Simbambili Game Lodge

OVERVIEW:

Part of the Thornybush collection, Simbambili Game Lodge is a high-end safari lodge within South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve. It’s run by a management team who’ve been at the property for more than ten years, so guests can expect a friendly, personal approach and an impressive level of service. Sabi Sand is renowned for its superb wildlife sightings, notably a sizeable leopard population, and Simbambili’s location beside an active waterhole means you’ll likely spot all manner of species from your own private deck. Accommodation at Simbambili Game Lodge is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, game drives, walking safaris, snacks, and sundowners.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

Simbambili Game Lodge is located in the northern part of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Guests usually fly from Johannesburg to the neighbouring Arathusa Airstrip, and there are scheduled flights daily with Safarilink.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT SIMBAMBILI GAME LODGE:

Guest accommodation at Simbambili Game Lodge consists of nine suites, including a honeymoon suite and the Waterhole Suite. The latter, as its name suggests, has particularly commanding views of a nearby waterhole. Each suite occupies a timber, stone, and thatch building, with stone steps leading to its entrance. Inside every standard suite, you’ll find a double bed or twin beds with mosquito nets, bedside tables and lighting, a separate seating area, and storage furniture. Additional amenities include air conditioning and a mini-bar. The en-suite facilities comprise a separate flush toilet, twin washbasins with mirrors over, a freestanding bathtub, and a shower that opens up onto the deck. Outside, you’ll find a sala, a plunge pool, a couple of sunloungers, and amazing vistas over sprawling savanna studded with woodland. The honeymoon suite benefits from all the features of the standard suite, in addition to a nicely secluded location. We recommend upgrading to the Waterhole Suite for breathtaking panoramic views!

Simbambili’s communal lodge connects with the guest suites along neat stone pathways. Its lounge contains a colourful arrangement of sofas, armchairs, and pouffes around a central coffee table, with fans suspended from the timber roof beams. Adjacent to this space is the dining area, set with individual tables. You’ll find a well-stocked bar between the living and dining areas, complete with a good range of wines, beers, spirits, and more. At the front of the building, there’s a spacious deck, where you can relax and savour delicious cuisine while gazing at the scenery and any passing wildlife. A short stroll away, a traditional boma provides an authentic al fresco setting for evening meals. Simbambili also has a curio shop, which displays an assortment of locally made items. As part of the lodge’s recent refurbishment, there’s a new wellness centre with a spa, gym and communal swimming pool with loungers, and a living and dining space where the team can set up private dinners.

ACTIVITIES AT SIMBAMBILI GAME LODGE:

Activities from Simbambili focus on exploring Sabi Sand Nature Reserve on expertly guided game drives and walking safaris.

• Game drives

  – Expertly led game drives take place in the early morning and late afternoon into evening. Sabi Sand is made up of savanna, woodlands, and numerous water sources, including the beautiful Sabi and Sand rivers. It’s home to all Big Five – lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo – and is especially famous for sightings of big cats, including cheetah! Other predators in residence include hyenas, jackals, and the rare wild dog, while the herbivore count features hippo, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and numerous antelope species.

• Birding

  – The bird life here is also impressive, and includes the hawk eagle, purple heron, grey cuckoo-shrike, and the beautiful emerald cuckoo.

• Walking safaris

  – The camp’s walking safaris are fantastic for anyone hoping to get a really close look at the smaller lives of the reserve – not only the feathery friends, but also the insects and plant life. Walks also offer opportunities to track big game and to learn about traditional folklore from Shangaan trackers.

• Community project visit

  – Guests are welcome to visit Thornybush’s community project and gain insight into the initiatives in place to support the local communities.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Guests are escorted after dark as a matter of course.

For more information about activities at Simbambili, or anything else to do with staying at this luxurious lodge, please contact a member of the YZ team.