A site visit by Brett Horley, BHS Safari Co

After a recent stay at Sandringham Private Game Reserve with content creator Jeff Hyer, Brett shares his first impressions of the newest addition to the Sabi Sabi Collection, including its fascinating history, exceptional private accommodation, and why he'd happily return with his family.

A Safari Where You Might Actually Want to Skip a Game Drive

I've stayed at a lot of safari lodges over the years, and it's not often that I leave one thinking about how much I'd enjoy coming back purely for a holiday.

But that's exactly how I felt after spending two nights at Sandringham Private Game Reserve with Jeff Hyer.

We stayed at N'weti Camp and had the opportunity to explore Shisaka Camp and Sandringham House during our visit.

It's a beautiful property, with some seriously impressive accommodation, particularly Sandringham House, which I thought was extraordinary. The privacy, the setting, the views across the water and the mountains in the distance are all fantastic.

“But what really got me thinking was how I'd want to spend my time there.” - Brett Horley, BHS Safari Co

Most of us arrive on safari and immediately fall into the familiar routine of early morning game drives, breakfast, a few hours at the lodge and then back out again in the afternoon. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's what I love about being in the bush.

At Sandringham, though, I could quite happily miss an afternoon drive, stay at the lodge, have a swim and watch the sunset with a drink in my hand!! Let the bush come to you!

And I don't say that about many safari properties.

First, a Little About Sandringham and Its History

Sandringham Private Game Reserve is located in South Africa's Greater Kruger region, bordering the Timbavati and Thornybush reserves. It's part of the Sabi Sabi Collection, but unlike Sabi Sabi's established lodges further south, Sandringham is a relatively new photographic safari destination with an interesting conservation story.

The reserve covers approximately 5,000 hectares and was previously used for hunting. When the Sandringham conservation project began in 2022, the focus was on rehabilitating the land and restoring it as a protected wildlife area.

It's worth understanding this history because it has a bearing on the safari experience today.

Turning a former hunting property into a photographic safari reserve involves more than building beautiful lodges. It takes time to restore habitats, establish conservation practices and allow wildlife to become accustomed to the presence of safari vehicles.

The reserve is fortunate to have a beautiful natural setting, with four river systems running through the property. There's established vegetation, excellent birdlife and a landscape that already has a great deal going for it.

Sandringham opened to guests in 2026, so it's still very early days. The reserve also remains fenced from its neighbours, although there are hopes of eventually improving wildlife connectivity with the surrounding conservation areas.

I'm interested to see how the wildlife experience develops over the next few years.

How Many Lodges Are at Sandringham?

This is worth explaining because Sandringham isn't laid out like a conventional safari lodge.

There are two camps, N'weti and Shisaka, which share a central lodge area, plus Sandringham House, a separate exclusive-use residence.

N'weti Camp has six luxury suites with private pools and views across the river landscape towards the Drakensberg Mountains. This is where Jeff and I stayed.

Shisaka Camp has six luxury suites and two larger two-bedroom villas. It's positioned among the trees, with rooftop salas that are particularly lovely for birdwatching and stargazing.

Sandringham House is the private residence, with four en-suite bedrooms accommodating eight guests. It has its own swimming pool, chef, service team and dedicated safari vehicle.

Both camps use the same central lodge facilities, including the dining areas, bar, wine cellar, spa and gym.

The accommodation is spread across the property, and the layout differs between the camps. At N'weti, the suites are connected by raised timber walkways through the vegetation, which I really liked. At Shisaka, some of the accommodation is accessed along ground-level pathways.

All three accommodation options have their appeal, but for me, N'weti is the pick of the two camps, while Sandringham House was the real standout.

Space, Privacy and a Sense of Place

There are three things I tend to notice immediately when visiting a new safari property: the location, the accommodation and the level of privacy.

Sandringham delivers particularly well on all three, especially at N'weti.

The setting is beautiful, with water, established vegetation and wonderful views across the surrounding landscape. But what I particularly enjoyed was the feeling of having your own space.

Privacy is something we talk about a lot in luxury travel, but there's a difference between a lodge describing itself as private and actually feeling that sense of seclusion when you're there.

At N'weti, you genuinely can't see another suite from your own. The vegetation around the rooms creates a wonderful sense of privacy, and you can use your pool without feeling overlooked.

The suites themselves are exquisite. I'd put them right up there with some of the best luxury safari accommodation I've experienced.

It's a quality that becomes increasingly valuable when you're travelling as a couple or simply looking for a few days away from the demands of everyday life.

Sandringham House: I'd Go Back Tomorrow

Although we stayed at N'weti, we toured Sandringham House during our visit, and I thought it was absolutely fantastic.

It's a substantial villa, around 1,100 square metres, with four beautiful bedrooms, generous living areas, an elevated infinity pool and extraordinary views over the Timbavati River and surrounding landscape.

The main bedroom is particularly impressive, with an outlook over the water and towards the mountains. It's the sort of view you could spend an entire afternoon enjoying.

What I loved most was the combination of space and privacy.

When you're staying in a lodge with other guests, even a very exclusive one, there's usually some element of sharing the experience. At Sandringham House, you've got the whole place to yourself, and that changes how you use it.

You can sit by the pool, wander around in your swimming costume, have a late breakfast or spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing without worrying about anyone else.

There's a wonderful open living area, a fire pit, bar, braai area and plenty of room for everyone to spread out. With a dedicated host, chef, butler, ranger and tracker, you've also got the flexibility to make the experience your own.

I immediately started thinking about bringing my own family here.

"I'd love to come back with my wife and our two kids and just chill here for a few days. You don't need to go on every game drive. You can swim, enjoy the house, watch the sunset, and just be together. It's awesome." - Brett Horley, BHS Safari Co

And I mean that. When you spend as much time visiting safari lodges as I do, it's quite a compliment to say you'd happily come back on your own holiday.

For a family or group of friends looking for an exclusive-use safari house in Greater Kruger, this is definitely one I'd consider. Sandringham House also welcomes children of all ages, unlike the two camps, which accommodate guests aged 13 and older.

N'weti and Shisaka: Two Different Ways to Stay

Although Sandringham House stole the show for me, the two camps are also beautifully designed.

Having stayed at N'weti, I can say the privacy is exceptional. Its six suites are positioned so that you don't look into neighbouring rooms, and the private pools and decks make the most of the views across the water and towards the mountains.

The raised timber walkways connecting the suites are another lovely feature. You move through the surrounding vegetation on elevated decks, which gives the camp a wonderful sense of being immersed in the bush.

Shisaka is a little different, with its accommodation set among the Tamboti trees. There are six suites and two two-bedroom villas, which I particularly liked for their position overlooking the water.

The villas are lovely, particularly for two couples travelling together or a family with older children.

The rooftop salas are a great feature, though. I can imagine spending a few hours up there with binoculars, watching the birds and whatever else happens to wander past.

I also heard several people talking about the sunsets from the main lodge. Having seen the setting for myself, I can understand why.

One thing that struck me throughout the visit was how much thought had gone into making the accommodation somewhere you'd actually want to spend time. That might sound obvious, but on safari, the lodge is often treated as somewhere you return to between activities. At Sandringham, I think the accommodation is a big part of the attraction.

The Food: Some Seriously Good Cooking

We ate very well at Sandringham. The menus are sophisticated, with some interesting combinations of ingredients and flavours, and it's clear that the kitchen is aiming high.

I had some excellent dishes during our stay. The chicken burger I ordered when we arrived was incredibly delicious, and there were some beautifully prepared meat dishes, including zebra fillet.

I also enjoyed some of the more unusual flavour combinations, particularly the use of fresh herbs. What impressed me was the effort going into the food. The menu is ambitious, the presentation is considered and there were some genuinely memorable dishes.

If you're going to encourage guests to spend four or five nights at a property, the food needs to be good enough to keep things interesting. Sandringham is certainly heading in the right direction.

And What About the Game Viewing at Sandringham?

This is where I think it's important to be realistic.

Sandringham is located within the Greater Kruger region, but it's still fenced from neighbouring reserves and is developing as a photographic safari destination. Because of its history as a hunting property, some animals are less accustomed to safari vehicles than you might find in more established reserves.

During our visit, we discussed the wildlife with the team, and leopard sightings, in particular, were still relatively infrequent. Some of the plains game also remains quite wary of vehicles.

That doesn't mean you won't see a leopard, and it certainly doesn't mean you can't have a wonderful game drive. But if you're travelling to South Africa specifically to spend hours photographing leopards, I'd probably suggest combining Sandringham with another reserve where big-cat sightings are more consistently established.

And that's really the value of visiting these places ourselves.

It's easy to look at photographs of a beautiful lodge and assume the safari experience will be the same as everywhere else in Greater Kruger. It isn't, and nor should it be.

Different reserves offer different experiences, and our job at BHS is to understand those differences.

Personally, I find the conservation work happening at Sandringham interesting. I'd love to return in a year or two and see how the game viewing has developed. In the meantime, there's a lot more to enjoy here than traditional game drives, including guided walks, birdwatching, bush dinners, fishing and other activities that make the most of the setting.

Why I Think Sandringham Is Worth Staying at for Longer

Jeff and I spoke quite a bit about this during our visit.

There's a tendency to book two or three nights at a safari lodge, squeeze in as many game drives as possible and then move on to the next destination. Sometimes that's exactly what you should do.

But I think Sandringham, particularly Sandringham House, lends itself to a different approach.

I'd happily spend four or five nights here. You could head out on a morning game drive, come back for a long breakfast and spend the afternoon by the pool. Perhaps go out again the following day, or perhaps not.

With the water, the birdlife, the views and the accommodation itself, there's plenty to enjoy without constantly being on the move.

I also think there's an opportunity to create some wonderful experiences for families staying at Sandringham House, from guided walks and learning about the bush to astronomy, swimming and simply spending time together.

For people who have been on safari before, particularly those who have already enjoyed some exceptional wildlife encounters, this sort of stay can be incredibly appealing.

It's not about replacing game drives. It's about having the choice. And at Sandringham, I think that's one of the property's biggest strengths.

Brett's Verdict: Who Would I Recommend Sandringham To?

I came away from Sandringham feeling very positive about the property.

The setting is beautiful, the privacy at N'weti is excellent and the accommodation is some of the most impressive I've seen recently. Sandringham House, in particular, is somewhere I'd love to return to.

If I were choosing between the two camps, N'weti would be my first choice. The privacy, raised walkways and position of the suites really impressed me. Shisaka's two-bedroom villas are also worth considering, especially for guests wanting additional space.

For guests who want beautiful accommodation, privacy, good food and the opportunity to enjoy the bush without rushing from one activity to the next, Sandringham has a lot going for it.

I'd particularly recommend considering Sandringham House for a family or group of friends wanting a private safari experience.

And personally? I'd be very happy to go back with my family, put my feet up and stay a little longer.That probably tells you everything you need to know.

Planning a Safari to Sandringham Private Game Reserve?

At Brett Horley Safaris, we personally visit and assess the properties we recommend, so we can help you understand not just what a lodge looks like, but what it's actually like to stay there.

Whether you're considering N'weti Camp, one of Shisaka's two-bedroom villas or an exclusive-use stay at Sandringham House, we can help you decide whether Sandringham is the right fit for your safari.

We can also advise on combining Sandringham with other Greater Kruger reserves to balance wildlife viewing, privacy, and relaxation.

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