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The
creation of this customer feedback page is our way of assuring
you that all our Sabi Sand Reserve safaris, are very much provided
as promoted on this website.
Each item of feedback has
been copied from emails sent by some of our customers who have
taken the time to let us know about their safari experience.
Booking off
the internet may be a concern but please be re-assured, we will
be there to pick you up and provide you with a wonderful safari
adventure.
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We are more than happy
to give you our comments and you are free to use them as you
wish.
Unfortunately we had
some problems with our trip. We started in Mauritius and
planned to fly on to Jo'burg on Saturday 24th February ready
for the safari. Due to a cyclone the airport closed. We were
told we would fly the same time the next day, but just
before that planned departure we were told the flight was
cancelled! After much telephoning we eventually got on
another carrier on Tuesday afternoon, three days late.
Throughout this we kept
in touch with Leonard at Safari Rangers, who somehow managed
to reschedule the trip for us. To do this he had to lay on a
special guide to take just us from Jo'burg to Sabi Sands and
back. In fact this very knowledgeable guide (Sam) came with
us on all four safari trips and contributed greatly to the
whole thing. The rescheduling cost us incremental charges of
about £100, but Leonard and Robert kindly absorbed the other
half of the extra cost.
We have nothing but
praise for the Sabi Sands Lodge and the staff there. The
room was spotlessly clean, spacious and nicely decorated in
harmony with the surroundings. It had an additional, large
open shower outside at the back. The Lodge was free from
restrictive fencing and the ability to sit in the infinity
pool looking straight at the waterhole was remarkable. The
meals were all very good and we particularly enjoyed the
dinners around the fire and in the open. Drinks like beer
and wine were very reasonably priced.
For the safaris we had
the benefit of Frank the tracker and David the guide, plus
as mentioned, the bonus of Sam. We saw leopard, rhino,
buffalo, hippo, zebra, wildebeast, cheetah, hyena, jackal,
impala, baboons, elephant, giraffe, vultures, eagles,
warthog, kudu, cameleon, scorpion and (unfortunately!)
spitting cobra. The one thing we did not see were lion.
The most memorable
highlight was sitting just underneath a tree where mother
leopard and cub were above us with their kill draped over a
branch and hyena underneath waiting for any scraps to
fall. Nor will we forget the cheetah, a majestic animal who
was kind enough to stand on top of an ant hill providing a
superb view, and the elephant who came as a group to perform
their antics at the waterhole.
On the return trip to
Jo'burg we detoured via Lisbon Falls, Blyde Canyon and
Pilgrims Rest and experienced some fantastic views.
Our overall experience
of Safari Rangers was excellent, and we would have no
hesitation in recommending your services to others. If you
are going to do a safari, then this is the way to do it.
As yet we have not had
chance to review our photos and film, but you are welcome to
copies if it is of any help.
Finally, our thanks to
you for the help in booking and in answering our many
questions, and we would ask you to pass on our thanks to
Leonard for going to so much trouble to reschedule us.
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Hi Andrew and Natalie
Thank you for your email. I have just returned to Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed my week at Sabi Sands. The Lodge accommodation was very comfortable, the food was excellent and the staff were all very welcoming.
After visiting most of the game parks in Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, I was amazed at how close we were able to get to all the animals. At Sabi Sands they are not restricted to just driving on the roads and going off the roads meant that we were literally only a couple of feet or so away from the animals. On the first evening game drive we saw elephants and a leopard with a kill only a few feet away from us.
Throughout the week we saw impala, zebras, many different herds of elephant, several leopards including a young cub, a huge herd of buffalo, a rhino and unfortunately a dead cheetah. On my very last morning our tracker Frank picked up lion tracks and we came across a pride of 10 lions, 2 males and 8 lionesses. As we hadn't seen lions all week it was so exciting to come across such a big pride and to get so close to them. We unfortunately did not see a cheetah, although we did pick up tracks again on the last morning.
Sean, our Ranger, was very knowledgeable, not only on the bigger game, but also on the wide variety of birds in the area.
So I would say that if you are there for a week, you are almost guaranteed to see the Big 5.
The drive back to Johannesburg was very scenic, although quite long - just over 9 hours.
I was waiting in Hoedspruit to be picked up after the walking safari for about an hour and a half but considering the week I had this was only a minor annoyance.
Doing the walking safari first and then going to the Sabi Sands is definitely the way to do it. I spent just over 7 weeks in Africa and have enjoyed every single minute of it.
Thank you very much for organising everything for me. I would love to come back and see some more of South Africa and enjoy another relaxing but thrilling week at Sabi Sands.
Once I have a chance to review all my photos, I will send you ones from Sabi that I think are particularly good.
Thanks once again for organising such a wonderful safari holiday.
Regards Veronica
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Dear Andrew & Natalie,
We had a brilliant four days at Sabi Sands. The lodge was a perfect place to stay, being small, very friendly, and extremely well run. The meals were all excellent with dinner outside with tables and chairs set in a semi circle round a large camp fire in a boma ( kraal?)
Our guide Sean and tracker Roy were excellent. We could not have had a better experience, and if we ever go back again it could not be improved upon.
We were exceptionally lucky with our animal sightings. We saw leopards and their cubs every single day except the last when we only saw one. It was such an exciting experience as we know that they are normally such shy animals. The mothers were totally relaxed as we watched the cubs at play, just like two little kittens, running up and down the trees, and jumping on each other. One four month cub even seemed to pose for photos!
On one day we were priviledged to be alongside a pride of lions just after a kill. This was an amazing experience as we felt we were witnessing family life in the lion household. The male lion had to discipline two of the cubs squabbling over the leftovers. Grandma made her contribution too. We followed them for sometime as they moved away, and it was interesting listening to the lions gently communicating with each other when they got separated.
We were fortunate enough to see all the big five including several white rhinos and even a black rhino! We saw many zebra, giraffes, hyaenas ( one suckling her young on the roadside), many different sorts of antelope, warthogs, poisonous treesnakes which were very difficult to spot in the tree, bushbabies, genets, mongeese, to name but a few of the animals., and lots of lovely birds and eagles.
The amazing thing for us was that we were able to draw alongside the animals in the open topped range rovers as they were completely unphased by the vehicles, which could be no more than four or five feet away. They knew that they were not predators.
A good guide and spotter were essential to the success we were lucky enough to have had in the field. It was very good to have Leonard and Tracy with us. They did all they could to make sure we had a good time.
In fact I am hoping he will send me a disc of some of his photos, which I am sure will be of a higher quality than mine. I have some films and some digital which you are welcome to see in case they would be useful to you. Having Len in the same truck meant that we had two guides on board, and three bird and animal spotters.
We thoroughly enjoyed the walking safari too, learning to identify tracks, dung, and to gain some insight about the plants and the terrain. It certainly made our trip in the truck the next day more interesting, when we were trying to find the black rhino, by following the direction of his tracks.
With best wishes and thanks for setting up a memorable safari for us.
From Brian and Susie
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5 Day Sabi Sands Reserve Safari
Hi Andrew,
Got back from South Africa OK. Had a great time in Sabi Sands.
Have got some good photos including a leopard cub and a caracal. Fossie has got better photo than mine because his camera has a higher picsal. Unfortunaely I have a problem with my video camera which I have to get fixed so it may be a while before I can see them. Will let you know.
Will also try to write you something about my trip during the coming week.
I did see the big 5 (including 7 different leopards), cheetah and 5 of the six Africa cats.
Not bad for 4 nights.
Mike ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3
Day Sabi Sands Reserve Safari
Hi Andrew & Natalie,
Happy New Year to you both.
We returned from South Africa last week and have been slowly trying
to get back to the reality of work and cold weather... We had
a fantastic trip and I think the Safari was the highlight for
Kevin, Cathal and myself.
We really enjoyed our stay in the Sabi Sands.
Its a very laid back, friendly place which we enjoyed.
I thought there was a very nice atmosphere in the lodge - it was
great that there were only a small number of guests from a good
mixture of countries - including South Africa.
The rangers were great fun - Sean was
our ranger and he was very enthusiastic about the bush and all
the animals - including birds, spiders, plants etc. I thought
that was particularly good because if your focus too much on just
seeing the 'big five' you can miss out on so much (even though
we did see all 5 which was great !). Seans
early morning bush walk was really enjoyable for that reason (despite
the heat !) The food in the lodge was good and we especially enjoyed
the traditional dancing on our last night (although from what
we were told this doesn't happen all the time).
We all thought that the guide from Safari Rangers - Robert - who
was with us in Sabi Sands and drove
us back to Jo'burg via the Blyde River Canyon etc - was really
excellent - a really nice, chatty guy
who was enthusiastic about everything without making the tours
into lectures (which I've found before). He was very well informed
and it was obvious that he loves his country.
So, all in all, we had a fantastic time and I'd have no hesitation
in recommending your company. Cathal has loads of photos that
he took on safari (including some of mating leopards which was
incredible to see !) and I'll ask him to send you some.
All the best,
Marion
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5 Day
Traditional Sabi Sands Safari
Hi Andrew
Please excuse the late reply - I had intended to send you a 'thank
you' on my return home. I am in the Mozambique Channel, aboard
the Pacific Princess en route to Nosy Be (Madagascar) thence via
Mauritius, Reunion Island & various Australian ports before
going home.
I enjoyed my stay at Sabi Sands so much
that I could have happily stayed much, much longer. I must say,
though, the people who came for just 2 days had a wonderful time
but missed out on so much more. I am really glad I took the 5-
day package. And I do have some amazing photos, but I'll send
an appropriate response which you can use for 'Lonely Planet'
once I get home & can attach the photo's, if you can wait
till the end of November.
If that's too long to wait for the comments, please let me know
& I'll try to send them from the ship, which is an unreliable
& expensive exercise but I will preserver if needed before
I get home. The photo's, however, I couldn't send till
then.
Thank you VERY much for arranging such a wonderful experience
for me - it was truly magic. I would appreciate your passing on
my thanks to Fossie & Sean and the crew at Sabi
Sands.
I'll be in touch.
Ciao
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