About This Property
Arathusa Safari Lodge sits in the northern Sabi Sand Game Reserve, below a forest of knobthorn trees, on the edge of a large permanent waterhole. The reserve shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park, so wildlife moves freely across one of southern Africa’s great wilderness blocks.
This is a classic Big Five lodge, privately owned and family-run, with just 12 suites and a maximum of 24 guests. The waterhole is the heart of camp. Breeding herds of elephant, territorial hippo, buffalo and plains game come to drink, and the predators follow.
You can watch that parade from the lounge, the dining deck, the infinity pool or a water-facing veranda — often from breakfast through to dusk — without leaving camp. Birdlife is constant, the soundtrack changing by hour and by season.
On the reserve, morning and afternoon game drives (about three hours, with a guide and tracker) explore a wildlife-dense stretch of the northern Sabi Sand. Leopard viewing is a particular strength: the Sabi Sand holds one of Africa’s highest leopard densities, and Arathusa’s team knows resident territories and lineages.
Lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo complete the Big Five; wild dog, cheetah and large buffalo herds are also recorded in the area. Specialist guides and off-road viewing in the private reserve are part of the offering. Guided bush walks can be arranged on request.
Eight thatched, air-conditioned water-facing suites look over the waterhole, close to the main lodge, each with an en-suite bathroom, indoor and outdoor showers, a bath, veranda, mini bar, electronic safe, hairdryer, mosquito net and tea-and-coffee station. Four bush-facing suites sit further out for privacy, with the same comforts plus a private plunge pool.
There are no televisions in the rooms — a deliberate choice — and Wi-Fi is confined to shared areas. Between drives, cool off in the infinity pool, book the single-room Safari Spa overlooking the water, or settle in the living area and wine cellar with a South African bottle.
The lodge suits couples and honeymooners (especially the secluded bush suites), returning safari guests, and families with children aged 12 and over. Younger children are only possible on exclusive use. Check-in is from 12:00; plan to arrive before 15:30 for the afternoon drive. A stay of at least three nights is recommended.
Why We Love It
We love Arathusa for the waterhole. A permanent, year-round pool of water at the foot of the lodge means elephant, hippo, buffalo and plains game are not a drive away — they are the view from breakfast, the pool and a water-facing veranda. In a region famous for chasing sightings, this is a place where you can also sit still and let the bush come in.
The northern Sabi Sand setting, with its open Kruger boundary, underpins the game viewing the lodge is known for: high leopard density, knowledgeable trackers, and Big Five sightings that guests repeatedly describe as close and consistent. That combination of private-reserve off-road access and a waterhole at camp is rare.
We also like the human scale. Twelve suites, 24 guests, no TVs in the rooms, Wi-Fi kept to the main area, and a family-owned, unhurried style of hosting. The four bush suites, each with a plunge pool, are the obvious honeymoon choice; the eight water-facing rooms are the ones we would pick to watch the hole from bed to brunch.
Food is part of the rhythm — deck lunches overlooking the water, boma dinners when the weather allows, house wines included — so the days settle into drives, the waterhole, and the next meal without needing to leave the property.
Rooms & Details
Waterhole Facing Suite
Eight thatched, air-conditioned suites face the lodge waterhole, close to shared spaces along relatively level pathways (the better choice for limited mobility). Each sleeps two (king or twin), with an en-suite bathroom, bath, indoor and outdoor showers, a veranda with seating, mini bar, electronic safe, hairdryer, mosquito net and tea-and-coffee facilities. Wildlife is often visible from the veranda; there is no television, and Wi-Fi is in the main lodge only.
Remote Bush Suite
Four luxury suites set further into the bush for privacy — Go2Africa’s pick for honeymooners — each sleeping two (king or twin) with a private plunge pool. Same bathroom and in-room kit as the water-facing rooms. The walk to the main lodge is longer and across uneven ground, so these are not recommended for guests with limited mobility; after dark, guests are escorted.
Infinity Pool & Waterhole Deck
An infinity pool sits on the edge of the permanent waterhole. Elephant, hippo, buffalo and plains game come to drink; you watch from the pool, the decks and the water-facing verandas without leaving camp.
Dining Deck
Meals of fresh produce, home baking, and venison, beef and poultry are served on the wooden deck overlooking the water. In good weather a three-course dinner is served in the star-lit boma. House wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks are included; premium cellar wines are extra.
Living Area & Wine Cellar
The main living area looks over the waterhole, with a wine cellar for South African bottles. The Safari Spa offers treatments in a single therapy room overlooking the water (pre-book; extra charge). Wi-Fi is confined to these shared spaces.
Amenities & Features
Cancellation Policy
More than 90 days before arrival: no fee. 90–60 days: 10%. 60–30 days: 25%. 30–7 days: 50%. Less than 7 days: 100%. Group bookings of eight or more follow a separate schedule. Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Photo Gallery
Rates
Prices start from $720 per night. Final pricing depends on season, room type, and availability. Check current rates on our booking partner's site for the most accurate pricing.
Rates are per person sharing and fully inclusive. Go2Africa publishes US$720–$810 per person sharing (also shown as R11,500–R12,950). Included: luxury accommodation, all meals, afternoon tea and refreshments, two daily game drives with guide and tracker, guided bush walks on request, a selection of house wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks, Wi-Fi in main lodge areas, and 15% VAT. Not included: premium spirits, cellar wines and champagne; spa treatments; laundry (charged extra); curio shop; Sabi Sand gate fee (once-off per vehicle and per person, included if you book a road transfer through the lodge); mandatory daily Guest Conservation Contribution. Children aged 12 and over pay the full adult rate. A 50% single supplement applies. Deposit 50% to secure; balance due before arrival.
What's Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
- Morning and afternoon game drives (approximately three hours, with tracker and guide)
- Night drive (afternoon drive continues after sunset with red-filtered spotlight)
- Guided bush walks on request
- Bird watching
- Waterhole game viewing from the lodge, pool and suites
Fully inclusive of accommodation, all meals, afternoon tea, two daily game drives with guide and tracker, guided bush walks on request, house wines/beers/spirits and soft drinks, Wi-Fi in main areas, and VAT. Spa, laundry, premium drinks, shop purchases, gate fees and the conservation levy are extra.
Location
How to Get There
From Johannesburg (OR Tambo) — Federal Air to Arathusa Airstrip
The most direct route is Federal Air’s daily scheduled flight from OR Tambo International Airport to the tarred Arathusa Airstrip in the northern Sabi Sand (about 1–1.5 hours). The lodge is a five-minute transfer in an open safari vehicle. Landings are permitted between 11:00 and 15:00 South African time. Federal Air typically needs at least four days’ lead time. Private charters can also use the airstrip, by prior arrangement.
From Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport (HDS)
Closest commercial airport, about 80 km / 2–2.5 hours by road. Daily Airlink or Cemair flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town. Road transfers can be arranged through the lodge.
From Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Nelspruit (KMIA)
About 170 km / 3–4 hours by road, or a light-aircraft transfer (e.g. CessZani). KMIA has domestic flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town and is an international airport with customs.
From Skukuza Airport (SKZ)
Airlink from Johannesburg or Cape Town, then about a 3-hour road transfer.
Self-drive from Johannesburg
About 550 km / 7 hours, entering the Sabi Sand only via Gowrie Gate (the gate closes at sunset). Do not follow GPS ‘quickest route’ directions — they often send guests to the wrong gate or impassable river crossings. The lodge sends turn-by-turn directions on booking confirmation. High-clearance 2WD is sufficient; a 4×4 is not required. Plan to arrive before 15:30 to join the afternoon game drive. Check-in is from 12:00.
Nearby Attractions
Sabi Sand Game Reserve (northern traversing area, open boundary with Kruger National Park); Kruger National Park (separate conservation area and gate fees if visited); Arathusa Airstrip (tarred bush runway a short drive from the lodge).
Things to Do
At the property
Twice-daily game drives of about three hours, with a guide and tracker, in Land Cruisers (up to eight guests per vehicle at full occupancy). Summer morning drives typically leave between 05:00 and 05:30 and afternoon drives between 16:00 and 16:30; in winter, around 06:00 and 15:30, with a coffee stop or sundowners.
Afternoon drives continue after sunset as a short night drive using a red-filtered spotlight. Guided bush walks with rifle-carrying guides are available on request (the lodge notes the terrain around camp is relatively flat and better suited to drives).
From camp itself, watch the waterhole from the pool, decks and suites. The Safari Spa offers treatments in a single therapy room overlooking the water (pre-book; extra charge).
In the local area
The northern Sabi Sand is known for leopard, lion prides and strong Big Five viewing on shared traversing. Resident bushbuck, nyala and impala move through the lodge; elephants and leopards sometimes drink at the bush suites’ plunge pools. Birding includes specials such as the Horus swift from camp.
Neighbouring private-reserve stays on our site include Lion Sands Ivory Lodge and Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve.
Day trips
Most guests stay in camp for the full safari rhythm. Kruger National Park is a separate conservation area with its own gate fees if you choose to visit; Arathusa itself is reached only via Gowrie Gate into the Sabi Sand.
Good to Know
Children: Children aged 12 and older are welcome and charged the full adult rate. Younger children can only be accommodated on an exclusive-use buy-out of the lodge. The property is unfenced in a Big Five reserve; guests are escorted to and from suites after dark.
Meal plan: Fully inclusive of all meals, afternoon tea and a selection of house wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks. Meals are served on the wooden deck overlooking the waterhole; in good weather a three-course dinner is served in the star-lit boma. Premium cellar wines, branded spirits and champagne are extra. Dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergies) should be advised in advance.
Power: 220V AC. Each suite has one international adaptor; a power point beside the bed is suitable for a CPAP machine.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi in shared lodge areas only (not in suites). No televisions in rooms.
Malaria: The lodge is in a malaria area. Mosquito nets and repellent are provided; consult a doctor or travel clinic about prophylaxis.
Access: Water-facing suites and the main lodge are the better option for limited mobility (level pathways). Bush-facing suites involve a longer walk on uneven ground. The lodge is not wheelchair accessible.
Laundry: Available at extra cost (bush laundry; delicates not recommended).
Reserve fees: Sabi Sand gate fee on entry plus a mandatory daily Guest Conservation Contribution.
Stay length: Minimum three nights recommended. Arrive before 15:30 for the afternoon drive.
Who It's For
Couples and honeymooners, mature leisure travellers, and safari-experienced guests who want close leopard and Big Five viewing at an intimate 12-suite lodge. Families with children aged 12 and over; younger children only on exclusive use. First-time safari guests are well suited to the waterhole-facing rooms. Not wheelchair accessible.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round. Dry season (May–September): cooler, clear days, sparse vegetation and wildlife drawn to the waterhole. Green season (October–April): warmer days, lush bush, dramatic skies, newborn animals and exceptional birding. April and October are often the most comfortable weeks. The lodge recommends a minimum of three nights.
