Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is a league of it's own. Our driver picked us up from Cape Town and it took about 2 and a half hours to reach the gate of Sanbona From the gate to our glamping tents was another 90 mins drive into an expansive dessert - 62,000 hectares We got real lucky and saw Lionesses, Cheetah, Giraffes, Hippos, Rhinos, Baboons, Elephants etc. Our Guide Joe was absolutely fantastic and knowledgeable The glamping tents were so spacious, connecting you right back to nature with outdoor showers, jacuzzi etc Our meals were fantastic, and they can accommodate to most dietary restrictions. We ended up trying both the Springbok, Kudu, Hake, Kingklip - all local delicacies Love how South African wines were included in our full board experience allowing us to sample Bruts, Rosé and even their Pinotage We ended the evening stargazing as usual, this time being able to see both the Southern and Northern Hemispheree

We had an outstanding time at the Sanbona Dwyka Tented Lodge and can’t recommend it more highly. The welcome lodge experience was great, and we were able to relax and enjoy the vistas while enjoying a refreshment. There was also a composting toilet which was handy after the long drive. We were then transported to the lodge via a comfortable mini-van with AC. The lodge itself was stunning, with lovely areas for eating and relaxing inside and out. We stayed for 2 nights so enjoyed an a la carte dinner on our first night and a boma (outside bbq) the next. Both were excellent and the food was brilliant (especially considering the remote location!). Our tented room was so luxurious, with a heated outdoor plunge pool, freestanding bath, and outside shower. We enjoyed lying out on our deck under the parasol and dipping in the pool between game drives. And the game drives, I can’t put into words how much we enjoyed them. We were really impressed by Sanbona’s commitment to conservation as conveyed passionately by our ranger, Josh. We were slightly nervous as we thought that their deliberately small populations of big game (to ensure sustainability within the semi-desert environment) would make sightings challenging, but Josh managed to find excellent and close views of the lions, cheetahs (including cubs!), elephants and giraffes on multiple occasions, as well as many more. We were also very impressed by his knowledge of everything from the local plants, geology, history, birds and reptiles. We heard so many interesting facts about the animals that we encountered but what was equally fascinating was hearing about the other elements of the ecosystem that play a part in the circle of life in the Sanbona reserve. Overall it was an amazing adventure that far exceeded our expectations and we can’t thank the team, especially Josh, for their welcome and hospitality!

Sanbona is just amazing. The lodges are c.25km into the reserve so you really feel like you’re out in the wild. We managed to see the big 5 over 4 game drives plus lots of other amazing animals. There was one morning where the weather didn’t lend itself to seeing much but our guide still managed to locate a cheetah looking for its dinner! But even when you aren’t looking at animals the Karoo landscape is just beautiful. The staff and guides were fantastic and the lodge itself was stunning. We sat on our terrace watching a herd of Elands. Overall incredible experience!