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What Is Manyeleti Game Reserve?

Amber Eberle
Amber Eberle

The Manyeleti Game Reserve is a privately owned reserve located in South Africa. The land within the park is owned by the Mnisi tribe. It borders the famous Kruger National Park as well as the popular Sabi Sands and Timbavati Game Reserves. The climate is considered subtropical, with humid summers and mild winters. Big game is plentiful in the Manyeleti Game Reserve, and it is also home to a wide variety of insects, birds, and plants.

The reserve covers 54,000 acres (23,000 hectares) and consists of a mix of grassy plains and woodlands. There are no fences separating Manyeleti Game Reserve from Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands Game Reserve, or Timbavati Game Reserve, and animals move freely between the four areas. Manyeleti Game Reserve is less popular than the areas that surround it and visitors to the reserve will not find many other tourists around. There are several game lodges within the reserve that offer a full safari experience to guests staying in the lodges.

Manyeleti Game Reserve is located in South Africa.
Manyeleti Game Reserve is located in South Africa.

The area of South Africa where Manyeleti Game Reserve is located is home to many different animals. Many people visit hoping to see what is often called the Big Five. The animals that make up the Big Five include the leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. These animals are commonly seen roaming the land that makes up the Manyeleti Game Reserve. Other creatures that live in the reserve are zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, and several species of antelope.

Giraffes can be found on the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
Giraffes can be found on the Manyeleti Game Reserve.

The most popular way to see game in the reserve is by taking a game drive or a game walk. Guests of the game lodges within the reserve will usually be offered these trips as part of their stay. During a game drive an experienced guide, who is usually armed, takes visitors out in an open-top, four-wheel drive vehicle to observe the animals of the African bush. A guided game walk is on foot and offers visitors a different perspective of the wildlife. Visitors to the reserve are not allowed to leave a vehicle without a guide.

Lions are among the animals to be found at the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
Lions are among the animals to be found at the Manyeleti Game Reserve.

There are limited game lodges in the reserve, in which visitors may stay overnight. Each lodge is privately owned and the land it is built on is leased from the Mnisi tribe. The lodges in the Manyeleti Game Reserve offer guests an all-inclusive experience. The rate charged by a game lodge typically includes all meals as well as game walks and game drives.

Discussion Comments

anon330896

Just visited the Manyeleti Game reserve recently and it was truly breathtakingly beautiful. Many thanks to Tydon safaris for making it possible

Emilski

@Izzy78 - That is a great point to bring up, but I have to imagine that the people that work in these parks constantly take patrols and look for animals in the area that could create a dangerous situation for the tourists.

I went to Animal Kingdom and I hear they try to recreate a safari as best they can, and it seemed like that they play acted and tried to keep in constant communication with one another telling each other where there was a pride of lions or some other dangerous animals they may come across.

I have never been on a safari, but I believe that it is relatively safe considering that people do come back from them and people do not get scared away from accidents that do happen there.

Izzy78

I have never been to Africa, although I would like to, but I would think that this would be very dangerous.

The article says that there are no fences, which is great because it allows the animals to move around in their natural habitat, but it also means that visitors to the preserve run the risk of being attacked by the Big Five animals if they are not too careful.

Over here in the United States not having fences to keep tourists out is a bad idea as many people are killed at National Parks due to trying to pet a buffalo.

stl156

@jcraig - I absolutely agree with you. I have always wanted to go on a safari at a game preserve simply to see these animals in their natural habitat, while still having a sense of security around me knowing that I am not on my own with these animals.

I feel like that this would be an incredible experience and would highly recommend for anyone to go on one. I have heard great things about these game preserves and that it is relatively safe as long as you are smart and do not wander away form the group.

jcraig

I have always wanted to go on a safari simply because of the interesting animals and the interesting landscape that is seen when one goes to Africa.

I find this to be quite interesting because there is a certain sense of danger involved in going on a safari even if it is just watching and observing the animals.

There are so many large and exotic animals in Africa that are highly dangerous that going on a safari allows people the chance to engage in actually being outside and seeing these animals in the wild, participating in this danger, despite having armed protection for them.

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    • Manyeleti Game Reserve is located in South Africa.
      By: Loic LE BRUSQ
      Manyeleti Game Reserve is located in South Africa.
    • Giraffes can be found on the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
      By: David_Steele
      Giraffes can be found on the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
    • Lions are among the animals to be found at the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
      By: Michael Ireland
      Lions are among the animals to be found at the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
    • Leopards, a "big cat" species that sleeps and eats in trees, are among the game animals that live in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
      By: Yulia Romanova
      Leopards, a "big cat" species that sleeps and eats in trees, are among the game animals that live in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
    • The Manyeleti Game Reserve contains cheetahs.
      By: JohanSwanepoel
      The Manyeleti Game Reserve contains cheetahs.
    • Travelers on safari tours may spot the "Big Five" at Manyeleti Game Reserve.
      By: Photocreo Bednarek
      Travelers on safari tours may spot the "Big Five" at Manyeleti Game Reserve.