Ngala is the only private game reserve in the legendary Kruger National Park, one of the richest and most strategically important wildlife areas in Africa. There are no fences around Ngala, allowing game to move freely. Ngala has exclusive traversing rights over 14 780 hectares (36 506 acres) of Kruger's two million hectares (4 940 000 acres).

Ngala Game Lodge is on the banks of the Mapone River in the north of the reserve, while Ngala Tented Safari Camp is situated on the banks of the seasonal Timbavati river, which runs through the southern section of Ngala Private Game Reserve. The Timbavati comes down in flood once or twice a year, but is dry for the remainder of the year.

Ngala's habitats support an astonishing variety of wildlife including the "big five". Grazers such as buffalo, blue wildebeest, Burchell's zebra and warthog favour open areas, while impala are most common at the edge of bush clumps. Other ungulates to watch out for are giraffe, hippo, bushbuck, grey duiker and kudu.

Breeding herds of elephant make for exceptional viewing. White rhino sightings increase during the dry season. These endangered animals have fascinating territoriality. Ngala offers sightings of both black and white rhino. Large breeding herds of buffalo - numbering up to 400 - have been moving through Ngala and using the waterholes.

Ngala continues to enjoy outstanding leopard and lion pride viewing. The area's vast terrain enables the wide-ranging and rare wild dog to roam free. This gives you the privilege of frequent sightings.

Elusive nocturnal animals include the endangered African wildcat and the pangolin (scaly anteater).

Discover more on:
Buffalo
Zebra
Impala
Giraffe
Hippo
Leopard
Wild Dog

Around 260 species of birds may be seen. Birds around Ngala Private Game Reserve include the Woodland Kingfisher, Scops Owl, Crested Barbet, Marico Sunbird, Spotted-backed Weaver and White-throated Robin.

Colourful birds to look out for are the Southern Yellowbilled Hornbill and the Redbilled Hornbill. With their large, colourful bills and confiding nature, hornbills are among the most conspicuous birds in African savannahs.

Vultures and eagles soaring through the Ngala sky include the Lappet-faced Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Martial Eagle, African Hawk Eagle and Bateleur. Nesting sites for many of these raptors have been found and mapped throughout the reserve. This gives a picture of density, preferred habitats, territorial spacing and favoured trees.

The impressive dry riverbed of the Timbavati features islands of reeds, a bird-watcher's paradise.

Discover more on:
Owls
Vulture
Bateleur

Click here to download an Acrobat PDF Bird Checklist of bird species common to the area.
After browsing the checklist, click the browser "Back" button to return to this page.

If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat, click here for a free download.

Further down the food chain, you will find terrapins, crocodiles and lizards. Also look out for frogs such as the Foamnest Frog and insects such as minute Stingless Bees ("Mopane Bees").

Trees in Ngala Private Game Reserve include Mopane Trees, the Magic Guarri, Jacket Plum, Kooboo Berry, Dwarf Boerbean and Fever Tree.

The band of riverine forest of tall trees and thickets along the Timbavati river remain green throughout the year. This forest is characterised by Jackalberry, Weeping Boerbean, Tamboti, Rain Tree, Knob Thorn, Weeping Wattle, Potato Bush and Broadpod Albizia. Sweet grasses flourish on the fringe of this riverine forest. Attractive Wild Date Palm often grow on the outer fringe of reedbeds.

Ngala lies in the heart of the South African Lowveld. The reserve is a generally flat landscape with undulating crests. The principal habitat is bush savannah, with thickets along drainage lines and around termite mounds. There is a thin band of riverine forest along the Timbavati river which runs west to east through the private reserve.

Ngala is the scene of one of Africa's most innovative groundbreaking conservation partnership agreements. CC Africa has joined forces with the national park authorities (Kruger National Park) and the non-governmental South African Nature Trust Foundation. Under this partnership, a percentage of all profits from Ngala flow into the National Parks Trust to promote conservation projects.

Ngala uses only bio-degradable cleaning materials. We recycle all cans, paper and glass bottles.