About This Property
Cheetah Plains is a deliberate break from what a Sabi Sand lodge usually looks like. In the north-eastern corner of the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, it consists of just three private villas — Karula, Mapogo and Mvula — each booked on an exclusive-use basis and each an architectural statement in glass, stone and raw concrete rather than thatch and timber.
Every villa holds four suites and sleeps up to eight. Each comes with its own chef, field guide, tracker, private safari vehicle and pool, so a booking effectively hands you a private lodge rather than a room in a shared one. The interiors carry a serious contemporary African art collection, and the whole property runs on solar, including the game-viewing vehicles, which are electric and almost silent at a sighting.
The design is the talking point, but the game viewing is why the location matters. This is the Sabi Sand — arguably the most reliable leopard territory in Africa — and with an exclusive vehicle, you set the pace of every drive.
Why We Love It
The electric game-viewing vehicles change the experience more than the architecture does. Arriving at a leopard sighting in near silence, with no diesel rattle or fumes, is a genuinely different kind of encounter.
Beyond that, the exclusive-use model removes every compromise of a shared lodge: no fixed dinner sitting, no sharing a vehicle with strangers, no negotiating over how long to sit with a sighting. For a family or a group of friends who want the Sabi Sand on their own terms, this is the format.
Rooms & Details
Three exclusive-use private villas — Karula, Mapogo and Mvula — each with four en-suite guest suites sleeping up to 8. Every villa has its own heated pool, indoor and outdoor lounges, dining room, wine cellar and boma, plus a dedicated chef, host, field guide, tracker and private electric game-viewing vehicle. Mapogo sits above an active waterhole.
Amenities & Features
Cancellation Policy
60+ days: full refund. 30-60 days: 50%. Under 30 days: full charge.
Photo Gallery
Rates
Prices start from $3,500 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.
Per house per night (accommodates up to 8 guests). Exclusive use only.
What's Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Premium drinks
- Morning game drive
- Afternoon game drive
- Bush walk
- Stargazing
- Bush dinner
- Spa treatments
Fully inclusive: all meals prepared by your private chef, premium wines and spirits, two daily private game drives, bush walks, and laundry.
Location
How to Get There
Charter flight to the Sabi Sand airstrip, or road transfer from KMIA (approximately 2 hours). The lodge arranges all logistics.
Nearby Attractions
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park
Things to Do
Request a private bush dinner — your chef will set up a gourmet experience in the wild. Each house has a curated art collection with pieces by leading African contemporary artists.
Good to Know
Malaria area — prophylaxis recommended. The houses are unfenced — wildlife roams freely around the property. Minimum 2-night stay.
Who It's For
Art collectors, design enthusiasts, multi-generational families seeking exclusive use, celebrities and high-profile guests wanting total privacy.
Best Time to Visit
May to September for best game viewing. Year-round for the art and design experience.
