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Write a User ReviewBig Five, (almost) guaranteed
The Sabi Sands is the easiest place to see leopards in Africa – these cats are so habituated they’ll even crawl under the vehicle or stroll right past without a care. The Sands has dense wildlife and it’s rare you won’t see the full Big Five (though obviously there are ‘quiet’ days). This is a private reserve attached to Kruger National Park and it’s home to the most luxurious lodges in the country. It’s not a cheap place to visit, but tourism here is seriously polished. You’ll see other vehicles around, but there is a policy of only three cars at one sighting, which helps it to feel less crowded.
Leopard City
Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve is one of the best places in Africa to see leopard. The guides know the individual leopards and their territories, and I have never been here and not seen at least one leopard per day.
Sabi Sands is a classic Big Five game reserve, and an ideal location for your first ever safari. You stand a good chance of seeing rhino here, despite their numbers plummeting in the adjacent Kruger National Park due to poaching. You may also be lucky and see wild dogs, especially during the dry winter season.
There is a variety of lodges, all offering the same wildlife experience, but varying in degrees of luxury (my first experience of being offered a ‘pillow menu’!).
The reason I’ve not scored Sabi Sands a 5 is because the reserve is not particularly scenic. It has thick bush rather than open vistas, which can make photography tricky. It is also perpetually popular, so you may have to wait in line for some wildlife sightings, although
Sabi Sands is a classic Big Five game reserve, and an ideal location for your first ever safari. You stand a good chance of seeing rhino here, despite their numbers plummeting in the adjacent Kruger National Park due to poaching. You may also be lucky and see wild dogs, especially during the dry winter season.
There is a variety of lodges, all offering the same wildlife experience, but varying in degrees of luxury (my first experience of being offered a ‘pillow menu’!).
The reason I’ve not scored Sabi Sands a 5 is because the reserve is not particularly scenic. It has thick bush rather than open vistas, which can make photography tricky. It is also perpetually popular, so you may have to wait in line for some wildlife sightings, although
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these are strictly controlled, with only three vehicles at a time actually allowed at each sighting. Sabi Sands delivers!Best for a quick Big 5 fix
A cluster of small jointly managed private reserves bordering the immense Kruger Park, Sabi Sands is arguably the best place anywhere in Africa for certain sighting of all the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo – in the space of a 2 or 3 night stay. Indeed there is probably no better place in Africa for close-up vies of leopard behavior and interaction. Sabi Sands offers a top-notch guided safari experience, as all game drives are conducted by professional guides working for the various camps in the private reserves. Night drives and guided walks are also on offer at most camps. The one downside, at least for those reserves that share traversing rights, is that guides tend to use the radio rather than innate tracking skills to locate wildlife, so that queues of expectant vehicles can end up waiting for their for one sighting (a maximum of three vehicles per sighting is allowed), which can start to feel a bit contrived, especially when you are asked to move on mid-sighting
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to make way for the next vehicle. Still, for first time-safarigoers, it is a small price to pay for the near certainly of seeing the Big Five (along with the likes of cheetah and African wild dog), and the animals – which move freely between here and Kruger – remain truly wild.Chasing the Big 5 in Sabi Sand Nature Reserve
Sabi Sand Nature Reserve is widely regarded as one of the best places in Africa to witness the iconic Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Rather than being a single reserve, Sabi Sands is a collection of private game reserves that operate in a similar way, offering fully inclusive safari packages. This typically includes two game drives per day, all meals and, in some cases, drinks. Game drives are conducted in an open safari vehicle driven by a knowledgeable guide and, in many cases, a skilled tracker perched at the front of the vehicle.
For travelers seeking thrilling wildlife encounters even on a short safari, Sabi Sands delivers in spades. That said, the ‘Big Five’ hype can sometimes divert from a more authentic wilderness experience. Guides are connected by radios, and much of a game drive can involve moving from one reported sighting to another. Strict regulations control how many vehicles can approach any single animal and how long each group can
Despite this, Sabi Sands offers truly extraordinary wildlife viewing. Predators and other high-profile animals are very habituated to vehicles, allowing for up-close sightings that rival those seen in wildlife documentaries. My personal highlight has to be the leopards. These elusive cats are remarkably relaxed here, and the guides are masters at tracking them quietly through the bush.
For travelers seeking thrilling wildlife encounters even on a short safari, Sabi Sands delivers in spades. That said, the ‘Big Five’ hype can sometimes divert from a more authentic wilderness experience. Guides are connected by radios, and much of a game drive can involve moving from one reported sighting to another. Strict regulations control how many vehicles can approach any single animal and how long each group can
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spend at a sighting. These rules help ensure that all visitors have a fair chance to enjoy the experience, but they also mean that some moments can feel overly orchestrated.Despite this, Sabi Sands offers truly extraordinary wildlife viewing. Predators and other high-profile animals are very habituated to vehicles, allowing for up-close sightings that rival those seen in wildlife documentaries. My personal highlight has to be the leopards. These elusive cats are remarkably relaxed here, and the guides are masters at tracking them quietly through the bush.