Tag: mala mala

The New-Look Rattray’s on Mala Mala

Posted on by James

Since the 60’s, Mala Mala has been wowing guests with its game viewing.

The camps have developed somewhat in the last five and a half decades, but the phenomenal wildlife viewing has remained ai its consistent best.

MalaMala Rattray’s Camp offers an intimate glimpse into an era long lost, when travellers from afar married the magic of the African bush with elegance and refinement.

Combining humble opulence and romantic exclusivity with unrivalled game viewing, MalaMala Rattray’s Camp is one of the premier safari destinations for those seeking to experience the wild heart of Africa.

 

Mala Mala’s hashtag #itsallabouthewildlife, says it all; wildlife safaris are their number one priority. A maximum of only four guests per safari vehicle out of Rattrays Camp is the norm and a flexible operation ensures your adventures into the bush will be intimate and unforgettable. An experienced ranger will serve as your guide and host, handling all the minutiae that go into making your trip as seamless as possible, both in camp and out in the bush.

Sumptuous meals can be enjoyed in a variety of locations including the boma, the deck, the dining room or in the privacy and comfort of your own suite. And with unobstructed views down into the Sand River, it is more than likely that mealtimes will feature a wildlife show of some sort, be they elephants drinking from the gently flowing water, or a leopard skulking through the reeds.

Rattray’s on Mala Mala features everything you may need to make a slightly longer complete from all angles. A beautifully appointed library containing rare African books and magnificent works of art lets one pass the heat of the day reading of explorers of old, and an historic bar adorned with antique photographs lets one hearken back to the early days of game viewing in the reserve.

Lunches are served on the most phenomenal viewing deck, whilst evening meals will more than likely (although weather permitting) be served under the stars in the boma. Thos who would like to take home some mementos of their visit will find more than they could wish for in the boutique shop, and to ward off the inevitable gains that come with the delicious hearty meals on offer, a fully equipped gym will let you remain active between game drives. WiFi is available in all the rooms.

Rattrays can host 16 guests in eight luxury villas, each of which boasts a private verandah with grand river views and a private heated plunge pool, a private indigenous garden, en-suite bathrooms with double vanity, ball-and-claw bath and double indoor shower and outdoor shower; outdoor and indoor dining area, air-conditioning, heating, overhead fans, hairdryer, minibar, tea and coffee facilities. Satellite television, DVD player and laptop with wireless connectivity are available on request.

The accommodations here are everything you could ever wish for on safari, and with the high likelihood of encountering wildlife roaming through the camp, things couldn’t get any bette

Whether you’re visiting for three days or fifteen, Rattray’s on Mala Mala will make you feel as though your trip was too short, so at home will you feel.

If you want to find out more about staying in this wildlife-intense camp, mail us on info@iconicafrica.com, and let’s start planning your Mala Mala safari…

Mala Mala Winter Madness

Posted on by James

Winter is almost upon the South African Lowveld, which encompasses the Kruger National Park and its adjacent private reserves like the Timbavati, the Sabi Sands, and more relevant to this particular post, Mala Mala.

One of the original photographic safari lodges in the country, Mala Mala has had its doors open to wildlife aficionados since the late 60s, and although the camps have been upgraded since then, the menu has been refined and the experience developed somewhat, the thing that has remained unchanged over all those years is what makes the place part of the epicentre of Big 5 viewing in the region; the wildlife.

Attracted by the perennial Sand River (along which Mala Mala enjoys 20km of frontage), the wildlife flocks in in droves during the winter months – the dry season in this region – when surface water is scarce but the river remains constant.
Lions lounge on the high banks, waiting for the buffalo herds to descend down the dead-end sandy culverts. Leopards slink through the Phragmites reeds, sneaking up on unsuspecting bushbuck, and the ever-present elephant herds march between their feeding grounds and the steady trickle of water that sustains life throughout these cold harsh months of the middle of the year.

And above it all, ever-present and inviting, lies Mala Mala Camp (formerly known as Main Camp).
A haven of understated luxury, combining warm comfort and superb service with unrivalled views of the Sand River and surrounding bushveld, it is truly a place of legends, where rare photographs, old maps and extraordinary mementos rub shoulders with the works of renowned contemporary wildlife artists.The camp is an unfenced oasis in the middle of the bush.

Ten luxury suites, eight luxury rooms and one luxury single suite comprise this unique slice of Africa that is sure to fill up your memory cards faster than the

The spacious and unbelievably comfortable rooms all feature the following:

  • Private decks or verandah with a view over the Sand River or a waterhole
  • En-suite bathroom with private toilet – the suites have both a bath and a shower whilst the luxury rooms only have a shower
  • 24-hour temperature control – air-conditioning, heating and overhead fan
  • Direct dial telephones
  • A mini-bar
  • Tea and coffee making facilities
  • A mini-safe
  • Bathroom amenities, insect repellent and hairdryers

It’a good all year, but winter is the time when Mala Mala truly comes alive.

Thankfully there are a number of different accommodation options available, as competition is fierce to get a booking during the peak of the game viewing months. Rattray’s and Sable Camps offer just as – if not more – luxurious stays, whilst still providing access to just as incredible game viewing experiences.

Get in touch NOW (info@iconicafrica.com) to start planning your Mala Mala safari. This is one you don’t want to miss…

SA Resident Specials in Big Cat Paradise

Posted on by James

As April draws to a close and lodges across Africa get busier and busier as travellers return, we are delighted to announce that certain South African safari properties will be upholding their resident rates in the short- to mid-term. Mala Mala Game Reserve, bordering South Africa’s world famous Kruger National Park, will be offering these specials right up until December 2022, so make sure you don’t miss out.

It’s no secret that Mala Mala is one of the best places in Africa to view lions, leopards and cheetahs. And not only view them, but have front row seats to some of the most action-packed game viewing on the continent. Leopards in trees, lions moving new-born cubs between dens… it seems like nothing is out of the question here.
It’s not only the cat density on Mala Mala that is so high (a recent study found the greater area to hold the highest density of Leopards yet recoded in Africa) but the general game too, which means that the predators have an absolute buffet of prey species laid out for them.
Witnessing hunts is common, as the unique Sand River frontage (over 20 kilometre of sandy beaches and reedbeds) provides ultimate concealment opportunities for predators on the prowl.

Mala Mala has been one of the iconic Africa lodges since the early days of photographic safaris, opening its doors in the late 1960s. With over 50 years of  experience in the industry it has continued to refine its offering, but its incredible wildlife population has always meant that little more needs to happen than simply driving out into the bush; something will come along, and more than likely a high profile species!

Mala Mala has three camps on offer; Main, Sable and Rattrays.

Main Camp is the largest of the three with 10 luxury suites, 8 luxury rooms and a luxury single suite. Sable, situated right next door to Main, has 5 luxury suites and the Lion’s Den suite (a two-bedroom interleading suite) and Rattrays, lying a couple of kilometres downstream on the Sand River, offers 8 luxury suites.
Main camp and Sable tend to be for families wanting to enjoy the bush together, whilst Rattrays is for the ardent safari-goers and photographers, restricting the number of guests on a vehicle to four, thereby heightening the intimacy of the game-viewing experience.

Whilst the game-viewing is good year-round, seasonal changes meant that different areas and animals become the focus during different months.

May, when these special resident rates kick off, is the impala rut, when rams are jousting for mating rights and as a consequence falling regular prey to leopards in particular.

June through August are the clear winter months featuring chilly mornings and wonderfully mild days. As the dry season tightens its grip, animals of all shapes and sizes flock to the Sand River to drink, and predator activity along its banks is prolific.

October signals the onset of the rains, and the first green flush of spring. More and more rainfall initiates the impala and wildebeest birthing into November and December, when new life is literally everywhere in the bush. No one time is better than another, they are simply different, and finding out a bit more about the various seasons before you book will help you know what to expect. Our consultants will help you with that!

As travel returns to normality, rates are swiftly returning to what they where pre-Covid, so we urge our South African guests not to miss out on this unique opportunity to visit one of Africa’s great safari destinations at these prices.

Get in touch through enquiries@iconicafrica.com to get the ball rolling…

Mala Mala Magic

Posted on by James

When you abut the Sabi Sand Reserve – one of the most wildlife-rich areas on the planet – and your hashtag is still #itsallaboutthewildlife, there is probably something special going on.

Mala Mala, one of the first photographic safari destinations in South Africa, has long been revered for its incredible sightings, of the big cats in particular.
20 kilometres of pristine Sand River frontage offer guests unrivalled viewing opportunities, especially during the dry winter months when water is scarce and a plethora of game makes a daily pilgrimage down to the river to drink.
Although other reserves in the area boast similar wildlife densities, it is Mala Mala’s terrain that sets it apart, with the open sandy riverbed making any animal moving around just that much easier to spot, while also allowing for unobstructed photographic opportunities.

It is not just the game drives in which the wildlife features prominently; the camps themselves are constantly alive with nyala, baboons and monkeys, and views through the ancient jackalberry trees down to Sand River allow guests to sit on the verandahs of their suites and enjoy the march past of Africa’s greatest show. Elephants visit the camp almost daily, lions are regularly sighted from the decks, and scarcely does a day go by when the bark of a bushbuck or the chattering of monkeys isn’t heard from the treetops, indicating the presence of a leopard.

The rooms themselves are a wonderful blend of contemporary luxury and nostalgic decor that throws back to the early safari days. Guests have a choice not only of rooms (different size options are available), but camps as well, with three Mala Mala camps offering something slightly different to the discerning visitor.

Mala Mala Camp (formerly known as Main Camp) is the largest of the three, with ten luxury suites, eight luxury rooms and one luxury single suite. A pool, wifi area and library mean guests can stay connected if they really need to access emails and the outside world during off times from bush excursions.
Sable Camp, just next door, is a slightly smaller, more intimate version of MalaMala Camp and is ideal for those seeking a more private and secluded safari experience. This camp boasts seven suites, some of which can accommodate three guests sharing. The camp can be exclusively booked for between fourteen and twenty people.

The final jewel in the Mala Mala crown is Rattray’s Camp, sited a few kilometres downstream along the Sand River. Rattray’s is the most exclusive of the three camps, tucked away by itself, and only allowing a maximum of four guests per game drive vehicle. Flexible game drive times discussed with your ranger allow for all-day excursions to fully soak up the magic of the African bush.

In the context of modern safari, luxury is about far more than a simple thread count or what’s available behind the bar. It’s about time in nature, feeling like there’s no one else on earth, totally immersed in the experience.

With over 13 000ha to traverse and one of the highest wildlife concentrations in Africa, Mala Mala defines wild luxury.