Meet the residents of Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate

Some of the species you may see during your stay at eKhaya Bush Villa

With its wonderfully wild green belt criss-crossed with dirt roads, cycle and hiking paths, Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate is the perfect place to spend time exploring and as its name suggests, it’s home to a wide variety of African wildlife. So grab your camera, your binoculars and a sun hat and let’s explore this fabulous slice of African wilderness on eKhaya Bush Villa’s doorstep…

The early morning sun is filtering through the trees… The gentle hum of insects waking from their slumber fills the air, along with the calls of a myriad birds. A soft breeze moves across the gently swaying grasses and somewhere in the distance a zebra calls excitedly. The rich red earth of Africa is beneath your feet and the sights and sounds of the wilderness threaten to overpower your senses. There’s a movement on the path ahead… A giraffe emerges from the dense Lowveld acacia thicket, closely followed by another, and another, and bringing up the rear, a tiny baby… 

You’d be forgiven for thinking we’re writing about the nearby Kruger National Park or an exclusive private game reserve, but no, we’re actually describing eKhaya Bush Villa’s own “back yard” – Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate. At just over 700ha, this beautiful residential paradise has been developed around an expansive “wild” area that forms its heart – hectare upon hectare of pristine African bush filled with a variety of endemic species of flora and fauna.

You’ll find most of the plains species here – the aforementioned giraffe, zebra and antelope like kudu, nyala, duiker, impala, waterbuck and wildebeest. Then there’s small carnivores like civet, genet, African wild cat, jackal and mongooses. And bigger predators like hyena and leopard are residents, with the occasional painted wolf (African wild dog) passing through. 

The birdlife is prolific, especially in the summer months when the migrants are here raising their young. From Wahlberg’s eagles and European bee-eaters to woodland kingfishers, African paradise flycatchers and yellow billed kites, keen ornithologists are in for a treat. We also have the gorgeous purple-crested turaco in residence!

The best thing about Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate is that you get to explore it on your own time. Because of the absence of really dangerous game (the leopards are mostly active at night which is why we don’t recommend you walking after dark!) during the day