Elephant Plains Game Lodge

We felt pampered, safe and completely caught up in our first safari at Elephant Plains Game Lodge. The experience went beyond our expectations, and we can’t wait to return. Our game drives were the highlight. Colbert, our tracker, and Matthew, our ranger, brought the bush to life with their patience, expertise and passion, sharing wonderful sightings and insights. The lodge is a dream, with delicious food and warm, attentive staff. Our luxury suite was beautiful and comfortable, a lovely place to disconnect and enjoy nature. We’ll remember this trip forever.

The lodge staff were incredibly friendly, and we enjoyed every moment of our stay. We were lucky to share a car with Armand and Dumi, who were both exceptional. Dumi did everything he could to find the animals on our wish list, while Armand shared a wealth of knowledge about wildlife, sustainability and conservation. The tracking and cooperation among guides and lodges were unlike anything we’d experienced before. They found incredible sightings, and still made time to stop somewhere peaceful and scenic for morning coffee or an evening drink. A truly outstanding stay.

We’re so grateful to have been recommended Elephant Plains Game Lodge. The accommodation, food and people were all first class, and we couldn’t have asked for more. Most impressive was the intimate safari experience. We’ve heard stories about traffic jams with hundreds of cars, irresponsible guides and shady practices. That wasn’t our experience here. The teamwork and communication among lodges, rangers and trackers were clear, as was their commitment to visitors and, especially, the animals. Rules included a maximum of three cars at a sighting and gradually introducing vehicles to young animals, no earlier than six weeks old, one vehicle at a time. Guides could go off-road to get close without disturbing the animals. Together, these practices made for an unusually real and intimate experience. A huge shout-out to Jordan, our guide. His wildlife knowledge, easygoing and friendly manner, and energetic but responsible drive to find the day’s best sightings made him ideal. We couldn’t have imagined a more perfect trip and feel unbelievably grateful.

The food was tasty, served in generous portions, and the menu showed real thought. They also handled dietary needs and offered good variety. The chef and kitchen team were fantastic. Our luxury lodge was spacious and clean, and housekeeping was exceptional, tidying the rooms and doing turn-down service whenever we left for a game drive. We had so much fun on all our drives, even in the wet weather on two of them, and managed to see the Big Five. Jordan, our Ranger, was knowledgeable and passionate about the animals in Sabi Sands, and a real asset to the team. Amu, our Tracker, and Jordan really delivered. Marelize and Carmen were warm, kind and enthusiastic, and made us feel so special. We can’t thank them or all the behind-the-scenes staff enough for making our honeymoon extra special and for making this place so lovely. Highly recommend. We hope to come back with our families someday!