"What an incredible place! The staff treat you like family and nothing is too much trouble. Excellent food and service set in a beautifully curated hotel on the river bank. We were spoiled every day with Elephant, Hippos, bush buck, warthog and nyala eating and drinking directly in front of the hotel. Sipping a cocktail and watching these beautiful creatures was a daily highlight! "
"Do you want to see the big five while being treated as a royalty? Book the Elephant Plains Game Lodge. Their facility is excellent, location is great, and the level of service is awesome. They will be waiting for you when you arrive because they know that you’re coming and they will pamper you on every step of the way: from the room personalized for your visit to the dining options tailored to your diet to sundowners and welcome back drinks. They make you feel like a family and you would not want to leave. Ever. "
"The highlights of our stay here were the incredibly friendly staff and the generous food options. The service was akin to 5 star hotels - attentive, thoughtful and friendly. The food was plentiful and it was nice to have choices for dinner and breakfast. The room was suitable for our needs for a few nights and very clean and tidy. "
"The minute we arrived we were greeted by lovely staff and elephants at the pool. What followed was a once in a lifetime experience.
The positives - Beds are super comfy with electric blankets for those cold nights and a fan for the warm days. The food was AMAZING. I LOVED being seated with fellow safari mates and getting to know people from across the world even though we are total introverts. Our guide Leighton was brilliant, knowledgeable and an excellent driver. And the wildlife…. Wow. I still can’t believe we saw so many lions, leopards and cheetahs, not to mention everything else. Being birders we were worried that we would be ignored and never get a moment to identify a bird but Leighton balanced the needs of the guests so well and had an excellent knowledge of all animals.
The only downsides… when we arrived we were so hungry but because our flight was delayed we missed the afternoon safari and had to wait until everyone returned before we could access any food - a wait of 2 hours was really tough and no one explained what was happening. Highly recommend explaining the daily itinerary to people on arrival and having snacks available for purchase.
Loved the Couples shower but unfortunately not enough hot water for 2 people.
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"Staying at simbambili was the best experience of our life. The lodge was stunning, the food was exceptional, the attention to detail was like no other, but above all the team that worked there made you feel like family.
I looked at dozens of lodges before choosing for our honeymoon, so when I finally landed on Simbambili, it was due to the amazing reviews and location. When we arrived it was even better than what we could have imagined. Magical is really the word that comes to mind.
Our days started with our Ranger Solomon and Tracker Roy, took us out on our drives. They were so passionate and knowledgeable. Then came back to a very cheerful Caroline who welcomed us, and then every meal Rich was there to take care of us.
There was a watering hole at the lodge and constantly we were able to see so many animals coming up for a drink. Look no further for your dream safari, it’s at simbambili!"
"This is an exceptional property in the Manyeleti Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park. It is a magical place where Impala's roam the property and the elephants come to drink water from the pool. The "tents" are very nice with toilet facilities and showers and comfortable beds. The food was good, but the staff are the best! They do everything they can to meet your needs and wants. Everyday there are two game drives into the reserve where you can get very close to amazing game animals. The guides on these drives are very good at their jobs. Ours was named Brilliant and he truly was brilliant. He can find animals, birds and snakes at distance and at night in places I can barely see. He is amazing! We want to thank the staff for making our stay very special-Dan, Mavis, Trevor, Previous, Noa and other...and especially Brilliant!"
When is the best time of year to stay in a hostel in Sabi Sands Game Reserve?
Good weather's always better when you want to venture out and explore, so here are some stats that may be helpful: The hottest months are usually February and December, with an average temperature of 25°C, while the coldest months are July and June, with an average of 19°C. Average annual precipitation for Sabi Sands Game Reserve is 620 mm.
What is there to see and do in Sabi Sands Game Reserve?
Generally, Sabi Sands Game Reserve is known for its safari tours, wildlife and restaurants. Major attractions include Kruger National Park. Get out into nature with places such as Londolozi Game Reserve and Paul Kruger Gate. Additional attractions include Skukuza Golf Course, Orpen Gate and Phabeni Gate.
What's the best way to get to and around Sabi Sands Game Reserve while staying at a hostel?
Keep this information about transit options in and around Sabi Sands Game Reserve on hand to make the most of your stay: You can search for flights to the nearest airport, which is Mala Mala (AAM), 6.8 mi (10.9 km) away from the city centre. An alternative is Skukuza (SZK), which is 15 mi (24.2 km) away.