Unfenced from the Kruger National Park

Un hurried safari experiences

The klaserie Private nature Reserve covers over 60 000 hectares and is part of the Greater Kruger Park where the wildlife roams freely over millions of hectares.

At Ximuwu the safari experience is unhurried and you have time to emerse yourself in the bush, take time to observe the wildlife, appreciate the little details and move on at your own pace. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the African bush. Here, the journey is just as special as the sightings, and every safari unfolds at nature’s own pace.

Ximuwu offers several safari experiences. You can enjoy a game drive, listing to the sounds of the bush from the lodge deck or the game viewer vehicle using the sound equipment, using the thermal bino’s and watch the night come alive.

Game Drives

At Your Pace

Ximuwu’s game drives are built around your schedule, interests, and pace. This means you have a peaceful, unhurried experience: one where you stay at a sighting as long as it holds, and leave when you’re ready.

Drives can be scheduled at sunrise, mid-morning, or late afternoon. Sundowner stop, bush breakfasts and evening drinks are part of the experience.

ON FOOT WITH NATURE

Guided Walking Safaris

The bush changes when you step out of the vehicle. A walking safari isn’t just an exclusive safari experience, but a sensory treat.

Ximuwu’s walking safaris are guided by experienced rangers who understand the land they’re walking through — the tracks, the smells, the sounds, and the wind. It’s a slower pace than a game drive, but a deeper one. Guests who have done both frequently say the walk is what stays with them.

Our walking safaris are adapted to the group’s fitness levels and abilities, and led by an armed, accredited field guide. You must be over the age of sixteen to join.

STARLIT SAFARI MAGIC

Night Drives with Thermal Vision

After dark, the bush belongs to a different set of animals and the predators take charge.

Grab the night-vision binoculars and depart after dinner with your guide. The experience is unlike any conventional drive — quieter, less disruptive, and significantly more revealing.

One of the unique items at Ximuwu is our thermal camera! It allows you spot animals in complete darkness, adding an extra thrill to your safari adventure.

HEAR WHAT THE ANIMALS HEAR

Sound Safaris

Sound dominates the bush long before anything comes into view. A lion’s roar carries for five kilometres. Elephant communicate in registers below human hearing. The dawn chorus begins an hour before first light.

Ximuwu’s sound safaris use directional microphones and amplifiers to place you inside what you’d normally only hear in the background. Call it the bush on full volume — except what you hear isn’t background noise. It’s information. It’s the same acoustic world that predators navigate and prey animals read for survival.

THE SIGHTING IS YOURS

Photo Safaris & Photographic Hides

The lodge has two photographic hides that offering front row, ground level views to the water hole. The hides are well placed for watching and photographing wildlife. The hide at the lodge is fully wheelchair accessible.

Game drives can be built around photography objectives — dawn departures for the best light, routes that account for the position of the sun. Our rangers understand wildlife behavior and plan accordingly. Camera and lens rental is available; ask when booking.

ALWAYS WATCHING

Ximuwu's Rangers, Trackers & Scouts

Long before a game drive begins, Ximuwu’s scout is out in the reserve, reading tracks, assessing conditions, locating the morning movements of the animals you’ll encounter a few hours later. The sightings that look spontaneous are the result of skill and planning.

Our ranger team brings decades of combined experience from some of southern Africa’s most respected lodges. On a walking safari or a game drive, their presence is what makes the difference between a tour and an education.