Leopard resting in a marula tree at Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa.
Pizza banquet stop in the bush at Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa
Elephants feeding outside the Karula Suite at Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa.
Aerial view of the Karula Villa at Cheetah Plains Lodge, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa.
Swimming pool at the sole-use Mvula Villa at Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa
A suite for two at the Karula sole-use villa at Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa.

Contemporary Eco-Luxury in the Sabi Sand

Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa

Cheetah Plains represents a new era of safari. Located in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, this exclusive-use retreat has redefined the traditional safari model by combining ultra-modern design with a serious commitment to sustainability.

The lodge consists of three private-use villas, each accommodating up to eight guests. Every villa features formal and informal lounges, a dining area, pool deck, wine gallery, entertainment lounge, chef’s kitchen and four expansive ensuite bedrooms. The experience is entirely private and fully serviced.

Each villa comes with its own dedicated hospitality team, including a culinary team, game ranger and tracker, safari host and spa therapist. The result is a highly personalised, seamless safari tailored to families and private groups.

Highlights and Activities at Cheetah Plains

ROOMS: 3 exclusive-use villas (each accommodating up to 8 guests)

BEST FOR: Multi-generational families and private groups

ACTIVITIES:

  • Big Five game drives
  • Night drives
  • Walking Safaris
  • Birdwatching
  • Wellness and relaxation
  • Fitness Center
  • Cheetah Plains Children’s Club
  • Shari’s Boutique & Local Art
  • Tasting & Wine Pairing
Walking safari for kids at Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa.

WHY WE LOVE Cheetah Plains

Cheetah Plains stands out as one of South Africa’s leading eco-luxury safari destinations. The use of electric Land Cruiser safari vehicles ensures silent, zero-emission game viewing.

The property operates entirely off-grid, powered by clean energy solutions, making it one of the most sustainable high-end safari experiences in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve.

Let's Plan Your Trip!

Cheetah Plains FAQs

Where is Cheetah Plains located?

Cheetah Plains is located in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa. The reserve shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park, allowing wildlife to move freely across the greater ecosystem.

Is Cheetah Plains an exclusive-use safari lodge?

Yes. Cheetah Plains consists of three private-use villas – Mapogo Villa, Karula Villa and Mvula Villa – each accommodating up to eight guests. Every villa is reserved exclusively, offering complete privacy, a dedicated hospitality team and a fully private safari experience.

What makes Cheetah Plains different from other Sabi Sand lodges?

Cheetah Plains is known for its modern architectural design and strong sustainability ethos. Key differentiators include:

  • Fully private villas
  • Dedicated hospitality teams per villa
  • Electric Land Cruiser safari vehicles
  • Entirely off-grid operation powered by clean energy

It offers a contemporary alternative to traditional safari camps.

What wildlife can I expect to see at Cheetah Plains?

The Sabi Sand Nature Reserve is renowned for exceptional Big Five sightings, particularly leopard. Guests can commonly expect:

  • Leopard
  • Lion prides
  • Elephant and buffalo
  • Rhino
  • Plains game including impala, zebra, giraffe and kudu
  • Excellent birdlife

Is Cheetah Plains suitable for families?

Yes. Cheetah Plains is particularly well suited to families because each villa is booked on an exclusive-use basis, giving parents and children complete privacy and flexibility throughout their stay.

Children of all ages are welcome, and private game drives can be adjusted around the family’s pace, with shorter outings available for younger children. Childminding can also be arranged, while the private pool, spacious villa layout and dedicated hospitality team make Cheetah Plains especially comfortable for multi-generational families traveling together.

How many nights should I stay at Cheetah Plains?

We generally recommend spending three nights at Cheetah Plains. This gives you enough time for multiple private game drives, guided walks and time to enjoy the villa without feeling rushed.

Four nights can work particularly well if Cheetah Plains is your main Sabi Sand stay, especially for families or private groups who want a slower pace and more time to make use of the private villa, pool, wellness facilities and dedicated safari team.

What is included in a stay at Cheetah Plains?

A stay at Cheetah Plains includes exclusive use of your private four-suite villa, all meals and beverages, including South African wines, beers and spirits, and twice-daily private game drives with your own guide, tracker and electric safari vehicle.

Guided bush walks, selected wellness treatments, use of the fitness center, outdoor dining, laundry, Wi-Fi, childminding and use of a Nikon camera and lenses are also included. Transfers between Arathusa Airstrip and Cheetah Plains are complimentary when flying with Federal Air or by private charter.

Ready to start planning Your Safari?

Reach out and let’s start talking. We’ll listen and begin to tailor an experiential, private, luxury vacation based on exactly how you want to experience Africa. From adventure to relaxation—and everything in between—let us handle every detail of your unforgettable journey.

INQUIRE NOW

Explore More Family Safaris

Looking for an exclusive family safari? Explore our private-use itineraries below, or let us create a tailor-made journey for your family.

Singita Castleton, Sabi Sands, Big Five, Singita

Cape Town to Victoria Falls

Plan the perfect family vacation from Cape Town to Victoria Falls! Search for the Big Five in the iconic Sabi Sand Game Reserve! Discover the majesty of Victoria Falls!

From $10,400
per person

VIEW ITINERARY
Marataba, South Africa. Big Five. Malaria Free

12-Day Malaria-Free Big Five Safari

Begin your unforgettable, malaria-free family safari in vibrant Cape Town, journey along the Whale Coast, and explore the wildlife-rich Marakele National Park and exclusive Tswalu Kalahari Reserve.

From $14,500
per person

VIEW ITINERARY
Best of South Africa, Phinda, andBeyond, &Beyond, South Africa Safari

The Best of South Africa

This all-inclusive South Africa itinerary is the perfect choice for your first time in Africa. We’ll take you on a whirlwind 10-days exploring Cape Town and the Cape Winelands, followed by an adventurous safari in the bush of South Africa.

From $10,400
per person
 

VIEW ITINERARY

What Ubuntu Travelers Are Saying

 
 
 
  
ExcellentGoogle star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 55.0113 reviews
 
5.0Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
 
Excellent113 reviews
 
 Write a review 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Carol Loftus 
 
16 September 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Could not ask for a better safari firm.  No stone is left unturned and you always feel like you can get answers, day or night!  This is my second time using Ubuntu and I highly recommend them.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kyle Song 
 
13 September 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Absolute 1st class travel planning.  We had the most amazing and memorable trip, and as a person who likes to travel plan myself, this trip had so many moving parts there's no way I could have tackled it. I'd give Ubuntu an 11/10 rating if I could.  They made our travel seamless, relaxed, and delivered the most incredible experience.  100% we will use them again.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Lindsey Colner 
 
12 September 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We had the BEST experience with Ubuntu planning our South Africa trip! From the beginning, they were so easy to work with and were amazing at communicating with us both before and during the trip. They put together the perfect itinerary for us with safari at two different lodges, time on Benguerra Island, and we even decided to add Franschhoek a couple of months before we left. They made everything so easy and somehow managed to make the entire trip feel completely seamless. One of the biggest things that stood out was how responsive they were when we had our international flight canceled. I literally just had to send them a WhatsApp message with our new flight information, and they immediately took care of rearranging everything for us. We never had to stress about figuring out transfers or logistics ourselves. They even had porters meet us at every airport, so we barely had to think about our luggage or where we were supposed to go. We truly felt taken care of every step of the way. It was honestly the trip of a lifetime, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We are already talking about when we can go back and will 100% be using Ubuntu again to plan our next trip. Highly, highly recommend them!
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tawanda Mukora 
 
1 September 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Fantastic service
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 K O 
 
19 August 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
What an incredible South Africa trip Ubuntu planned for my wife and I! Ubuntu set us up with full-day guided Peninsula and Winelands tours during our few days in Cape Town, followed by four days of Safari game drives at the Savanna Lodge within the Sabi Sands Nature Reserve. A huge thank you to Ubuntu for finding a perfect balance/mix of fun activities and relaxed downtime throughout out trip! Ubuntu took care of all the travel logistics once we got down to South Africa. Ubuntu set us up with our Guest Experience Liaison that would check-in with us ever couple of days and was available on call if we needed any sort of logistical support. We didn't end up needing to lean on our liaison since everything went so smoothly, but surely felt we had all the support we needed had something come up. We know we will be utilizing Ubuntu the next time we travel to Africa and highly recommend Ubuntu to anyone else planning a trip to Africa!
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Eddie Nunns 
 
12 August 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
From the plains of the Serengeti to the shores of Zanzibar, Ubuntu Travel designed an unforgettable Tanzanian package to celebrate a milestone birthday. I was especially grateful that they embraced this solo traveler and ensured that every detail was planned out in advance, making this a trip of a lifetime.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kristin Titov 
 
24 July 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Ubuntu Travel planned the most epic safari vacay for my husband and in Tanzania.  We loved every place we stayed and every detail was taken care of!  Their communication was exceptional! 100 out of 10!
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Trisha Black 
 
15 July 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Best vacation of our lives!!  My husband and I booked with Ubuntu for an unforgettable vacation to Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar this past June.  The experience and support of Ubuntu was beyond our wildest dreams.  We had first class, 5 star luxury service from start to finish.  Jenna was absolutely amazing and was always a text, email or phone call away to answer our 100s of questions we had during the planning process.  Owner's, Kyle and Leah were so kind as to even share links with my husband and I from some of their favorite stores so we could look safari chic.  The care and support we were given during this entire vacation were top tier.  The vacation itself was so personal, intimate and beautiful.  The accommodations were breathtaking.    Every lodge and camp left us speechless other than uttering the word, WOW, over and over.  The service and staff at the lodges and camps were first class and luxurious. I didn't know a tented camp could be so fancy.  I could have never dreamed of having a hot shower in the middle of the Serengeti with fresh French pressed African coffee brought to our tent every morning, or a 3 course breakfast with fresh fruit smoothies in the Masai Mara.  We felt connected and so safe throughout our 3 week journey.  The safaris were breathtaking and educational.  You cannot describe how incredible this vacation is, you have to experience it and Ubuntu gave us a vacation of a lifetime.  I cannot recommend Ubuntu enough to anyone looking to book a luxury African vacation.  They did the hard work for us all the way down to sending us our beautifully embroidered Ubuntu duffle bag.  Great customer service, great company, great people!
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kristil Robarts 
 
10 July 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We loved working with Ubuntu.  From start to finish they were easy to work with. They really listened to what we wanted and planned the perfect trip. Their support in getting ready and throughout our trip was truly excellent (they really took great care of us). We had a flight cancelled and they went all out to get us back on track so we did not miss a thing.  Their planning, work and local partners on the ground really allowed us to relax and be present. We had the trip of a lifetime and would absolutely use them again. Highly recommend.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 Posted on Google Google 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kimberly Ogle 
 
21 June 2026
 
 
 Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Wow!  Ubuntu Travel planned the most amazing trip to Uganda for me.  I cannot say enough good things about the meticulous planning they provided.  Not only were they superb in planning, they also checked in while I was on my trip.  The lodges I stayed at were spectacular, my guide seemed hand picked just for me and the scenery was beautiful and the food was 5 star quality.  It was the most amazing trip of a lifetime.  I am hoping to go back to Uganda someday.  I definitely am going back to Africa and there is no doubt that I will be using Ubuntu Travel to plan my trip! I cannot imagine ever using anyone but Ubuntu for travel to Africa.