Simbambili Game Lodge

Set in the famous Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Simbambili has world-class game viewing opportunities. The managers, Mike and Tania, have been at Simbambili for over 10 years and ensure the lodge has a comfortable, sophisticated feel.

We recently renovated the suites, which have been elegantly designed to blend in with the dense stands of knobthorn and jackalberry trees along the meandering Manyeleti River.

Massive decks and the shaded sala beds are a guest favourite. We’re also extremely proud of our guides and trackers whose wealth of knowledge and passionate for what they do, continuously leave lasting impressions.

At the lodge, our guests are made to feel at home through the personal touches and calming nature of the setting, with many an hour spent on the main deck keeping an eye on the large waterhole and its ever-changing visitors just below.

ACCOMMODATION
All of the nine spacious suites face the riverbed and woodlands, each with its own private plunge pool, sala bed on the deck and a free-standing bath, with the Waterhole Suite overlooking the waterhole.

The large thatched suites have been elegantly designed to blend in with the environment and carefully positioned to enhance privacy. While the shower, free-standing bath, his and her sinks and modern finishings are impressive, it’s the outside deck our guests love most.

Each suite has its own spacious riverbed-facing deck with a plunge pool and sala bed under shade to laze away a perfect afternoon. There’s one Honeymoon Suite and one Waterhole Suite at Simbambili, both perfect for honeymooners and lying on the far ends of the lodge to ensure even more privacy.

These romantic suites are slightly larger and come with added amenities. They have a shower, free-standing bath, his and her sinks and modern finishings as the other suites, but come with an added lounge area for more space.

The outside deck, however, is still what our honeymooners love most. The extensive bush-facing deck, with a plunge pool and shaded sala bed, is the perfect place to spend a hot afternoon in the sun.

INSIDE THE SABI SAND GAME RESERVE
The Sabi Sand is a private game reserve pioneered by local landowners in the 1950s that shares a fenceless border with the Kruger National Park. The reserve is home to great numbers of well-habituated wildlife resulting in close encounters, particularly with elusive leopards, which the Sabi Sand has become world-famous for.

Roaming packs of wild dogs, territorial lions and large herds of elephants are also signature sightings in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. The relative abundance of water in an otherwise dry area is the secret to the area’s rich biodiversity.

ACTIVITIES
The day starts as dawn breaks over the African bushveld. After your early morning wake-up call. Shortly after, you depart in your open landrover with your experienced rangers and trackers who will share their extensive knowledge of the bush with you.

These drives are undertaken at times best suited for game viewing, which vary depending on the season but typically start early morning. Where applicable you may be invited out of the vehicle to see tracks, examine certain plants and follow spoor.

After an exhilarating hunt for tracks to see what the animals have been up to during the night, and tracking down whatever you find, you will stop somewhere out in the bush for a break of coffee & tea. Time to stretch your legs whilst having your sunglasses cleaned and indulge in cool towels in summer, and hot towels in winter.

In winter, you are kept warm on the vehicle with hot water bottles and warm blankets. After a sumptuous Breakfast is served either back at the camp or in the riverbed or bush, you are offered walks to suit their interests and fitness levels and are accompanied by an armed ranger and tracker.

Walks allow you a better chance to see some smaller creatures of the bush as well as an opportunity to learn more about the flora and fauna of the region and to have a chance to follow tracks in more detail.

The Shangaan trackers will enthrall you with their explanations of the medicinal and other uses of the numerous plants and trees along with tales of traditional folklore.

The rest of the day is spent at the discretion of yourself for other activities that are on offer, with a late lunch served around 15h00. Lunch is followed by the afternoon game drive and extends into the evening to view seldom seen nocturnal species by torchlight.

Rooms: 9

Price: from 1.400 EUR per night

Source: www.thornybush.com