Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge is a five star luxury lodge in Northern Sabi Sands in the Greater Kruger area. While we have stayed in plenty of five star lodges, this is definitely up there with one of the most luxurious in Greater Kruger. Chitwa is also a great option for families as they accept children of all ages (including babies) – a good thing for us as we stayed with our 5 month old baby on safari. We were really excited to check Chitwa out, having already stayed in many neighbouring lodges including Cheetah Plains, Arathusa, Elephant Plains and Nkorho Bush Lodge.
Book Chitwa Chitwa →AT A GLANCE — CHITWA CHITWA GAME LODGE
| Stayed | 3 nights (recommended minimum: 3-4) |
| Key Sightings | Leopard (×6 across six drives), Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Hippo, Giraffe, Zebra, Ostrich |
| What Makes It Unique | One of the largest waterholes in Sabi Sands, in view from every private deck and plunge pool. Accepts children of all ages, including babies |
| Best For | Families with young children, honeymooners, and first-time safari guests who want the Big 5 in genuine five star comfort |
| Price Tier | $$$$$ approx. R28,447 | A$2,445 | US$1,760 pppn (2026), but they also offer free night and one child stays free specials |
| Our Rating | Cara: 9.5/10 · Van: 9/10 |
Chitwa’s Accommodation, Hospitality and Food
The rooms
Chitwa Chitwa offers 6 luxury suites and the more exclusive Chitwa House (two suites, 4 guests). They also offer a family suite (Charlsy Suite) which is ideal for families or friends travelling together as it consists of two inter-leading ensuite rooms joined by a living area. All suites are extremely spacious and all have a private deck complete with plunge pool, outdoor lounge and/or chairs that look over their large watering hole. Rooms also come equipped with a King bed, bath tub, indoor and outdoor shower, fireplace, minibar, fan, tea and coffee station, lounges, table and of course air conditioning. The mini bar had a good selection of drinks as well as complimentary chocolate bars and pringles. Absolutely everything you need for an amazing stay.
All the rooms are a little different, but all have a ‘wow’ factor to them, and they are up there the largest rooms we’ve stayed in (and we’ve stayed in a lot). We also love having a fireplace but even though we stayed in Winter (August), it was never cold enough to warrant having it on.
The lodge
The lodge itself has a great layout, all rooms are relatively private and far enough away from each other such that you never hear much from other people. The main area is in the middle, so not a long walk for anyone and there were plenty of spaces for people to hang out including an outdoor lounge, indoor lounge, bar, indoor dining room, outdoor dining room, a pool and huge deck. Not that you really need all of it, since everything you need is in your room! They also have a gym and a spa. I enjoyed an awesome massage while there and can definitely recommend getting a massage or treatment.
Let’s not forget their huge waterhole – one of the biggest in Sabi Sands. It offers entertainment at all hours with resident hippos playing, fish eagles hunting and crocodiles sun baking. While we were there a big herd of buffalo visited one morning and a fish eagle caught a catfish another. The lodge is semi-fenced, with a couple of wires that are designed to keep the bigger mammals like elephants and buffaloes (and large hippos) out. Due to the fact predators can still get in, you have to be escorted to and from your room at night.
The Service
The service as expected was top notch at Chitwa Chitwa. The staff here are some of the best we have encountered and genuinely seem to enjoy their job. We like to be relatively low maintenance guests but it struck us as the type of place where they would go out of their way to accommodate any requests you might have. We liked the added touch of having the option of eating our lunch in our room too – something that was handy when you have a baby! Overall we found it to be an exceptionally well-run lodge with very personal service.
The Food
As expected at this price point, Chitwa served some of the best food we have encountered when out on safari. Not only was it delicious, but also plated as if we were eating at a five star restaurant. Everything was tasty and ala carte (except for the bush braai we had one evening). I don’t like buffets so this was to my liking. For breakfast there is a really sizable continental buffet including things like croissants, muffins, spreads, sliced meats, yoghurt, fruits and more as well as a diverse menu of hot cooked options to choose from. I couldn’t help but get the eggs benedict every morning as that is my favourite and it was delicious every time.
For lunch you choose an option from four (that come with recommendations from the wine cellar), and this is served either in the main dining area or in your room. That’s the first time we have come across a daily option to eat in your room although I’m sure this is something many lodges would accommodate if you requested it. Dinner was a three-course affair once again chosen from a couple of options for each course. They also have afternoon tea snacks prior to game drive, so as with most five-star lodges, you certainly never go hungry.
Going on safari with your baby or children at Chitwa
We definitely recommend Chitwa Chitwa for those who are taking their baby or children with them on safari. It’s a fantastic option for families, particularly as the rooms are spacious (they can accommodate an additional bed for a child under 12), they offer babysitting, allow children 6 and over on game drives and for younger children offer dedicated activities. Children under 3 are free, children 3-5 are charged 25%, 6-11 50% and 12 and up are charged the adult rate. They also frequently offer family deals including one child free.
It’s such a great option that it’s firmly in our top 5 family-friendly lodges in Greater Kruger.
Chitwa had a cot ready for us when we arrived, but we used our own anyway – we recommend doing this for all places if you have your own portacot.
Our housekeeper looked after Isla while we went on our six game drives and she was so good that we wanted to take her home with us! Isla was always happy (and smelled delicious) when we returned and Mandi even managed to get rid of a pesky rash that had been bothering Isla for a few days. Mandi bathed Isla during our evening drives so when we came back we just fed her and put her down to sleep virtually straight away. Overall we were really happy with the level of care offered to our baby during our stay and would not hesitate to recommend others to go on safari with their baby (incidentally we wrote a whole article about going on safari with your baby)!
Game viewing at Chitwa
The wildlife sightings
We had just come from neighbouring lodge Nkorho, which shares a significant amount of traversing, so we had a good idea about what to expect in terms of game viewing. Being in Sabi Sands, we were expecting leopard sightings galore and that is definitely what we got! So much so that the two boys on our game vehicle ended up complaining about seeing leopards. I think we had six leopard sightings over the six drives, but only one lion sighting. We had a few elephants and buffaloes, a couple of rhinos as well as the usual suspects like giraffe, zebra, hippos and impala. We even saw a couple of ostriches.
The Experience
As you can see, the game viewing as expected in Sabi Sands, is excellent. The sightings in Northern Sabi Sands can be busy, which does mean sometimes you may have to leave sightings to allow for other cars (they limit vehicles at sightings for the good of both the animals and guests). This being said, for most of our predator sightings at Chitwa, we left of our own accord and did not feel rushed. It is definitely a great place to go on your first safari if you are keen to see as many animals as possible and have a great chance to tick off the Big 5.
Chitwa has a decent traversing area of 8,500 hectares, which is plenty big enough to get both wildlife and landcape diversity.
Here’s a short(ish) video we put together of some of our sightings while at Chitwa Chitwa.. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YT channel as well! [sm-youtube-subscribe]
What we love about Chitwa Chitwa
- The game viewing is excellent – particularly good for leopards and elephants (as per Sabi Sands’ reputation)
- The lodge is a good size with a maximum of about 16 guests
- They typically like to keep to a maximum of six people per game vehicle so it’s not crowded
- Their game vehicles are a bit nicer than most other lodges, with storage/tables in between two seats in the first two rows
- They have one of the largest waterholes in the reserve, which means you can enjoy game viewing all day – particularly the resident hippos who were very active during our stay
- The lodge is semi-fenced – good or bad depending on your preference but we prefer the excitement of animals being able to roam through at any time.
- They have trackers, which means you are more likely to find animals (particularly predators)
- They offer a true five star experience including exceptional food and service
- The lodge and rooms are very fancy – a great place to go if you want to spoil yourself, enjoy a honeymoon or get the true luxury safari experience
- The huge outdoor deck with private plunge pool overlooking the waterhole makes it a great place to relax during the day
- They offer the option of eating lunch in your room or in the main area, a nice touch
- They often offer deals like free nights or first child stays free (check out this awesome deal where you can save up to $12k in 2026)
Considerations…
- Traversing is shared with other lodges which can make sightings busy.
- Another issue of Sabi Sands is the prevalence of man-made structures like lodges/houses, solar panels, power lines etc which can sometimes detract a little from the overall ‘wild’ experience.
- It is one of the more expensive lodges in Northern Sabi Sands, but you get what you pay for
- Due to being so excellent for families, there is a chance you will end up on a vehicle with someone else’s children (this happened to us) – but this can also be entertaining!
So, should you stay at Chitwa Chitwa?
This is definitely a fantastic lodge to visit if you are looking for a luxurious experience in Sabi Sands. It is a bit more expensive than some of its neighbours with similar game viewing, but it is (more than) a step above in terms of accommodation, food and service. It’s also a great option for honeymooners and families in particular. It is firmly in our top 5 luxury lodges and for that reason we are heading back soon for an awesome luxury safari experience
How much does Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge cost?
Chitwa Chitwa quotes two rate types for 2026. The Standard rate covers accommodation, all meals, soft drinks, bottled water, teas and coffees, two open vehicle safaris a day, daily walking safaris, laundry and return transfers from the Chitwa airstrip. The Inclusive rate adds local beer, spirits and the Chitwa House wine selection. Neither covers premium label spirits, spa treatments, boutique purchases, or road and air transfers to the lodge. Dollar figures below are approximate and move with the exchange rate.
| Room | Standard rate | Inclusive rate |
|---|---|---|
| Suite (6 available) | R28,447 | A$2,445 | US$1,760 | R30,996 | A$2,665 | US$1,920 |
| Charlsy Suite (two interleading suites, min. 3 guests) | R29,372 | A$2,525 | US$1,820 | R31,871 | A$2,740 | US$1,970 |
| Single occupancy, Suite | R37,073 | A$3,185 | US$2,290 | R40,337 | A$3,465 | US$2,500 |
The Chitwa House is priced differently. It is an exclusive private retreat with two suites sleeping four, at R166,644 per night for the group (A$14,325 | US$10,310), which works out around R41,661 per person. That rate is fully inclusive: private meals, private game drives, local beverages, laundry, a private butler, and four complimentary Chitwa activities per group per stay. Additional adults or children sharing are R8,100 each.
What else to budget for:
- Guest Conservation Contribution: R573.99 per person per day, charged on the first three days of your stay only
- Sabi Sand entrance fees, for your own account: R350 cash per vehicle plus R160 per person
- Dixie Shangaan Village Tour: R1,000 per person
- Chitwa Chitwa signature African massage: R1,500 per person
- Walking safaris with a ranger and tracker: no charge
- Private use of a safari vehicle with an expert guide: R25,000 per day
To put that in context, three nights for two people in a Suite on the Standard rate comes to roughly R170,700, around A$14,670 or US$10,560, before the conservation contribution.
These are rack rates, but we can let you know of any special offers and help with the best logistics to get there and back. Just get in touch and we’d be happy to help organise your safari (at no additional cost to you).
How to Book Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge
You can book Chitwa Chitwa directly, or through a safari agent like us. The price is identical either way, as agents access the same rates as booking direct, plus current specials like Chitwa’s free-night and one-child-stays-free offers, and our planning service is free, because we are paid by the lodge, not by you. The difference: we have stayed at Chitwa Chitwa and its neighbouring Northern Sabi Sands lodges, so we will tell you honestly whether it is the right choice for your trip, and design the transfers, timing and the rest of your itinerary around it.
Chitwa Chitwa FAQs
Yes. Booking Chitwa Chitwa through a safari agent such as Ready Set Safari costs the same as booking direct, as agents access the same rates plus any current specials, and the planning service is free. Because we’ve stayed at Chitwa Chitwa and its neighbouring Northern Sabi Sands lodges ourselves, we can also tell you honestly whether it is the right fit, and arrange the transfers, which are not included in the lodge rate.
From R28,447 per person per night sharing on the Standard rate, roughly US$1,760 or A$2,445, rising to R30,996 on the Inclusive rate which adds local beer, spirits and wine. A Guest Conservation Contribution of R573.99 per person per day applies to the first three days of your stay. Free-night and one-child-stays-free specials can bring the cost down significantly.
Both cover accommodation, all meals, soft drinks, bottled water, two game drives a day, daily walking safaris, laundry and airstrip transfers. The Inclusive rate adds local beer, spirits and the Chitwa House wine selection for around R2,550 more per person per night. Neither covers premium label spirits, spa treatments, boutique purchases, or road and air transfers to the lodge.
Yes, and it is one of the better Sabi Sands lodges for it. Chitwa accepts children of all ages, including babies. Children who have not turned 3 by arrival stay free, ages 3 to 6 are charged 25%, ages 6 to 12 are charged 50%, and 12 and over pay the adult rate. Babysitting is available and rooms take an extra bed for a child under 12. The one restriction to plan around: children under 6 are not allowed on game drives unless you pre-book sole use of the vehicle. Chitwa is also on our list of the top 5 family-friendly safari lodges in the Greater Kruger.
Three nights is the sensible minimum, which gives you six game drives. That was enough for us to have six separate leopard sightings. Four nights if you want time to use the deck, the plunge pool and the spa rather than spending the whole stay in a vehicle.
We have also stayed at Nkorho, Elephant Plains, Arathusa and Cheetah Plains, which share much of the same traversing, so the game viewing is broadly comparable. Chitwa is the step up on accommodation, food and service, and priced accordingly. Its waterhole, one of the biggest in the reserve, also means game viewing from your deck all day rather than only on drives. Get in touch and we’ll compare them for you firsthand.
