4. Jaci's Sabi House - Part I: Journey & Lodge
The flight from Amsterdam lands quite late at night so we slept over at nearby relatives. The next morning we were off to Jaci's Sabi House which is a private game lodge adjacent to the Kruger National Park. The Kruger Park has been part of the majority of my life and we used to go for a few days at least once a year. We're happy living in Canada but I do miss the African wildlife so much. The lodging in the Kruger Park camps is great for any purpose but its solidly 2* and apparently not being maintained very well. We also don't really have time to drive around looking for wildlife like in the old days, so a private lodge where you make it someone else's problem to find animals and feed you sounded like a good answer.
After hiring a practical yet unsightly minibus we picked up my folks, my brother and his girlfriend and we were off for a week. The drive take about 6 hours which is not far if you're Canadian, but South Africans sometimes insist on dividing this journey due to its length. Therefore we spend the night in Dullstroom at the gorgeous estate called Walkerson's. The lodge has a series of quaint woodfire houses surrounding small lakes. Unfortunately there was a lot of thick mist present and it took us even longer to get there and diminished our views a bit.
Misty views
The houses have beautiful super-king sized beds, a lounge, fireplace and bathroom.
I've only ever slept with a wood fire once and it was a dreadful experience because the wood hisses and cracks all night. So I've learned my lesson and I made sure this guy had settled by midnight when we went to sleep.
That night we started to feel the effects of jetlag so we headed off for an early dinner with the family. The food was really good although we did have a guy in shorts and a T-shirt having a business argument on his phone behind us while his elegantly dressed wife picked at her salad.
After saying our goodnights we headed off to bed and started our melatonin dosing to shift our schedule 10 hours forward to our next time zone. We also started our malaria medication. Malaria in South Africa is common around the Kruger Park and can be deadly so we always take prophylaxis. The newer pills have no side effects like they used to, like a bad taste or vivid dreams. Of course my parents said they weren't going to take any pills because 'nothing can happen' which is my father's standard reply to any risk averse behavior he might be engaging in. I've long since stopped trying to change his mind - I just get angry and also make no progress, and he is an adult and can make his own decisions - even bad ones.
There was an unwelcome guest in front of our door so we called reception and they came find him a new home.
Go away
Early the next morning we completed the journey and arrived outside the game reserve where we paid all the respective fees. We started our 45 minute drive to the camp in our minibus and parked it inside where it would rest for the next week undisturbed. I was really shocked at how the roads in South Africa have deteriorated. Around the main cities the roads are mostly acceptable, but once you're a few hours out the roads look like they've been cluster bombed, and we had to avert potholes for several hours that would have seriously damaged or disabled our car.
My parents did a lot of research on which lodge to visit for our purposes. You can find any lodge for your needs just outside the Kruger Park but the vast majority of them are fabulously luxurious and cater to tourists who want a safari experience and high end accommodation. You can get a high quality experience for a few thousand dollars for a week - or more than twenty times that depending on your needs.
Lounge with sun deck (at night)
Lounge with library
Pool
Jaci's Sabi House turned out to be a good answer for our family as it has three houses that can host 2 people each - so a camp for 6 people. It's 5* but not very over the top and quite affordable.
The lodge has a nice common area that includes a sitting area, a bar and a lounge that overlooks a grassy terrain. Beyond the electric fencing that keeps animals out, there is a watering hole that is frequented by all manner of creatures, but mostly elephants and hippos.
There were two adjacent rooms a few minutes away that we took, with my brother and his girlfriend next door. We gave my parents the main bedroom which was attached to the common area lounge - it was a little more spacious and also included a bath (which they didn't use). It also prevented them from walking too far or falling at night. Our room came with a very comfortable bed, an en-suite bathroom, and a patio with chairs if you wanted to watch the watering hole. There was a fan and A/C, though luckily it wasn't very warm while we were there and we could rely solely on the fan.
Our Room
Night time turn down with chocolates
The staff at the lodge are magnificent, and just the friendliest bunch. There is a manager who runs a tight ship, and under her are guides, two chefs and cleaners. Each day they wake you at 5am and at 5:30am after some coffee and a cookie you go out for your first game drive. The early mornings are the best time to see anything good as animals don't like the heat and will generally hide during it. At about 7:30am you stop somewhere for coffee and snacks, and then return at 09:30 for a big brunch. After brunch they leave you to enjoy the lodge until 3:30pm when it cools down again and the animals re-emerge. You have tea and cake in the camp and then head out again. You stop for sundowners and snacks at 6pm and then return to the camp at 7:30pm. A big dinner follows at 8pm and you go to bed after a bit of revelry. So you definitely don't starve!
Dinner setting
Some breakfast pickings
Rack of Lamb
Ice-cream and cake
On the last evening they created a massive fire pit and placed tables around it and made us several delicacies to feast on. That was incredibly special and a wonderful end to the week. I can't recommend Jaci's Sabi House highly enough - it was fantastic!
