Written by Isaiah Banda This year continues to produce very welcome rainfall into June. Over 600mm has fallen since January, with a record of 271mm in April. In this usually…
Written by Isaiah Banda Every beginning a new month is so special that we can’t help but continue the amazing sightings on the reserve for our guests. Undertones of the…
Written by Isaiah Banda In this newsletter, I take you on a journey into what happened this month on the reserve. You will get to see the incredible wildlife sightings…

As the sun slowly rises over the horizon the dawn chorus of a new day starts. Crested Francolins call in duet and the birds of prey start to warm up,…

The month of January has produced, yet again, an incredible amount of wildlife sightings. From dusk till dawn, day after day, the animals have flourished and are relishing the newly…

Safari greetings to all our family. This month we have enjoyed some slightly mixed weather with there being rain around the reserve. This has been pleasant for everyone here including…

Safari greetings to all our family. November has presented us with huge fluctuations in temperature as pressure systems clash in the never-ending ebb and flow of seasonal changes. The temperature…

Mabula Game Lodge are delighted to announce that the first two candidates have received their FGASA qualification and have completed the Mabula Guide Training internship. The pilot program was born…

Time… it is such a strange concept and sometimes it really seems to fly, while in different circumstances one feels that it stands still. I cannot believe that we are…

Written by Isaiah Banda The changing of season from winter to summer is quite beautiful and almost magical. The winter season on Mabula normally ends around the end of August…

Mabula Game Reserve is home to a historical site known as Elephant Hill that was once occupied by the Sotho-Tswana people around 1,800 years ago during the South African Iron…

Written by Isaiah Banda Year after year, we find ourselves in total awe of the seasons which slowly phase in and out consistently. Just when you get used to the…

Written by Isaiah Banda If anyone asks what my favourite season is, I’ll always reply with, “It’s so difficult to choose really, there is something special each season. It’s the…

Women in Tourism — Honouring Women’s Day in 2021 According to the ILO, whilst women perform 66% of the world’s work, they earn less than 10% of the income and…

July 18, 2021, marks the 12th Anniversary of Mandela Day—an annual celebration of the legacy of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on his day of birth. This year, the milestone is once…

Written by Isaiah Banda Winter here in Mabula is in full swing and it is incredible to witness the ever-changing landscape of the Mabula bush. When I see the change…

Written by Isaiah Banda As the season changes. The terrain is slowly transforming from the bright greens of summer to golden-brown hues of winter. The rains we had this year…

Safari Plains, set against the backdrop of the magnificent Waterberg Mountain Range in the Limpopo Province. The exquisite beauty of its wide-open savannahs, free-roaming Big 5 and spectacular vistas is…

It is our last day at Safari Plains; tomorrow Anne and I will be doing one last morning game drive before transferring back to Johannesburg for our flight back to…

It is just after 12pm when our VW combo pulls through the entrance gates of Safari Plains. Abundant recent rain showers have spread a carpet of bright green across the…

We are delighted to announce that after a great deal of in-depth research and searching for the exact genetically unrelated match, The Mabula Private Game Reserve has welcomed three young…

Written by Isaiah Banda This month has been incredibly fruitful with a wide array of sightings, from the big to the small, the cute, the ugly and the outright beautiful.…

If you are thinking of doing something intimate and unique with that special person and you are wanting to swop out the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy…

Written by Isaiah Banda Rains continued to fall on Mabula over the beginning of the month pouring down 250mm, adding to the already extensive rainfall this season. The waterholes remain…

Written by Isaiah Banda The bush has burst into hues of vibrant greens and floral carpeted areas, which were bare only a few months ago, a tribute to the unrivalled…

Africa is on the wishlist for many, and planning an African safari is rather exciting! Being a first-time traveller to Africa, it can be daunting and find a starting point…

Lockdown, social distancing, sanitising, wearing masks and keeping our loved ones safe has been our concerns over the last few months. Thankfully, we can now start looking ahead and making…

Planning a vacation always causes some excitement - from choosing the destination to the best dates to suit the whole travelling party. Once booked, marking the calendar is the final…

World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on 12 August to raise awareness on the plight of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) from the numerous threats that they face. On the…

It’s always absolutely amazing to see the miraculous transformation of the bush as the wet season arrives and the grounds burst with an explosion of green and colour. Dams fill…

It’s hard to believe that another year is winding down and that 2020 is almost upon us. We have much to celebrate in 2019 with the lodge going from strength…

November at Safari Plains is an exciting time of the year. Some of the more noticeable highlights include the first summer rain storms, the return of migratory birds such as…

Think back, really… think back. When last did you hear the silence? A very simple question that’s actually not that simple to answer. In today’s world, we’re all so extremely…

September marks the beginning of spring, and the end of the country’s short-lived winter. While the dry, winter months may have the reputation of being the best time to go…

Safari Plains Mabula is wonderful place to visit year-round, each month with its own special characteristics and beauty. Winter season here at Safari Plains Mabula is drawing to a close…

Extraordinary is pleased to announce that Safari Plains, the newest property in its collection of luxury hotels and lodges in southern Africa, has achieved a five-star grading.This prestigious category, as…

The mercury dropped to 3.1 degrees Celsius in the beginning of the month until mid-month here at Safari Plains. Different days of the month it was only at 3.6, but…

Congratulations to Elias Mangwane for being shortlisted for the Lilizela Awards 2019. These awards recognize and reward tourism players and businesses who work passionately and with pride to deliver a…

One usually imagines the African bush to be a peaceful place, but as the moon heads towards full, the impala rams are hitting their stride in the rut, and their…

Every morning Safari Plains awakens to the sounds of the bushveld greeting the new day. The dawn chorus – as it has become known – includes hundreds of different bird…

It’s incredible how nature responds to changing conditions. The grass at the moment is longer and, more importantly, thicker than we’ve seen it in many years, and a number of…

If you have ever been on safari during the summer in Safari Plains you will be able to associate yourself with what I am about to explain and if you…

My apologies if the picture is deceiving, however the article is not about the lions. As most people have headed back to work for the start of 2019, things have…