Not just visiting the creatures of Africa; living among them...
Over our years of travel, we've stayed in all sorts of lodging; from lunatic Air BnB host to rooms with a pool inside to a roach motel. For our trip to Africa, we were fortunate enough to have a friend who invited us to her home IN a private reserve known as Sabie Park.
When we arrived at the gate, we noticed a few warnings and rules that were posted. Those that stood out to us included:
Walking, especially before dawn and after dusk, is dangerous
Jogging and cycling is strictly prohibited
Do not sleep outside of the house
Adult supervision of mine children is imperative
Why such unique and seemingly strict rules? Well because these homes are in a nature reserve. The homeowners live among the zebra, giraffes, wildebeest, and impala. The community is surrounded by a fence, but I assure you that with the right desire, a lion, leopard or other predator could get in if he or she was so inclined.
As we pulled through the gate, we immediately noticed a warthog kneeling on its front legs and grazing on some grass. I wish we had stayed and observed it a bit more because during the balance of our trip, the warthogs were on the run as soon as they spotted us. This one was much more tame.
We parked at our abode for the next few days and took in the home. We immediately took note of the written warnings to close all windows and doors at all time as apparently the neighboring baboons will wreak havoc on a home if given access to the inside.
The most compelling part of the home was the master bedroom, which was encased in glass on 3 of the four sides. The first night's sleep was restless with constant curiousity of what was watching us from the other side of the glass. Throughout the night, we heard the hyenas just outside of our windows making their bellowing sounds.
Upon waking in the morning, I was eager to make a cup of coffee and I walked out to the kitchen, only to find a giraffe staring right at me through the window. I was awestruck, but before I could react, it went galloping away. I headed back to the bedroom to urge my wife to come view the giraffe and at that moment, I noticed the hyena approach a small watering hole just outside our bedroom. It noticed us look at it, and immediately went in the opposite direction, complaining of our presence.
When we took our the trash, we had to use tools to open the lid and then secure it closed due to the monkeys often digging through it.
On our final evening, we went to the private park at the edge of the reserve, which overlooks the Sabie River. In this beautifully groomed park, many from the neighborhood were enjoying a glass of wine and taking in the sunset. One element of the park is the "Bird Hide," which is a large lookout that allows for optimal wildlife viewing. Here, we saw dozens of elephants eating, drinking, and causing the general destruction that they tend leave in their wake.
Know Before You Go
These properties are not rented to the public - you must know a local resident to stay here.
Entrance/Exiting can be a lengthy process as security checks every resident/guest in and out.
You cannot leave windows open, and all food should be hidden upon leaving. Trash cans must be secured.
Resources
Location
This is just a few kilometers from the Paul Kruger Gate at Kruger National Park and about 35 minutes from the Skukuza Airport.
Video
The video show a quick interior and exterior view of the glass bedroom as well as a view of the elephants from the Bird's Hide.