Inyati Game Lodge, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve — Hotel in Bushbuckridge

We chose Inyati based on its glowing reviews and even with our high expectations, it managed to exceed them in every possible way.||Getting there was much easy, we flew into Johannesburg and then took a short Airlink flight to Skukuza. From the moment we landed, everything was taken care of, we booked directly with the Inyati who arranged all the local transfers seamlessly. The whole journey was smooth, safe, and stress-free, which really set the tone for the entire trip.||From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the setting. Inyati strikes the perfect balance between luxury and authenticity, its boutique in feel, but deeply connected to its wild surroundings. Our room was spacious, beautifully appointed, and opened out onto the bush, where wildlife quite literally strolled past our window. ||The lodge sits right on the banks of the Sands River, and that setting alone would have been worth the trip. On our first afternoon, we sat down to lunch and were treated to the sight of elephants bathing in the river in front of us, and the next evening, they wandered right through the lodge grounds! The fact that Inyati is unfenced makes it feel even more special, as the animals can move freely between Sabi Sands and Kruger. But at no point did we ever feel unsafe, the entire team, led by Keith, made us feel completely at ease with their professionalism, knowledge, and calm presence. ||The off road game drives were without a doubt the highlight. We were lucky enough to see the Big Five, but also so many beautiful smaller animals and birds. Every drive felt like a new adventure. Keith (our guide) and Surprise (our tracker) were phenomenal, their experience, passion, and ability to read both the land and the animals was awe-inspiring. They brought the bush to life in a way we never could have imagined.||One of the most magical moments was seeing a 5-week-old leopard cub. To witness something so rare and tender, thanks to Keith’s patience and deep knowledge of the area, was truly the stuff of dreams. It’s a memory we’ll cherish forever.||Inyati gave us more than just a safari, it gave us a soul-stirring, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We left with full hearts, countless stories, and hundreds of photos to relive the magic. We will absolutely return.||A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone at Inyati — you gave us something truly...

It was a very good decision to stay here. It is expensive. However, you get your buck back with their service, the beautiful setting, the excellent food, fine dining set up, courteous staff and most of all, the top notch game guides. We stayed 3 nights. We flew into Nelspruit Airport from Cape Town and a 2 hour drive to the Lodge. The experience is to be given a 7 star rating. |1. Only max 6 guests in the Jeep. So you get a clear view all around when on the game drive.|2. Two game drives a day. And if you are upto it, the guide can organise a bush walk as well.|3. The evening drive has a stop at sunset in the wiid; for snacks and a drink. You can even inform in advance, which drink you would want at this stop.|4. The lodge is adjacent to the Sand river. Very near the Lodge is a rapid and one hears the river flowing through out the day. Making the setting even more wonderful. ||We were able to see the Big Five during our stay. Thank you to our Guide-Gabriel. He is passionate and fearless. ||We saw much more than the Big Five|- Leopards mating|- Leopards pair sighting, twice|- Cheetah with 3 cubs. Sighting twice|- Lioness with 2 cubs|- Elephant twin babies|- Hyenas feeding their with babies|- Wild dogs at their kill. A full pack feeding on an Impala ||A big thank you to their Chef - Cecilia. We are vegetarian and my wife allergic to eggs and mushrooms. She made sure that at each meal there were dishes as per our dietary needs. ||When the Lodge says - all inclusive. They mean it. Two specific brands of wine are complimentary at the meals. The snacks in the room are complimentary. ||We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.||PS - one afternoon, from the verandah of the main building, we saw a Leopard walking across the green lawn...

his was our first time at Inyati and I must compliment the entire team for a marvelous experience. Sonée secured our reservation and was excellent answering questions as well as setting up additional required services such as transportation to and from the lodge, covid testing etc. Dominique and her warm demeanor welcomed us upon arrival (and after each game drive), explained the day-to-day schedule and kept a close eye ensuring our itinerary stayed on track. During our stay, we had the pleasure having Keith as our ranger and Tuso tracking along his side. They both went above and beyond locating all animals that were on our “list”, setting up strategic viewpoints for the absolute best possible sightings, answered a ton of questions about any and all wildlife, and led us to some gorgeous scenery for nightly sundowners or morning tea/coffee. We were graced by leopards with cubs, lions with cubs, massive heard of elephants with babies, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, buffalo, hippos, crocs and so much more. Growing up in South Africa lent the opportunity for multiple game reserve trips, however, none of them come close to the memories made at Inyati. The intimacy of the lodge, game viewing experience, setting, and service is unrivaled. Finally, a special thanks to some of the heroes behind the scenes – the general staff Admire, Lucas, chalet cleaning crew, and Doc for all their hard work. Five-star service all the way around and we can’t wait to return…hopefully sooner...