Many travellers attracted to South Africa’s wildlife holiday destinations are familiar with the Kruger National Park, which (perhaps not so much of a well known fact) used to fall under the Sabi Sand Reserve. Following negotiations in a long-forgotten time, the Kruger National Park was formed as a wildlife Park sharing open borders with a now separate Sabi Sand Reserve, allowing its abundance of animal species to amble to and fro between the two areas. Situated on five thousand hectares, thirty kilometres along the Sabi river and fourteen kilometres along the Sand river, is the Tinga Concession, which falls within the boundaries of the Kruger National Park.
The private Tinga Concession holds sentimental value to the country of South Africa and its infamous political history. In 1994, a watershed year for political change, four prominent leaders held peace talks in the humbling shade of the Jackelbessie tree, which stands in front of Tinga Legends Lodge. Nelson Mandela and his fellow leaders used this tranquil and humbling space in the South African bushveld to draw peace and harmony into the country’s constitution. This element that Tinga holds dear to heart is a mere contribution to what makes this private concession so appealing to visitors of South Africa’s wildlife areas.
Perhaps most famous is its reputation for its incredible leopard sightings. A much-adored member of the Big Five, the leopard makes itself frustratingly elusive and more often than not, expectant safari-goers are resigned to filling their safari albums with snapshots of a spotted tail or a fuzzy physique. The verbal telling of these leopard sightings are often more descriptive than the photo evidence! Upon visiting Tinga, guests can correctly expect to stand a real chance at watching these magnificent cats in all their splendour, as practised and passionate guides expertly track paw-padded paths and silently slink after the hidden animals.
Aside from marvellous big cat sightings, Tinga’s luscious land is home to endangered members of the wild, whose longevities rely upon conservational initiatives and careful management of the reserve and its resources. Packs of African wild dog, as well as, rarely-seen Black rhino, are amongst those that call Tinga home. Superb bird species, such as, the saddle-billed stalk and the southern ground hornbill – also endangered – have established nesting grounds in this protected area of the Kruger National Park, which provides guests with rare sightings of these stately creatures and adding exceptional value to the concession.
After receiving the award for the Concession of the Year for the year of 2010, there is little that descriptive salesmanship can do to top the reputation that Tinga’s Legend’s Lodge and Narina Lodge have already gained. These superlative properties provide outstanding retreats within the concession, incorporating the area’s natural elements and presenting the opulence that is the result of this treasured veld. At Legend’s Lodge, the regal Victorian-style bathtubs and the colonial-chic design of the luxury tents draw guests into a richness of an era passed. The lodge’s perfect positioning, stretched along the banks of the Sabi river and curling around a 200 year old Jackalberry tree keep guests in touch with the wildly natural area they are visiting. Grandiose stretches of wooden decking provide decedent walkways from suite verandas to the lantern-lit boma areas. Warm, bedded interiors exude pleasure and privacy with thatched roofs and large glass sliding doors that open onto unique viewing decks and plunge pools. Guests at Legends Lodge will be wrapped in romance as they enjoy riverside dinners and drinks amongst flickering candlelight.
Tinga Narina Lodge is perched upstream of Legend’s Lodge amongst a canopy of hundred year old trees overlooking the Sabi River. The style of this lodge embodies the safari elegance of a luxurious tree house from where its inhabitants can enjoy the pleasure of individual vantage points on varnished wooden decks. Nine suites are decorated in neutrals and naturals, befitting perfectly the riverine forest location of this lodge. Opulent, down duvets and leather armchairs dress the earthy interiors, as memoirs of Africa seduce the senses. In winter, large herds of elephant and buffalo saunter through dust kicked up by their masses of hooves, and pause at the river bank to quench their thirsty throats. Prides of Tinga’s predatory lions lie in wait amid the enormous shade of the knotted fig trees, while crocodiles and hippos share the depths of the Sabi water. Guests at Narina and Legend’s are invited to look on from the near distance of the deck, and witness the unfolding safari before them.
