savannah. The owners Michael and Norma Rattray remain to this day personally involved in the daily management to ensure that the highest standards of game viewing and comfort are maintained.

Your game ranger will greet your party upon arrival and will accompany you through your stay. The rangers are the mainstay of the professional staff, hand selected for their detailed and comprehensive knowledge of African plant-, animal-, and bird-life. He oversees the personal service for which MalaMala is legendary, guides you on game drives and sits with you at meals, imparting knowledge of African wildlife and stories about the individual behavior of animals within the MalaMala reserve.  

Game drives are conducted in an open safari vehicle, accompanied by a professional Shangaan tracker. Despite the refined attention to detail, you are immediately aware that you are in Africa and that the unexpected will happen. Breakdowns and stuck vehicles are a hazard of driving through donga and bush, but the staff handles this with aplomb. One radio call and a replacement is quickly supplied with minimal delay to your game viewing enjoyment to the chagrin of the occasional guest who feels that the "excitement" of dragging a stalled vehicle out of the river is just what they have paid for. Radio contact, a large reserve, and excellent guides provide a high probability of seeing the big five.

THE CAMPS

MalaMala Main Camp is perhaps the best value in South Africa for one of the world's most famous game lodges.  This camp is focused on preserving the legacy of the founding pioneers of this region.

Sable Camp is a smaller and more exclusive camp for those wanting extra privacy.

Rattray's, a new camp, recently opened, defines the Rattrays' interpretation of classic 'Into Africa,' representing  a style relevant to present day international requirements while complementing its emphasis on superb gameviewing, the continuing focus of the MalaMala experience.