in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa
- World-renowned Leopard sightings
- Big 5 Game-viewing
- Day and night safaris
- Three exclusive safari lodges
- Private plunge pools
Exeter is situated within the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, renowned for having the best Big Five game-viewing in South Africa, if not the world. Located on the southwestern corner of the Kruger National Park, there are no restricting fences, thus enabling the animals to roam freely just as nature intended.
The Reserve is famous for its incredible leopard sightings. The Sabi Sand leopards have grown accustomed to safari vehicles, thereby permitting close up sightings and extraordinary photographic opportunities.
Leadwood Lodge:
Intimate and elegant Leadwood Lodge is the perfect choice for a family or group of friends sharing a safari. Featuring 4 air-conditioned suites each with a private fireplace, sitting room and plunge pool.
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River Lodge:
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve’s western sector, River Lodge sits in the shade of a grove of ebony trees on the edge of the Sand River.
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Exceptional year-round African wildlife: Game drives at Exeter are made memorable not only by frequent sightings of Africa’s Big Five, but also because this exclusive western property of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve borders the Kruger National Park. Its habitats are home to an extraordinary range of wildlife and bird species.
- Big Five
- Best Leopard viewing in Africa
- Superlative lion viewing
- Excellent birdwatching
- Spotted hyena's
- Scenic Sand River
- Interpretive game drives led by expert rangers
Exeter Private Game Reserve Wildlife Habitats:
Exeter’s mixed bush savanna habitat is dominated by acacia, marula and combretum trees, with tamboti and weeping boerbean on raised termite mound thickets. A narrow band of riverine forest lines the Sand River and its drainage lines. These wooded habitats provide the ideal conditions for leopard, bushbuck and a variety of shade-loving birds. Rock outcrops (koppies) north of the Sand River support trees such as large-leaved rock fig and jacketplum.
Mammals at Exeter Private Game Reserve:
Our guests are extremely likely to see territorial and individually recognizable leopard and lion which are tracked on a daily basis. Several clans of spotted hyena den in collapsed termite mounds. Impala are the most abundant antelope, with common waterbuck and grey duiker also frequently seen. Greater kudu, bushbuck and nyala favour thickets and riverine forest, whilst buffalo herds graze in tall grasslands. Waterholes attract elephant, white rhino, giraffe and warthog and many other African wildlife species during the dry season (May to October). Cape clawless otter and hippo are resident in the Sand River. Nocturnal white-tailed mongoose, African civet and large-spotted genet are frequently encountered on night game drives. Rock hyrax and klipspringer live on rocky outcrops.
Birds at Exeter Private Game Reserve:
There are more than 300 bird species recorded in the Sabi Sand. White-crested helmetshrike, lilac-breasted roller, brown-headed parrot, emerald-spotted dove and scarlet-chested sunbird are among the colourful savanna residents. Woodland kingfisher, red-chested cuckoo and Wahlberg’s eagle are breeding visitors from tropical Africa during the wet summer months (October to March). The distinctive call of African scops-owl punctuates the night throughout the year. Crested francolin and helmeted guineafowl wonder on sand tracks during the early mornings and late afternoons. Saddle-billed stork, grey heron and pied kingfisher feed at waterholes and pools in the Sand River.
Other African Wildlife at Exeter Private Game Reserve:
Large golden orb-web spiders hang their webs in dense vegetation. Chains of processionary caterpillars are conspicuous as they cross sand tracks at the end of summer (April to May). Dung beetles actively go about their business where elephant and rhino have been. Tree monitor and water monitor are frequently encountered in savanna and riverside habitats respectively. Nile crocodiles are resident in the Sand River. Large leopard tortoise and flap-necked chameleon are other interesting reptiles. The conspicuous meringue-like nests of foam-nest frogs hang above waterholes after summer rains and 18 species of frog may breed in seasonal waterbodies.
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