My first trip to South Africa was over the Christmas and New Years holidays in 2001. Peggy was already there on assignment for her software company. Our itinerary included a trip to Sabi Sabi private game reserve near Kruger National Park in South Africa's northwest corner. The second part of the trip took us down to Cape Town and the wine district. Reservations were made to spend an overnight at the Groot Constancia winery. The winery had quaint Colonial Dutch cottages for guests and a restaurant, which was reputedly one of the best in the Cape Town area.

Sabi Sabi takes it's name from the Sabie River which runs through the game reserve. The camp where we had our reservations is called Selati Camp. Selati comes from a native Tsongan language word, 'Tsave', which means fear or danger. The danger comes from the great number of hippos and crocodiles that live in the Sabie River.

The trip to Sabi Sabi started with a flight of about an hour from Johannesburg to a place called Skukuza. There wasn't much there but a little airstrip in the middle of the bush. The airstrip has only a single runway. The runway only supports smaller propeller driven planes. It is where flights bring those who fly rather than drive to Kruger Park and the other game reserves in the area, of which there are several. The strip is enclosed in a high chain link fence to keep wild animals from wandering onto the runway. We were told that it doesn't always work.

 Airport Baggage                                             Airport Limosine 

We were loaded onto open Land Rovers with four rows of stadium-type seats, each row just a little higher than the one in front of it. It made for optimal viewing. Only a short distance from the airport we were met by a welcoming committee of one very large bull elephant taking a liesurely mud bath along side the road. After another thirty minute ride down dirt  road we arrived at Sabi Sabi's Bush Camp. There are four camps at Sabi Sabi and Bush Camp serves as the main office. It's where one goes to sign in as a guest, like the front desk of a hotel. After signing in we re-boarded our Land Rover for the short ride to Selati Camp which was to be our base of operations.

   Elephant Spa                                                      Welcoming committee of one  

 Selati is the smallest of the four camps at Sabi Sabi with only eight suites. The suites are actually separate Colonial Dutch style cottages with large, round luxury bathrooms with conical thatched roofs. The cottages themselves are stucco and also have thatched roofs. The rooms are spacious and have a large sitting area. The only electricity in the cottages is for air conditioning and ceiling fans. The only light at night is from oil lamps to preserve the camp Atmosphere. 

   Selati Camp Cottage                                    Sabi Sabi Gate                                                                                  

The canopy bed had mosquito netting because the area is infested with malaria bearing mosquitoes. Taking quinine tablets before and after your visit is recommended. One doesn't wander about outside at night because the wild animals hunt at night. It isn't unusual for elephants to walk through the compound as there are no fences.One night a troop of Baboons got into the kitchen. Someone must have left the door open or at least unlocked. They totally wrecked the place getting into anything that wasn't in cans or locked up.There was food, utensils, dishes and pots and pans all over the floor.

      Dining is al fresco at Selati Camp                Cottage Sitting Area

   Cottage Sleeping Area                                        Circular Bathroom           

To read more see  "Our First Safari" published 09/04/2007.