Leopard Lodge information

Leopard Lodge welcomes you!

On behalf of all of the staff at Leopard Lodge we look forward to hosting your stay in South Africa.

During your stay at with us, you will get a lot of impressions and experiences that will last long after you have returned from South Africa, and we are sure that the impressions and experiences you will have during your visit with us will stay with you for many years ahead.

The Sebatana Reserve is much more than just a place to live while experiencing "God's own rain forest" from your very own point of view. So, from our side, we hope you use the information in this folder as it was designed to give you the best possible start of your stay in this country of contrasts.

With these words we wish you a pleasant stay and will end by saying

"Karibu" - come inside my home, you are welcome!

 

Vaccinations

Please consult your own doctor for specific needs and updated information.

We are in a low-risk malaria area which means malaria tablets are not necessary.

 

Covid19

Our guests’ comfort and safety are always our main concern. All lodges are now fully certified with the new Covid safety protocols as recommended by the world tourist council and the South African government.

Travelers departing South Africa from Johannesburg airport can get Covid- 19 PCR-tested at our lodge or at the airport prior to departure.

 

Arrival/Departure

Transfers on arrival are on shared basis late morning on arrival day from Or Tambo Johannesburg airport. We therefore recommend flights arriving before 11 am or the night before with an overnight stay at one of the airport hotels.

On departure day we drive from the lodge after breakfast towards Johannesburg and do a city tour with various points of interest. Arrival at the airport will be between 4 and 6 pm and we therefore recommend a flight after this. If your flight is earlier our guides can help with a taxi from one of the first Johannesburg stops but, in any case, your flight should not be before 4pm. Please also take possible covid testing into account should this still be necessary at the time of travel.

 

Weather

Sebatana is an all-year destination. Seasons in South Africa is opposite to ours in the northern hemisphere. Temperatures range from 30-35 degrees during the hottest months of December/January down to 20-25 degrees in the months of June/July.

If you are visiting from May to August, please make sure to bring warm clothing for morning and evening activities are night temperatures can be as low as 5-10 degrees and we are driving around in open safari vehicles when on tours.

To look at updated weather forecasts – look for the town Vaalwater which is the nearest town to the reserve. https://www.accuweather.com/en/za/vaalwater/299075/weather-forecast/299075

 

Food

Breakfast and lunch are typically buffet style with plenty of options for everybody and at dinner our dedicated chefs serve a 2 or 3 course set menu. Child meals are available upon request and if you have any dietary needs please let us know before arrival so they can prepare for it at the lodge and upon arrival introduce yourself to the chef so that he knows who you are and can discuss any further needs are met.

 

Bar prices/Drinks packages

Coffee and tea all day station and a selection of juices are served for breakfast is free of charge. Our tap water is tested daily and of highest quality. Unless otherwise advised you can easily drink this. Several of both the included and optional tours have drinks included. Any further purchases from the bar and winelist will be charged to the room. Drinks packages are available and can be ordered onsite for 195 euro + 15 percent vat and includes, bottled water, sodas, beer, drinks, wine etc.

 

Gratuity

Our staff has implemented a shared gratuity program so that you do not need to tip on and ongoing or personal basis. If you wish to leave a tip for the staff it can be done when settling your final bill at the end of the stay where you can ask it to be added and it will then be distributed directly to the staff. As a guideline 40 euro per guest for the entire 7-night stay is considered generous.

 

Payment

When you sign up for Optional Tours, shop in the curio shop, order a drink at the bar or make an external call you don’t pay in cash. The sum will be transferred to a private account while you are staying at the Lodge and settled on the day of departure.

You are always more than welcome to get a printout of your invoice at the office at any time during your stay. Additionally, you may ask at the bar what has been added to your account during the day.

Your Final Settlement is in Euro

You can settle your account free of any fees with the following cards: VISA, MasterCard & Diners Club. American Express Card is debited 3,75 % in fees.

IMPORTANT: Your final settlement for purchases in the bar or curio shop cannot be settled in cash.

At Sebatana we do not accept any cash payments. This is due to the large distances to banks and difficulties in exchanging foreign currencies without significant exchange losses.

Therefore, all settlements must be done with credit card.

Note: If you wish to use American Express your final settlement will exceptionally be converted into a different currency. This is due the extremely high fees we experience when payment is done in Euros.

 

Room amneties

Our luxurious rooms has all the amenities expected at a luxury safari lodge and includes the following:

Twin beds
Table and chairs
Bathtub and showe
Aircondition
Safety box
Hairdryer
Private terrace and or Balcony

Towels are provided free of charge both in rooms and by the pool.

Plug Types

 plugs available at the lodge are C and M - see more information here https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/

Wifi/Internet

Wifi is available free of charge. It is however a satellite connection and there only works in common areas and can be very slow compared to what most guests are used to.

 

Clothing/packing list

There is no dress code at Sebatana so please just pack comfortably. Neutral colors are best on safaris and comfortable shoewear – your favourite sneakers and generally clothing as per season.

We currently do not have any laundry service so please pack for your entire stay.

 

Optional tours

Our standard program has a lot of different tours included but may vary from country to country. During your stay you will be able to book and participate in a variety of optional tours and experiences. Optional tours and pricing are subject to change but your travel agent has the current information. With the current program at Leopard Lodge you will have the opportunity to book a total of 5 optional tours during your stay (see our 7 night program for a detailed description of the tours):

Pilanesberg (Big5) – 145 euro
Night Safari – 75 euro
Tribal Evening – 59 euro
2 x Welgevonden (Big5) – 135 euro per tour
Package pricing with all 5 optional tours (Pilanesberg, Night Safari, Tribal Evening and Welgevonden x2) at 399 euro and 4 optional tours (Pilanesberg, Night Safari, Tribal Evening and Welgevonden) at 349 euro.