Silvan Safari

Terri-Ann S1Reviewed February 5, 2018A little piece of paradise in the bush!As one of the first guests to check into Silvan Safari Lodge I can only rave about this new arrival located in the well known Sabi Sands Game Reserve! You arrive as a guest but depart as family! This beautiful lodge is like a little hidden gem, so much space but yet so intimate & personal.The friendliest staff and so unique in what it offers...We were welcomed by the warmest smiles and an ice cold drink, which was so needed in the heat!! The luxurious, spacious rooms with amazing decor and large swimming pool was such a treat! If it were not for the exceptional game viewing in the area I would have lazed in my room whole day!Even though this is a luxury 5 star lodge you feel right at home, it’s so chilled you may find yourself getting a drink by the bar in your robe & slippers!...Talking about the bar, the large public area offers an open, relaxed vibe while overlooking the bush with a lovely large lap pool, gorgeous bar and a huge fire pit to sit around and share stories at night while watching the shooting stars in the clearest night sky.Take a few hours to enjoy your room, or visit the beautiful spa for a massage that will melt all your stress away…However the staff are the heart & soul at Silvan, no request is too big, they love what they do & it shows!The game viewing far exceeded my expectations, we got to see so much in only a 2 night stay, large herds of elephants, buffalo, giraffe, a variety of buck, a large pride of lions with their cubs, rhino, hippos, leopard and so much more!I would highly recommend a visit to Silvan Safari Lodge…it’s a life changing experience for sure!!

The time I spent at Silvan was one of the most outstanding experiences I have ever had. The staff were some of the loveliest people I have ever met and would always go out of their way to make sure you were happy. Everyone always had a smile on their face and spread their positivity. The views from the hotel are breathtaking, with elephants drinking from the pool! You're never underfed and the food is always amazing! The staff are approachable and friendly. I highly recommend staying here, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The trackers and guides are well educated and make your Safari experience incredible!

We visited Silvan Safari with our two adult kids in April 2023. From the moment our guide - Marius - met us at the little landing strip, we were treated like royalty. Every detail was thought through - the food was incredible (and plentiful - you have coffee/tea/biscotti before your morning drive, as soon as you return, there is a pre-breakfast waiting for you, then breakfast, lunch, high tea - 2 appetizers,2 desserts + fruit, and dinner when you return from your evening drive) and the drinks were fantastic - especially if you love gin/tonic. The service was second to none. I have never been treated so well by so many kind, thoughtful, attentive people. Little things like making you a gin/tonic in a sippy cup" for the evening drive or having blankets on the seat of the safari vehicle made the trip so much better. Our accommodations were INCREDIBLE - the villa we stayed in must have been 1000 square feet! Another thing we loved so much about our trip was getting to know our driver/guide Marius and his wife/lodge manager Licia. Every evening after our game drive we would have a beer/drink by the fire and just visit. Besides the actual game drive

Silvan Safari Lodge is such an incredible space in a brilliant location. We have again seen so many lions and leopards and giraffes and rhinos and and and.... this location is full of animals. The staff is phenomenal and the food a dream. The rooms should not be called suites but rather villas. They are so big and the interior design is stunning. Every room does have an own private pool and the main area of the lodge a 25m lap pool.

Silvan Safari lodge is just pure luxury. From the moment we arrived, to the moment we left, we were treated like royalty. The Staff goes above and beyond to cater to your likes, stay away from your dislikes, they are entertaining, yet also give you personal space and time alone with your traveling companion.The rooms" are HUGE

I was absolutely blown away by Silvan Safari Lodge. The attention to detail in everything from the decor, art selection, craft gin list, to the wine cellar is impeccable. You won’t wish for anything while you are there. The large space and small number of guests makes you feel like you’re in your own private piece of bush. Come hungry as at each turn there is a delicious snack, a beautifully plated meal, or a decadent nibble waiting for you. I wouldn’t change a single thing about this magical place.

It’s hard to put into words how magnificent Silvan is. The suites are by far the best we have experienced. The sheer size of them, the luxurious details, furnishing and decor are all exquisite. The setting is simply breathtaking. The game drives are spectacular with big 5 sightings the norm and rare sightings like white-tailed mongoose, wild dog and rare birds the cherry on top. But none of this would mean much if it wasn’t for the staff. Silvan has gathered the best of the best and they make your stay an absolute dream. From lodge manager Stefan ensuring your every need is catered for, our butler Sam serving us meals with a smile and having cappuccinos ready-to-go after game drives (and serving us lunch on our private deck) and ranger Keenan and tracker Vic providing us with the most memorable drives, the staff is what makes Silvan the place it is. I have never stayed in a place where I felt that every little thing had been thought of before. And I’m not sure how anything can compare after this. Thank you Silvan for making this family trip so absolutely wonderful.

To say that our experience at Silvan safari was incredible would be an understatement. Every detail of our stay was well planned and executed. Our room was luxurious, had everything you could possibly need/want. Every person we met was so kind, and helpful. Nigel and James made our game drives so memorable and they were both very knowledgeable, answering all of our questions. Stephan, the lodge manager, organized everything from beginning to end and helped us with our missing luggage and did everything he could to ensure we had a stress-free stay. Sylvester was a fantastic butler, and kept us happy and fed the whole time. Thank you to the whole Silvan team for making this a magical experience!

After a long drive we were greeted by Geze at the entrance of the lodge. From the beginning she greeted us with such warmth and friendliness- it felt like meeting long lost relatives and family. We received some refreshing welcoming ice tea tea and shown to our unit called Tree Wisteria (unit nr 5). The unit was huge and the furniture were exceptional. As we still see awe struck Stephanie who was to be our own guide for the duration of our stay brought some of our luggage. A few minutes later Victor, our tracker and spotter brought the rest. Both Victor and Stephanie work as a team and what an amazing team they are. Each day we could only marvel at his amazing tracking skills and vast knowledge of the bush. At night and whilst driving at 40km/h he would spot a chameleon in a tree. Stephanie is an exceptional friendly and extremely knowledgeable field guide. From insects to birds, animals and trees - our time with her just seemed to fly past. Elly was our waiter and what an amazing helpful and friendly person. No request was too small. He literally went out of his way to assist us. If that was not enough we were simply stunned by the effort the entire team made to give us such a remarkable 31st wedding anniversary surprise. After returning from our afternoon safari drive we were escorted to our unit only to find the entire veranda lit up by candles and lanterns. The table was laid out,the even had run a welcoming candle lit bath for us. Elly,our waiter brought us our food and drinks for an unforgettable anniversary like we have never had before. Even Stefan the resort manager popped by to see if all was OK. All of the staff members, the chefs in the kitchen were exceptional. Bridgette, the pastry chef even baked us a lovely chocolate cake. Never have we experienced such an exceptional service from all staff members. I can not recommend Silvan Safari Lodge high enough.5 stars is not nearly enough for you. Thank you for making our stay so memorable.