Makalali Game Reserve

     Located close to the mighty Drakensberg Mountains, west of the Kruger National Park, lies Makalali Private Game Reserve. (Makalali means "Place of Rest" in local Shangaan language) The setting is so wild and the structures so African, that first time visitors may well imagine they have stumbled across the village of some undiscovered tribe. But as you get closer, the breathtaking ethnic architecture of the thatched units, a sparkling swimming pool and the scent of sizzling impala kebabs dispel the notion. This is Makalali Private Game Reserve, a 10 000 hectare reserve, opened in April 1996. The rugged terrain includes rocky hillocks and lush riverine vegetation, which then tapers off into a mix of mopane woodland and bushveld, backdropped by the spectacular Drakensberg mountains.