For many years one of our favourite lodges, Simbambili Lodge is situated among dense stands of knobthorn and jackalberry trees along the winding perennial Manyeleti River in the northern section of the exclusive Sabi-Sands reserve. This reserve is the best area in the world to see leopards bar none – and Simbambili certainly won’t disappoint in that regard. When we stayed at the lodge we spotted 3 different leopards within the first hour and a half of our first game drive! In fact, by the end of our stay we were joking that leopard were so common here that they were “the new impala”!

The lodge is home to 7 Thatched Suites and then 2 larger (they also include private lounge areas) and more private suites which are located at the far ends of the lodge to ensure more privacy: a Honeymoon Suite and the Waterhole Suite with its prime position overlooking the lodge's active waterhole. All of the Suites were attractively renovated in mid-2024 to ensure they stack up well against their competitors and the result has been absolutely lovely! Quite an unusual feature is that the bathrooms with their lovely standalone baths and open shower enjoy an indoor/outdoor location, technically inside the room and under cover but once you open up the expansive glass doors they also give a wonderful feeling of being open to your surroundings.

The highlight for us though are definitely the spacious and very private deck areas overlooking the river bed and waterhole – we spent hours during the heat of the day just relaxing here in our private plunge pool or enjoying a siesta in our comfortable sala (a large day bed shaded attractively by a canopy) It really is perfect for a couple wanting to escape for a romantic break away from it all, including the kids! (you don’t have any option in fact – the lodge doesn’t cater for children under 12. Each suite is also appointed an efficient butler who is available during your stay to ensure that your experience is effortless and memorable (this lodge has previously been rated in Tripadvisor’s top 20 for service)

If you can drag yourself away from your private deck, the main public area is beautifully decorated and is a delightful place to sit and watch the animals gather at the nearby watering hole, especially from the now extended 2-level deck which offers plentiful shady spots – or you could curl up on the couch with a good a book. In the cold of winter the lounge area has two roaring fireplaces on both ends, ensuring that you avoid the chill and stay warm and cosy! At night after a great dinner - served perhaps in the boma, perhaps at the lodge – it’s the perfect place to socialize with other guests over a cognac or a cigar where you can compare war stories about the day’s adventures before heading to bed to rest up for the next morning’s game drive.

But Simbambili has another trick up its sleeve, courtesy of the extensive renovation that took place in mid-2024, in that there are actually 2 main public areas at the lodge. A new Wellness Centre which houses both the Spa and gym is also a great alternative lounging area boasting some comfy sofas in the main lounge/library area, whilst outside you'll find a new deck complete with a gorgeous rim-flow swimming pool (this makes for the perfect place to relax and socialize for couples or family groups travelling together!)

Whilst Simbambili is famed for its fantastic leopard sightings, that’s not all that it’s good for – there’s an abundance of general game species as well as extraordinary bird life. One thing to note though is that you’re not as likely to see as many lions as you would expect in the Timbavati for instance (leopards and lions are major competitors so the presence of many leopards is possible because the lion population is not too high) Your day starts as dawn breaks over the bush – here you will depart on your first game drive of the day in an open 4x4 with an experienced ranger and Shangaan tracker who will blow you away with their extensive knowledge of the bush along with tales of traditional folklore. Sometimes you may be invited out of the vehicle to see animal tracks, examine certain plants and to follow spoor – this is especially exciting as you can see what the animals have been up to during the night whilst never being entirely sure what lies around the corner or behind that thicket of trees!Then it’s time for a scrumptious breakfast, either back at the lodge or perhaps in the bush or on a sandy riverbed.

After stuffing yourself with your delicious breakfast/brunch (it’s amazing how you always tend to stuff yourself in the bush!) you then have the rest of the day to laze about. Or perhaps you may be the more active type that then chooses to head out with your ranger and tracker again for a bush walk when they can give you greater insight into the fauna and flora of the area, in particular the smaller animals usually unnoticed from your 4x4. Our choice probably though, would be to head to the Spa for a relaxing massage before tackling a decent novel in the comfort of your sala – after all, being in the bush is ultimately all about relaxing and de-stressing!