Sabi Sands Game Reserve

Daily safari activities include twice daily game drives, with morning game drives taking place after sunrise and evening game drives taking place from late afternoon until sunset. There are various game activities available throughout the day, including game walks.

The dress code at Sabi Sands is informal, and it is acceptable to wear causal clothing on safari and to dinner. It is best to pack clothes that you can layer, and comfortable shoes or trainers, and a waterproof jacket should be essential items on your packing list.

Tipping is recommended, and you should tip staff members what you feel is appropriate. It is preferable to give the staff at your lodge South African Rands as it can be a hassle for the staff to exchange other currencies into Rands, and the ROE (rate of exchange) is generally high. Try to find an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) and take out South African Rands.

If the sole purpose for your visit is to see wildlife, a 6 to 8-night holiday is ideal, as you’ll have plenty of time to relax in the bush, see as many animals as possible and capture the best photographs. A shorter 3 or 4-night stay is recommended if you have a limited time-frame and budget.

Guests can enjoy birdwatching, as the area is home to a variety of birds, as well as photographic safaris and a bush dinner under the stars.

Sabi Sands is situated in a low-risk malaria area. However, guests should talk to their doctor about taking malaria medication before their trip to the game reserve. The Sabi Sands’ suites are equipped with mosquito repellant and it is also advisable to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts in the evenings.

The weather at Sabi Sands is typically hot and sunny. During the dry season – between April and September – the days are warm and dry and the evenings are cold. This season affords the best game viewing. The weather from October to March is hot and rainy, and during this season the park is lush and green.

Sabi Sands is a 65 000 hectare-reserve. The game reserve is adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

The game reserve is home to the famous Big 5, as well as giraffe, hyena, hippo, wild dog, kudu and wildebeest. More than 500 species of bird can be spotted on safari at Sabi Sands, making it a brilliant destination for birdwatchers.

There are a number of lodges at Sabi Sands, with luxurious and opulent accommodation, as well as more affordable options available. Lodges include Notten’s Bush Camp, Arathusa Safari Lodge, Idube Game Lodge and Cheetah Plains Lodge.

Guests can arrive at Sabi Sands via a scheduled charter flight from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or by road – a 6-hour drive from Johannesburg to the reserve. Guests who choose to drive to Sabi Sands will need to do so in their own rental car.

Winter – also known as the dry season (May to September) – is the best time to visit the reserve, as wildlife viewing is best during this season as the foliage is scarce and animals gather around large bodies of water like waterholes and rivers.

A number of Sabi Sands’ safari lodges offer child-friendly accommodation as well as children’s programmes and activities tailored to suit children. Child-friendly lodges include Londolozi Founders Camp, Londolozi Varty Camp, Elephant Plains Lodge, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve and Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge.

Some of the lodges offer wedding packages and honeymoon suites. Ulusaba Game Reserve offers wedding packages and honeymoon suites, and Sabi Sabi Game Reserve, Simbambili Game Lodge, Umkumbe Safari Lodge and Lion Sands Game Reserve all have luxury honeymoon suites. Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge has a conference venue that can accommodate 100 delegates.

A: While guests will drive themselves to and from their lodge, game drives take place in designated safari vehicles. All game drives are facilitated by game rangers or guides.

If you’re planning a holiday at Sabi Sands, a stay at Kruger National Park should be included. While Sabi Sands’ game drives are conducted by rangers and guides, at Kruger you can explore the reserve in your own vehicle. This is ideal for travellers who prefer self-drive safaris. Kruger is a larger game reserve and your chances of seeing a greater variety of animals, habitats, fauna and flora will be increased.

While all of the lodges boast amazing wildlife views, both Arathusa Safari Lodge and Chitwa Chitwa Lodge are situated on the edge of a waterhole, affording brilliant views of the wildlife that come to the water to drink.