Savanna Lodge

an old-school spot in a famously prolific corner of Kruger

Savanna Lodge is located on the western edge of the Sabi Sand Reserve in the Kruger area of South Africa.

This is a long-established, owner-run property where the hands-on involvement of the owners shapes everything about the experience. The senior management team often double up as head guides, which means the people running the lodge are the same people you’ll be out in the bush with, and that goes a long way to explaining both the warmth of the welcome and the consistent quality of the guiding.

The lodge is centred on a comfortable thatched main building, with relaxed lounge and dining areas, an open bar and an adjoining boma for evening fires. These open out onto a broad timber deck with a small swimming pool, overlooking a seasonal riverbed that draws in passing wildlife throughout the day. The atmosphere is unfussy, the staff are exceptional, and meals are taken communally when guests are happy to do so, which most are.

By the high standards of the prime Sabi Sand area, Savanna is on the more modest end of the spectrum. The buildings are traditional rather than current generation, the décor is comfortable rather than designer, and the location is a little closer to the edge of the reserve than properties to the east. It more than makes up for this in character, attentiveness and value, and for many guests that trade-off is exactly the appeal.

Rooms

Guest accommodation is in eight suites, all set along the riverbed and well spaced for privacy. Seven are luxury and executive suites under canvas. The eighth is the Savanna Suite, a two-bedroom family unit under thatch with its own lounge, dining space and private vehicle, which can operate independently of the main lodge.

Each suite has a queen or king bed fitted with a mosquito net, a private verandah looking out into the bush, and an en-suite bathroom with twin basins, indoor shower, a separate outdoor shower and a small private plunge pool. Air-conditioning, ceiling fans, tea and coffee facilities and a well-stocked minibar are standard throughout.

Activities

Savanna Lodge provides the following guided activities, which are included in the rate …

• Vehicle safari
• Night vehicle safari
• Walking safari

The guiding here is where the lodge genuinely punches above its weight. The team includes some properly experienced senior guides, including trails guides, and the tracker partnerships are long-standing and very effective.

Savanna also operates its own independent foundation, the Savanna Trust, which runs community outreach, local agricultural support and healthcare initiatives in the surrounding area. It is a small but genuine programme and one the lodge is rightly proud of.