Game Drives & Bush Walks

Game Drives

Bordering the Kruger National Park, with no fences dividing them, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve is world-renowned for excellent game viewing. At Elephant Plains Game Lodge, you can be sure of game drives and bush walks that will live up to the Africa of your imagination! Not only will you have an excellent chance of close encounters with the Big 5, but you might even be spoiled with the more elusive wild dog and cheetah sightings. As the lodge is situated on a dry riverbed, the surrounding habitat is favourable for leopards, as these creatures prefer the riverine and denser bush areas. Over time and due to a carefully planned habituation process, some of the animals have become habituated to the game drive vehicles. This enables our guests to view the animals undisturbed, as they go about their daily routine. Keen birdwatchers would also be mesmerized with over 300 bird species to choose from.

There are two game drives per day, during which your experienced game ranger and local Shangaan tracker will share their extensive knowledge and love for the African bush with you. Each drive lasts about three hours with an intermediate break.

During the morning game drive, you will be spoiled with coffee and homemade rusks and in the afternoon your ranger will find a suitable spot, where you can enjoy the stunning views, whilst enjoying your sundowner drink. After sundowners your tracker will use the spotlight to find nocturnal animals, before returning to the lodge for dinner. Your ranger will discuss the various game drive regulations before you leave camp for your first drive.

During game drive you will note that the rangers sometimes drive off of the road and into the bush. This is one of the many game drive aspects that enable us to bring you closer to the action! We do, however, work in accordance to guidelines set out by the Sabi Sand Game Reserve’s ecologists. We only allow off-roading in certain areas and with special precautions. The rangers do not drive over sensitive areas, will only drive over small trees if they are encroachment species and if necessary, they will do brush packing afterwards, to limit the impact on the environment.

Bush walks

During bush walk you will have the opportunity to take a closer look at animal tracks, birds, different types of grasses and trees, as well as any other smaller details of the bush that might fascinate you.  This is also the ideal time for birdwatchers to get a closer look at their favourite bird species. The daily bush walk takes place after breakfast and is a leisurely walk of about an hour long. Please take note that you will be accompanied by either your ranger, or tracker. They will share the various bushwalk rules and regulations before leaving camp. Please adhere to these at all times. Guests are not allowed to leave the camp area and walk on their own. Make sure that you wear comfortable walking shoes and have protection from the sun.

Please take note of the following:

For safety reasons, we unfortunately do not allow children aged 16 and under, to go on bush walks. Should you wish, we could organize a ranger or tracker to take the children on a mini bush walk inside the camp. Guests over the age of 60 would be required to provide a medical certificate stating that they are in good health and fit to go on a bush walk. Your ranger/tracker will use their discretion concerning anything that could pose a threat, or jeopardise the safety of guests. These include the degree of fitness, agility and physical restrictions. (As stipulated by FGASA – Field Guides Association of SA)

You are welcome to still go on the bush walk on the day of your departure. We would, however, appreciate it if you could vacate your room beforehand, or make sure that your room is vacated by 11:00.