Game drives are the signature activity on any African safari. On game drive, guests head out on a 10 seater specialised safari Land Rover with an expert ranger and tracker. The vehicles are optimised for game viewing and at Royal Malewane we take a maximum of 6 on each vehicle for optimal comfort. To view game is to lose yourself in a powerful and startling drama. During a game viewing excursion, your senses sharpen, excitement grows, you draw close to the most remarkable animals as they hunt, play and sleep. Game drives at Royal Malewane are tailored to suit your interests, so you can track your favourite animal or see the birds, flowers or trees that you love most.

On a typical day on safari, guests will be woken by their ranger before sunrise. Sunrise and sunset are times when many animals are at their most active before and after the heat of the day arrives and chases much of the wildlife into repose. After a quick cup of coffee and a light snack, the morning game drive begins. Game drives usually last between 3 and 4 hours. After morning game drive, guests will be served a hearty breakfast following which guests can relax or enjoy other activities. Afternoon game drives set off at around 4pm and often go on after dark so that guests can see some of Africa's nocturnal creatures. Guests will return to camp for a sumptuous dinner under the stars if the weather permits.

For those that want to get even closer to nature, our highly qualified rangers and trackers will lead guests on foot through the wild African bush. Stroll among the Big 5 (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos) and glean rare insights into our natural world, focusing not only on animals, but on the biodiversity of habitats and plant life. Bush walks generally leave after breakfast and your early morning game drive.

The award winning Waters of Royal Malewane Bush Spa is a magical and tranquil space in complete harmony with the natural surroundings. Enjoy a relaxing massage or a pampering beauty treatment. For a more romantic experience, couples can enjoy the Moroccan sunken baths.

A visit to the local community is inspiring, humbling and educational. The Royal Portfolio believes passionately in community involvement and upliftment. At Royal Malewane we therefore decided to focus on children and education. Our mission was to create a meaningful change in the lives of the children of the Sigagule Crèche, by creating an environment where they could learn and have fun in a safe and healthy environment. Transfers for all guests to Sigagule are free of charge.

The Sigagule Crèche had 86 pupils who were housed in a class room only big enough for 30 children and who only receive a grant from the Government sufficient to feed 38 children. They had no running water on the property and two very primitive toilet facilities.

Royal Malewane with the help of very generous donations from our guests have been able to complete the following improvements at the school:
• Built an additional classroom for the children
• Painted the interior of the existing classroom and hung blinds on the windows
• Laid water pipes to the kitchen and built new toilet facilities
• Built a jungle gym and play area for the children
• Laid out a complete vegetable garden (which now supplies 80% of their vegetables)
and planted fruit trees.
• Purchased mattresses for nap time for the children, as they were sleeping on a mat on
the concrete floor
• Plastered, painted and put shelving and a stove in their kitchen
• Built a baby room for the smaller children and babies
• Introduced training of a Step By Step teachers curriculum for the Crèche and
other rural schools in our area

Situated in the shadow of the majestic “Mariepskop” this unique conservancy is home to many wild animals. A visit to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation centre is an unforgettable experience. A wide variety of birds and animals can be seen here, where Brian Jones and his team nurture the injured and orphaned, rehabilitating them for release back to the wild wherever possible. Those that are not so fortunate, due to the nature and extent of their injuries, are cared for in captivity to educate the many people who visit Moholoholo each year.

Guided tours through the Centre bring visitors in close contact with both common and rare species such as the Crowned and Martial eagles, Owls & Vultures as well as Serval, Wild Dogs, Lions, Leopard and many other animals and birds.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at Moholoholo contributes to the conservation of endangered species and the rehabilitation of injured and poisoned wildlife. Moholoholo also facilitates a number of successful breeding programs.

Take an hour-long flight over the scenic, Lowveld section of the Blyde River, West of Hoedspruit. The terrain is a mixture of farmland and private nature reserves at the foot of the Drakensberg Escarpment.

The mountains to the South and West provide shelter from the prevailing winds, thereby affording good flying weather on most days. On very calm days, balloons can fly over the Kapama Nature Reserve, South-East of Hoedspruit. The qualified pilots and crew will ensure a safe, enjoyable and informative adventure.

Meet before sunrise and enjoy a coffee while you watch your eight-storey high balloon being inflated and prepared for flight. After a safety briefing you should be airborne in time to witness the sunrise. The height above ground will vary between skimming the tree-tops to as high as 2 000 feet as the pilot changes altitude in search of favorable wind directions and speeds. As the sun rises, the landscape, the vegetation and, if you're lucky, some wildlife will provide great photo opportunities!

This is our most popular external activity – a spectacular flight over some of the most scenic areas in the country like the Blyde River Canyon, Gods Window and the Pinnacle. En route we fly over some of the breathtaking waterfalls renowned in the area (which are even better in the summer months after the rains) like the Mac Mac, the Lisbon and Berlyn Falls. We stop at a private picnic spot where guests can experience the ambiance and are close to nature while enjoying their meal. Departs from the Royal Malewane Airstrip (15 minutes from the lodge).

Royal Malewane is situated in the wild and beautiful Greater Kruger National Park. The exclusive Leopard Creek Country Club, with its innovative course designed by Gary Player, is located on the southern border of the Kruger Park. Every hole is as picturesque and exciting as the other with the Crocodile River acting as an unusual water hazard on Leopard Creek's signature hole, the par-5 13th. A scenic helicopter flight to the golf course, personalised fitting of golfing equipment and the chance of sighting animals on the course makes for a truly memorable round.

The horse trails are conducted on the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate. The reserve is home to a vast variety of birds and animals such as giraffe, kudu, wildebeest, warthog, impala and many other plains game. Beginners, intermediate and advanced riders are welcome. The excursion is around one and a half hours and you will be transferred by road to the Wildlife Estate which is 45 minutes from the lodge. The ride follows game paths, through riverbeds.

Take a stunning cruise on the Blyde Dam situated in the breathtaking Blyde River Canyon. The cruise includes a light lunch or picnic on board and an opportunity to learn about the geology, wildlife and biology of this unique area. The cruise lasts about an hour and a half and departs after morning game drive and breakfast.