These luxury safari lodges are the best place to check in for an exclusive experience. The stay is unforgettable because these lodges have almost everything you need for a fantastic guest-stay experience: great lodging, mouth-watering meals and beverages and excellent service. We list for you the top 5 safari lodges of South Africa on this page and then book them as space is scarce.
1. Lion Sands
This safari lodge is in the Sabi Sand game reserve. One of the things that this game reserve is known for – it has one of only 4 master trackers in the whole world. This means you are guaranteed a fantastic viewing of game at the lodge. There are also cool treehouses where you can sleep and watch the stars in the sky above. There are a number of different kinds of lodges here, which gives you a great range of options to pick from: Lion Sands River Lodge, Ivory Lodge, Tinga Lodge, and Narina Lodge.
You get all you can ask for here – a personal butler, private pools and sitting areas that come with a fireplace, outdoor showers and more. There is also a spa and you go on a chopper ride over Blyde River Canyon. Babysitting is available in select lodges only, however.
2. Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve
Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve is the biggest private game reserve in the whole of South Africa. It is spread across 1000 kilometers. Game here includes the black-maned Kalahari lion, meerkats, wild dogs, porcupines, aardvarks, aardwolves, cheetah and also the black rhino, which is on the list of endangered species.
For staying there are 2 locations available: The Motse – which is a set of 9 luxury suites with air conditioning and located at the base of the Korannaberg Mountains and Tarkuni- which happens to be the family home of the owner with 5 excellent suites complete with a five-star chef, a butler and a private pool.
3. Singita Sabi Sand
If you are game to stay inside one of the oldest game reserves in South Africa, Singita Sabi Sand is the place to visit. This is a delightful game resource that has a superb mix of the contemporary with traditional tribal motifs and is spread across 45,000 acres of the South African wild. The game that you get to see here include the Big Five. If you are lucky you could get to see leopards up close too.
Things to do apart at Singita Sabi Sands include mountain biking safaris and visits to villages nearby to get an actual life of life in the African wild. There is also an archery range and the standard game drives. Staying at Singita Sabi Sand is an experience. There are 3 kinds of lodges, all in the luxury category, to choose from. These include the following – Boulders Lodge, Ebony Lodge, Castleton Lodge.
4. Royal Malewane
The Royal Malewane lodge is one of the finest lodges in South Africa and also one of the best hotels in the whole world. The lodge is very old school and gives you a taste of life from back in the day. The décor is totally colonial while having all the essential modern trappings including air conditioning – this lodge has 8 air-conditioned suites, of which 2 are fine Royal suites.
Royal Malewane is one safari lodge where you find a range of animals in and around it. There are a significant number of lions that you can see when you go on a safari here. The guides and trackers are among the best and guarantee you sightings of the Big Five when it comes to game.
5. Ulusaba Rock Lodge and Safari Lodge
The Ulusaba Rock Lodge and Safari Lodge is owned by one of the most well-known figures in British industry, Sir Richard Branson. There is a spectacular amount of game to see here: and it is not just the Big Five we are am talking about; there are baboons, impala, wild dogs, cheetah and many more, including a wide range of birds.
The Ulusaba Rock Lodge and Safari Lodge is near Sabi Sand, towards the western side. There are 2 kinds of accommodation available here, which is where the name originates from: Rock Lodge – located right at the top of a koppie or rocky hilltop and Safari Lodge – located on a riverbank that is dry.