Singita Private Game Reserve

In 1925, James Fawcett Bailes acquired Castleton and Ravenscourt, two farms in the area between the Sabi and Sand Rivers, as a private game reserve. The Sabi Sand region was a remote corner of the lowveld, three days' hard driving from the coast, teeming with game, a raw and beautiful landscape. In 1994, as South Africa was opening up to the rest of the world, the Bailes family decided that the time had come to open Singita, their piece of Africa, to discerning visitors.

Rates
ZAR 6,800 to 24,000 per night.

Tariffs include:
• Luxurious accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, teas, coffees;
• two open Land Rover safaris a day and walking safaris accompanied by experienced game rangers and trackers;
• All drinks, including premium wines, spirits and liqueurs (excluding champagnes);
• Return surface transfers from the airstrip to the lodge;
• Laundry and valet services.

Location
18,000 hectares in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve on the western border of the Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Accommodation
Boulders Lodge
Contemporary and airy, the Lodge at Boulders is inspired by the rough, natural geometry of the rocks among which it is built. Overlooking the expanse of the Sand River and the plains beyond, Boulders is furnished in simple luxury, using the natural materials, which Africa provides in abundance. The spacious lodge has its own plunge pool.

Ebony Lodge
In the Lodge at Ebony, you will encounter the understated opulence of African colonial style at its most refined. From the cool and sumptuous folds of a leather sofa, you will watch a giraffe browse on a distant acacia, or you can browse in the extensive library during the quiet afternoon.
Set amidst giant ebony trees on the banks of the Sand River, the suites at Ebony are completely private, cool and spacious, and each has its own plunge pool.

Castleton Camp
Castleton Camp, once the private home of the Bailes family, has recently become available for groups of up to 12 guests at a time. Surrounding the classic stone farmhouse with its wide veranda, the chalets at Castleton are luxuriously-appointed in a comfortable, colonial style, and enjoy one of the most beautiful views in the Reserve.

Lebombo Lodge
At Singita Lebombo, you will experience Africa - majestic, unfiltered and unadorned. You will look out from your timber and glass guest unit at the continent's huge canvas.

Under a slatted roof, you will experience all the shades of Africa's shifting light. All-season indoor and outdoor areas offer spacious, elegant and luxurious refinement. Dine indoors or out while watching game traverse the vast open grassland.

Dining
Singita's executive chef has worked in the food capitals of the globe, and brings this international experience to the superb ingredients he finds in Africa. Guests at Singita will encounter something truly original: a cuisine inspired by African flavours yet guided by the Western culinary tradition. Bush breakfasts and sunset cocktails may be arranged for you in some of the most scenic spots in the reserve, or you may dine in the privacy of your deck.

Activities
Your time at Singita is your own. While we offer game drives and walks, and the finest big five game viewing in Southern Africa, Singita is distinguished by the wide range of activities our guests are free to enjoy at the lodges. Clay pigeon shooting is available, or fishing in the rivers. You can hire a Land Rover, or join one of the daily drives or group walks. A guided visit to Justitia Village, just outside the boundary of the reserve, will provide you with fascinating insights into the life of the local Shangaan community. In the reserve, highly trained and experienced rangers and trackers will introduce you to an Africa few have been privileged to see. Singita's private concession within the Kruger Park remains exclusive to Singita guests.

Best time to travel
Any time of year is a good time to visit Singita, as each season has its own wonders in the bush. Spring and summer are the rainy seasons which turn the bush green, lush and thick. It is also the time of year where there are many newborn animals.

Getting there
90-minute flight from Johannesburg directly to the Singita airstrip, 3 km from the Lodge. Or fly to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, then transfer to Singita. Approximately five hours driving time from Johannesburg to Singita (500 km).