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2-Day Sabi Sands Safari Tours
Sabi Sand Game Reserve is one of Africa's most thrilling and classy safari destinations. It is essentially a western extension of the world-famous Kruger National Park, and wildlife, including all the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), is able to move freely between the two. However, where Kruger caters mainly to budget and mid-range tours and self-drivers, the small luxury lodges typical of Sabi Sands are aimed at a more exclusive and discerning clientele. And when it comes to wildlife viewing, game drives in Sabi Sands tend to be more action-packed than they are in Kruger. This is due to the expert local guides, the ability to drive off-road and the high level of habituation of normally secretive species such as leopard.
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6 Questions About 2-Day Sabi Sands Safaris
Answered by
Philip Briggs
Philip is an Africa-specialized travel writer who lives in South Africa. He has visited Sabi Sands and other parts of Greater Kruger on numerous occasions, and he is the author of several related guidebooks including ‘The Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa’.› More about Philip
6 Questions About 2-Day Sabi Sands Safaris
Philip Briggs
What can I expect from a 2-day Sabi Sands trip?
“A 2-day Sabi Sands tour will usually involve a 1-night all-inclusive stay at a lodge, as well as road transfers or flights from your previous destination and on to your next one. You need to depart from your previous destination in time to be at your lodge for lunch. This will usually be a relaxed outdoor affair overlooking a watering point where wildlife comes to drink. After an afternoon siesta, you’ll be taken on a guided afternoon game drive, before enjoying a starlit bush dinner at your lodge. The next morning you will leave early on another game drive before checking out.”
1Is 2 days enough time for a trip in Sabi Sands?
“Two days is relatively short for a Sabi Sands safari. Since you will only spend 1 night in the park and do a maximum of two game drives, you won’t have much time to absorb the bush atmosphere and you can’t expect to see the variety of animals you might on a longer stay. Having said that, if 2 days is all you have available for a Sabi Sands safari, it would still be worth doing. You should see plenty of wildlife even in that relatively short time frame.”
2Which activities are available on a 2-day safari in Sabi Sands?
“The main activity offered by most Sabi Sands lodges is guided game drives, which focus on looking for the Big Five and other iconic large mammals such as cheetah, African wild dog and giraffe. Most lodges offer two game drives daily. Morning drives leave at the crack of dawn, when nocturnal predators are still active, and continue through to midmorning. Afternoon drives typically depart 2 hours before sunset, stop for sundowner drinks, then continue into the evening to search by spotlight for nocturnal animals such as leopards, bush babies and genets. Some lodges in Sabi Sands offer guided game walks. These usually focus on identifying plants and smaller wildlife such as birds, lizards and invertebrates. If you do a guided walk, it will normally be after your morning game drive, but some lodges may offer a longer walk as an alternative to a game drive.”
3Can I see the Big Five on a 2-day Sabi Sands tour?
“Yes. Sabi Sands is renowned for offering quality sightings of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino). It is particularly good for leopards, which are perhaps more easily seen here than in any other African safari destination. On a 2-day safari, you can expect to see most of the Big Five and stand a fair chance of spotting them all. However, since you’ll probably do no more than two game drives, this is less certain than it would be on a longer safari. Four out of five is probably a more realistic expectation.”
4How do I get to Sabi Sands?
“The most popular and time-efficient way to get to Sabi Sands is on one of the twice-daily Federal Air flights that connect it directly to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport. It is also possible to fly from O.R. Tambo to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (near Mbombela) or Skukuza Airport (in Kruger National Park) and arrange a road transfer to your lodge, which will probably take about 2 hours. Another option is to drive to Sabi Sands from Johannesburg, a distance of 500km/310mi that takes about 5½ hours. Many budget tours incorporate the drive from Johannesburg into their itinerary. Or you could rent a car and drive yourself, bearing in mind that once you are actually in Sabi Sands, you can only do guided game drives, so the car will stand idle.”
5What is the best time of the year for a 2-day Sabi Sands safari?
“The best time to visit Greater Kruger, which includes Sabi Sands, is over the dry winter months of May to September. This is because daytime temperatures are cooler, rain is unlikely, mosquitoes are fewer and wildlife gathers at water sources. Having said that, many people do visit Sabi Sands over the summer months of October to April. Despite the increased chance of rain during this season, you should see almost as much wildlife as you would in winter. November to April is the best time for bird watching, partly due to the influx of migrants, partly because it is when many birds transform from a dowdy winter plumage into bright breeding colors.”
6Sabi Sands Reviews
Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.
Classic Big Five safaris, with superb leopard-watching
Sabi Sands delivers the classic safari experience on a plate. It’s a prime chunk of wildlife-watching territory tucked up against the southern section of Kruger National Park, with no fences between the two. This feast doesn’t come...
Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.
Big Five Bonanza
Flanking the unfenced western boundary of the Kruger National Park, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve is Southern Africa’s most exclusive and famous wildlife safari destinations. It is also one of the oldest private nature reserves and the...
US
Where do I begin! Elephant Plains exceeded our expectations and made or safari trip a dream come true. From the attention to detail in our rooms from the reception and housekeeping teams to the servers and chef for our meals, everything...
CA
Very experienced spotters that make sure you have the best experience. If you want to see big 5 up close, the Sabi Sand Private Game Reverse does an amazing job of seeing them up close, however due to their focus on the big 5 you might...
It was the best safari I have been on and I have been to Kenya, Tanzania and Kruger before. (not been to Okavango Delta yet, which is probably the pinnacle), but it is the first time I really experienced interaction between all the animals...
CA
Incredible sightings everyday, beautiful landscapes, saw big five, up and close with the animals on every drive! Part of the greater kruger area and not fully enclosed reserve, with antipoaching efforts underway making it a great choice...