Fantastic trackers Themba, Polite and Life who were like magicians conjuring animals from the bush and found us the big5 and more. The camp is very small with just 6 tents which gives it a nice relaxed atmosphere, and the other guests were all lovely. Our tent (no3/Elephant Shrew) was in front of a watering hole which had elephants visiting every day.

My phone is now overflowing with unbelievable photos! Otherwise the aircon in the tent struggled to cope with the 40C conditions, probably fair enough, although other tents reported being cool so maybe it was just an issue with ours.

From the moment we arrived we were well looked after and felt part of the Sausage Tree family. All the staff were outstanding, thoughtful and expert. The whole experience was very comfortable and relaxing, the facilities have been upgraded since our last visit. The game drives were outstanding, we learned so much from our expert guides, Themba and Jimmy - we saw 4 of the Big Five and experienced amazing encounters with lion and buffalo. We love the size of Sausage Tree, a maximum of 10 guests in total, so it’s easy to make new friends from other parts of the world, and enjoy a private experience as a couple too.

Nothing. We love the simplicity of the tents, each with their own private bathroom, balcony and views of the bush - and good central facilities. It’s not trying to be Five Star, but it’s certainly Four Star+.

Wish I could rate Sausage Tree an 11/10. We had an absolutely magical stay and couldn't have asked for anything more. The lodge is incredible and exactly as pictured. The terrace and pool with the sky deck were so relaxing to sit at during the day - once I even came up for air from a swim and there were 5x giraffes right there - coming to drink at the watering hole right out front. The tents are very nice and well furnished also, we found them spacious and relaxing. The food was also really nice, some really nice meals and we loved eating out under the stars around the fire with our fellow guests. The Balule reserve itself is awesome - it's not as well known or established as some of the other private reserves which is actually great as it's less crowded, but still full of wildlife (we saw lions, leapords, white and black rhinos, hippos, elephants, giraffes, zebra, warthogs, hyena - you get the picture) and beautiful terrain (hills, plains, rivers, watering holes etc.). What really should be mentioned and which is tough to describe though is how incredible the staff is. As it's a smaller lodge (only 5 tents), the staff is really like a family, and each and every one of them we formed a bond with. They were so gracious as hosts and helped us at every point. The owner James is also full of stories and super friendly. Special shout out though of course to Themba (our safari guide) and Jimmy (our tracker) for the amazing game drives every morning and night. We saw and learned so much - but most of all we laughed a TON. Everyone working at the lodge are such great people and we would love to come back one day.

Nothing - thank you so much for having us, we wish we were still there now!!!

Great staff, great food! Guides were very knowledgeable and went out of their way to make sure we saw as many animals as possible. James, the owner would join us for breakfast each morning and shared his knowledge about the area which we enjoyed. We stayed in a newly renovated room which was lovely.

Nothing

excellent staff, the care and personalisation was the highlight of our trip. all meals were superb! location also was excellent and the drives in the bush resulted in us seeing amazing flora and fauna!

The tents had some insects (which after checking in and telling the staff they cleared out), this may be a bit not normal for people who aren't used to wildlife lodges.

The tracker/driver on the game drives were fantastic. Only place where we saw Big 5 in one visit. Other staff also great. Excellent food. Great leg massage.

Zips on the tents! (Managers will understand the comment).

An exceptional location with magnificent views, experiences and staff. You really feel like you’re visiting a long term friend’s house when you’re here, but you’re meeting some other friends (guests) too! The pool is exceptional, the food was incredible, the game drives were always more than expected!

Absolutely nothing!

We absolutely LOVED our stay here! Before booking, I sent Sausage Tree quite a few questions and they were always quick to respond – and unfailingly friendly and patient. Things only got better once we arrived to a warm welcome and had a chance to take in the grounds. The camp is gorgeous, and with only 5 tents, it also feels very intimate. One of my absolute favorite aspects about the camp is that the owner and our game drive guide/tracker ate their meals with guests, family-style. It was awesome getting to know them and hearing all their stories! You will arrive as a stranger and leave feeling like you are part of the family. Now to the game drives: Our guide and tracker, Themba and Polite, were fantastic! Not only were they incredibly fun and knowledgeable, but they also had an uncanny ability to somehow spot completely hidden animals and identify every bird by its sound. Themba and Polite not only found the Big 5 for us, but if we mentioned another animal we wanted to see, they would try their hardest to find it for us. They seem to know every inch of the huge Balule Nature Reserve on which Sausage Tree is located so every day we saw new scenery and learned something new. Also, even when we got very close to the animals we never felt we were at risk, as Themba and Polite are well versed in the signs animals give off and understand when it is safe to get closer and when to back off. It was such an adventure! The camp is surrounded by a fence so you can walk around by yourself, but since you are in a tent you can still hear the animals while you sleep. And speaking of the tents – this is definitely a glamping experience. The tents have a comfortable bed, electricity/Wi-Fi, and a separate indoor bathroom with a tub. Last but not least, the food: wow! I am a vegetarian and the camp’s main chef, Peter, always went out of his way to create special meals for me.

Very minor issue, but I wish there had been an indoor standing shower (instead of just an outdoor shower and an indoor tub with a handheld shower head). I never used the outdoor shower because (1) it felt a little exposed to the rest of the camp (though the only way anyone could see anything is if they were to walk by the front of your tent, which they aren’t supposed to do for privacy reasons) and (2) I was nervous about creepy crawlies dropping on my head (we had a big spider in our bathroom [indoors] one night, for instance). Make no mistake – just because it is luxury (and spotlessly clean) does not mean there isn’t still an element of the wild! If you can get past the possibility of a few bugs in your tent though, you will absolutely love this place.

What an amazing place, beautiful spot, incredible staff, wonderful food.. every detail thought of and yet super relaxed feel to the whole place. By far the best safari camp I have stayed at. Temba and Polite were the most brilliant guides/trackers.. learnt so much from them and so many great animal/bird sightings. I really hope to return.

We loved the intimacy of the Sausage Tree Safari Camp , the friendliness of the entire staff, the great quality of the food and the perfect location in the middle of the Balule Nature Reserve. A special thank you to Themba and Jimmy for the great morning and evening game drives. It was amazing how close we could get to the wildlife.