What a gem, tucked away in the sprawling Sabi Sand reserve. Cheetah Plains Lodge is exactly what it promises to be – an authentic, exclusive experience.

Yes, the game is beyond superb, and the unobtrusive lodge allowed us to feel in a world of our own.

Manager of Cheetah Plains Lodge, Heidi Muller, believes in service with a smile

But what made the experience so special were the fabulous, friendly staff, more than prepared to go out of their way to make visitors feel like kings and queens for the duration of their stay.

Manager Heidi Muller and her staff presented us with wide smiles as we drove through the gate, smiles that were there to stay until we left the lodge to return home.

It just seemed as though doing anything and everything for us was nothing but a pleasure, and it applied to everyone at the lodge… the guides and trackers, the barman, the chef, the waitresses and room service ladies.
 
Certainly it had me wondering if they perhaps each popped a pill at sunrise every day. Over drinks after our first evening’s game drive I asked Heidi if she could send over one of the pills with my early morning tea the next day, and she just laughed. "How can anyone be in this magical place and not wear a permanent smile?"

Next day I understood her laughter – no pill was needed.
 
It was a fabulous experience that went like clockwork. Our chalet was spotless, room service was excellent and the ladies polite and helpful, going out of their way to see that we wanted for nothing. The chatty, cheerful barman was always at the ready in the wonderful lounge; scrumptious breakfast buffet and dinner was served spot on time by courteous staff.

Early morning and late afternoon game drives were conducted by immensely knowledgeable guides and trackers, with such obvious love of the bush; we enjoyed hot coffee and rusks, or ice cold drinks and yummy snacks served in the gorgeous bushveld after unbelievable game sightings.

It wasn’t easy to leave, and remove our crown and robe as we came back down to Earth.