Londolozi - Sabie Sands

About Londolozi

Londolozi Private Game Reserve is an unashamedly exclusive and luxurious truly African safari destination covering 14 000 hectares (34 580 acres) in the heart of the game-rich 56 000 hectare Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Londolozi is a Zulu word meaning “protector of all living things” - an ambitious conservation ethic that Londolozi embraces in its sensitivity to the natural world. This is why the Londolozi Model is the blueprint of CC Africa’s founding principles: “Care of the land, care of the wildlife and care of the people”.

The story of Londolozi began in the late 1920s at, of all places, a tennis party. On a piece of virgin bushveld on the clear Sand River, the first campfire was lit amid the roar of lions. This is where Londolozi stands today, one of the most sought-after ecotourism destinations in the world.

Londolozi offers four private camps and one lodge - Bateleur Camp (previously known as Main Camp), Tree Camp, Safari Lodge and Bush Camps: Founders and Pioneer. Each has a riverside location.

The reserve is internationally recognised for its far-sighted and progressive management of land and wildlife rehabilitation as well as productive community involvement.

The Camps

The four exclusive camps of Bateleur, Tree and Bush (Pioneer and Founders) are secluded in dense riverine forest on the banks of the Sand River, in the northern section of the private reserve. In the early dawn, you will hear the haunting calls of fish eagles, and the booming snorts of hippo. Each camp is totally private and self-contained.

Bateleur Camp
Bateleur Camp has eight luxurious chalets and four gracious suites. The camp was built on the site of the original hunting camp, in remembrance of Londolozi’s pioneering days.  There are eight luxurious chalets and four gracious suites in this historic camp. All the chalets and suites have a plunge pool and wooden decks, with air-conditioning and en suite bathrooms with bath and separate shower. The focal point of each luxurious bathroom is a capacious tub. The essence of relaxation is to gaze from your bath over uninterrupted views of the surrounding bush. Also, the suites have underfloor heating and an outdoor shower as additional features. Underfloor heating takes the edge off chilly winter nights, or rising for dawn game drives.

Striking African designs offset the opulent hues of teak and velvet in the eight private rooms. The handsome suites with billowing drapes, canopied beds and inlaid mosaic floors recreate a bygone world of tactile pleasure. The shared living spaces exude the warmth and hospitality of the Londolozi legacy. Historical photographs of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve add to the congenial atmosphere. Sepia family portraits on the walls speak of the adventure and hardships that laid the foundation for the present-day luxury.

Bateleur Camp was built on the site of the original hunting camp in tribute to the early beginnings of Londolozi, which has been in the same family for over seventy years. The lounge area at Bateleur Camp has magnificent views over the Sand River. Four rondavels dating back to the the original Sparta Hunting camp are a special feature of the camp. One has been turned into a traditional bedroom and the others are now a museum, a well stocked wine cellar and an Internet centre. The camp also offers a swimming pool and a curio shop/gallery. Leafy tranquillity pervades the camp. The enormous boughs of an ancient Ebony Tree emerge through the main deck, towering above the thatch roof. This organic compilation of deck and living wood epitomises CC Africa’s concern for “treading lightly” and building around natural features.

You can savour Pan-African cuisine in the dining area overlooking the flowing Sand River, or in the large boma (enclosed reeded area). Food for the soul, this melange of traditional African recipes is enhanced by Africa’s famous spices - saffron, vanilla, cumin and nutmeg. Breakfast and lunch are served in the dining area or on your private deck. Dinner may be savoured buffet style in the boma or in a clearing in the bush. The well stocked wine cellar is an ideal complement to the delicious dishes.

Tree Camp
Tree Camp is so named because the dense riverine forest environment and most notably the ancient Ebony Tree shading the camp. Tree Camp has six lavish suites elevated 70 feet above the Sand River. Each of the six air-conditioned luxurious suites has its own cascading plunge pool, outdoor shower and en suite bathroom featuring a huge, inviting tub. The private decks with plunge pools and outdoor shower overlook the lush banks of the Sand River. Capturing the essence of total relaxation are the private salas, found in three of the suites. These intimate covered decks extend into the treetops by a short elevated walkway. The deck floors feature inviting chairs and comfortable foot-stools.

The tree-shaded teak decks and private outdoor showers lead into sumptuous interiors of soft silks and suede lit by carved Zanzibari lamps. The spacious en suite bathrooms have heated cobblestone floors, inlaid with pebbles from the Sand River. Tree Camp takes its name from the ancient Ebony Tree shading the camp. Small and exclusive, Tree Camp is surrounded by large, shady trees and offers wonderful views of the Sand River. The camp has a lounge area with guest library. The main sitting area leads out onto a large wooden deck, raised on stilts and elevated over the river. There is a large swimming pool set in the camp’s garden. Guests are welcome to visit Londolozi Bateleur Camp’s curio shop and orientation centre. Elegant candlelit dinners are enjoyed in the boma (reeded enclosure). You can savour Pan-African cuisine - food for the soul. This melange of traditional African recipes is enhanced by Africa’s famous spices - saffron, vanilla, cumin and nutmeg.

Founders Camp
Founders Camp has five chalets and one suite secluded in dense riverine forest overlooking the Sand River. The air-conditioned chalets feature an en suite bath, shower and a wooden deck. The suite has a stone-laid outdoor shower as a refreshing additional feature. The north-facing chalet rooms are a sand colour with mudcloth bed spreads and raffia inset cupboard doors with linen curtains, slate floors and hand-picked African wall sculptures. The artefacts are largely West African in origin. The bathrooms reflect a modern African theme with the use of wrought iron. The suite also exudes an African feel with sand colours and leather with black metal lights.

You can take a stroll down the walkway leading to a secluded thatched sala (intimate covered deck) lookout point for unobtrusive game and bird viewing. You are invited to peel off your safari attire and float in the swimming pool or socialise in style under the covered lounge area. Founders is a self-contained camp. Guests are welcome to visit Londolozi Bateleur Camp’s curio shop and orientation centre.

The boma (enclosed reeded area) is on ground level adjacent to the pool, while the dining area overlooks the magnificent Sand River. You can savour Pan-African cuisine - food for the soul. This melange of traditional African recipes is enhanced by Africa’s famous spices - saffron, vanilla, cumin and nutmeg.

Pioneer Camp
Pioneer Camp consists of three exclusive suites and three chalets and features unique open-plan living spaces. It is situated upstream of Founders Camp and consists of three suites and three chalets. The exclusive suites are all air-conditioned and feature a hearth, en suite bathroom with indoor and outdoor shower plus a romantic sala (intimate covered deck). The three river-front chalets are air-conditioned and have an en suite bathroom and an outdoor shower.

The chalets are a sand colour with mudcloth bed spreads and raffia inset cupboard doors with linen curtains, slate floors and largely West African artefacts. The decor of the chalets presently mirrors that of Founders Camp’s chalets, but there are plans for renovating these rooms to reflect the pioneer spirit of the suites at Pioneer Camp, which display fascinating old fashioned pioneer pictures reflecting the Varty family heritage. An interesting feature of the suites are their chandeliers. There are heavy wooded beds, bay windows and seating built out from the fire place.

The intimate guest area at Pioneer Camp provides a unique interactive experience - the lounge, kitchen and dining areas are all open-plan. The swimming pool is a welcoming treat on warmer days. Pioneer Camp is completely self-contained. Guests are welcome to visit Londolozi Bateleur Camp’s curio shop and orientation centre.

At mealtimes, you can savour Pan-African cuisine - truly food for the soul. This melange of traditional African recipes is enhanced by Africa’s famous spices - saffron, vanilla, cumin and nutmeg. The dining area and kitchen are open plan, offering an airy, expansive feel, enhancing your enjoyment of delicious African dishes. Evening meals may also be enjoyed under the stars in the boma (reeded enclosure).

Londolozi Safari Lodge
Londolozi Safari Lodge is located in a secluded spot along the Usutu River in the southern section of Londolozi Private Game Reserve. Safari Lodge’s six intimate chalets embrace luxurious simplicity and closeness to nature. Safari Lodge has six intimate luxury chalets in dense riverine vegetation. Each chalet has air-conditioning and a ceiling fan. The en suite bathrooms feature a large bath and indoor shower plus a private outdoor shower. Each chalet has a wooden teak deck.

Safari Lodge embraces simplicity and closeness to nature, while remaining elegant and true to Londolozi’s world-renowned magical style. The main guest area consists of a lounge, outdoor deck and swimming pool, all surrounded by lush vegetation. A limited supply of curios is available at Safari Lodge. Guests are welcome to visit the well stocked curio shop at Londolozi Bateleur Camp. Safari Lodge is known as the “Best Kept Secret” of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. The lodge is nestled in a secluded and remote location along the Usutu River in the south of the private reserve. The intimate and private nature of the lodge is ideal for exclusive use by a family or a special group. Safari Lodge is also perfect for honeymooners.

In the dining area and boma (enclosed reeded area), you may savour Pan-African cuisine - truly food for the soul. This melange of traditional African recipes is enhanced by Africa’s famous spices - saffron, vanilla, cumin and nutmeg.

Safaris at Londolozi

Activities at Londolozi centre around game viewing drives in open vehicles that traverse an area of some 14 000 hectares (34 580 acres) in search of wildlife, including nocturnal species viewed after sunset. You may request the sole use of a Land Rover for game viewing, (subject to availability.)

Armed rangers will lead you on bush walks - the quintessential wilderness experience. The Shangaan are renowned trackers of wildlife - a skill honed to perfection among the many trackers and rangers. Shangaan people are in the majority in the southern Lowveld and most of the staff at Londolozi come from this cultural group.