7 Day Luxury Timbavati & Sabi Sand Safari

Guests are met at O.R. Tambo International Airport, or at another agreed location in Johannesburg, and assisted with check-in for a scheduled flight to Hoedspruit in South Africa’s Lowveld. From there, a road transfer takes you into the renowned Timbavati Private Game Reserve, which forms part of the unfenced Greater Kruger conservation area and is home to the Big Five and a rich variety of other species. Kings Camp provides a classic luxury safari base, with spacious suites and views over a busy waterhole frequented by wildlife throughout the day.

After settling in and enjoying afternoon tea, you depart on your first game drive in an open 4x4 vehicle with a professional ranger and tracker. As the sun sinks and the sky turns copper and gold, the bush begins to stir with nocturnal life. You pause for sundowner drinks in the wilderness before continuing in search of predators and other elusive species by spotlight, returning to camp for a welcoming dinner under the African night sky.

Today is devoted to exploring Timbavati in more depth. An early wake-up call is followed by coffee and a light snack before you head out on a morning game drive, when predators are often still active and the light is ideal for photography. The reserve protects large populations of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino, along with plains game, birdlife, and, on occasion, the region’s famous pale-coated “white lions.” Between activities, you can relax at Kings Camp, enjoy the pool, or watch animals visiting the waterhole from the comfort of the viewing deck.

Later, a guided bush walk introduces you to the smaller details that are easy to miss from a vehicle—tracks, insects, fascinating plants, and bird calls that bring the ecosystem to life. In the afternoon you head out again for another game drive, following fresh tracks and the distant calls of wildlife. As dusk falls, you may encounter hyena beginning their nightly patrols or elephants moving toward water, before returning to camp for dinner and fireside conversations about the day’s sightings.

Your final full day in Timbavati allows you to revisit favorite areas and spend more time with animals encountered earlier in your stay. The morning game drive may take you back to where lions were roaring during the night or to a stretch of river where elephants often come to drink. With no fences between Timbavati and Kruger National Park, wildlife moves freely across a larger landscape, increasing the chances of unexpected and memorable encounters. Back at Kings Camp, you can savor the quiet of the midday hours in your suite or treat yourself to optional spa treatments.

In the afternoon, your ranger and tracker tailor the game drive to your interests, whether that means seeking out leopard on rocky outcrops or spending time with a relaxed herd of giraffe and their calves. The soft evening light is perfect for photography, and the sounds of the bush—doves calling, cicadas, and distant hippo grunts—create a powerful sense of place. You end the day with dinner beneath the stars, reflecting on the richness of Timbavati’s wilderness and the experiences you have enjoyed so far.

After a final morning game drive and breakfast in Timbavati, you depart Kings Camp and travel by road to the famed Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. En route, there is an opportunity to visit a local Shangaan community or cultural village, where you can gain insight into traditional lifestyles, music, and crafts that have shaped this region for generations. Continuing onward, you enter Sabi Sand—widely regarded as South Africa’s premier private reserve and especially renowned for its frequent leopard sightings along the riverine thickets and woodland.

On arrival at Lion Sands River Lodge, set along the Sabie River, you check in and have time to freshen up before afternoon tea. Later, you meet your Sabi Sand guide team and head out on an evening game drive that may focus on tracking leopard, watching elephant bathing in the river, or following lion as they begin to stir. Sundowners are served at a scenic viewpoint, followed by a night drive back to camp and a delicious dinner in the lodge’s elegant yet relaxed setting.

The day is dedicated to discovering Sabi Sand’s varied landscapes and wildlife. An early departure in an open safari vehicle allows you to make the most of the cool morning hours, when predators are active and the light accentuates the contours of the bush. Your guide uses local knowledge and recent tracks to seek out the Big Five and other notable species, while also highlighting birdlife and interesting behavior. After breakfast back at Lion Sands River Lodge, you can enjoy time at leisure, perhaps relaxing by the pool or watching hippo and other animals along the Sabie River.

Later, a guided bush walk with your ranger offers a different perspective on the reserve, emphasizing safety and interpretation of the environment rather than big game encounters. In the afternoon, another game drive ventures into a different section of Sabi Sand, giving you the chance to experience new habitats and sightings. As darkness falls, you may see nocturnal species like civet, genet, or owls before returning to the lodge for a convivial dinner and a restful night.

Your final full day on safari in Sabi Sand begins with another sunrise game drive, when the bush is alive with birdsong and the promise of new sightings. With multiple days in the reserve, your guide can now focus on filling any “gaps” in your wish list, whether that is spending more time with elephants, observing a large buffalo herd, or searching once again for leopard along the riverine forest. Back at Lion Sands River Lodge, you can enjoy the comforts of your suite, the viewing decks, and the lodge’s warm hospitality between activities.

In the middle of the day there is time to relax or, depending on lodge offerings, participate in additional optional activities. Your final afternoon and evening game drive provides a last chance to soak in the atmosphere of Sabi Sand, from the golden light on the grasslands to the chorus of frogs and insects after dark. A farewell dinner rounds off your stay, often accompanied by stories from your guide team and a last lingering look at the southern sky filled with stars.

After a last early-morning game drive and breakfast at Lion Sands River Lodge, it is time to say goodbye to the wilds of Sabi Sand. You are transferred by road to nearby Skukuza Airport, which serves the southern Kruger region with scheduled flights to Johannesburg. The short drive offers one more opportunity to spot wildlife along the way and to appreciate the scale of the Greater Kruger ecosystem you have been exploring.

From Skukuza, you board a flight back to O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where your Luxury Timbavati and Sabi Sand safari officially ends. On arrival, guests are met and assisted either with check-in for onward international or regional connections, or with a private transfer to any location of their choice in Johannesburg or Pretoria. The memories of close wildlife encounters, evocative sunsets, and the comforts of your lodges are sure to stay with you long after your return home.