4 Day Luxury Sabi Sand Safari

Guests are met on arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, or at any agreed location in Johannesburg or Pretoria, by an African Sky representative. After a brief introduction and assistance with check-in formalities, you travel to the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, South Africa’s most celebrated private reserve bordering the Kruger National Park. Sabi Sand is the birthplace of luxury lodge-based ecotourism in the country and is renowned for its relaxed, high-quality wildlife viewing, especially leopard and other members of the Big Five.

On arrival in the reserve you continue to Lion Sands River Lodge, set on the banks of the Sabie River and known for its contemporary style, warm hospitality and excellent guiding. After settling into your suite and enjoying a light lunch or afternoon tea, you depart on your first open 4x4 safari in the Sabi Sand. With an experienced ranger and tracker team leading the way, you explore the riverine bush and open clearings before pausing for sundowners and returning to the lodge after dark, when nocturnal animals may be encountered by spotlight.

The day is devoted to two open 4x4 safaris in search of Africa’s legendary Big Five and the many other species that thrive in the Sabi Sand. An early wake-up call is followed by coffee or tea and a light snack before you set off on your morning drive, when predators are often still active and the soft light is ideal for photography. Your ranger’s intimate knowledge of the terrain and the animals’ movements greatly increases the chance of memorable sightings, from elephants and rhinos to giraffe, plains game and a rich variety of birdlife.

You return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast and some leisure time to relax by the pool, enjoy the lodge’s viewing decks or simply listen to the sounds of the bush along the Sabie River. During the day, a guided bush walk may be offered, giving you the chance to observe tracks, smaller creatures and the intricacies of the ecosystem on foot. In the late afternoon you head out again on safari, often continuing into the early evening with the aid of a spotlight to search for nocturnal species like civet, genet and owls, as well as lion and leopard on the hunt.

An African sunrise colors the sky as you depart on another early morning game drive, exploring different areas of the Sabi Sand or revisiting productive regions where wildlife has recently been active. The Greater Kruger ecosystem supports the greatest diversity of mammal species on the African continent, and each drive offers fresh opportunities to encounter elephants at waterholes, hippo in the rivers and large herds of buffalo moving through the bush. With luck, you may also witness rare behaviors, such as predators interacting with one another or spotted hyenas competing for a carcass.

After returning to the lodge, there is ample time to unwind, perhaps booking a spa treatment or simply soaking up the views from your private deck while watching animals come to drink at the river. In the late afternoon you set off on your final full safari in Sabi Sand, with your guide and tracker focusing on species you may not yet have seen or on spending unhurried time with a favorite sighting. The drive continues into the evening, when the chances of observing lion, leopard and other nocturnal hunters increase, rounding off your time in this legendary reserve.

A last morning game drive offers one more opportunity to savor the magic of the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve and to search for any animals that may still be on your wish list. After the drive you return to Lion Sands River Lodge for breakfast and to say farewell to the staff who have hosted your stay along the Sabie River. The lodge team assists you with checkout before you depart for the nearby airstrip and your flight back toward Johannesburg.

On arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport you are met and either transferred to any location of your choice in Johannesburg or Pretoria, or assisted with the check-in for a connecting flight. Your Sabi Sand safari will leave you with lasting memories of close wildlife encounters, expert guiding and the comfort of one of the region’s most highly regarded lodges, bringing your 4 Day Luxury Sabi Sand Safari to a rewarding conclusion.