Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / South Africa / Hoedspruit / Jabulani Safari
Jabulani Safari
Hoedspruit, South Africa · Independent · Grand Luxury
Jabulani Safari exists because founder Lente Roode rescued a four-month-old elephant calf from a silt dam in 1997 and named him Jabulani, Zulu for 'to rejoice'. The six-suite Relais & Châteaux lodge opened around 2005 on Kapama Private Game Reserve to fund the herd, after twelve trained elephants rescued from Zimbabwe in 2002 adopted him. MICHELIN Two Keys, and home since 2019 to HERD, South Africa's first dedicated elephant orphanage.
- 6 rooms
- Opened 2005
About Jabulani Safari
- The lodge's story began in 1997 when founder Lente Roode rescued a four-month-old elephant calf stuck in a silt dam, naming him Jabulani, meaning to rejoice.
- Rejected by wild herds, Jabulani found a family in 2002 when Roode rescued twelve trained elephants from Zimbabwe that were facing culling, and their matriarch Tokwe adopted him.
- The lodge was built in 2004 specifically to help fund the rescued herd's care, and once offered the world's only night elephant-back safari.
- In 2019 the property added HERD, South Africa's first dedicated elephant orphanage.
History
Jabulani Safari sits on the 12,000+-hectare Kapama Private Game Reserve (founded 1991) in the Greater Kruger area near Hoedspruit, Limpopo. Its story began in 1997 when founder Lente Roode (also founder of the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre) rescued an orphaned elephant calf named Jabulani; in 2002 she rescued a herd of trained elephants from Zimbabwe that adopted him. The lodge was built in 2004 and opened around 2005 (as Camp Jabulani) to help fund the herd's care; it rebranded to JABULANI Safari in 2018, and the HERD elephant orphanage was added in 2019.
Experiences
- Elephant encounters — Immersive, respectfully guided encounters with the Jabulani elephant herd.
- Elephant Workshop — Workshop with elephant experts on social structures, behaviour, genetics and reserve management.
- Safaris — Safaris at their own pace, emphasising presence, patience and stillness as well as sightings.
- Honeymoon Safari — Private honeymoon safari with suite deck and plunge pool, romantic dinner for two and turndown.
- Jabulani Babymoon — Safari activities for expecting mothers, or bush spa and sunsets with elephants; children can join JabuJuniors.
- Elephant Walk — Described as an 'Elephant Walk' experience in a July 2017 Escape Australia feature.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
Awards
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
Open Jabulani Safari in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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- Kapama Karula — Kapama · High Luxury