Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve

Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve

Sitting in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park, Cheetah Plains features three dreamy exclusive-use villas, each staffed with an attentive hospitality team. Guests enjoy unrushed safaris in a private open vehicle, on their own schedule. With strict concession limits on vehicles, travelers enjoy the bushveld in relative seclusion.

Children of all ages are welcome at Cheetah Plains. There’s a Cub Club for children under 12 and baby cots are available upon request.

What we love about Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve lodge

Cheetah Plains strikes the perfect balance of luxury, exclusivity, and sustainability. The award-winning eco-lodge proves that luxury and adventure can be done in an environmentally conscious way.

Getting to Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve lodge

Cheetah Plains is well connected to major South Africa hubs like Cape Town and Johannesburg by way of daily scheduled flights, followed by a ground or small plane transfer. The closest air strip is Arathusa, located in northern Sabi Sands, just a 20-minute scenic drive to Cheetah Plains. Alternatively, Hoedspruit Airport is a one-hour-and-fifty-minute drive, and Skukuza and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airports fall within three hours. A private charter to Arathusa is the most exclusive and direct travel arrangement.

Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve lodge’s unique conservation and community model

While solar power keeps Cheetah Plains off the grid, a grey-water recycling system ensures that water consumption is minimal. A small fleet of solar-charged electric Land Cruisers shows a commitment to sustainability even while out on safari. And, being almost silent, they offer a higher quality of wildlife viewing.

Cheetah Plains contributes to its community by employing local workers and supporting an early childhood development center in the nearby community of Utah.

Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve accommodations

Designed by architect Stefan Antoni in an “ultra-contemporary Afro-minimalism” aesthetic, Cheetah Plains’ three private villas boast floor-to-ceiling windows and are decorated with calming earth tones and textures, and African art. Measuring 6,900 square feet, they feel spacious even if you bring friends or family.

Villas feature heated pools, deck areas, and lounges. The outdoor boma is perfect for fireside dining under the stars.

All three villas have four 1,400-square-foot suites with king beds (a configuration of two twin beds can be arranged) fitted with luxury linens to sink into after a full day of adventure. With a walk-in dressing room, double rain shower and bathtub with views of the bushveld, and a lounge with a fireplace, you may not want to leave your villa.

Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve amenities

Comfort is at the forefront with each air-conditioned villa enjoying a dedicated hospitality team including a host, butler, culinary team, and spa therapist. All villas house an entertainment lounge with a flat-screen TV and Netflix. Two iPhones, preloaded with safari apps and your host’s contact details, are a handy resource.

Food is an epicurean adventure at Cheetah Plains, where meals are enjoyed atop the handsome live-edge long table in the dining room, poolside, in the boma or nestled in the bushveld. Choose a South African wine from your private, curated wine gallery and tasting room with help from a sommelier.

The property also boasts a state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled fitness facility. After a good workout, you may luxuriate with an in-room massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial before enjoying a quiet adult dinner. Of course, babysitting services are offered.

Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve activities

Game drives: Morning and evening game drives offer the best opportunity to spot the vast array of wildlife in Sabi Sands Game Reserve and you’ll enjoy them from your private Land Cruiser electric safari vehicle. Outfitted with a professional-level Nikon D850 camera fitted with a 200-500mm telephoto lens and memory card, you’re sure to capture the most exciting wilderness moments. Wildlife sightings in this area may include the Big Five, hyena, antelope, giraffe, and zebra, as well as endangered species like the honey badger, African wild dog, and ground hornbill.   

Night game drives: These unique after-dark experiences offer a renewed view of the landscape and the possibility of encountering nocturnal wildlife. Keep toasty as the temperature dips thanks to heated seating.

Bush walks: With your private guide, you’ll embark on an interpretive bush walk, reading the signs of nature and learning how Cheetah Plains got its name. Bush walks bring about a level of intimacy with your surroundings that you won’t get from inside a vehicle; on foot, small wonders are brought into focus.

Sundowners: What could be better than a picnic? How about watching the sunset from a secretive spot in the bush while enjoying cocktails and a spread of gourmet canapés? Sundowners provide the ultimate luxury in the bush experience.

Village visits: With such a low guest-to-staff ratio, you’ll no doubt enjoy getting to know the team at Cheetah Plains. They also invite you to come visit their nearby village of Utah where, on a guided visit, you’ll learn about the traditions and culture of the Shangaan people.

Safaris aren’t just for grown-ups: Getting the kids involved isn’t an afterthought at Cheetah Plains. The Cubs Club will engage, entertain, and educate kids under 12. Each Cubs Club member receives a backpack filled with fun activities to do on safari. Scavenger hunts, tracking, baking, shooting, targets with pellet guns, and arts & crafts are sure to keep kids entertained. The littles can also head out on a Bush bumble (game drives of age-appropriate duration) or an interpretive walk in the lodge’s garden where the team will share bush knowledge and stories about their way of life. It’s a great way for kids to connect with the area and widen their worldview.

Solar power plant visit: Clearly, Cheetah Plains takes environmental stewardship seriously. And they’re happy to share their knowledge and inner workings of their solar sustainability with guests by offering tours of their solar power plant.

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