Sabi Sand Game Lodge
Notten's Bush Camp in Mpumalanga is a Sabi Sand game lodge and its best kept secret. This reserve is a privately owned region situated within the greater Kruger National Park ecosystem, one of South Africa's most treasured natural sanctuaries. Notten’s forms part of the southern section of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Its nieghbours are Mala Mala on its eastern boundary and Sabi Sabi on its western boundary.
The Sabi-Sand Game Reserve was formed in 1950 and comprises of many privately owned game lodges covering an area of 56,000 Ha of savannah thornveld. It is now part of the Greater Kruger National Park and there are no fences between them, so the game moves freely through this enormous natural reserve.
The climate is sub-tropical with summer rainfall and averages about 550mm (± 22 inches) per annum. Summer temperatures reach ± 40° C (± 104° F). Winters are dry. Notten's’ Sabi Sand lodge lies approximately 300 metres (± 1 000 feet) above sea level.
Big 5 game - elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard - all roam the Sabi-Sand Game Reserve. One therefore has an excellent chance of a close encounter with these animals. Notten's prides itself in having highly qualified guides and Shangaan trackers who ensure that their guests experience an informative and enlightened exposure to the area.
All big 5 game drives are undertaken in an open 4-wheel drive Land Rover with an experienced game ranger and Shangaan tracker. The tracker is innately and instinctively attuned to the environment of the African bush. He uses his acute sense of sight and smell to navigate easily and swiftly through the bush to locate game.
Big 5 game drives at night begin in time to experience the spectacular lowveld sunsets in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. On these drives one sees the nocturnal bush creatures as well as other game under spotlight. The tracker is able to spot the eyes of the animals in the pitch dark of night fall.
South African Game Safari Checklist
Virtually all of the large mammals that occur naturally in the area are resident in the reserve as well as many of the smaller mammals. See South African mammal checklist.
About 300 species of bird have been observed at Notten's including a diversity of summer migrants. See South African birding checklist.
A variety of snakes, lizards and tortoises and other reptiles have also been seen, mainly during the summer as well as a variety of insects and other invertebrates. See South African reptile tour checklist.
A bewildering diversity of grasses, shrubs and trees abound. The vegetation type is Mixed Combretum, Marula and Acacia Thornveld.
This beautiful Sabi Sand lodge is situated under a canopy of indigenous riverine trees e.g. African Ebony and Marulas (leadwoods)..
"The Nottens's guests do not just visit a game reserve. They enter Bambi and Gilly's home; they get to know the Notten's and their life.... Personal attention is their forté. Gilly and Bambi Notten and their staff will ensure that your stay is an unforgettable experience.
If it's exclusivity, comfort and an intimate experience that one is seeking, away from the hassles of city life, then Notten's Bush Camp's intimate Sabi Sand game lodge is the answer.
