Five-star graded Royal Legend Safari Lodge & Spa is located along the banks of a seasonal river in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park - a world famous game reserve in northern South Africa. The luxurious chalets all command magnificent views of the watercourse and surrounding lush vegetation.

Induce a state of balance and harmony in body, mind and spirit at the Lodge Spa where a variety of therapies provide the ultimate relaxing, revitalising experience and promote a feeling of general wellbeing. A large jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and equipped gym are available to complete the experience.

Royal Legend is approximately 5 hours' drive from Johannesburg.

Nestled along the banks of a seasonal river, the Royal Lodge's ten luxurious chalets all command a magnificent view of the watercourse and its surrounding lush vegetation. Each chalet was built with minimum intrusion into the natural environment, and guests can appreciate an almost unbroken view of the river from the comfort of their beds through the glass doors on two sides of the chalet.

Individually decorated with understated luxury in mind, the extra-length king or twin bedded rooms feature beaded artwork made by skilled South African women.

In-Room facilities:

Each of the widely separated chalets has its own private deck area, where guests can relax with a book from the lodge's small but select library, or simply bask in the sun, keeping an eye open for the shy creatures that inhabit the river banks.

All the chalets have air-conditioning, the windows have protective mosquito gauze and large mosquito nets over the beds.

A bar fridge and a safe are tucked away in reeded cupboards, with a mirrored vanity of beautifully grained indigenous wood counters. The wooden tops are harvested from single slabs of wood, with the curves of the tree providing a sinuous, organic feel.

All rooms have a spacious en suite bathroom, with spa baths and doubled washbasins. A large shower enclosure leads outdoors into a private outdoor shower with a view of river bed.

Large corner windows provide guests with a sense of the outdoors while still inside, and the view from the toilet is unparalleled through a large glass door.

Blinds ensure privacy for the more modest, although the spacing of the chalets makes this unnecessary.

Meals are taken in the massive thatched entertainment area, where the arrangement of the furniture provides a cosy feel. This is enhanced by two large circular fireplaces, which provide a focal point and the ideal location to discuss games sightings on a chilly winter's night.

The lounge and dining areas overlook the riverbed and a waterhole, lit at night with animal-friendly spotlights. A magnificent bar also gives an uninterrupted view of the waterhole.

Meals can be taken on damask linen under the thatched roof, out of the raised teak deck, or in the boma at night.

The emphasis is on South African cuisine, but special dietary requirements can be catered for. Consultation between the beauty therapist and the chef will provide a menu suitable for the health conscious.

A superb wine cellar holding the best of South Africa 's world-renowned wines is found down a spiral staircase that winds down a carved leadwood log.

A large picture window gives the opportunity to sip fine while studying activity at the waterhole.

The Timbavati Nature Reserve came into existence in July 1956, when a group of conservationist – minded people who owned game farms on the Western boundary of the Kruger National Park, came together to form the Timbavati Association.

The size of the reserve covers about 60000 hectares of pristine African Bush, part of the world famous Greater Kruger National Park. The Kruger itself is a further 2 million hectares in size, which is about the same size as Israel or Wales. In the early 1990’s the boundary fence between the Kruger and the adjacent private reserves namely, Timbavati, Sabi Sands, Klaserie, Umbabaat, and Manyaleti was removed to create the Greater Kruger Park, covering an area of 2.2 million hectares.

The Greater Kruger has been zoned into 35 different landscape types. A landscape is defines as an area with a specific geomorphology climate, soil and vegetation, together with the associated fauna. Royal Legend Safari Lodge and Spa falls into a landscape zoned as:

Combretum SPP (Bushwillow), / Colophospermum Mopane Woodland. The underlying rock is mainly Granite and Gneiss intersected by numerous intrusions of Dolerite. The terrain is undulating with Sandy soils.

The altitude varies between 300 meters and 500 meters. The climate is temperate with hot summers and cool winter with frost as an exception in the low lying areas.

• Twice daily game drives
• Bird watching
• Lodge health spa
• Fully equipped Lodge gym
• Large Jacuzzi and sauna
• Complete relaxation.

The above rates are a guideline. Please enquire for current rates, as well as discounted children's rates.

• Rates are per person in SA Rand
• Accommodation is Full Board: Includes 3 meals & 2 Game Drives daily
• Conservation Fee: R90 per person and R75 per vehicle payable at the gate.