5-day Luxury Private Kruger And Sabi Sands Singita Safari

Itinerary

Day 1: Skukuza Airport – Kruger National Park

Stop At: Kruger National Park, Malalan Gate, Nelspruit 1350 South Africa
Your journey starts with a landing on one of the most unique airstrips in the world – deep in the heart of Kruger, one of the world’s biggest national parks. A private transfer to your luxury game lodge doubles as a game watch as drivers deftly navigate the dirt tracks and animal herds en-route to your end destination, Sabi Sands – home of one of the world’s best-protected leopard populations.

In these parts there are no small, fenced-in camps, just 100% natural, untamed wilderness… and you.

Time moves at a slower pace and the setting sun turns the world fifty shades of orange. African legend tells how the sun turns into a rhinoceros at sunset, which is killed and eaten by the people in the west. They then threw the shoulder blade towards the east, where the sun turned into an animal again and started to rise in a never-ending cycle.

The analogy is fitting, as your evening sunset safari offers a glimpse of wildlife experiences yet to come. Birds rising in plume like formations against orange skies; rustling in the bushes; elephants lowing around water pools, endangered black rhino graze in groups of two and telltale yellow eyes that stare out at you from trees, behind shrubs and from the very tracks you bounce along.

The next four days are a heady blend of Safari R‘nR; close-encounter safari experiences; intimate bush walks; luxury bush suites with contemporary twists and impeccable service; big cats and the rest of the Big Five; cool climate cellars with exclusive reserves and limited edition blends; and Michelin-standard food - all set against some of the most incredible bush backdrops. It’s an experience that will slake your senses and it’s delivered in such effortless style. Keep your cameras at the ready and enjoy this wild ride.

Itinerary:

Leave the bright lights of South Africa’s urban capitals behind for a landing in one of the world’s most unique airports, Skukuza Airport, and your gateway to Kruger National Park. Only ten bush-link flights a day touch down at this tiny, but thoroughly modern airport in one of the largest protected wildlife areas on the planet. Flight are not included in the tour.

Greeted with a firm handshake in the lobby and whisked off along bush tracks to the land of lions. In these parts, the journey is just as important as the destination. Local drivers navigate the dirt tracks of Kruger with ease on a leisurely three-hour journey – an unofficial game drive of sorts filled with kudu, impala and other bush dwellers – to your home-away-from-home in the heart of Kruger National Park, the Singita Lebombo Lodge. Perched lightly on 33 acres of private reserve, Singita, or the Place of Miracles in the Shangaan tongue, has a mantra to conserve, preserve and protect. They should add another ‘p’ word to the chant – pamper. Singita is the largest of the famous Sabi Sand game reserves – home to one of the world’s best protected leopard populations - and a place that connects man with beast and modern conveniences with raw wild, and offers absolute freedom in nature.

These African sunsets have been inspiring writers and poets for centuries. And as the day draws to a close, the sky reddens, flocks of exotic birds trail like twists of smoke against the horizon, and your private sunset safari allows for intimate moments against the most spectacular of backdrops. In this land, lions reign supreme but leopard, rhinos, buffalo and elephant herds, hyena and hippos, cheetahs and wild dogs are usually spotted on the trails or dodging the vehicle’s spotlights. Here, animals have right of way and time slows to match their pace on the scrubby plains. If the weather gods are smiling, tonight you’ll dine in the open-air Boma restaurant – ringed completely with stone – under the euphorbia trees. The ever-changing menu features perfectly barbecued African game and traditional flavours with the contemporary twists you’ll come to expect from Singita’s ultra-talented chefs. And, when the dining’s done, another treat awaits. Singita’s contemporary glass-encased suites are perched like eagles’ nests on the banks of the N’Wanetsi River and put you in the box seat for prime wildlife viewing from the privacy of your nest. A chic nature shower completes the dreamy riverine experience and you can choose to gaze up to the heavens in your own open-air, netted star-bed on the private terrace before drifting to sleep.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Singita Lebombo 5-star Luxury Safari Lodge

Day 2: Kruger National Park - Singita Lebombo Lodge

Stop At: Singita Private Game Reserve, Singita Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park
Late risers miss the colours of dawn in Kruger… a kaleidoscope of lilac and purples that finally give way to muted apricot tones and the start of a new day. There’s freshly brewed coffee for those in need of an extra kick-start before joining Lebombo’s famous sunrise bush walk. And then you’re off – single file, scout style – marching into the African bush following fresh tracks to see just what you can see over an action-packed two to three hours before returning to the enticing smell of breakfast.
Duration: 5 hours

Pass By: Singita Private Game Reserve, Singita Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park
In Lebombo, every dish served is a work of art and breakfast here is nothing short of spectacular.



Pass By: Singita Private Game Reserve, Singita Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park
Tapas-style lunches can be served at the pool, bar or roof terrace, but Lebombo has a mighty reputation for the diversity of its wine cellar. Today chefs open it up for a bespoke wine and food pairing that heroes your likes and dislikes and showcases some of South Africa’s finest drops. It’s a leisurely affair that’s decadent, educational if you want it to be, and delicious. The early afternoon is yours to enjoy as the mood takes you, ahead of the afternoon game drive. There’s something romantic about the open-air Land Rovers that hark back to Africa of old. This is lion country and the circle of life is apparent in the quality of the viewing all year round with the big cats and Africa’s infamous Big Five. But no afternoon safari is complete without a sweet treat and a cool drink, and Lebombo Lodge’s team magic up a feast every time.

Dinner, like lunch and the lodge’s extensive cocktail menu, is a work of art on the table and best enjoyed completely at your leisure.

Pass By: Singita Private Game Reserve, Singita Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park
Singita boasts around 180 wines on the list and the Head Sommelier ensures sought-after allocations that aren’t easily available. If you like your wine, the sommeliers are well and truly at your service.

In stark contrast to the ‘stay inside after dark’ mantra of most African lodges, Singita’s custom-designed viewing-deck-cum-balconies are specifically added for an outdoor sleepover. By day, you sip a G&T on the comfy lounge bed and keep an eye out for wayward monkeys hell-bent on stealing the lemon garnish from your drink and, as dark falls, you’ve got the light of a million stars as your bedside nightlight. Bush life goes on while you sleep; so don’t be surprised if a herd of elephants might wake you as they bathe in the river below.


Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Singita Lebombo 5-star Safari Lodge

Day 3: Kruger National Park – Sabi Sand

Stop At: Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Portion 4, Shaws Gate, shaws gate, Kruger, 1350, South Africa
Life on a Singita Safari is not a scripted affair, but rather as fluid as the N’Wantesi River that dominates the landscape below. In Lebombo, you’ll wake to a chorus of bird and grey tree frog song, and bush smells wafting on the breeze. If you haven’t slept under the stars, your private deck is the perfect start to lounge and enjoy a round of early morning game viewing from under the covers or, if the mood takes you, from atop the purpose-built Land Rover on an early morning safari with the lions in Kruger.

Both breakfast and lunch showcase the partnership between food and wine and between traditional and modern. There’s time for a quick dip or a cool drink under the ivory-topped umbrellas or in one of the many sun-bathing nooks before you bid adieu to your lodge family and are swept off to a private airstrip for a scenic flight to Boulders Lodge, a striking Sabi safari property in Singita’s five-star stable. When on safari, some like to sit back and soak in the view of a giraffe chewing its cud as it feeds from the treetops or a leopard sprawling across a branch and licking its paws. Others like to capture the moment for posterity and Boulders Lodge’s fully-equipped photography lab, complete with photography tutor, can ensure guests leave with the ultimate holiday souvenir. This full service centre has equipment and telephoto lenses for hire and a Mac with all the post-production gadgetry for those who want to improve on perfection.

Like Lebombo, Boulders’ philosophy is about fluidity and about celebrating the partnerships between great food and wine and impeccable service. You’re in leopard country now, and a sunset safari is a must to search out these elusive creatures. These big cats form an important part of the diversity in the area, and Singita’s guides and trackers – many of whom are trained locals – are super familiar with the various resident leopards that have established their territory near the Sand River. Now your hunger is satiated with traditional, yet refined dishes in the open-air Boma Restaurant. The classic grill-house menu features specialities including venison, grass-fed beef and whole fish. The side dishes and vegetarian options take dining at Boulders Lodge to a whole new level.

Star-gazing sessions, with local guides, point out familiar constellations in the ultra-bright sky and African tales add a touch of mystic to the experience. And, when the viewing is done, crisp white sheets and a decadently decorated four-poster bed invite. There’s time to explore the beauty of the African-inspired room from its claw-foot bath and imposing glass walls to the bone and copper curios on display. Private balconies bring the outside in and, once on their timber decks, you’re instantly privy to the comings and goings along the Sand River.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Singita Boulders 5-star Safari Lodge


Day 4: Sabi Sand - Singita Boulders Luxury Lodge

Stop At: Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Sabie Park, Sabie 1260 South Africa
Luxe is a signature touch in Singita, and for an immersive nature experience Boulders Lodge suites open to the elements with glass walls that frame the bush to perfection. There’s a decadent contrast of a silky sheepskin run under foot and the natural flax of the bedframe. Here, in the heart of the bushland, rooms have an easy, breezy, almost-beach-like feel to them – a familiar, relaxed holiday vibe.

In these parts leopards don’t grow on trees, but they’re certainly easier to spot than anywhere else in Kruger National Park and they’re permanently in holiday mode too – it is paradise after all... With relaxed and happy leopards on site and guide’s that know the bush like the back of their hand, leopard spotting fast becomes a favourite pastime. An astonishing 9,000 sightings of 142 individual leopards were recorded in the Sabi Sand region last year alone!

For early risers, a sunrise walk through groves of acacia thornveld and marula trees – a favourite of the local elephant herds – and along grassy plains gives you a completely different perspective to your time at Lebombo Lodge. Sure, there are similarities – the ease at which you are greeted by your ranger and their superb knowledge of the local landscape – but there are noticeable differences in the flora, fauna and the smell of the veld. Oh, and the Picasso-inspired sunrises aren’t too bad here either.

Today you can do as little or as much as you like. Slip into an optional spa treatment with the decadence of Kalahari melon-infused body butter; slide into the main lodge’s infinity pool or your very own private rock splash pool. Sip on an exotic cocktail, perhaps an Amarula-inspired creation that’s made from the fruit of the Marula tree; or snooze on a day bed and while away the hours surrounded by the wild air. As always, an afternoon safari drive sets out to see what’s happening in the African bushveld… and characters from Africa’s Big Five and Small Five generally make an appearance. Eagle-eyed guides can spot the smallest movements in the bush or the tip of a horn above the tree line and happily point out everything in their wake during the golden hour, where the lighting is just right to take safari snaps. A safari drive can work up an appetite. Michelin-standard meals are served up on crisp white plates and, seem almost too beautiful to eat. Sommeliers are on hand to make the food pop, by recommending the most interesting of wines to accompany the meal – the ultimate in bespoke food and wine pairing and super decadent in safari surrounds.

No light pollution ensures the night sky pops and a spot of armchair astronomy is encouraged. Knowledgeable staff know their angry-man-on-the-moon tales from Milky Way folklore… it’s the ultimate African bedtime story before you turn in for the night.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Singita Boulders 5-star Safari Lodge

Day 5: Sabi Sand - Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport

Stop At: Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, 4703, R538, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa
Wake to the slight earthy smell from the traditional roof thatching that mingles with the sweet, sweet perfume of the flowering wild African potato bush that wafts in around the lodge’s main common areas. Flight times determine the order of the day, but for many there’s a chance to relax, take a spa treatment or just soak in that incredible view of the Sand River for one last time.

Breakfast is a relaxed affair, thanks in part of Singita’s food philosophy of no set meal times and to the freedom that comes with having your own personal buffet of seasonal-driven delights served direct to your table. Time slows down in the African bush. A day here feels like a week, and Singita staff pride themselves on seeing their guests leave refreshed and rejuvenated. Chances are, you’re already planning your return. When the packing’s done, guides will collect you at a pre-arranged time for your approximate three hour transfer. There’s time for a quick stop at Hazyview – a quaint farming town that’s famous for the hazy-mist that settles over it in summer and for the hippo give way signs that grace the roadside before you arrive at the Nelspruit Airport.

As you take-off, take one last glance at this beautiful land of lions and leopards and the thrill of trying to game spot from the air for one last time, before you turn tail for the bright city lights. End your tour with a private airport transfer to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.


Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.