Luxury suite at Timbavati Game Reserve

The Timbavati Game Reserve is located at the border line between Hoedspruit in (Limpopo) and Acornhoek in(Mpumalanga), north of the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve on the western edge of Kruger National Park, geographically and politically, Timbavati is located in Mpumalanga Province. In Xitsonga, the name Timbavati means "the place where something sacred came down to earth from the heavens" and refers to these genetically rare specimens that are not albino lions but are actually listed as a sub species of lion.

The Reserve was established in 1956 by like-minded game farmers with the creation of the Timbavati Association. The association has 50 members and covers 53,392 hectares (533.92 km2). Timbavati is part of Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) and the fences separating Timbavati from the other member reserves in the APNR and from the Kruger National Park has been removed. Wildlife, including lions, elephant, cheetahs and other species roam freely between these reserves. Ngala (Ngala, meaning 'lion' in Tsonga) and Motswari game reserves have been amalgamated into Timbavati.