Sanbona Wildlife Reserve Review: The Best Luxury Safari Near Cape Town?

Everyone told me there were no good safari experiences near Cape Town. I was desperate to go on safari, but I didn’t have time to fly to Johannesburg on this trip. After hours of researching and seeing places with mixed reviews, I finally discovered Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, which turned out to be one of the highlights of my time in South Africa.

Sanbona is a privately owned nature reserve in the Karoo, around a 3.5-hour drive from Cape Town. The reserve offers three accommodation options: Dwyka Tented Lodge, Tilney Manor, and Gondwana Family Lodge. We stayed at Dwyka Tented Lodge, so this review mainly reflects that experience.

Review Summary of Dwyka Tented Lodge:

Rating - 10/10

Price Range - Luxury All-Inclusive (Above £800 per night)

Location - Karoo (3.5 hours from Cape Town)

Best for: couples, honeymooners, and luxury travellers seeking an accessible safari experience near Cape Town.

Highlights -

• Amazing destination

• Once in a lifetime

• Great safaris

• Lovely staff

• Beautiful rooms

  
  

Consider before booking - 

• Facilities are more limited than a traditional luxury resort, but this is part of the intimate safari lodge experience

Price & What’s Included at Dwyka Tented Lodge

This is definitely a luxury stay, costing around £1,000 per night at the time of our visit. That said, the price is fully inclusive and, in my opinion, offers great value for what you get:

• Evening safari on arrival day

• Morning and evening safaris on full days

• Morning safari on departure day

• All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

• Sundowners and morning coffee

• Refillable water bottle

  
  

The only thing not included is your transfer to the reserve, which comes at an additional cost (we booked through the hotel and found the price very reasonable).

Rooms at Dwyka Tented Lodge

The rooms at Dwyka Tented Lodge are pure glamping luxury. Each suite is a beautifully designed tent blending comfort with nature. 

Our suite featured:

• A huge, ultra-comfortable bed

• A private plunge pool

• An outdoor shower

• Complete privacy

• Stunning views of the surrounding landscape

We loved lying on the bed and simply taking in the view. The rooms are impeccably appointed with every comfort you’d expect from a high-end hotel. 

Hotel Facilities at Dwyka Tented Lodge

Ultimately, this is a boutique safari hotel, so you won’t find a huge range of facilities like a gym, a large pool, or multiple restaurants and bars. That said, everything that is here is exactly what you’d hope for: fantastic safari facilities, a lovely little shop with great, affordable finds, a spa offering massages and facials, and a restaurant with a really good variety of options.

The safari experience itself was exceptional. Our guide, Marco, was incredibly knowledgeable and made every game drive both exciting and informative. The safari vehicles were spacious and well-equipped, with blankets provided during the colder morning and evening drives. 

Restaurants at Dwyka Tented Lodge

There is one restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food was genuinely excellent (so good, in fact, that I kept ordering the same dish.)

One evening, we enjoyed a BBQ under the stars, which felt like a true safari moment and was easily one of the most memorable dinners of the trip.

Location of Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

Sanbona is remote, so you won’t be walking to any shops (but that is the point). The setting is spectacular, with dramatic views and wildlife around every corner.

We saw lions on a hunt, elephants, giraffes, hippos, cheetahs and buffalo. This is a smaller reserve compared to Kruger National Park, so you won’t see the same sheer volume of wildlife, but there’s more than enough to create truly unforgettable safari moments.

The true highlight, though, was the walking safaris. During our stay, we were lucky enough to do two of these experiences. We walked out to see a pregnant cheetah resting in the shade, as well as a mother cheetah with her two young cubs.  Getting that close to these animals in the wild felt completely surreal and made for some unforgettable moments. 

FAQ

Is Dwyaka Tented Camp good for families?

Dwyka Tented Lodge is better suited to couples and honeymooners rather than families. However, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve does offer family-friendly accommodation options, including Gondwana Family Lodge. Children under four are not permitted on game drives, although complimentary childminding is available during safari times. Tilney Manor also welcomes children over the age of 12. 

How many nights should I stay at Sanbona?

I would recommend staying for two nights. This gives you the opportunity to experience four game drives, offering a great chance to see a wide variety of wildlife while still allowing time to relax and enjoy the lodge. Longer stays can absolutely still be enjoyable, but the experience is primarily focused on safari activities rather than extensive resort facilities. 

Can you see the big 5?

Yes, Sanbona is home to the Big Five; however, as with any safari, sightings are never guaranteed. Particularly leopards, which are well-known for being elusive. 

Is Sanbona better than Aquila Safari?

While I have not personally visited Aquila Safari, from my research and what I’ve heard from others, it tends to feel more commercial and busier. Sanbona, on the other hand, offers a far more exclusive and luxurious safari experience. 

Does Sanbona feel like a real safari?

Yes, despite being smaller than some of South Africa’s larger reserves, Sanbona still offers an authentic safari experience with incredible wildlife encounters. Because it is a private reserve, it also feels far more exclusive and less crowded, with no queues of vehicles surrounding animal sightings. 

Is Sanbona Wildlife Reserve worth it?

If you’re visiting Cape Town and want to experience a luxury safari experience without flying across South Africa, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is an incredible option. It’s beautiful, immersive, and full of moments you’ll remember forever. It is undoubtedly worth the money and the journey.

If you’re staying in Cape Town and looking for a luxury city hotel, check out my review of One&Only Cape Town here. If you're wondering how to fit Sanbona Wildlife Reserve into your Cape Town trip, read my recommended 7 day Cape Town itinerary here.