Sabi Sand Private Reserve
DESTINATION
South Africa
Sabi Sand Private Reserve
Singita Reserve
Cheetah Plains Reserve
Lion sands Reserve
PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION
Singita Castleton Homestead
Cheetah Plains - Karula | Mapogo | Mvula House
Lion Sands - Hi'Nkweni Villa | Fish Eagle Villa
LUXURY ACCOMMODATION
Lion Sands - Ivory Lodge
Overview
South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve, adjacent to the world-renowned Kruger National Park, offers guests exclusive game-viewing opportunities to experience the abundance of an area fondly known as “Big Cat Country”.
Private
Castleton Homestead
12 guests | 6 Bedrooms | 6 Bathrooms
Insiders Review
The relaxed and understated interiors of this former home of the grandfather of Singita’s Founder, Luke Bailes, feature nostalgic references that capture the spirit and history of the original camp.
The beautiful stone-walled homestead and six double en-suite cottages are perfect for families and friends and accommodate up to 12 guests.
Exclusive facilities include a Swimming Pool, Bocce court, extensive wine cellar, country style kitchen and tennis court, as well as state-of-the-art wellness facilities such as a fitness centre, yoga pavilion and double and single massage treatment rooms.
An outdoor boma with uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape allows for magical fireside dinners under the stars.
Private
Cheetah Plains
Karula | Mapogo | Mvula House
8 guests | 4 Bedrooms | 4 Bathrooms
Insiders Review
Each exquisitely appointed Plains House villa accommodates up to eight guests and boasts a formal lounge, living and dining room areas, expansive swimming pool deck, entertainment lounge, wine gallery, curated art collection, chef’s kitchen and four sumptuous Private Guest Suites.
A complete hospitality team consisting of an intuitive, accomplished host, private chef, spa therapist as well as best-in-class field guide and tracker team are dedicated to your Plains House villa for the duration of your stay. Together, this talented group of professionals deliver a luxury safari experience of the highest standard, tailored to your individual preferences.
Each private villa’s shared living spaces feature:
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A formal and entertainment lounge
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Dining room
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Wine gallery, bar and tasting room
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Curated African art collection and handpicked decor pieces by notable artisans
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Fully-equipped chef’s kitchen
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Guest bathroom
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Swimming pool deck area with an outdoor lounge, shower and daybed
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Outdoor boma for fireside, starlit dining
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Indigenous gardens and spectacular views into the surrounding natural bushveld
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Each of the exclusive-use Plains House villas accommodate a maximum of eight guests per house.
Each villa’s private guest suites feature:
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A King-bedded room
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Private minibar and coffee station
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Lounge
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Curated African artworks and handpicked decor pieces by notable artisans
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Private deck and daybed
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Dressing room and dual vanity
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Double rain shower and bath with bushveld views
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Two iPhone 10s are preloaded with safari apps and your private host’s contact details
Private
Lion Sands
Hi'Nkweni Villa
6 guests (4 adults + 2 children) | 2 bedrooms | 2 bathrooms | 2368 sqft
Insiders Review
Built in the style of a stately Edwardian manor house and featuring a light and airy atmosphere, Singita Sasakwa Lodge offers panoramic views, a sense of immense freedom, and stillness.
Striking the perfect balance between casual luxury and sophisticated elegance, it features a grand entrance, wraparound verandas, silver candelabras and coveted antiques, as well as bespoke décor elements such as local artefacts and tribal cushions.
Offering expansive en-suite bathrooms, dressing areas, fireplaces, living rooms and French doors opening onto welcoming verandas, the elegant cottages feature polished parquet floors, vintage collectables and comfortable furnishings – and provide guests with complete privacy, as well as unfiltered space and time to connect with the breath-taking surrounds.
Private
Lion Sands
Fish Eagle Villa
6 guests (4 adults + 2 children) | 2 bedrooms | 2 bathrooms
Insiders Review
Between a knot of Jackalberry trees on the banks of the Sabie River, this beautiful two-bedroom Villa offers the ultimate in private luxury and personalised service. Here, everything is included – from your own pool and spa, to personal chef, field guide and game viewer vehicle.
Two en-suite bedrooms can sleep four adults and another two children each on an extra single bed in their parent’s rooms. All areas have been carefully designed to bring people together, or to give private people their own generous space. An open-plan living place (including kitchen, dining and lounge area) leads out to the patio, fire-pit, viewing deck, lap pool, and stargazing jetty.
If the need arises, take a few hours for yourself downstairs in your private spa and gym.
Guests can dine privately in their villa, at the lodge or in our boma. Intimate dinner settings may also be arranged in imaginative locations.
Luxury
Lion Sands
Ivory Lodge
2 guests | 1 Bedroom | 1 Bathroom
Experiences
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Insiders Review
Ivory Lodge is for those in search of utter exclusivity. Just eight water-side Villas emerge from a riverscape that sees the passage of much of the reserve’s wildlife.
Your private lounge, patio, deck and pool invite easy relaxation, while a dedicated team of staff are always on hand to take care or your every whim and fancy.
Everything is included – from your champagne of choice stocked in the maxibar, to the washing and pressing of your favourite shirt – to create a highly-personalised experience of a safari, your way.
Singita Castleton Experiences
Set within 45,000 acres of pristine wilderness, Castleton offers exceptional game-viewing opportunities and guided bush walks, as well as magical dinners under starlit skies in the private outdoor boma.
Game Viewing
Journeying into the heart of Africa’s most untouched and remote wilderness areas, Singita’s twice-daily game drives present the opportunity for intimate connections with nature and discovering the raw beauty of the continent’s most magnificent creatures up close.
From rolling grasslands where giraffe and elephant meander in peace to riverine woodlands where shy creatures suddenly appear from lush foliage; and from rocky outcrops favoured by big cats to hidden valleys where large herds of antelope roam and graze, each game drive traverses landscapes that are as rich in scenery as they are in wildlife.
“Highlighting the freedom and unhurried beauty of Africa, Singita’s game drives allow you to spend as much time as you choose at each sighting. During your stay at Singita Castleton, you are likely to spot a great variety of wildlife, including species such as leopard, lion, rhino, large herds of buffalo, elephant, reedbuck, hyena, hippopotamus, nyala, cheetah, wild dog and many types of birds.
Tennis
Experience a game of tennis as you never would have before.
Enjoy your time on court whilst being surrounded by the beauty of the African wilderness. Cool down with rewarding refreshments and a dip in the nearby swimming pool
Wine Experiences
With a private wine cellar guests of Singita Castleton may enjoy superb wine throughout their stay. A visit by one of our sommeliers can be arranged for guests to have a private wine tasting or to plan their pairing preferences for their time at Castleton.
Singita is recognised as one of Africa’s most influential collectors of wine, with an extensive cellar showcasing a premium selection of wines, including some of the continent’s most sought-after private reserves, including exclusive release, limited single vineyard and rare auction wines.
The Singita wine list has received numerous awards of excellence, the top Diners' Club Wine List accolade as well as recognition from countless other local and international organisations.
Guided Safari Walks
Walking safaris are an incredible way to experience the bush up close and personal. Your expert guide and tracker will accompany you as you track animals on foot through the wilderness and explore the magnificent plants and landscapes around you.
Wellness
The dedicated treatments in our massage spaces tap into the profound benefits of indigenous wisdoms and essential oils that relax, replenish and revive. Each tailor-made therapy can be customised and timed to preference, ensuring a completely personalised experience.
The massage menu has been designed to immerse guests into their beautiful surroundings, and all treatments incorporate that peace and vibrant energy to revitalize and nourish the soul.
Swimming Pool
Swimming in the large pool on the front lawn is a day-long activity in itself. With plenty of pool toys to choose from and welcoming loungers on the deck, guests can enjoy both fun-filled and relaxing days with an uninterrupted view of the watering hole and passing wildlife.
Children Activities
Singita’s Mini Game Rangers’ Course confirms that nothing compares to nature’s ability to inspire, excite and transform, and the value of giving the next generation the freedom to learn more about the environment in the heart of the wilderness is simply immeasurable.
This specially crafted, fun-filled course teaches young explorers everything from outdoor survival and animal tracking skills to more about the wonders of astronomy and the secrets of tree and bird identification.
Children’s activities offered at the lodge include:
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Cooking interactions
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Board games
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Stargazing
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Bush walks (minimum age 16)
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Activity booklets with a variety of games, quizzes and games
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Arts & crafts
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Movies
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Swimming.
Boutique & Gallery
Not your regular curio shop, you will find original treasures that have been gathered from all corners of the African continent. A range of collectable sculptures, home-ware and furnishings will allow you to recreate ‘the safari dream’ within your own home.
Artefacts, as well as authentic carvings and jewelry created by local craftsmen are just a few of the treasures you may find to take home as gifts.
Amongst beautiful museum quality, fine-art prints and works by some of the most respected artists on the continent, there are many pieces especially designed for Singita. Here too you can find a range of quality branded Singita safari wear.
Fitness Centre
A private fitness centre at Singita Castleton is the perfect way for guests to keep up with their exercise regime while on holiday.
The facility provides picturesque views of the bush, allowing you to keep an eye on the action outside while you work out on state of the art equipment.
Star Gazing
There is perhaps no more transcendent experience than looking up at a full sky of sparkling stars.
Man has had a love affair with the nighttime sky for centuries and with very little pollution and no city lights to detract for the stars, your view of the heavens here will be crystal clear – nothing between you and the vast African sky above.
Cheetah Plains Experiences
Inspired safari drives
The best time of day to explore the bush is in the early morning and late afternoon. Our twice-daily game drives are led by best-in-class safari guide and tracker teams and taken in our innovative Land Cruiser Electric Safari Vehicles. This bold advance toward zero-emission game viewing is what drives our sustainable safari experience at Cheetah Plains.
The quiet, smooth gait of our Land Cruiser Electric Vehicles deliver the highest quality wildlife sightings. Their unobtrusive nature facilitates the most silent approach by vehicle, resulting in an unparalleled safari experience.
Bush walks
For the most immersive safari experience, we invite our guests to embark on guided, interpretive bush walks. Accompanied by your certified and experienced walking-trails field guide, the opportunity to explore certain parts of The Sabi Sand Game Reserve on foot, is one not to be missed.
Bushveld dining
Dining al fresco, out in the wide-open peace and tranquility of the prolific bushveld expanse, is one of our most popular safari experiences at Cheetah Plains and we love to treat our guests to this special dining experience during their stay with us.
Brunch in the bush after your morning game drive is our version of fine dining, with fresh locally sourced produce as our preference.
Spa treatments
The restorative quality of your safari is luxuriously enhanced by personal pampering. We invite you to enjoy a selection of our touch therapies and beauty treatments, in the privacy and comfort of your Private Guest Suite.
With Africology as our wellness amenity brand partner, your private spa therapist expertly imparts the healing, restorative properties of select African botanicals, offering guests an immersive, calming wellness experience.
Gym
Sporting beautiful views out over our rolling lawns and Tamboti grove beyond, the climate-controlled gym is fitted with a variety of high-quality, professional fitness equipment, in partnership with Technogym.
A short stroll from your Plains House villa or Private Guest Suite, the communal-use gym facility at Cheetah Plains is a tranquil environment for weight training sessions, cardio work-outs or yoga, stretching and core training.
Village visits - Experience local Shangaan Culture
Visit the nearby village of Utah, where many of our Cheetah Plains staff live with their families. A village trip also affords guests the opportunity to experience the ways in which Cheetah Plains passionately contributes to transformation in this area, including our work with the Lezagwa Utah Creche.
Your guided visit will introduce you to some local traditions and customs, with the aim of leaving guests with a deeper understanding of South Africa as a beautifully diverse, creative and hopeful nation.
Wine & dine - Inspired luxury safari cuisine
Each Plains House villa features a fully-equipped, modern chef’s kitchen and a private culinary team, for the duration of your stay. Whether meals are enjoyed on your swimming pool deck, in the boma area, formal dining room or even out in the bushveld, our accomplished chef team deliver imaginative, soulful meals that result in an elevated dining experience of the highest standards.
We believe that your dining preferences and requirements at Cheetah Plains are an important part of your stay, and we pride ourselves on delivering a host of unique gastronomic experiences.
Wine Tastings & pairings
Each Plains House villa boasts a custom-designed wine gallery comprising a purely South African wine selection, curated to reflect Cheetah Plains owner Japie van Niekerk’s, favourite estates and varietals. Only wines, whiskeys and spirits of the most discerning quality are stocked in your private, temperature-controlled wine gallery.
Hosted by our knowledgeable, on-property Sommelier, we offer guests the opportunity to enjoy private wine, whiskey or gin tastings and pairings in the comfort of the Plains House wine cellar, outside in our indigiounous gardens, at the formal dining room bar counter or out in the bushveld.
Cubs club - An individualistic approach to family safaris
We love families and children of all ages are most welcome at Cheetah Plains. Our highly qualified, relatable field guides and trackers are eager to share their bush lore with young, inquisitive minds. Bush bumbles (game drives of age appropriate duration) and interpretive walks in our indigenous gardens facilitate a child’s connection with Africa’s wilderness and love of nature.
Our Plains House villas have ideal child-friendly features such as interleading Private Guest Suites and entertainment lounges with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, a games selection and Netflix.
Lion Sands Experiences
Our purpose is to create life-enriching experiences for our guests, and we know how impactful an African safari is - whether for the first or 'umpteenth' time.
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Game Drives - two per day, one in the morning and the other in the late afternoon/ evening
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Guided Bush walks
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Stargazing - during evening game drives or bush dinners. View planets and stars you've never seen before and learn more about the constellations.
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A night under the stars in a luxury treehouse
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Fine Dining - bush breakfast & dinner, boma dinner, private & family dining, safari stops
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Mack & Madi Kids’ Adventure Explorers - childminding, family activities & accommodation
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Wellness - spa salas, lodge spas & gyms
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Community - get involved & give back; community tours & activities to Get Your Hands Dirty
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Shopping - MORE Gallery offers a range of proudly African-produced high-end clothing, accessories, art, and mementos
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Guests spending a little longer, may wish to experience a scenic helicopter flip over the Mpumalanga panorama, or enjoy a round of golf at the nearby Skukuza golf course