There is no fence between the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park, and Umkumbe Bush Lodge sits firmly within this 65 000 hectare wilderness, on the south-western corner of one of Africa's greatest wildlife systems.
The Sabi Sand Game Reserve is renowned as one of the finest Big Five destinations on the continent, and Umkumbe Bush Lodge enjoys a particularly favoured spot in the reserve's southern sector.
The lodge looks out over a waterhole and a winding drainage line that eventually joins the Sand River, an area that consistently attracts elephant, buffalo, and a host of plains game throughout the year.
Getting to Umkumbe Bush Lodge
Guests travelling to Umkumbe Bush Lodge have a choice of routes. Those flying in usually arrive at either Skukuza Airport, within the Kruger National Park itself, or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport near Nelspruit.
From Skukuza, a road transfer of around an hour to ninety minutes brings you comfortably to the lodge. From Nelspruit, the transfer takes approximately two hours through classic Lowveld scenery.
For those who prefer the freedom of the open road, a self-drive from Johannesburg covers around 480 kilometres and takes approximately 5-6 hours, descending gradually from the Highveld through Middelburg and Belfast before reaching the Lowveld. The final stretch follows a gravel road to Shaw's Gate, the entrance to the Sabie Game Reserve within the Sabi Sand, where a modest conservation fee is payable per vehicle.
GPS Coordinates
S 24°52.346′
E 31°32.716′
