by Leigh Kemp, 13 October 2008

My first excursion into the Sabi Sands was a tentative move to cure a long-held negative notion about the private reserves of South Africa. After more than 10 years of guiding safaris through Botswana - roughing it as such - the private reserves seemed a little too, well ... soft.

It's taken me a while, but I've been fortunate enough to have had a number of opportunities to re-examine my ideas of luxury safaris in Africa. And to find myself a convert.

To understand the luxury safari as introduced by the private reserves of the Sabi Sands we need to delve a little into the history of the region and of 'safari' in general.

A Little Bit of History

Although Kenya is considered the birthplace of the safari, what isn't well-known is that photographic safaris were happening in the Kruger National Park in South Africa from as early as 1927. The idea of utilising the park for safaris was first mooted as early as 1923 when the reserve was still known as the Sabie Game Reserve.

The idea was to provide patrons of the train running from Johannesburg to Lourenco Marques an overnight stop to experience the park. Rangers would act as guides when accompanying guests in the park. Almost 100 years later the concept of rangers accompanying guests around the park is the new ideal of an African safari.

When the Kruger National Park was established in 1926 it incorporated the Shingwedzi Game Reserve - the present day northern part of the park - and parts of the Sabie Game Reserve. Some of the Sabie Game Reserve was returned to private ownership and it's here that the idea of the Luxury African Safari was born.

As the area that was privatised was not suited to farming due to the prevalence of malaria and other animal diseases, it was used by the owners as a weekend and holiday retreat - with a bias towards hunting. Landowners in the region later formed the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve.

In the 1970s some of the owners began to look at the region as a tourist attraction with its big game and untamed Africa feel. Tentative marketing soon turned into the new direction for African safaris. Coining the hunting term 'the Big 5', the private reserves of the Sabi Sands became the flag-bearers of the safari renaissance - an idea that has been taken on by even the most ardent critics of the original idea.

Keeping Ahead of the Pack

Although much of Africa has bought into the idea of luxury safaris, the private lodges of the Sabi Sands are still the leaders when it comes to innovation and service. Constantly keeping ahead of the competition, the ideal of viewing the Big 5 in style lives big in 'the Sands'.

Hi-tech health and wellness centres, award-winning decor and architectural design are the order of the day and are as much a part of the safari experience as seeing the Big 5. It's not untrue to say that many visitors book a safari holiday on the awards that a lodge has won rather than the wildlife experience.

Luxury is what it's all about, but what of the wildlife experience? Despite a few new marketing slogans relating to the earth and wilderness, the luxury lodges make no excuses for what they offer. A Big 5 experience in ultimate luxury: and the Sabi Sands invariably produces the goods - very often in one game drive.

Falling for the Seduction

Although I still yearn for the freezing nights around a campfire in the middle of the Kalahari - with the yelp of a jackal and the distant roar of a lion as my companions - in truth I have to admit to enjoying the pampering that is the core of a luxury African safari.

I've been seduced by the temptations of a bath and fine wine after a game drive. As much as I want to live in denial, there's a certain allure in living the grand life for a few nights. And the luxury lodges of the Sabi Sands provide this grand life in great quantities.

Article © Copyright 2008 Go2Africa.

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