Which of Singita Lodges is best?
Jul 17th, 2006, 10:13 PM
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Which of Singita Lodges is best?
We're planning a safari and are interested in a viewpoint on which of the Singita lodges is best. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, but would appreciate a viewpoint. Thanks
Jul 18th, 2006, 08:12 AM
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It used to be that Lebombo and Sweni had lesser game viewing than Boulders and Ebony because they were newer construction and the animals weren't used to the Range Rovers. But it's been a few years now and I would think the game viewing has improved. Hopefully someone with recent personal experience can comment on that.
The service is equally excellent at all camps so when it came time for us to make our decision, we chose the camp which had the decor/design that best suited our tastes.
The service is equally excellent at all camps so when it came time for us to make our decision, we chose the camp which had the decor/design that best suited our tastes.
Jul 18th, 2006, 12:42 PM
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The Sabi Sand lodges in general are more managed enviornments with smaller traverse areas and often shared with neighbours and a very dense network of roads. Lebombo on the other hand is much wilder (if their is such a word) and therefore offers a more authentic experience. Densities of game may be lower but the quality of viewing is better and then their are the views!!
Not to mention a great guide named Brent Leo-Smith at Lebombo - he grew up in the safari industry and knows how to look after people and a lifetime experience of the bush and he is still young.
Not to mention a great guide named Brent Leo-Smith at Lebombo - he grew up in the safari industry and knows how to look after people and a lifetime experience of the bush and he is still young.
Jul 19th, 2006, 04:18 PM
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Hello,
Whilst it is true that some lodges in the Sabi Sands have small traversing areas which are shared with neighbours, Singita and Londoz and Mala Mala are definitely exceptions. Singita has a very large traversing area and very few rooms. The only shared traversing that occurs at SIngita is via an exchange programme with Londolozi, the second-largest concession in the Sabi Sand (2 Londoz vehicles can traverse Singita and 2 Singita vehicles can traverse Londoz). If anything, this enhances the game viewing as it effectively enlarges the space available without significantly increasing vehicle density.
I've just returned from a trip to Botswana and South Africa which included a stay at Singita in the Sabi Sands. The game-viewing was wonderful, with very relaxed predators (notably leopards). I think that one of the benefits of the Sabi Sand is the fact that the animals grow up with the vehicles, which means that they are very relaxed and you can get much closer to them. One pair of leopard cubs romped and tumbled around our vehicle, so close that I couldn't get any decent pictures with my 70-200mm lens.
I stayed at Ebony, and visited Boulders as well. The service was superb at both places, as was the food (I ate a couple of meals at Boulders). Both lodges have the same standard of accommodation (private plunge pools, spas, etc). The main difference is in the decor -- Ebony is a more classical safari lodge, whereas Boulders is much more modern.
Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to visit Sweni or Lebombo in the Kruger concession - hopefully I'll be able to do so in the future. According to the rangers who have worked at Lebombo as well as the Sabi Sand, the game-viewing is better in the Sabi Sand but Lebombo does feel more remote and wild -- it's up to you which one you prefer. The lodges at Lebombo are also much more modern in design if that's an important factor.
http://www.singita.com
Cheers,
Julian
Whilst it is true that some lodges in the Sabi Sands have small traversing areas which are shared with neighbours, Singita and Londoz and Mala Mala are definitely exceptions. Singita has a very large traversing area and very few rooms. The only shared traversing that occurs at SIngita is via an exchange programme with Londolozi, the second-largest concession in the Sabi Sand (2 Londoz vehicles can traverse Singita and 2 Singita vehicles can traverse Londoz). If anything, this enhances the game viewing as it effectively enlarges the space available without significantly increasing vehicle density.
I've just returned from a trip to Botswana and South Africa which included a stay at Singita in the Sabi Sands. The game-viewing was wonderful, with very relaxed predators (notably leopards). I think that one of the benefits of the Sabi Sand is the fact that the animals grow up with the vehicles, which means that they are very relaxed and you can get much closer to them. One pair of leopard cubs romped and tumbled around our vehicle, so close that I couldn't get any decent pictures with my 70-200mm lens.
I stayed at Ebony, and visited Boulders as well. The service was superb at both places, as was the food (I ate a couple of meals at Boulders). Both lodges have the same standard of accommodation (private plunge pools, spas, etc). The main difference is in the decor -- Ebony is a more classical safari lodge, whereas Boulders is much more modern.
Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to visit Sweni or Lebombo in the Kruger concession - hopefully I'll be able to do so in the future. According to the rangers who have worked at Lebombo as well as the Sabi Sand, the game-viewing is better in the Sabi Sand but Lebombo does feel more remote and wild -- it's up to you which one you prefer. The lodges at Lebombo are also much more modern in design if that's an important factor.
http://www.singita.com
Cheers,
Julian
Jul 19th, 2006, 07:01 PM
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Hi Julian - we did the reverse of what you did. Three years ago we stayed at Boulders and asked to have lunch one day at Ebony. I thought Singita would be all about the luxury but we saw the big five twice in three days. We saw eles surround a lone rhino like a gang of teens. We had white rhinos munching bushes around our rover, a leopard in a tree with a kill, another one at sundown, thinking about taking down a stag. Baby lion cubs and cheetahs, it goes on and on. Their system of using their radios - along with the skills of their staff - insured that we saw great game.
The main building of Ebony was more like a lovely traditional African lodge but I felt the individual rooms were not as interesting as Boulders (we asked to see one). The rooms at Ebony seemed more like a condo to me, with normal sized, rectangular rooms. At Boulders, your hut is like nothing else. All curvilinear, no straight walls, very coocoon-like and yet huge. An inviting entrance with a bar table, one bathroom near the front door with lovely stones imbedded in the floor. A large living room with a fireplace that also faces the bedroom area with a beautiful canopy bed that looks out onto the private patio with plunge pool. Then a large bathroom area with a seated table, two sinks, a free standing tub and then a large shower. Lots of glass and another toilet room back there. The entire design is soothing, with that thatched roof ceiling. I also like the wine cellar and the large open air group room.
The main building of Ebony was more like a lovely traditional African lodge but I felt the individual rooms were not as interesting as Boulders (we asked to see one). The rooms at Ebony seemed more like a condo to me, with normal sized, rectangular rooms. At Boulders, your hut is like nothing else. All curvilinear, no straight walls, very coocoon-like and yet huge. An inviting entrance with a bar table, one bathroom near the front door with lovely stones imbedded in the floor. A large living room with a fireplace that also faces the bedroom area with a beautiful canopy bed that looks out onto the private patio with plunge pool. Then a large bathroom area with a seated table, two sinks, a free standing tub and then a large shower. Lots of glass and another toilet room back there. The entire design is soothing, with that thatched roof ceiling. I also like the wine cellar and the large open air group room.
