“Our friends told us that the Sabi Sands the best private reserve in the Kruger”. This is a statement we hear over and over from guests planning a safari in South Africa and it couldn’t be further from the truth.
What is true is that the Sabi Sand Game Reserve is the oldest of the private reserves bordering the Kruger Park. You might recognize names such as Mala Mala and Londolozi, two of the first private camps to be built in the Sabi Sands, way back in the 1920ies, welcoming intrepid tourists clad in pith helmets and smoking fat cigars. These lodges became household names and helped put the Sabi Sands on the tourism map. They still enjoy a high profile in tourism circles.
Yes, you will have a fantastic safari in the Sabi Sands. All the lodges in the reserve offer superb game viewing and you can’t go wrong choosing any of the Sabi Sand lodges for your safari. But what about the lesser known private reserves like the Timbavati, the Manyeleti or Thornybush. Are they inferior to the great Sabi Sands? Will you regret choosing one of these reserves for your trip to Africa? Absolutely not.
No matter which of the private reserves you chose, you will be afforded a safari experience that is beyond your dreams. You will experience two daily game drives in pristine wilderness areas, with experienced rangers telling you about what you are seeing and making the bush come alive. You have every chance of seeing the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, elephant) as well as plenty of other animals such as giraffe, zebra, myriad antelopes and so much more. The game drive vehicle will get you very close to the animals, often going off road for the more impressive predator sightings.
The questions you want to ask yourself before booking your safari lodge are; are you there only for the animals and want to immerse yourself in safari? Do you want a little luxury to go with your game viewing? Is it luxury first and animals second for you? Do you want lots of activities and time in the bush or are the two game drives a day enough for you? Do you want to be able to sit on your veranda and have a sofa safari where animals come to you? And most importantly, what do you want to spend?
You do not have to spend top dollar for the most famous lodges in order to have a top notch safari. But it is worth spending money on a lodge that employs top safari rangers and doesn’t overcrowd the game drive vehicles. In fact, this can make or break your safari experience, but that is fodder for a different blog post.
A good travel consultant will be able to match you and your interests to a lodge that will offer the perfect safari experience for you personally.
Photo credit: Savanna Lodge