Elephant Plains Lodge in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve offers an unparalleled safari experience that outshines even the renowned Kruger National Park. But today, I want to share a hidden gem right next door: Sabi Sands Game Reserve. I will also share my experience at Elephant Plains Game Lodge, the property we booked inside Sabi Sands. Ready to experience the magic of Sabi Sands for yourself? Book your stay at Elephant Plains Lodge and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.
Why Choose Sabi Sands Over Kruger National Park?
Kruger National Park attracts many local and international tourists due to its significantly lower cost than Sabi Sands. The national park area offers a range of accommodations, from public camping sites and self-catering options to luxurious lodges. Food options in Kruger are limited and often basic. Unlike Kruger, where you might spend hours searching for animals, the lodges in Sabi Sands communicate with each other about animal locations, ensuring you don’t drive for hours searching for game. In fact, it is sometimes difficult to see game when your views are often obstructed by other cars.
Exclusivity and Intimacy
The most significant advantage of Sabi Sands over Kruger National Park is its exclusivity. Only guests staying at one of the private lodges, like Elephant Plains, are allowed into the reserve. This means fewer tourists, less crowded game drives, and a more intimate wildlife experience. Oh, and you don’t have to rent a car and drive your own ride while looking for game.
Expert Guides and Trackers
Having been on numerous safaris, I can confidently say that the guides and trackers at Sabi Sands are among the finest we’ve encountered. One of my favorite aspects of guided game drives in Sabi Sands is the presence of both a guide and a tracker in each safari vehicle. Guides are an incredible source of knowledge about animal behavior, making every trip feel like a National Geographic tour.
Off-Road Adventures
One of the standout features of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve lodges is the guides’ ability to drive off-road to track animals. This isn’t allowed in Kruger, where self-drivers must strictly stay on designated roads. Due to strict regulations, this exclusive experience is not possible in Kruger. This freedom to off-road is precisely why I recommend staying at the Sabi Sands Game Reserve over Kruger. Game drives occur in open Land Cruisers, which are four-wheel-drive vehicles that enable rangers to venture off-road. Rangers avoid sensitive areas and only drive over small trees. These vehicles provide guests with up-close wildlife encounters and excellent photo opportunities. In Sabi Sands, you travel in elevated open-air vehicles, offering the best viewing opportunities in South Africa.
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A Day at Elephant Plains Lodge
Each day at Elephant Plains Lodge is filled with unforgettable moments. The lodge offers two game drives per day, one in the morning and another in the evening, maximizing your chances of seeing a variety of wildlife.
Wildlife Encounters
From watching lions hunt buffalos to seeing rhinos graze peacefully, the wildlife encounters at Elephant Plains are genuinely top-notch. Leopards are notoriously elusive, but Sabi Sands is one of the best places in Africa to see them. Its massive size means that animals are widely spread out, thus requiring several hours of driving between sightings.
Accommodations at Elephant Plains
Elephant Plains offers just 12 rooms in total, including five rondavels, six luxury rooms, and one honeymoon suite.
- Luxury Rooms - These open-plan suites offer stunning views of the dry riverbed or the waterhole, each featuring a private viewing deck.
Planning Your Trip
Best Time to Visit
I will avoid Sabi Sands in the summer, as there is so much vegetation, and animals tend to hide from the sun. During this period, the vegetation is sparse, and animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot. Winters, from May to August, are mild, with temperatures between 5 and 25°C. From September to April, summer temperatures range from 20 to 40°C, so sun protection is crucial. As summer is also the rainy season, packing a rain jacket is advisable.
Getting There
I recommend taking a domestic flight from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit, also known as Eastgate Airport. There is a Marriott hotel at the JNB airport that offers a complimentary airport shuttle service. Nightly rates are about $75. If you plan to visit Cape Town, Airlink also flies between Hoedspruit and Cape Town, so it is not necessary to backtrack to JNB. For the most current driving instructions to Elephant Plains, refer to this page. Please do not follow google maps as it can take you on the wrong roads. Please ensure that you enter Sabi Sand Game Reserve at Gowrie Gate, as this is the only gate that can be used to access the lodge. Note that you will be travelling along gravel roads on your way to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. The last +/- 20km is a dirt road.
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Be advised: during our road trip to Elephant Plains, we rented two cars, and both were stopped for veering out of our lanes. We paid the police $100 to be released.
Important Considerations
The Kruger region, including Sabi Sands, lies within a malaria zone. Plan to arrive between 12:00 and 14:00 to ensure you can have lunch and join the afternoon game drive. Inform the lodge at the time of reservation if you have any special dietary needs. The dress code is casual and light, though a sweater might be necessary for early mornings and evenings. A camera with extra batteries and memory cards to capture unforgettable moments-I used my Insta360 camera on my last trip to Africa.
For safety, kids 16 and under can’t join the walk, and guests over 60 need to provide a medical certificate confirming they’re healthy and fit for the activity. Absolutely. Most of the guests during our visits were families. Kids can also join the game drives.
Booking and Duration
A minimum of three nights would be recommended. Planning this on your own is relatively easy, and Elephant Plains is exceptionally helpful in addressing any questions related to your safari inquiries.
DateTask
12+ months from your tripReserve your rooms at Elephant Plains.
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Game Drive Details
How many people are in one vehicle during the game drives? In 2022, my three friends and I were assigned to a vehicle with two other tourists. Do they offer private game drives or shared game drives only?
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