Big 5 at Ulusaba - Richard Branson's Private Game Reserve

My brother is a ranger at Ulusaba, Richard Branson's Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands, South Africa. He invited us to spend a couple of days in the reserve using his 'bed nights'. These are a privilege where he can host family members at a fraction of the full cost. The suite in which we stayed would typically cost almost US$1000 per person per night. So the two nights for my wife and I would have typically cost my entire months salary. During the stay, we were saw Africa's Big 5, lion, rhino, elephant, leopard and buffalo. We also saw the very rare cheetah.

A typical visit to Ulusaba starts with arrival at the airfield where the reception is. Booking in is effortless and luggage and cars are taken care of by the staff. Most guests fly in using private aircraft or the regular charters from OR Tambo Airport by Johannesburg (Federal Air). The rangers meet their guests and after champagne, drive them to either Safari, Rock or Cliff lodge (the three incredibly luxurious camps at Ulusaba).

My brother Brandon has been working in the reserve for a number of years. He has the most fantastic personality for the job and his guest love been driven by him. His humour and knowledge make every drive an event.

Brother Brandon in his element

After lunch and and an afternoon settling in, guests are invited for the afternoon/evening game drive. For our visit, this started at the water hole by Safari Lodge, one of the few waterholes left with water. The Sabi Sands is very dry resulting in very good game viewing. The drought means that a lot of the smaller water holes are dry, concentrating the game by the larger water holes. We saw elephant, rhino and buffalo at the waterhole close to Safari Lodge in Ulusaba.

Drying waterhole with hippo and crocodiles

Elephants by the waterhole

After leaving the waterhole, we encountered more elephants in the bush, mostly cows with calves and young bulls.

Elephants in the bush

The afternoon drive continues into the night with amazing views of the setting sun.

Sunset over the lowveld

The game vehicles are in radio contact with each other. This allows the guests to see incredible game because the trackers on the vehicles know how to find the most sought after animals. Once a vehicle has a special sighting, this is radioed in and the other vehicles can coordinate their arrival so that at one time, there is no more than two vehicles at the sighting. Leopards are always a very special sighting. Ulusaba is famous for the number of leopards in the area.

Leopard passing very close to author

The evening drive ended with a lion sighting. The pride had been in the same area from the morning and were just preparing to move out. We observed them waking up and interacting with each other - and then leaving the area.

Lion on night drive

A vehicle was tracking a leopard and it was noted that the lion and leopard were on converging tracks. The lions would kill the leopard so the vehicle tracking the leopard moved away as not to endanger the leopard. When the leopard became aware of the pride of lions, it changed track and quickly moved off in a different direction. The lions would not eat the leopard, but see them as competition for the same prey.

The evening drive was the best game drive I have ever been on. To see Africa's Big 5 on a single drive is something very special.

The drive ended back at the lodge where the most amazing dinner had been prepared for us. After dinner drinks and a warning by the rangers of an early morning saw us heading to bed fairly early.

The following morning started with a 5.30 wake-up call, coffee and rusks and then heading out for the morning drive at 6. In summer, the wake-up is 30min earlier than in winter. The idea is to be on the drive as the sun rises.

Sunrise baby elephant

The drive delivered elephants and another incredible leopard sighting.

Leopard close to game vehicle

The leopards are not scared of the game vehicles and do not associate them with humans. People on foot get a totally different reaction from the game.

Leopard on patrol

Due to the drought, the buffalo are travelling in large herds. It was estimated that the herd we encountered on the morning drive was over 1000 animals. The old bulls are separate from the main herd and were observed close to the Safari Lodge. These old bulls are known as daggaboys.

Daggaboy - old bull buffalo

Cheetah are very rare in the Greater Kruger Park of which the Sabi Sands is part of. We were really privileged to see on the following morning drive.

Cheetah

Rhinos are being poached in increasing numbers over the last few years. Ulusaba is home to both of the species found in Southern Africa, although the Black Rhino is very scarce. We had lovely sightings of White Rhino and saw the anti-poaching units patrolling the area. Rhino is the one game species that the game vehicles never report on as the poachers are known to listen in on the game vehicle reports.

White rhino

The visit to Ulusaba was incredible. I have never seen such amazing wildlife in such a short period. I am so grateful for my brother who made the visit possible.