Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve

Being close to Kruger Park, this is the best experience you can have.

This was more of a canned experience with the rangers knowing exactly where to take you. For that type of experience however, it was exceptional.

Cheetah Plains in Sabi Sands is a must do. Incredible Wildflie, Impeccable Service, 5-star!

We spent 4 days at Cheetah Plains and it was the most incredible experience I've ever had. I'm a seasoned traveler and have stayed at 5-star resorts before but the luxury suites, the staff and the impeccable service (attention to detail was out of this world!), the delicious meals, the setting situated by two watering holes for wildlife watching all day long, and the knowledgeable guides putting us on thousands of animals within seconds, made it a truly amazing experience.

The meals served indoors and out were spectacular. What better way to eat than outdoors with a fire under tea lights in the trees watching elephants at the watering hole while enjoying delicious and beautifully decorated dishes.

The wildlife viewing with seeing the big five on the first game drive followed by 11 separate lions, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, monkeys, hippos, zebras, giraffes, elephants, and so on was amazing. We expected to have minutes between seeing animals and to be far away but instead, we were within feet and less than 5 minutes apart. Absolutely stunning. Plus the two watering holes at the resort granted all day wildlife viewing as elephants, giraffes, buffalo, deer, and others came down to enjoy a drink/dip.

The entire experience far exceeded our expectations and we will definitely return to Cheetah Plains and Sabi Sands.

Arid bush landscape with good mammal sightings

The wildlife in Sabi Sands was great with good views of several leopards and lions, many elephants, spotted hyena and white rhino and even a couple of black rhino during our two night stay. Highlight was a pack of wild dogs that had just killed an impala and watching a group of spotted hyena at their den. A nice black mamba showed well besides the car on one of our game drives and the bird life around the lodge (Nkorho Bush Lodge) was very good. Just in the bush there were fewer birds than expected.
The lodge itself was very nicely situated with very comfortable rooms and very friendly guides and staff. The game drives were well organized and the guides knew their wildlife well. The guides also always put the wildlife first which was very positive, but still did all they could to allow for good close sightings and for taking photographs without causing the animals any disturbance.
The weather was a mix of sun, cloud and some rain but the temperatures remained mild.
The cars during the drive could seat 10 people, but we were never more than 7 which was very comfortable. It did rain a couple of times, and it was a little disappointing that the cars did not have a roof. We were nevertheless supplied with rain protection, but with heavy rain it was necessary to return to the lodge.
During both morning and evening drives it was relatively cold, mainly due to the strong wind. Both a Jumper and jacket were usually necessary, at least for me.
Food was OK although that would not be a reason to return. Everything else would be a reason to return though.

Sabi Sands Is Everything You Want For A Honeymoon Safari

My husband and I decided to take a six day trip to Sabi Sands Game Reserve for our honeymoon. We stayed at andBeyond Exeter River Lodge. It's one of the many five-star lodges that share Sabi Sands Game Reserve. First, the reserve and Kruger National Park do not share a fence. Therefore, all the animals migrate from Kruger to Sabi Sands and back. This allows for some amazing viewing. We saw all the big five, more than one. Yes, Lions, Leopards (even leopard cubs!), African Buffalo, Elephants, and Rhinos. Because we were on a private reserve, we did not have to deal with traffic from normal cars. We took two drives everyday, once in the early morning and one in the afternoon to sunset. All he drives are conducted in open large green jeeps with a professional tracker and a knowledgeable ranger. They share information on the location of animals with all the rangers so no matter where you are, you can see the animal you came to see!

What I also loved, is that the animals are very use to the green jeeps. Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, Wildebeest, Buffalo, they will all come very close to the jeep. That gives for an amazingly spiritual experience and if you are a photographer, great photos. You can even take private drives. The Bush itself if beautiful. You rarely see another jeep unless on the main road and you can enjoy the silence of nature. The rangers and trackers know exactly where to place the jeep for optimal viewing.

The animals! What can I say about the animals. They are beautiful. People often come to see the "Big Five" but end up falling in love with all the animals in the Bush. There were a few bird watchers on the safari and they also saw tons of birds. Especially migration birds. I even saw an owl! The rangers also made sure to conduct all business in a way that was not harmful to the animals. Their love for nature was clear. It made me confident I was "doing no harm" to the best of our ability!

The particular place we stayed at andBeyond Exeter River Lodge was a dream come true. We had a personal butler, Positive, who made us feel like family. Our Ranger, Mark, and Tracker, Chris, were true professionals. Knowledgeable in every way. Because our lodge did not have a fence, I often spent lunch and breakfast watching herd of elephants drink water from the river in front of us and antelope play. We had a few run ins with monkeys, but they were even a joy! In our room, we had a private plunge pool and I spent hours watching birds, drinking gin and tonics, and looking at the wildlife in front of me. It was an absolutely wonderful experience that I feel could not be replicated anywhere else.

Fantastic

The best experience ever. We were lucky enough to see a lot and found our rangers and tracker very competent

Raveged by drought

I booked a Sabi Camp for my photography tour I was leading, as I had heard Sabi Sands was the best place in the Kruger area. I bet it is when not ravaged by drought. There was very little to eat for the grazing animals so many had left, the predators were doing well off animals dying from drought. Our camp was only permitted in a small portion of Sabi Sands and I'm guessing there were better areas in the reserve. Although we had some great sightings my photo tour guests and I, chose to spend extra time in Kruger where the Sabi River was still flowing. I will return to Sabi Sands and hopefully next time it will live up to it's great reputation.

Same as above , same area. Same facilities

You could drive right up to the animals and we saw a lot of them!!

Very beautiful. Nice that it was allowed to drive off road. It made the game drive more authentic.