July Honeymoon Safari - MalaMala/Simbambili OR Ngala/Londolozi?
 

Thanks to everyone for their help with my previous post. I'd be interested to hear your opinions on which two lodges we should choose. We'll be spending 5 nights in Capetown as well. I know that there is much more to South Africa than Capetown and these lodges, but we have only 11 days.

3 nights Mala Mala, 3 nights Simbambili
OR
3 nights Ngala, 3 nights Londolozi Bateleur
For Ngala and Londolozi, I've received a quote from CCAfrica which is a bit higher than the price of MM/Simbambili.

My wife and I love Mala Mala so much we took a three day side trip from England to spend our tenth wedding anniversary there. There have been references to the accomodation being tired, they are not. Huge rooms with comfortable furniture, tons of storage space, two bathrooms, who needs more. Friendly people and the best game.

One more suggestion to consider in SA, especially for a honeymoon, is Tintswalo. The accomodations are ultra-luxurious, the food is great, the game viewing excellent, and the staff will go over the top to make your stay enjoyable. On our last night there, we went back to our suite to find candles lit all around the room, a warm bubble bath drawn with two robes beside the tub, a fire in the fireplace, and a decanter of good sherry nearby. Sound romantic? You bet! Also, there is a watering hole right out behind the main lodge, so you can just stand out on the deck before or after meals and have some nice sightings. Needless to say, we loved it.

I would vote for Simbambili / Mala Mala, especially if you stayed in the newly constructed Sable Suites at Mala Mala ($750 per person per night). While more expensive than the regular main lodge at Mala Mala, the Sable Unit is completely refurbished and appears to be more in line with the more luxurious lodges of the area. Plus, if you don't care for being around families with children, the Sable Unit does not allow any guests under the age of 16 years old. Trust me, unless you are traveling with children of your own, you really don't want to be stuck on a game drive with children.

Have you checked out all the great action at Simbambili lately? Here is a link:

http://www.tagasafaris.co.za/african...est-events.htm

Besides seeing whatever is displayed when you click on the link, I suggest that you go to the "past events" link to see some of the other action.

It looks nice enough and such a good value (private plunge pool, 12 guest maximum, highly regarded guides, fair rates) that I am making it my sole stop in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve this coming September after finishing up a 12 night Zambian safari.

If you were to stay at the Sable Unit at Mala Mala then I would suggest saving it for last as a grand finale. However, if you were staying at the regular Mala Mala, then I would suggest saving Simbambili for last. While the overall game experience may not be as grand as at Mala Mala, I do think that the exclusivity of a smaller camp with your own private plunge pool would definitely compensate.

I visited Londolozi last year (August 2004) and can't wait to go back. I'm going to Botswana this year, and couldn't resist taking an extra week to go back to Londolozi. The game viewing is superb (especially the famous leopards!) and the rangers are tremendously knowledgable and friendly. They definitely go the extra mile to find whatever you're most interested in, rather than focusing exclusively on the BIg Five. In my three days there, I even saw wild dog (twice!) a rarity in the Sabi Sand.

The Londolozi camps are smaller and more intimate than Mala Mala's main camp, and each has its own personality. I recommend either Bateleur or Tree Camp, as both of those have private plunge pools. The rooms are large and the bathrooms are palatial -- you can game watch from your bath! Tree is the most luxurious, but I think Bateleur has the most character, as it was built on the site of the original Londolozi bush camp and still has some of the original rondavels as a museum. The staff pile on the extras that make a lodge special, like coming back from a game drive to find a bubble bath waiting.