Mala Mala| Africa‘s Best Brands | Go2Africa | African Travel Specialists | African Safari Travel

Attractions
Services
Food and Wine
Conservation
Awards
Accommodation

Mala Mala offers accommodation at three camps on their grounds, and a panoramic tour is also conducted to its premises. Mala Mala shares a common border of 19km / 12 miles with the Kruger National Park and is part of a conservation gene pool that covers 5.5 million acres of land in the heart of the South African Lowveld. This low-lying region of flat bush country contains habitat types ranging from riverine thicket to open savannah. The use of the Mala Mala area is exclusive to its guests only.

Attractions

Today Mala Mala is known to have the greatest diversification of animal species on the African continent. Over two hundred different species occur in abundance whilst the ever-changing birdlife provides even the most experienced ornithologist with rare finds.

Guests will always be accompanied by Mala Mala's highly qualified, formally trained men, who have university degrees in the natural sciences and are thoroughly conversant with all aspects of ecology. They are assisted by Shangaan trackers who accompany the game drives. The trackers are equipped with an intimate bush knowledge and instinct, which will give guests a fascinating insight into the African bush.

Mala Mala's photographic safaris are conducted in open 4-wheel drive vehicles which allows for total freedom of movement and can leave the road to track down Africa's Big Five.

After dark, spotlight safaris provide the opportunity to view nocturnal creatures and carnivores on the hunt, and walking safaris with an armed ranger can be arranged on request.

The success of Mala Mala safaris can be measured by the fact that more than 76% of its guests are members of their exclusive 'Big Five Club', which means that they have had contact sightings of the Big Five. This reason behind this viewing success is directly attributed to the fact that Mala Mala Game Reserve comprises 33000 acres or 16000 hectares of pristine game viewing land, making it the largest privately owned game reserve in South Africa, with human density and impact on the land being kept to an absolute minimum. Another reason is the unfenced border between Mala Mala Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park, which allows herds of animals to migrate unhindered to the perennial Sand River which flows north to south through the Mala Mala Game Reserve for 20 kilometres or 13 miles.

Services

Rattray's on Mala Mala has a library, outside deck/lounge, wimming pool, massage room, gymnasium, boma, golf carts for guests who do not want to walk back to rooms and a laundry service.

The fully air-conditioned Sable Camp has a truly colonial feel and offers a library, satellite TV, safari boutique, internet connectivity, swimming pool and a large wooden deck surrounding the camp. There is a DVD player with five wildlife DVD's to choose from - four of the wildlife documentaries have been produced on Mala Mala. The DVD players also have multi-card readers enabling guests to view their digital photos through the television.

The spacious, beautifully decorated Buffalo lounge at Mala Mala Main Camp displays bronzes, works of art and animal trophies, and it leads onto an expansive wooden deck which provides an elevated view of animals watering in the Sand River.

Food and Wine

At Rattray's on Mala Mala, breakfast and lunch are served in the air-conditioned dining room or on the adjoining deck, whilst the traditional reed boma under a jackalberry tree serves as the outdoor evening venue. There is also a bar showcasing the history of the area, as well as an adjoining wine cellar stocked with a wide range of South Africa's best wines.

Sable Camp has an intimate safari bar, as well as a wine cellar.

Dinner at MalaMala Main Camp is where one may enjoy venison specialties and haute bush cuisine, and it is served in the grand old African manner, under the stars in a reed-enclosed boma.

Conservation

Mala Mala Game Reserve subscribes to the most scientific ecological management programme with assistance from the top scientists in the field.

Awards

Michael Rattray, the Managing Director of the Mala Mala Game Reserve, has twice been the recipient of the coveted Ossie Doyer Trophy for 'The Conservationist of the Year'. He has also been the only person in South Africa to have received the State President's Award for eco-tourism. Finally, he was the longest serving curator of the National Parks Board of South Africa having been endorsed for such position by three different presidents of South Africa, the last being President Nelson Mandela. He served in this position for 11 years before returning in 1995.

One of the Top Ten hotels worldwide - Fodor's Choice awards (2006)
'Worlds Best Service for Africa and the Middle East - Travel & Leisure Magazine (2005) - 2nd place
Best Safari Camp - Conde Nast Traveller (2004) - 3rd place
Best Hotel In The World Travel & Leisure Magaine (2004) - 7th place
Top 700 places to stay - Conde Nast Traveller (2004)