About Jabulani Safari
This luxurious lodge (a member of the highly prestigious Relais & Chateaux) offers a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience to personally interact with a herd of elephants!
STORY OF A RESCUED ELEPHANT HERD
We have to admit that we’re not usually fans of managed “interactions” with wild animals as it so often reeks of commercial exploitation, but the story behind Jabulani Safari’s herd of rescued elephants and the sensitive way in which the animals are now treated make the lodge (previously known as Camp Jabulani) a very honourable exception to this rule. Jabulani is a baby ellie rescued after being found stuck and abandoned in a muddy waterhole. Nursed back to health by the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, he was later joined by a herd of trained elephants that were caught up in chaos of the Zimbabwe farm invasions and which faced certain death before the owners here heard of their plight and embarked on a rescue mission which saw them brought down to South Africa. Faced with the dilemma about what to do next, the solution was to establish a new lodge that would give the herd a new home and so Jabulani Safari was established on the Kapama reserve.
The result is undoubtedly the finest elephant-interaction experience that we know of. You'll get a fascinating orientation into the elephants, their story and personalities and even have the opportunity of walking through the bush with them as well as “tucking” the herd into their stables after nightfall. Another wonderful experience is watching the herd enjoy a midday swim in a nearby dam on the reserve. In all these interactions you’ll notice the genuine love and care shown by the tenders to their massive charges – it truly is an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life! The ultimate sign that the herd here is happy and content is that it is breeding successfully with a number of new baby arrivals since Jabulani Safari was established.
Whilst it’s the opportunity to interact with the elephants that makes Jabulani Safari unique, the good news is that the lodge itself is superb – so good in fact that it’s a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux association! The 6 suites are built along a seasonal riverbank and provide all the modern fittings you need, with a contemporary, high-end décor, but with a perfect blend of influences from the African bushveld. Stone floors, authentic thatching and grass-pressed stone walls (that cleverly mimic the texture of elephant dung) instil that undeniable African charm to the rooms, while the focus on a free flow of air and light really open the room up and lend it a feeling of laid-back elegance. Crystal, silver and antique wood blend into these natural elements and reinforce the sophisticated feel of the rooms.
Each room comes complete with wide stone bathtubs, a gorgeous outdoor shower, a separate lounge and fireplace, as well as minibar, Wi-Fi internet access, electric blankets and 24-hour climate control – there literally isn’t anything they haven’t thought of. Oh, but if the heat still gets to you, they’ve given you your own private plunge pool on your deck!
Of course, if you’re looking for something more private where you can also bring along more than 1 child, Jabulani Safari also has an exclusive private villa, the Zindoga Villa. This villa is absolutely huge (it can sleep up to 9 people at once), so it caters perfectly to family groups. They’ve spared no expense here: en-suite bathrooms and heated plunge pools come standard with each unit, and the villa itself has its own dedicated personal staff. You get your own personal chef and butler, not to mention a personal game ranger to take you out in Zindoga’s private 4x4 vehicle. The staff treat you like royalty, and you get to tailor your daily safaris to your schedule – this is safari in truly personal style.
Of course, no luxury safari lodge would be worth its salt without excellent game viewing. At Jabulani Safari, they have no shortage of this being based on the Kapama reserve: five prides of lions roam the area, and leopard, cheetah, buffalo and rhino are also frequently sighted. The safari trips are of the highest standard: the animals are quite habituated to human contact, so you can get unbeatable views (and photos!) of the wildlife, and each Land Rover vehicle has a limited number of guests on it to ensure an unbeatable safari experience. Not to mention those unforgettable experiences of being able to stroll alongside the herd of elephants through the bush of course…
