Sanbona Game Reserve in South Africa is a private reserve known for its free-range white lions and diverse wildlife. Visitors can go on game drives, nature walks, bird watching, and stargazing. The reserve has successfully reintroduced endangered species and has ancient indigenous art sites. Luxury accommodations are available within the reserve.
Sanbona Game Reserve is located in southern South Africa, about a three-hour drive from Cape Town. A private reserve, the park is most famous for being home to the only wild free-range white lions in the world. The lions are monitored closely by the Sanbona Department of Wildlife with the aim of keeping them wild and healthy. Within the Sanbona Game Reserve, visitors can encounter a diverse range of flora and fauna and will also find several terrains and sites containing ancient indigenous art.
All the “Big Five”; the lion, the African elephant, the Cape buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros; they exist within the Sanbona Game Reserve. In addition to the Big Five, visitors can see other wildlife on a game drive. These could include hippopotamus, cheetah and giraffe. Game drives take place in the early morning or at sunset.
Sanbona Game Reserve has made an effort over the years to reintroduce wildlife and rehabilitate animal populations that had been greatly reduced by hunting. This strategy has been successfully implemented with the white lion population. Another example is the river rabbit, which was discovered in the reserve in 2004. As it is an endangered animal, a survey was conducted where five other river rabbits were found in the southern part of the park.
In addition to game drives, visitors to the Sanbona Game Reserve can also explore on foot by taking a nature walk or hike. Bird watching is a popular activity due to the 200 species found within the reserve. In the Sanbona hunting reserve it is also possible to admire the ancient rock art. The reserve is home to seven registered art sites of the San people, who have lived in the area for thousands of years.
Stargazing is also a popular activity on the reserve. The ideal conditions for stargazing are mainly due to the relative absence of artificial light in the immediate vicinity. You can see the main constellations and the reserve offers visitors guides who can interpret and explain what you see in the sky. The journey between Cape Town and Sanbona Game Reserve follows the famous scenic route 62, which leads over spectacular mountain passes and into valleys containing streams and rivers. Upon reservation, it is also possible to arrive by plane using the landing strip owned by the reserve.
Within the reserve, luxury accommodations can be found in three different locations. There’s Tinley Manor and Gondwana Lodge, which welcome children, and Dwyka Tented Lodge, which offers permanent tents set on a bend in a dry ravine. Outside the reserve, all types of accommodation are available in neighboring villages.
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