Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / South Africa / Sabi Sand Game Reserve / Silvan Safari
Silvan Safari
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa · Independent · Grand Luxury
Six suites sit among the leadwood and jackalberry forest that David Ryan chose as the canvas for Silvan Safari, a Relais & Châteaux lodge in Sabi Sand where each room opens to a plunge pool and the riverbed beyond. MICHELIN awarded Two Keys in 2025, the same year World Travel Awards named it both Africa's and South Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge. Twice-daily drives run with rangers rooted in the reserve; a photo studio and forest-fringed spa fill the hours in between.
- 6 rooms
- Opened 2020
- Neighborhood: Mbombela Ward 39
About Silvan Safari
- Six suites stand among Sabi Sand leadwoods and jackalberries, each with a plunge pool facing the riverbed.
- MICHELIN awarded Two Keys in 2025, the same year World Travel Awards named it Africa's and South Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge.
- Relais & Châteaux member since 2024; founder David Ryan built a modern lodge rather than thatch-and-khaki safari style.
- A dedicated photographic studio lets guests process drive images between twice-daily game drives.
Experiences
- Food and Wine — Fine dining with fresh local produce inspired by the natural surroundings, paired with South Africa's most celebrated premium wines; bush breakfasts and starlit dinners.
- Gin Experience — Gin and tonic at sunset with over three dozen gins from around the world, tasted from the lodge's signature gin collection.
- Game Drives — Luxury safari game drives in Sabi Sand in open-air game vehicles with Swarovski binoculars and expert guides.
- Silvan Wildlife — Wildlife viewing in Sabi Sand including the Big 5; leopard sightings described as almost guaranteed.
- Walking safaris — Walking safaris included in the rates.
- Ansellia Spa — Dedicated wellness retreat in the Sabi Sand with a tranquil private pool and expert therapists; spa treatments are excluded from the rates.
Amenities
- Luxury accommodation
- Selected drinks
- Game drive refreshments and snacks
- Two game drives daily with a FGASA qualified guide
- WiFi
- Walking safaris
- Laundry
- Return road transfers between the Silvan Safari airstrip and the lodge
- Three gourmet meals per day
- Open-air game vehicles
- Swarovski binoculars
- Expert guides
- Silvan Living luxury safari boutique
- Commissioned tree-themed artworks (Silvan Art)
- Extensive gin collection of over three dozen gins from around the world
- Game drives in Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Awards
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- South Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
Open Silvan Safari in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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