A family-owned lodge in the southern part of South Africa’s wildlife-dense Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Lounge and dining area, bar, viewing deck, boma, spa, swimming pool, and wi-fi hut
Nine en-suite guest suites, each with an outdoor shower and private deck
Game drives, bush walks, Kruger National Park excursions, photographic safaris, cultural tours, and golf
The camp offers a range of activities centred on game viewing in Sabi Sand Game Reserve:
Expertly led game drives take place in open-top safari vehicles during the morning and late afternoon. Sabi Sand Game Reserve shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park, allowing the wildlife to roam freely between the two spaces. Comprising 65,000 hectares of savanna, woodlands, and the Sabi and Sand rivers, the reserve is home to all Big Five – lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. This area is particularly renowned for leopard sightings, while other carnivores in residence include cheetah, hyena, jackal, and the occasional wild dog. You’ll likely come across giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and plenty of antelope among the herbivore count.
1–2-hour long bush walks are led by an experienced armed ranger offering full chapter and verse on conservation, ecology, and the natural environment. There’s also an extraordinary variety of birdlife here, including rare treasures such as the Diedrick’s cuckoo, Pel’s fishing owl, southern ground hornbill, kori bustard, and the spectacular martial eagle. Notten’s bush walks offer the perfect opportunity for travellers to scope out the reserve’s smaller details, including insects, plants, grasses, and perhaps the occasional frog, lizard, or tortoise.
Conducted by a Notten’s ranger, half or full-day excursions are offered to Kruger National Park, heading off from camp along the banks of the Sabi river. Kruger National Park is one of the continent’s most biodiverse wild spaces and well worth exploring during your stay. You’ll stop for a picnic lunch at the scenic Nkuhlu picnic area on the edge of the Sabi river and head north-east on the return, winding along the equally scenic Sand river.
Golf enthusiasts will be pleased to find that sessions can be arranged at the Skukuza nine-hole golf course, a 45-minute drive from Notten’s Bush Camp. This is a unique opportunity to play golf in an unfenced Kruger National Park area.
Those keen to learn more about local culture can take a 2–3-hour visit to a nearby Shangaan community, where you’ll gain insight into their traditions and rural way of life. A great way to break up the game-viewing activities and learn something about the people from this region.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
Notten’s Bush Camp is located in the southern part of South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park. Guests usually fly by scheduled light aircraft from Johannesburg to Skukuza Airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, or Hoedspruit, followed by a short game drive transfer (depending on wildlife sightings en route).
Notten’s Bush Camp’s communal areas connect to the guest rooms via neat pathways through the trees, lit with lanterns at night to enhance the camp’s magical ambience.
There’s an airy open-sided lounge and dining area, with a deck – here, guests are welcome to dine al fresco or settle in on one of the cushioned wicker sofas. Dining is typically enjoyed communally around a long table or outside, where hearty bush fare is served in the traditional boma next to a roaring fireplace. There’s also a well-stocked bar where you can pull up a bar stool and gaze at the beautiful bush views with a cold drink. A range of soothing massage and beauty treatments is offered at the spa, and a nicely sized swimming pool is perfect for cooling off in the heat of the day. Internet and cell phone reception are available at Notten’s Wi-Fi hut.
Guest accommodation at Notten’s Bush Camp consists of nine atmospheric, rustic-chic suites with the unique feature of being lit up with candles and paraffin lamps instead of electric lighting.
Air conditioning and charging points still feature in all the rooms, so guests can rest easy knowing that modern conveniences haven’t been forgotten, despite the ambience recalling a bygone era. Each suite has a double or twin bed/s, bedside tables, a writing desk, a tea-and-coffee station, and seating areas. Wood-framed sliding doors lead outside to a private deck with enchanting views of the surrounding bushveld, and the large, wood-framed windows have screens for keeping insects out while the breeze circulates. Each room has an en-suite bathroom containing a flush toilet, twin washbasins, indoor and outdoor showers, and a bathtub.
Londolozi Varty Camp is one of five properties located within the private Londolozi Reserve. At the time of writing, it’s the oldest and largest camp – and also one of the best-value options within the reserve by a long way. Named after the Varty family, who…
Mala Mala Camp is one of three privately owned properties within the Mala Mala Private Reserve in South Africa’s wildlife-dense Sabi Sands Game Reserve, bordering Kruger National Park. Guests can expect handsome accommodations, fusing contemporary style with…
Kirkman’s Kamp prides itself on a signature blend of natural luxury in combination with great guiding and superb service standards. Located in one of the best game viewing areas in the Sabi Sands, you simply cannot go wrong with Kirkmans. The accommodation is…
Singita Boulders Lodge is one of the thirteen properties listed in the world-renowned Singita collection, which spans, among other areas, the Serengeti, Kruger National Park, and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou. With a name that means Place of Miracles, Singita is…
Londolozi Founders Camp is family owned and run. Its name honours everyone who has helped establish the Londolozi Reserve, from the area’s beginnings in 1926 until the present day. The camp has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor!…
There are lovely views of the river from the communal building and guest suites, which are situated in the shade of beautiful ebony trees. Somewhat larger than sister camp Dulini Leadwood Lodge, River has a slightly less intimate feel. However, it is just as…
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge is owned and run by a family company called MORE, which specialises in unique and life-enriching experiences throughout Southern Africa. One of six properties operated by MORE within Lion Sands Game Reserve, it was recently refurbished…
Arathusa Safari Lodge is privately owned and run. This is a property with an impressive history of assisting local communities through direct employment as well as use of local products and services. The lodge has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by…
