The Best Private Game Reserves in South Africa: A Complete Guide

Thrilling, magical, mesmerising - a holiday to a game reserve in South Africa is an experience like no other. Watching a parade of elephants amble past your private lodge or seeing your first lion on a game drive is the kind of thing you won’t forget in a hurry. With an abundance of national parks and private game reserves, South Africa offers some of the greatest game viewings in the world.  

From the Big Five – elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and buffalo – to: 

• Giraffe 
• Antelope 
• Zebra 
• Hyena 
• Hippo 
• Wild dogs  

…and a myriad of bird and marine species, the wildlife is out of this world! 

South Africa’s parks and reserves are divided into two categories. Safari parks are mostly national and owned and managed by the government, while the game reserves are private and maintained by the luxury private game lodges that lie within it and their teams of highly passionate people.  

Conservation lies at the heart of these properties. One of the key reasons they exist is to protect and strengthen the local wildlife and communities. This shared vision is the motivation of everyone who works there. Many also run pioneering and ecological initiatives that visitors can also get involved in.  

The accommodation is exclusive and intimate. There are limits on the number of lodges in each reserve and as such there are fewer cars on the roads than in national parks. Often it might feel like you’re the only people in the concession. This also means you can get up close and personal with the wildlife without restrictions.  

The experience is truly extraordinary, and this is largely thanks to the expert guides and rangers, whose knowledge stretches to recognizing each individual animal – even by name. What’s more, most of the luxury safari lodges operate like one big family, keeping in radio contact to share wildlife sightings. They even go so far as to have code names for the animals to keep them a surprise for their guests. 

Classic Game Experience in The Greater Kruger Region

Some of the finest private game lodges in South Africa are in The Greater Kruger Region. Here you’ll find adventure at its most luxurious – it’s all about combining amazing food and wine with safari. The Kruger itself is a national park, however, many privately-owned game reserves are right next door and over the years fences have been dropped between the reserves and the park to allow for the free movement of wildlife.  

One of the latest to do that is Thornybush; 34,000 acres of bushveld, which is a haven to the Big Five and more. It is one of the oldest game reserves in South Africa and where you’ll find some of the most exquisite lodges.

Best places to stay: 

• The Farmstead at Royal Malewane
• Royal Malewane

Sabi Sands

In nearby Sabi Sands Game Reserve, the quality and quantity of the game viewing is famously rich, with local residents including several leopards making regular appearances. Its location on the Sand River makes it a magnet for animals, especially in the winter months when other water sources in the game reserves have dried up, making Sabi Sands one of the most revered game reserves in South Africa.

Best places to stay: 

• Londolozi Private Game Reserve
• Dulini Moya
• Singita Boulders Lodge
• Lion Sands River Lodge 
• &Beyond Tengile River Lodge 

Timbavati

While Sabi Sands is known for leopards, Timbavati is lion territory, including the incredibly rare white lion. There are thought to be only 13 left in the wild, so count yourself very lucky if you see one. However, you will be much more likely to see the numerous prides of lions who call Timbavati home. It is over 131,000 acres of untamed wilderness, kept that way due to the small number of lodges and restriction of two vehicles per wildlife sighting.  

Best places to stay:

• &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge  
• &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp 

Spot the Big Five in the Eastern Cape 

The Eastern Cape is a malaria-free safari area that ties in perfectly with a trip to Cape Town or a drive along the Garden Route. Its game reserves are rich with wildlife and its proximity to Port Elizabeth airport makes it easily accessible even on shorter vacations.  

Kwandwe is one of the largest game reserves in the Eastern Cape and has the highest land-to-guest ratio in the area. It is particularly known for its fantastic walking safaris. Getting right up next to the Big Five on foot is one of the most exhilarating experiences you could have while at a game reserve in South Africa. Set over 55,000 acres of pristine bushveld, in which the 42km Great Fish River winds through, Kwandwe has a huge variety of wildlife and vegetation thanks to its setting on the edge of the former Karoo Basin. Catch and release fishing is a particular highlight, and something adults and children can enjoy alike. There’s also the game reserves’ rhino conservation safari that lets you get involved in rhino tracking and microchipping the endangered species.  

Best places to stay:

• Kwandwe Ecca Lodge
• Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge 

Child-friendly Reserves in the Madikwe Region 

Forget The Big Five, to turbocharge your family holiday you want to be looking for the Magnificent Seven in Madikwe. Not only does it add cheetahs and African wild dogs to the line-up, but it’s also malaria free – making it a popular choice for family holidays in South Africa.

Located in the northwest province, close to the border of Botswana, it’s something of a hidden gem but only a 40-minute flight from Johannesburg. Madikwe’s dry, yellow-sanded Kalahari plains are known for Operation Phoenix, which saw 8,000 animals reintroduced into the area in 1991 and remains the world’s largest wildlife translocation project. It has some of the most family-friendly game lodges in South Africa, which captivate children with conservation activities like tracking dung, playing CSI with bugs, and exploring dens.

Best places to stay:

• Morukuru Farm House  
• Impodimo Game Lodge 
• Little Madikwe Hills 

KwaZulu-Natal 

KwaZulu Natal is one of South Africa’s most ecologically diverse provinces, fringed by two vast and different, but equally captivating, UNESCO World Heritage Sites; iSimangaliso Wetland Park and uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park.  

Nicknamed the Seven Worlds of Wonder thanks to its seven distinct ecosystems, including: 

• Woodlands 
• Grasslands
• Wetlands
• Forests
• Mountain ranges 
• River courses 
• Freshwater pans 

Phinda Game Reserve is the go-to area for game reserves in KwaZulu. Located in northern KwaZulu Natal, nestled in the Ubombo Mountains and flanked by golden beaches of the Indian Ocean, it is made up of 73,800 acres of land devoted to wildlife. Sustainability is a massive priority and, along with Africa Foundation, this South Africa game reserve invests heavily in community education and welfare.

It is home to the Big Five and more, like the endangered black rhino, the elusive cheetah, and the rare tiny Suni antelope. Plus, every year, between November and January, two of the world’s largest turtles, the loggerhead and leatherhead, waddle out of the Indian Ocean and make their way to the warm, sandy beaches of nearby Sodwana Bay to lay their eggs. Phinda offers seasonal tours to witness the momentous occasion.  

It is also very family-friendly. The Wild Child program is designed to captivate young safari-goers by teaching them about wildlife, leading cooking activities, tracing animal footprints, and more. For adults, there are game drives, bird watching, bush walks to explore the area’s ancient Sand Forest, and canoeing down the Mzinene River.  

Best places to stay:

• Phinda Forest Lodge 
• Phinda Mountain Lodge
• Phinda Rock Lodge 
• Phinda Vlei Lodge