Where to stay in Sabi Sands for 3 nights, late August, under $500 pppn?
Oct 26th, 2009 | 04:24 PM
#22
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I agree the website that shows the traversing rights is fantastic!
Everybody has their own individual likes and dislikes when it comes to camps -- obviously there are some intangibles. I don't know how to say this delicately, but when I look at the photos of Kings Camp, the rooms look like the exact opposite of what I want on safari. I'm sure the game viewing is excellent -- but oriental rugs and draperies on the windows and a telephone in the room are exactly what I am willing to pay more to avoid. I'm open to Timbavati though.
Nkorho sounds downright awful to me.
Re: Mala Mala, I will confess to a preference for having a tracker in the vehicle. We had a bad experience at Little Vumbura -- our guide on night drives trying to hold the spotlight and drive and spot game all on his own, and not doing a very good job of any of the three frankly. I will not rule out Mala Mala but so far the lack of trackers is the biggest downside to me.
I will take a look at Djuma.
It sounds like Dulini still has the limit of 6 people per vehicle in place, which is nice.
One other place that looks interesting to me is Ngala Tented Camp, but I have not heard much about it.
Also I wonder about Rhino Plains Camp.
Everybody has their own individual likes and dislikes when it comes to camps -- obviously there are some intangibles. I don't know how to say this delicately, but when I look at the photos of Kings Camp, the rooms look like the exact opposite of what I want on safari. I'm sure the game viewing is excellent -- but oriental rugs and draperies on the windows and a telephone in the room are exactly what I am willing to pay more to avoid. I'm open to Timbavati though.
Nkorho sounds downright awful to me.
Re: Mala Mala, I will confess to a preference for having a tracker in the vehicle. We had a bad experience at Little Vumbura -- our guide on night drives trying to hold the spotlight and drive and spot game all on his own, and not doing a very good job of any of the three frankly. I will not rule out Mala Mala but so far the lack of trackers is the biggest downside to me.
I will take a look at Djuma.
It sounds like Dulini still has the limit of 6 people per vehicle in place, which is nice.
One other place that looks interesting to me is Ngala Tented Camp, but I have not heard much about it.
Also I wonder about Rhino Plains Camp.
Oct 26th, 2009 | 04:59 PM
#23
Joined: Jan 2005
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Oct 27th, 2009 | 02:17 AM
#24
Joined: Jan 2009
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We stayed in EP for 3 nightds in early Sept 09 and would go back tomorrow. The accom & food was fantastic and each vehicle had a tracker. Every game drive we had a kill of either lion or leopard. Wild dog we saw on 3 drives and the guides really went out of their way to assist those wanting photos, they would move the vehicle for better light and position.
The number in the vehicle was between 4-7, no problems taking photos. We had so many good sightings that we did not get time for sundowners.
We saw Honey badger while on a early morning walk in Kruger (Satara) and this was very memorable.
We would strongly recommend EP for the price and value
Where are you staying in Kruger?
The number in the vehicle was between 4-7, no problems taking photos. We had so many good sightings that we did not get time for sundowners.
We saw Honey badger while on a early morning walk in Kruger (Satara) and this was very memorable.
We would strongly recommend EP for the price and value
Where are you staying in Kruger?
Oct 27th, 2009 | 05:57 AM
#26
Joined: Mar 2007
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Lisa,
I was at Dulini in August 2006. The main problem with the Western SSGR is that there is a queue for sightings - as all lodges in that area have to share sightings........ it's the Exeter lodges, the Richard Branson lodge (forget the name), Savanna, Idube etc etc., (you get the idea - that general area).
That said, one evening when we were returning to camp (inide Dulini property) we saw a Leopard kill Nyala and take it up the tree.
On the positive side, the lodge is small - great service and quite flexible without much rigidity.
I was at Dulini in August 2006. The main problem with the Western SSGR is that there is a queue for sightings - as all lodges in that area have to share sightings........ it's the Exeter lodges, the Richard Branson lodge (forget the name), Savanna, Idube etc etc., (you get the idea - that general area).
That said, one evening when we were returning to camp (inide Dulini property) we saw a Leopard kill Nyala and take it up the tree.
On the positive side, the lodge is small - great service and quite flexible without much rigidity.
Oct 27th, 2009 | 12:10 PM
#29
Joined: Apr 2005
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Trackers or not in MM.
Some posters/lurkers here have been to MM many times when they had trackers and multiple times after no trackers. It would be most interesting to hear from them how their game viewing experience differs for with/without trackers.
regards - tom
Some posters/lurkers here have been to MM many times when they had trackers and multiple times after no trackers. It would be most interesting to hear from them how their game viewing experience differs for with/without trackers.
regards - tom
Oct 27th, 2009 | 12:50 PM
#30
Joined: Mar 2007
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Lisa - you'll have trouble finding places that aren't too posh all over S Africa. We were surprised even at Arathusa (it's in our price range) they have such nice accommodations. We fell in love with Mashatu tented camp in Botswana (it's nowhere that you're looking at in Sabi, but in a great spot in SE Bots) for exactly that reason. Just a tent on a slab, bathroom out the back of the tent, little electricity, but nice beds, great staff. I wish there were more options just like it. We are considering Thanda tented on a future trip just for the experience of no electricity at all. Ngala tented is an &beyond property, so don't expect to rough it (but everyone loves it).
napamatt - you're right. It wasn't like that just a few weeks ago. The Singita website still says "Singita Sabi Sand". Maybe they don't share any traversing rights.
napamatt - you're right. It wasn't like that just a few weeks ago. The Singita website still says "Singita Sabi Sand". Maybe they don't share any traversing rights.
Oct 27th, 2009 | 02:43 PM
#31
Joined: Oct 2008
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Christabir
I noticed that when you click on the lodges link on the site, they don't mention either Singita or Londolozi, so presumably they have left SSGR. If so the issue may not just be about the prickly Mike Rattray.
Tom
I posted after my January trip that we didn't have trackers and that our game viewing was excellent. Unfortunately there is no way too tell if it would have been better with a tracker. I know my enjoyment would have been enhanced with Philemon in the vehicle and he is a great tracker, we saw that many times, even though he sat at the back (when he needed to track he got off the vehicle and did it on foot). I have had the opportunity to compare trackers at MM, thanks to staying at both Main Camp and Rattrays on most trips. The good tracker really adds to the game drive, the bad tracker (and there were plenty) does not. When you'd spent four days with someone exceptional like Collen or Philemon, you really noticed the difference when you got one of the bored trackers, who was mailing it in.
Game viewing at MM does not appear to be suffering based on the game reports and statistics and on reports I get from friends there - of course these may be biased, but I can only report what I see and hear.
I will be back there next January and I assume Kaye will be there in December, so we'll be able to give fresh insights.
I noticed that when you click on the lodges link on the site, they don't mention either Singita or Londolozi, so presumably they have left SSGR. If so the issue may not just be about the prickly Mike Rattray.
Tom
I posted after my January trip that we didn't have trackers and that our game viewing was excellent. Unfortunately there is no way too tell if it would have been better with a tracker. I know my enjoyment would have been enhanced with Philemon in the vehicle and he is a great tracker, we saw that many times, even though he sat at the back (when he needed to track he got off the vehicle and did it on foot). I have had the opportunity to compare trackers at MM, thanks to staying at both Main Camp and Rattrays on most trips. The good tracker really adds to the game drive, the bad tracker (and there were plenty) does not. When you'd spent four days with someone exceptional like Collen or Philemon, you really noticed the difference when you got one of the bored trackers, who was mailing it in.
Game viewing at MM does not appear to be suffering based on the game reports and statistics and on reports I get from friends there - of course these may be biased, but I can only report what I see and hear.
I will be back there next January and I assume Kaye will be there in December, so we'll be able to give fresh insights.
Oct 27th, 2009 | 03:14 PM
#32
Joined: Mar 2007
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matt- I can't really pick on "prickly" Mr Rattray. They own Mashatu, too and I loved it there! And we had a tracker in the back on all of our game drives there and we were on our own for 6 of our 8 game drives (private safaris are AWESOME!!). SSGR will lose some of its advertising luster if Singita, Londolozi and MM all leave. Wonder what's going on..... According to their websites, MM is definitely out, but Singita and Londolozi both still say they are part of SSGR.
Lisa - when we got to Mashatu, I was joking that I wanted to see a pangolin and a porcupine. EVERYONE tried as hard as they could to find them for me. When a porcupine showed up in the staff area of camp, they came and got me!! So, no matter where you go, let them know you'd really like to see those few species - you never know when or where one will show up!! Unfortunately, no pangolin, but that was a really long shot.
Lisa - when we got to Mashatu, I was joking that I wanted to see a pangolin and a porcupine. EVERYONE tried as hard as they could to find them for me. When a porcupine showed up in the staff area of camp, they came and got me!! So, no matter where you go, let them know you'd really like to see those few species - you never know when or where one will show up!! Unfortunately, no pangolin, but that was a really long shot.
Oct 28th, 2009 | 04:53 PM
#33
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For those who asked -- in Kruger we're staying at Lower Sabie, Olifants, and Skukuza. Previously have stayed in others but decided to concentrate mainly in the south in the dry season, and Olifants and Lower Sabie are two of our favorites. Skukuza area is busy -- we have visited it before -- but well-located for game drives.
Keep those ideas coming everybody -- thanks!
(And I don't really expect to see a pangolin or an aardwolf ever, but a girl can dream.)
Keep those ideas coming everybody -- thanks!
(And I don't really expect to see a pangolin or an aardwolf ever, but a girl can dream.)
Oct 28th, 2009 | 08:35 PM
#34
Joined: Feb 2007
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This past August we stayed at Kirkman's for about $300 Can. per night (pay for 2, stay for 3) and Inyati for $350 Can. Private vehicle at Inyati was 2000 Rand, ($285 Can.) We rented it for 2 days and had the third day private as well. Fantastic leopards at Inyati, around our lodge each night and mating leopards in the daytime too. Also saw a cheetah there. We stayed at Mala Mala too and it had the best game viewing, but we enjoyed the other two places as well. More lions at Kirkman's and Inyati than at Mala Mala. Best guide was at Mala Mala, but it might have been even better, especially on night drives, if there was a tracker for the spotlight.
Oct 28th, 2009 | 09:14 PM
#35
Joined: Apr 2005
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I find it a bit awkward (linguistically) that three(?) big camps are leaving/left the SSGR. They haven't -really- left, they are still there. And its much easier to talk about the whole area as SSGR encompassing all those camps. Rather than the SSGR and the-other-three-camps-located-nearby.
As for night drives with spotlights. Of the 80-100 "night" drives I've been on, I can count on one hand the number of big cat hunts I've seen. And on one hand the number of decent photos at night. Give me another hour on the afternoon drive and take that hour away at night. Next time, with a private vehicle
.
regards - tom
As for night drives with spotlights. Of the 80-100 "night" drives I've been on, I can count on one hand the number of big cat hunts I've seen. And on one hand the number of decent photos at night. Give me another hour on the afternoon drive and take that hour away at night. Next time, with a private vehicle
.regards - tom
Oct 29th, 2009 | 12:33 AM
#36
Joined: Sep 2009
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Hi Lisa - have you considered Ngala in the Timbavati? They have 2 lodges - Ngala Safari, the bigger and more affordable of the 2, as well as Ngala Tented, the exclusive and luxurious option. I know you've mentioned that you prefer smaller lodges, and as I said, Ngala Safari is a big lodge, but their rates are very good, and they offer an excellent value for money safari experience! As you would rather stay out in the bush a little longer, than rush back to the lodge for bacon and eggs, I really think Ngala Safari would be a good option for you. 6 on a vehicle, and their game rangers are definitely of the best in the industry (as is the case at all of the andBeyond lodges)!
Mike Karantonis
Mike Karantonis
Oct 29th, 2009 | 08:40 AM
#37
Joined: Apr 2005
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Staying out longer on a game drive. Works fine if you are the only guest on the vehicle. If you have 4-6 other guests then they have to agree to modifying the preset schedule.
I was at Ngala Safari Lodge in Sep of 2008 for eight nights. It is a large lodge having 21 guest hut/bungalows. The guide I had there was ok as a guide but poor as a guide if you are interested in photography. Here is a link to my Fodors trip report-
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35161085
regards - tom
I was at Ngala Safari Lodge in Sep of 2008 for eight nights. It is a large lodge having 21 guest hut/bungalows. The guide I had there was ok as a guide but poor as a guide if you are interested in photography. Here is a link to my Fodors trip report-
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=35161085
regards - tom
Oct 29th, 2009 | 09:22 AM
#38
Joined: Oct 2008
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Tom
The camps really are still in the SSGR, they apparently have decided they don't need to belong to the larger group. My sense is that everyone else would benefit from association with those famous names, whilst the names themselves would not.
But I agree, I will continue to refer to SSGR as the geographical entity not the marketing entity.
Matt
The camps really are still in the SSGR, they apparently have decided they don't need to belong to the larger group. My sense is that everyone else would benefit from association with those famous names, whilst the names themselves would not.
But I agree, I will continue to refer to SSGR as the geographical entity not the marketing entity.
Matt
Oct 29th, 2009 | 09:50 AM
#39
Joined: Apr 2005
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"But I agree, I will continue to refer to SSGR as the geographical entity not the marketing entity."
Yes, well said, that is what I was trying to say.
There is, according to them, an official web site of the Sabi Sand Reserve - http://www.sabisand.co.za/ssw-map.html . It is on occasion referred to here because it shows the shared traversing areas of camps in SSGR. And it thus can confuse those if they are looking for perhaps MalaMala.
I in fact emailed that org with the question of why MM was not shown and this is their response.
Michelle @ Origin Blu Communication wrote:
> Good afternoon Tom,
>
> Many thanks for the feedback which you submitted via the Sabi Sand website.
>
> What many people do not realise is that MalaMala is no longer a member of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. This was their own decision, and was made quite a few years ago. They formally terminated their membership, and now operate as a completely independent entity.
>
> This is the reason why they do not appear on the Sabi Sand Reserve map with the rest of the member properties.
(etc closing)
You're not a member, you do not exist. Even if you are in the middle of us and the largest and founded the organization. Typical of a marketing/advertising organization.
regards - tom
Yes, well said, that is what I was trying to say.
There is, according to them, an official web site of the Sabi Sand Reserve - http://www.sabisand.co.za/ssw-map.html . It is on occasion referred to here because it shows the shared traversing areas of camps in SSGR. And it thus can confuse those if they are looking for perhaps MalaMala.
I in fact emailed that org with the question of why MM was not shown and this is their response.
Michelle @ Origin Blu Communication wrote:
> Good afternoon Tom,
>
> Many thanks for the feedback which you submitted via the Sabi Sand website.
>
> What many people do not realise is that MalaMala is no longer a member of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. This was their own decision, and was made quite a few years ago. They formally terminated their membership, and now operate as a completely independent entity.
>
> This is the reason why they do not appear on the Sabi Sand Reserve map with the rest of the member properties.
(etc closing)
You're not a member, you do not exist. Even if you are in the middle of us and the largest and founded the organization. Typical of a marketing/advertising organization.
regards - tom
