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Babanango Game Reserve’s new Matatane Camp
Babanango Game Reserve unveils its latest addition - Matatane Camp
At a time when tourism development is at a virtual standstill across the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a pioneering game reserve in the beautiful rolling hills of South Africa’s northern KwaZulu-Natal province is about to open its third accommodation offering this year.
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For Babanango Game Reserve, 2020 has seen it develop and grow to being a fully-fledged safari destination with two luxury lodges - Babanango Valley Lodge and Babanango Zulu Rock Lodge - already open and receiving guests from across South Africa. This month sees the unveiling of Matatane Camp - a rustic, back-to-basics camp aimed firmly at the local market that will further expand the reserve’s tourism appeal.
Babanango is an ongoing joint development between African Habitat Conservancy, private land owners and members of the local Emcakwini, KwaNgono and Esibongweni communities who own a large portion of the 22,000ha reserve, just 50km from the town of Vryheid in the heart of the province’s Zululand region.
Matatane Camp is located on a 130ha fenced-off section of the reserve and has been purposely created to provide accommodation for guests on either a fully catered or self-catering basis. It’s the perfect place for extended families and groups of friends to gather together for landmark celebrations like weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and reunions.
It also provides a base for Babanango’s range of exciting adventure activities that immerse guests into the magnificent natural surroundings, allowing them to explore in relative safety in this fenced-off area of what will soon become a Big Five reserve.
Activities on offer include walking along selfguided trails and mountain biking, with horse trails also in the pipeline, all without the risk of encountering dangerous game.
Consisting of a main camp area with seven comfortable en-suite twin-bed units and a communal self-catering kitchen and braai area, as well as lots of space for relaxation and unwinding and two satellite tented camps each with their own facilities, Matatane Camp is an excellent choice for corporate groups wanting to indulge in team-building or even product launches. A small “spaza” shop provides essentials for selfcatering guests and the camp is fully serviced by a dedicated team of staff. 130 responsible traveller Matatane Camp is also the host of Babanango Outdoor Education, which welcomes school and university groups from across South Africa each year, offering a comprehensive curriculum of nature-based educational activities and a base from which to conduct valuable research.
Offering a down-to-earth and relaxed bush experience surrounded by the spectacular landscapes of Babanango Game Reserve while at the same time offering great value for money,
Matatane Camp enjoys breathtaking views of the White Umfolozi River and is itself home to a number of wildlife species, from zebra,
giraffe and impala to genet, porcupine and bush pigs. It’s also the starting point for tours of the region that take in the fascinating history and culture of this region. sustainable tourism destination that underpins its conservation programme has seen it achieve great things in 2020. The good news is that 2021 will see even more developments taking place on both the conservation and tourism fronts, with a new luxury tented camp in the pipeline and the reintroduction of more iconic wildlife species.
