Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve

Amazing and exceeded our expectations (which were low, admittedly)

We had visions of really roughing it if we go on safari.

The private game reserves have refine the safari experience so that people of all ages and conditions can enjoy safaris in relative safety, and in a way that preserves the natural environment.

Sabi Sands game reserve is a well stocked private game reserve. We saw the big five (elephant, lion, buffalo, rhinoceros and leopard) in two game drives, one evening and one morning. We stayed for three nights, and on the subsequent drives had time to see more of the big five, as well as giraffes, hippos, many different types of the deer family, hyenas, zebras, wildebeest and smaller creatures, and even had time to do some bird watching. The only missing animals were cheetahs and crocodiles. We even saw some monitor lizards.

Our guide and tracker were both excellent. On one drive we tracked the dominant resident male leopard out on his evening hunt for well over twenty minutes, and one another drive we got up close to a pride of three male and two female lions who had just crossed over from Kruger. The males looked like they had been in a recent fight and got the worst of it. Being out of territory and not familiar with our guide and tracker, they were very nervous and skittish, and there were tense moments for a while.

Drives were done in relative comfort, in an open 4 wheel drive with up to six passengers with the guide and tracker. Morning drives start pre-dawn, and evening drives finish in the dark, so we can observe game behavior both in darkness and in daylight. This gives about 4 to hours for relaxation in late morning and after lunch.

The Sabi Sands game reserve is located by an artificial waterhole (filled by ground bore water), like many other reserves. We love sitting on the porch of our standalone one bedroom villa and watch the animals come to drink at the waterhole during the day. Accommodation was five starred, ad we love the outside (but private) shower!

All in all, it was a phenomenal experience, and we would go safari again in a heartbeat.

Thoroughly recommended, and June was a great time to go, no summer undergrowth, so no snakes and other creep crawlies!

We saw just about everything that could be seen by daylight: lions and leopards (almost daily), Africa wild dogs, spotted hyenas and their young, elephant herds, giraffes, rhinos, Cape buffalo, tortoises, hippos, giant land snails, dung beetles, baboons, vervet monkeys, half a dozen kinds of antelope, and birds galore. Only one crocodile because the river was dry. No cheetahs, which are less common there and difficult to spot because of the tree density.

Our &Beyond guides from Kirkman's Kamp were incredibly knowledgeable. They knew the mammals, birds, insects, plants. When they found out we were more interested in insects, plants and soil/geology than the average safari-goer, they made sure to point out more of these features and give us opportunities to discover.

It rained one of six game drives. The safari vehicles are open, so raincoats and ponchos were a must. Some people in our group opted not to go out, but we went and didn't regret it. The rains brought African wild dogs, and the rain was not cold so it wasn't too uncomfortable.

The other days were hot and dry (we went in March, late summer, in a drought year). That meant few mosquitos. We forgot about the heat when we were watching animals, and when the vehicles were moving we had a breeze.

In the private reserves, it's permitted to be out on game drives after dark. We did not do any specifically night drives, but drove back at dusk/nightfall on our afternoon safaris. We saw nightjars, the Southern constellations and a few other things.

Staying in a private reserve afforded us the opportunity to go off-road in appropriate conditions and meant few encounters with other safari vehicles. Because of this, we got closer/better viewing of lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos than we might have otherwise.

Majestic and Captivating

My wife and I wanted a break from city life, and the Sabi Sands Game Reserve was just what we wanted. The Sabi Sands boasts some amazing wildlife. Africa's big 5 can be found here, lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhino. All of which we had the pleasure of viewing on our brief stay. Not to be outdone by the big animals, the bird life is incredible! I've never seen such a variety of bird life in all my travels. Within the first hour we had spotted over 30 species of birds. Amazing.

Visiting the reserve during the African winter month of June was a great idea, as the bush can get incredibly hot during the summer. Going on early morning game drives with a slight chill in the air and then to warm up to t-shirt weather, just wonderful.

The whole experience of the Sabi Sands was fantastic. Accomodation was well beyond what we expected, the variety of wildlife was outstanding.

We look forward to going back next year to experience the wonders of the Sabi Sands again, this time for longer!

A lifetime experience everyone has to have!

I went to 2 different resorts, Elephant Plains and Nkorho Bush Lodge. I spent a total of 5 days in the Sabi Sands Game reserve. Our group saw the big 5 (leopard, lion, rhino, cape buffalo, and the elephant) in the first 2 days. If you want to see wildlife you will see plenty of it, the list is very long. Our guides (rangers and trackers) were 100% great at both places. The rangers were extremely educated. They could answer any question we had on the animals and plant life. The trackers too were extremely gifted and trained. These guys are professionals. The weather in March was perfect, mid to high 80's everyday. Accommodations and food at both of these resorts were perfect, zero complaints. The scenery was very nice, the African bush is just beautiful. I'll also add that these safaris are extremely safe. We would pull right up to lions and they'd care less. Never once for a second felt unsafe.
As for highlights, my god its impossible to just select one. One of my favorite moments was when our group came around a bend, and "Bam" there were 7 huge giraffes standing there eating. These animals are just amazing, huge, and beautiful. Another moment I will never forget is when we stopped right next to a herd of elephants. They were basically 10 feet away, walked right next to us towards a watering hole, and they all drank water and put on a show for us. I have 19 gigs of video from my safaris and will never forget one moment of them. I will be going back to Africa again. The Sabi Sands Game Reserve is just loaded with wildlife and I have nothing negative whatsoever to say about it. Its a beautiful part of this world full of the most beautiful animals and plant life you will ever see. Its a must go.