Loved the experiencetrulybut a few things lacking. Sebatana Game Reserve was good but lacked 'The Big 5', although we did do excursions to other reserves that had The Big 5. Our guide was CASPER . With more than 40.000ha in size this malaria free paradise offers guests a truly intimate experience. We have had memories we will never forget, thanks to you all! From the minute we arrived, which was in spectacular surroundings till the day we left was breathtaking. There are plenty of non "big 5" wildlife at Sebatana which are relatively easy to find. We were divided into 3 groups to explore the area with our own truck with guide/driver. I had one day illness and everyone from kitchen to management were concerned and helpful. Including Things that we would never be able to try elsewhere (Impala, Kudu etc). and more in matswani so that it can turn to a place of promise land. Sebatana has been welcoming guests for the past 20 years and our experience and expertise in South Africa ensures our guests the best possible nature and safari experience. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our. Some hanging room, for drying clothes, would be a good addition to the rooms, as no laundry service is provided Our guide, Carel, was an absolute positive. If you are interested in becoming a trusted partner please contact our world wide support staff, info@sebatana.com - www.sebatana.com - International sales and support Tel: 0045 7613 4048. With more than 40.000ha in size this malaria free paradise offers guests a truly intimate experience. Very well maintained, very well catered, sometimes too much food. If you don't manage to do it before you arrive then definitely do it whilst you are there . This is truly a paradise on earth. The food was fantastic! A very privileged experience to do. Casper was our Guide, he was charming and knowledgable. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm. Feedback from the others was that night Safari was terrible and finished late. Wonderful Time in this beautiful oasis in the bush, My sister and I have not long returned from our amazing holiday in Elephant Lodge. Sebatana Private reserve is one of the best and most unique wildlife experiences in South Africa. Room types may vary. We bought a few drinks and 3 wine bottles and paid more for this for 7 days than the price for the package, so that is a must. Despite all this I would recommend this reserve/lodge, esp if you get a good price. The food was very good, better than expected with lots of game meals for dinner. Due to the size of the group they split us into two groups to go to Wolvenhargen and stated that the afternoon group would have the opportunity to go in the morning on the second exhibition. Especially upstairs where there was no air conditioning and the fan had but one speed. The location only 270 kilometres north of Johannesburg allows for smooth travel arrangements and easy access to the Reserve. The reserve is situated in an idyllic location, we have all gotten memories for life. I will be back ! We bought a few drinks and 3 wine bottles and paid more for this for 7 days than the price for the package, so that is a must. All of the staff did everything possible to make this stay one of the best we have ever had right from the greeting to our farwell at the airport. Are there opportunities to exercise at Sebatana Elephant Lodge? Sebatana Private reserve is one of the best and most unique wildlife experiences in South Africa. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm. Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant. I won't spoil it by revealing some of the extra activities they arranged, just to say we laughed a great deal! Do your sums carefully. We were so fortunate to see the big five plus numerous other animals day and night. Upon arrival, I noticed the fly screen were damaged throughout the Giraffe chalet. All three lodges are full service lodges with all amneties included, ensuring a personalized experience for all. Everybody in our group had nothing but praise for our stay at Sebatana. What food & drink options are available at Sebatana Private Reserve? When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. See more questions & answers about this hotel from the Tripadvisor community. We got to see 4 out of 5 of the big 5 as the cats were nowhere to be found. View Hotels Further Information Itinerary changes Hotel transfer times Passports and visas Foreign Office Travel Advice Luggage allowance The group of people we were with(19 in total) too our guide Carel and Basil were fabulous, including the staff that fed us and kept us in drink and to all the other staff were out of this world. The beds were a bit short for some of the long-legged Norwegians, but very comfortable. But every single member of the kitchen were absolutly amazing, and worked so so hard. The lodge, itself was clean and the staff made the holiday. It's a classic East African-style lodge with a rustic thatched roof, elegant wrought iron chandeliers, leather Chesterfield armchairs and ample artworks depicting the wildlife found on the reserve and beyond. I have been to a lot of "tribal (native)" nights over the years and had quite low expectations. Rooms spotless and roomy .we were looked after from pick up at airport to drop off foe flight home. soft drinks package. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. It's a busy trip so be prepared for early rises and not much sleep. Food was exceptional, but far too much for most of us for one day! We recommend calling ahead to confirm details. There is a souvenir shop on site, however that you can get any memorabilia from. For The Safari Seeker. Including Things that we would never be able to try elsewhere (Impala, Kudu etc). OK, i need to say i am an experienced safari traveller to many African countries. It would be perfect with a few more days, so there was time to digest all the impressions and enjoy the swimming pool etc. We were in the two rooms closest to the pool and they were tired run down and very dark. Hermanusdorings Road, Vaalwater 0530 South Africa. Antonia was a lovely addition to the team. Our guide Basil was so knowledgable and went above and beyond to make sure we saw as much as possible. So it meant uncomfortable nights where a cool breeze or cooler night night air could have made the difference between a perfect stay and a less than fully comfortable stay. Trip of a lifetime! The beds were a bit short for some of the long-legged Norwegians, but very comfortable. Be careful to clarify what you are getting with your extra options. We truly had the best time with you guys and can't recommend you enough. 5 star Lodge primarily sold as package tours from scandinavia including flights, transfers, meals and acitivities. So it meant uncomfortable nights where a cool breeze or cooler night night air could have made the difference between a perfect stay and a less than fully comfortable stay. We also drove with Jacques who has incredible eyes, he missed nothing seeing animals we would otherwise have missed. Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. The safari trips started early in the morning, and we went early to bed in the evening. The same goes for the staff that fed us and kept our rooms nice and tidy every day. Elephants Lodge is located within the malaria-free Bellevue Forest Reserve, home to wildlife such as lion and buffalo. What food & drink options are available at Sebatana Private Reserve? Yes, it offers wheelchair access. The optional tour package was 350 euro. Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details. Some flexibility is needed to truely accomplish guests needs and wishes. There are three lodges on this game reserve, Lion (photo), Elephant (hunting) and Rhino (under restoration) located separately in the reserve. Do your sums carefully. Recommended gratuity was 80 euro which I had no issues with paying. The "optional tour packages" should really be compulsory and really you should go for the lot. So no need for bathing suits in winter. The guides did everything they could to make your stay unique and eventful. Loved the giraffes, walking like a long-legged model and looking at us with the eyes with thick and long eyelashes beautiful! What a wonderful holiday . Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Louis was our main guide he was so knowledgeable and was always telling us about the animals, landscapes and shrubbery. See more questions & answers about this hotel from the Tripadvisor community. Stunning to see the milky way , the Southern Cross as well as all the others in a cloudless sky, a sight I will surely never forget. Sebatana Private Reserve: Sebatana Rhino Lodge - An Incredible Experience - See 61 traveller reviews, 277 candid photos, and great deals for Sebatana Private Reserve at Tripadvisor. The service for the rooms and the bar, nothing bad I can say here either. Our tour was booked through Tripadeal Australia and 12 of the 14 people on the tour was Australian. Amazing Holiday - Review of Sebatana Private Reserve, Vaalwater, South We recommend calling ahead to confirm details. Sebatana Private Reserve is a wildlife paradise with a unique collection of 3 seperate 5 star lodges, Rhino, Elephant and Lion. The desserts were out of this world. Also the agenda included a visit to the apartheid museum but changes in operating hours due to covid prevented this The local. Knowledgable beyond what you would expect and attention to detail - superb. A fleece/jacket was needed for the early mornings and night safari. No large predators so you can take walks on your own on marked trails. Up until our last drive we hadn't seen any lions but our rangers made every effort to locate them and we were very fortunate to see the western pride out in the open range. Had the wow factor. an apology is a good way to have the last word.spread love everywhere you go.let no one ever come without leaving happier.Stop worrying about the portholes in the road and celebrate the journey! Yes, Sebatana Private Reserve offers an airport shuttle for guests. Also please don't expect to see the big 5 at elephant lodge as they only have an illusive leopard, none of the other big five,so you really do need to pay for the additional trips to see them . We were apprehensive about doing a group organised holiday as we like our own space and we are both not great social butterflies. Does Sebatana Lion Lodge have an airport shuttle? I reccomend to upgrade to an all inclusive bar package whilst you are there. Book Sebatana Private Reserve, Vaalwater on Tripadvisor: See traveller reviews, 3 candid photos, and great deals for Sebatana Private Reserve, ranked #30 of 56 Speciality lodging in Vaalwater and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. I didn't purchase any drinks package as I only drink limited alcohol and am not a fan of sugary drinks (mocktails etc). The food was delicious and nicely presented all of the time, the lodge itself you could not fault very clean and our room was amazing . I went with a group of 6 and we could not fault one single thing. The. Amneties Restaurant I reccomend to upgrade to an all inclusive bar package whilst you are there. We certainly would not have attended if we had known this The animal life is amazing as are the staff. Reasons To Experience Waterside At Royal Malewane In Kruger National Room types may vary. and the best bit? Sebatana has been welcoming guests for the past 20 years and our experience and expertise in South Africa ensures our guests the best possible nature and safari experience. We stayed at Elephant lodge with our two children aged 12 and 15 years. We were fortunate to see them plus a cheetah! He kept our group in chat and laughs. Matswani Safari Lodge,a place to remember. The staff, the food, the surroundings is amazing. Wow what an amazing holiday from start to finish. The water is bore water and no one on our group had any sickness. | An incredible new wildlife week captured on the Ranger Cam & Guest Cam! towels and welcome cocktails , and get to meet some of the staff , the 3 barmen are absolutly Fantastic and I mean fantastic we loved each and every one of you guys , Patrick had the most amazing smile , the other 2 were also nothing less than fabulous, they all work so hard and NOTHING is too much trouble , they stay up until the last person goes to bed even if it is 3.30am , they join in and have great banter with you, dance with you and work so so hard , their cocktails are fabulous especially the frozen strawberry daquari . We didn't take out the drinks packages as we don't drink alcohol, so just having soft drinks each day and paying for them worked out far cheaper than the. I didn't purchase any drinks package as I only drink limited alcohol and am not a fan of sugary drinks (mocktails etc). This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The three trips to other game parks were all great and a necessity if you want to see the "big 5". 5 star luxury lodge in South Africa sold through travel agents world wide on a group package basis. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details. We had Caitlen, who was absolutely fantastic and a credit to the lodge. Pack your bathers as spa and pool available. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm. Value 4.9 Sebatana Private Reserve is a wildlife paradise with a unique collection of 3 seperate 5 star lodges, Rhino, Elephant and Lion. We later found that all 14 guests staying at the lodge had also split and seated throughout the BA Flight. We had an amazing guide, Megan, and formed bonds that will last a lifetime. Knowledgable beyond what you would expect and attention to detail - superb. WHERE STORIES BEGIN - SAVE UP TO 15% ON ALL 2023/24 AIR HOLIDAYS - BOOK BY 28 FEBRUARY. more. We met 22 other amazing people who we shared the lodge with and the memories we made will stay with us for life. We were a group of 21 in total, all coming from Norway. Does Sebatana Lion Lodge have airport transportation? Hope the leftovers were not thrown away.. We were advised not to opt for the drinks package and regretted that. Yes, free parking is available to guests. Yes, free parking is available to guests. Massive variation in rooms. Sebatana Lion Lodge - Tripadvisor We did not register for this trip but then got charged 270 Euro for this three hour trip as we attended so the manager Johann just added us to the sheet. We were in the two rooms closest to the pool and they were tired run down and very dark. Thanks to everyone at the Lion Lodge for making my birthday a wonderful memory for all time. Our group was fortunate to have the wonderful Shumba as a guide/driver, we loved him. Whether you are a nature lover, a safari enthusiast or simply looking for getaway from the city, Elephant Lodge is the ideal choice for . Sebatana Rhino Lodge - An Incredible Experience - Tripadvisor