Sanbona is a Big 5 safari destination just outside Cape Town. A special reserve with that big karoo feeling, Sanbona is well worth a visit. I visited Sanbona recently in the teeth of a western Cape cold front and loved every minute. This is a short blog about our Sanbona safari.
Snow fell on the mountains surrounding us, icy winds froze our faces in the open-sided 4×4 game vehicle, and the animals, hiding from the approaching storm, seemed to have more sense than we did. This was shaping up to be a safari disaster.
Our trip to Sanbona had been booked weeks in advance, but as the date inched closer, a cold front blew towards the Western Cape delivering the coldest weather of an otherwise mild winter. There were weather warnings, floods, and school closures, but we reasoned, heading to the arid Karoo on the interior side of the Langeberg Mountains, we should be fine.
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is just 3,5 hours from Cape Town, a short 20-minute drive from Barrydale and 30 minutes from the town of Montagu. We left our car at the welcome lodge and were transferred in a comfortable minibus to Gondwana Lodge.
Set between the Warmwaterberg, Anysberg, and Langeberg mountains, this picturesque Big 5 game reserve is malaria-free, and has a rare quality that, like a fine wine, hits all the right notes.
Our safari misadventure
The reason most people go on safari is to see animals. After arriving and having a wholesome lunch, we set off on our afternoon game drive in an open-sided 4×4. The clouds hanging heavy overhead did not diminish our enthusiasm and Adrian, our guide, was optimistic.
We asked to see one of the San rock art sites and were taken to a gorge with a cave hidden in a cliff. As we walked, the sun shone through beneath the clouds and illuminated everything with a clean-golden after-the-rain shine. The walk was not strenuous and the cave was scattered with San rock paintings believed to be over 3000 years old.
During the walk, Adrian showed us plants and told us a bit about cooking, wild herbs, the Succulent Karoo, and plant poaching. This was my favourite experience, being out in the open with just the crunch of gravel beneath our feet, the after-rain scents, and the still karoo air.
After the San rock art, we headed to the Bellair Dam. Our first sighting was a pod of hippos, their eyes, ears and snouts peeking above the muddy water while their mass sheltered beneath the surface of the dam. Next, a tightly huddled herd of springbok seemed more concerned with avoiding the wind than with the approaching 4×4. There were rumours that Sanbona’s new lion lurked in the reed beds, but he too was conspicuous by his absence.
As the afternoon darkened to evening and the clouds let loose their frigid load in the form of rain, we clutched our blankets around our legs, tightened our beanies over our ears, and zipped our jackets as high as they would go.
“Would you like to go back?” our guide asked several times. “No no, wwww-we’re ffffffine” we chattered in response. We found a giraffe doing some evening grazing and then returned to Gondwana Lodge as the rain seemed to come from every direction.
Sanbona’s Gondwana Lodge
The rooms at Gondwana are huge. There is a balcony that overlooks a small watering hole but we did not go outside. Instead, we made a B-line for the spacious bathroom, showered and soaked in a hot bubble bath with Fijn Botanical body wash and lotions.
The Gondwana Lodge rooms all have underfloor heating. It is a joy to walk barefoot on a warm floor while a storm rages outside. Defrosted and recharged, we headed down to the restaurant for dinner where fires burnt in the hearth, and a family from Dubai with two youngish children chattered enthusiastically about the elephants, lions, giraffes, eland, kudu, buffalo, and other game that they had seen during the day.
The three-course meal was wholesome Karoo lamb with excellent vegetarian options and elegant desserts.
The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list. Full and happy, we retired for the night and slept soundly in the luxurious setting while the storm raged outside.
Early morning game drive at Sanbona
At 6 o’clock we got our wake-up call and headed down for a buffet breakfast before our game drive. The rain was holding off but snow had fallen on the surrounding mountains during the night and it was bitterly cold.
We dashed back to our room to get some extra layers before the game drive. As we stood on the balcony observing the morning, a male black-maned lion ambled out of the bush towards us. He came closer and closer before turning along Gondwana’s perimeter fence.
By this point staff, guests, and rangers were on the restaurant patio to watch him. Occasionally raising his head to sniff the human buffet, he sauntered by as close as he could get and went on his way into the wilderness.
Breathless and excited, Adrian met us at the 4×4 with blankets and hot water bottles, and off we went for our morning game drive. We stayed with the lion for a while and talked about conservation, lion habits, and the ecology of the park. Adrian’s knowledge was impressive, and he communicated well throughout the drive.
Dwka tented lodge dining hall, sanbonaUnfortunately, bar the kudu we saw near Dwyka Lodge, we did not see much game on this drive either, but the Dubai family were excited about their elephant, cheetah, and lion sightings.
After a couple of hours out on the game drive, we returned to Gondwana for hot chocolate, and to meet our transfer back to our car.
What makes Sanbona such a special place?
From our arrival at the Welcome Lodge, we were blown away by Sanbona’s attention to detail.
Staff were friendly and helpful across the board, and the safari experience seemed to be designed to make you feel that – even in this remote location – we were the centre of the world and the most important guest at Sanbona.
From customised water bottles on arrival, and gift baskets in the rooms with Fijn Botanicals, creams and beauty products handmade in Montagu, Sanbona went above and beyond. But this is an added bonus.
Sanbona is a riverine rabbit strongholdSanbona is 62,000 hectares of raw beauty. It is a remote destination that exudes stillness in the rarefied air. The open plains and distant mountains combine for a tranquil experience where having realised an escape from civilisation, your body and mind sigh, and the landscape whispers in agreement.
We may not have seen a lot of wildlife on our visit to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, but we were spoiled by the staff, and the experience of being in such a remote and pristine environment was profound.
Leaving Sanbona, the snow-capped peaks of the Langeberg and Warmwaterberg Mountains loomed over us, we felt lighter, but a little richer for the experience.
Visiting Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is a malaria-free, Big 5 nature reserve located just 3,5 hours from Cape Town.
Though definitely not a budget safari destination, Sanbona’s lodges are well worth the extra money. Dwyka Tented Lodge, surrounded by stoney kopjes, is particularly special. Designed in a semi-circle each tent has its own heated pool and secluded setting.
Gondwana Family Lodge is spacious and perfect for family retreats. Amenities include childcare for young children, an activity room, and outdoor nature trails. The large dining hall and lounge can accommodate families of any size.
Sanbona is committed to sustainable nature conservation and aims to return this small protected area to its original glory. The reserve has thus far reintroduced elephants, lions, buffalo, and rhinos, as well as cheetah and Cape mountain zebra. Leopards are shy and seldom seen, but the park protects a healthy population. Sanbona is also home to the Riverine rabbit, one of Africa’s most threatened species.
Conveniently located along the western Cape’s famous Route 62, African Budget Safaris offers 3 tours to this luxury safari gem.
Snow on the langeberg mountains, leaving sanbona
