Eat, Explore and Experience
Only the Best Will Do!
In addition to the awesome surrounds of the Mabalingwe Game Reserve and first-rate accommodation, you can choose from a host of activities; including, guided game drives, self-drive game drives, horseback game viewing, cold and heated swimming pools and an outdoor spa. Or, simply soak up the views and the natural beauty from the deck of Idwala View.
Mabalingwe Game Reserve lies just under two hours’ drive north of Johannesburg, making it a great spot to get away for the weekend.
Bela Bela, (place of the warm baths), is the closest town to Mabalingwe.
Lying in the heart of the Waterberg, the many conservancies, wilderness areas and game farms combine to form the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve.
Bela-Bela is very popular. It is only an hour from Pretoria and is great for family holidays. With a mild climate you are almost always guaranteed of sunshine. The Waterberg area is also a malaria-free region.
The Big 5 is also a big attraction and at the Mabalinge Game Reserve you can find elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, with the lions in their own camp.
Bela-Bela has restaurants, coffee shops, its own Waterfront, random and interesting roadside stalls on the R101 and nearby nature reserves that include the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, one of the best places for spotting birds in the country.
What To Do
See the Waterberg White Lions
Learn about the magnificent Cheetah and Wild Dog
Go on an Adventure with Elephants
Where To Eat
Eat the best Pizza in the region
Drink beer at a local brewery
Have a hamburger that comes with a view
See the White Lions of the Waterberg
Spend the morning experiencing a truly unique interaction with trained Cheetahs, Japhari and 2 female cubs Karibu and Khanyana at the Thandeka Game Lodge – as you walk beside them in the untamed bush, through their enclosure, led by your qualified game ranger. After a light lunch, experience the majestic White Lions in an open vehicle. Thandeka Game Lodge is privileged to be home to three beautiful third generation Timbavati White Lions; our 2 females, Abeni and Dayo and their majestic male, Jengo.
Adventures With Elephants
Adventures with Elephants offer close up and personal encounters with their Elephants – carried out with cheerfulness and respect for the welfare of both their majestic residents and guests. Here you will learn all about the continent’s gentle giants, their intelligence, their bodies, their behaviour.
Feracare Wildlife Centre
During a two hour tour, visitors have the opportunity to see and learn more about Cheetah, Wild dog, Caracal, Serval, African Wild Cat and Vultures. Watch Cheetahs running at high speed chasing a lure or engage in the rare opportunity to meet a Cheetah up close and hear it purr…
Glorious Sunsets
Mabalingwe is known for its incredibly beautiful golden sunsets. Who has not seen pictures of the open Savannah plains with an Acacia tree in the background and the silhouette of a lone Giraffe strolling past, embraced by the warm golden glow of the setting sun.
Go Birdwatching
The Reserve boasts rolling hills, spectacular scenery and dams. With prolific bird-life all over the Reserve, especially at the dams, bring your binoculars along when going on a game drive.
The Big 5
Mabalingwe Nature Reserve boasts the Big Five – Elephant, Rhino, Bufallo, Leopard (very shy), Lions (in their own camp).
The term “big five game” (usually capitalized or quoted as “Big Five”) was coined by big game hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. The members of the Big Five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved, rather than their size.
L’abri Fountain Brewery
L’abri is a fully licensed bar that also offers
a variety of other beverages and Cocktails!
The restaurant serves some of the best
pizza in the Limpopo province.
Le Fera Restaurant and Bar
With a magnificent view of one of the many dams on the Reserve, Le Fera Restaurant and Bar is the perfect spot to go and enjoy a sundowner, or to take a well-deserved break from cooking/braai’ing and eat a tasty meal.
Kalahari Oasis Bush Pub
Situated in the game viewing area, this unique pub was once the set of a TV film and was then converted into a very special, uniquely South African venue. Perfect for a leisurely drink during the course of an idyllic Mabalingwe day. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays.