About this hotel
General information
Londolozi is a family-run private reserve on the Sand River, in the heart of the Sabi Sand, which borders Kruger National Park. The same family has held this land since 1926, and the name means “protector of all living things”. The reserve is known above all for its leopards: for more than four decades its rangers and trackers have followed several generations of them, so close sightings are part of everyday life here. Breeding herds of elephant and buffalo, white rhino and lion share the bush.
Each Londolozi camp has its own personality. Four are sold room by room: Varty Camp, the oldest and the heart of the reserve; Founders Camp in the shade of riverine trees; Tree Camp in the canopy above the river; and the small Pioneer Camp. Tree Camp and Pioneer Camp belong to Relais & Châteaux, and Londolozi was the first game reserve ever admitted to the association. Meals, house wines and drinks, two game drives a day and guided nature walks are included. Children from six are welcome at Varty, Founders and Pioneer; Tree Camp takes guests from 16.
Location
Mpumalanga, in the private Sabi Sand Game Reserve on the banks of the Sand River, open to Kruger National Park so that wildlife moves freely between them. Federal Air flies daily from Johannesburg to Londolozi’s own airstrip, five minutes’ drive from the camps, with complimentary transfers to camp. Alternatively, Airlink flies from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Skukuza Airport, with a road transfer on request; the transfer from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport takes about two and a half hours. By road Johannesburg is around 500 km, or six hours, away; private charters and helicopter transfers can be arranged.
Spa
The Healing House at Varty Camp is a wellness space where massage and bodywork sit alongside yoga, breathwork, aromatherapy, sound healing and other practices led by the reserve’s own therapists and teachers. A daily group yoga class, included for every guest, takes place on a deck set in an old ebony tree beside Founders Camp, and Londolozi also hosts multi-day wellness retreats.
Sports & leisure
Safari comes first: twice a day, at dawn and in the late afternoon, guests head out in open Land Rovers with a ranger and tracker, and guided nature walks fill the time in between. Other options include:
- a private vehicle with a dedicated ranger and tracker for the whole stay (at extra cost);
- photographic safaris with a tutor who helps both in the field and with post-processing;
- the Photographic Studio, with editing tuition, prints on canvas and rental of professional camera bodies and lenses;
- daily yoga and a gym with running, cycling and rowing machines at Varty Camp;
- a daily walk through the Londolozi village, with its learning centre, craft centre, vegetable gardens and nursery;
- the Living Boutique, with local craft, wildlife books and bronze sculpture.
For children
Rather than a fixed timetable, Londolozi shapes each child’s stay once the ranger and a full-time children’s facilitator have met them. Between drives children climb trees, try archery, make plaster casts of animal tracks, bake muffins and design pizzas, fish, play football and rugby with the rangers, paint and do crafts, and in the evening watch films or look at the stars through a telescope. For the youngest there is the Cubs Den, a play space with a creative station. Family game drives in a private Land Rover stop often so children can get out and read the tracks.
Restaurants & bars
Each camp has its own dining room and deck above the river, and the day at Londolozi is shaped by its meals: home baking on the morning drive, a hearty breakfast and a leisurely lunch outdoors, high tea before the afternoon drive, a sundowner in the bush and dinner by the fire or in private. The seasonal menus rely on local produce, greens from the Londolozi village gardens and sustainably sourced seafood, and the family recipes are gladly shared. The wine list, kept by an in-house sommelier, draws almost entirely on small South African family estates, with French Champagne alongside. Pioneer Camp adds a bar lined with a wallpaper telling the stories of early safari explorers, and an open kitchen with a long table.
Swimming
Every chalet and suite has its own plunge pool on a timber deck; Pioneer Camp also has a full-length lap pool.
Rooms
The four camps sold room by room hold 29 chalets and suites along the Sand River: 10 chalets at Varty Camp, 10 at Founders Camp, six suites at Tree Camp and three at Pioneer Camp. Interiors combine African pieces with natural wood, stone and leather, and each camp has a style of its own.
Every room has a private plunge pool, a deck over the bush, Wi-Fi and a daily laundry service.
Varty Camp Superior Chalet
One of two larger chalets at Varty Camp, Londolozi’s original camp, on a timber deck beneath the riverine forest. Private plunge pool, outdoor shower and an outdoor dining sala.
Varty Camp Chalet
A Varty Camp chalet on a raised timber deck with river views, a private plunge pool, outdoor shower and outdoor dining sala. Some chalets are linked by glass skywalks, so families can stay side by side.
Tree Camp Suite
A Tree Camp suite set in the canopy above the river, with a plaited leather bed, private plunge pool and covered decks for lounging and dining. For guests aged 16 and over unless the camp is booked exclusively.
Pioneer Camp Suite
One of three Pioneer Camp suites, with river views, its own lounge, a plunge pool and a separate room for a child. Two suites can be linked by a glass walkway for a family.
Founders Camp Superior Chalet
A Founders Camp chalet in the shade of ebony and riverine trees on the banks of the Sand River, finished in natural stone, wood and earth. Private plunge pool on the deck.
Founders Camp Superior Family Chalet
A superior family chalet at Founders Camp on the Sand River, with its own plunge pool; suited to parents travelling with children aged six and over.
Founders Camp Family Chalet
A family chalet at Founders Camp among the riverine trees, with its own plunge pool; families can request chalets linked by a glass skywalk.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.