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Beneath my fingers, I could feel the female lion’s tracks imprinted in the soil of the South African bush. Louis, our tracker, led my hand to the dirt, carefully tracing my fingers over the paw pads that would eventually guide us towards the Sabie River at the southern boundary of the Sabi Sabi game reserve. My long white cane made tracks alongside the predator’s in the dry October earth. It hadn't rained for days.
We were on our first drive on day one at Sabi Sabi, a private game reserve set in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, on a safari that caters to “all the senses." It offers adaptive experiences for Disabled guests, dedicated to making sure all guests’ individual needs are met—a premise that is, unfortunately, rarer than it ought to be. But, before I had time to be apprehensive about how accessible the safari was actually going to be, I had traveled 6,000 miles from London to Johannesburg, where I would be spending the next three nights.
Jamiel, our ranger, guided me back to the ladder of the open-topped Toyota Land Cruiser. I could hear the water rapids gushing in the distance—a soothing backdrop to Jamiel’s audio description of the landscape. In front of us, he described a vast, rugged terrain, peppered with dried grasses. There were upside-down trees torn up by hungry elephants searching for nutritious roots. He told me about the huge boulders. Notably, giant, pockmarked dirt termite mounds, some reaching ten feet high, poking out of the dried grass of the hilly landscape.
The 30,000 acres of the Sabi Game Reserve swallows any explorer who enters—I was, at once, fully immersed in the sprawling landscape, open to the elements and hearing nothing but the nature surrounding us. I was so amazed to hear plants and animals rustle as the sounds bounced off the uneven ground.
We drove back to the lodge through the dry Msuthlu River, where the animals congregate to cool down and drink water. Louis spotted three lion cubs, only 18 months old, feasting on a Bushbuck. The rotten scent of death crawled up my nose. I could hear the sound of bones breaking, a desperate cry for help and a deep, guttural roar. While I was listening, Jamiel passed me tactile aids: animal sculptures, soft fur that he had collected from around the reserve, brittle snakeskin, and much more from what he called his “bag of tricks”.
After the game drive, we returned to Earth Lodge, one of 13 guest suites at Sabi Sabi and our home for the next few days. Our room was hidden under the earth, where elephants roam above and a breeze floats in from the vast expanses beyond. The lodge is built into the terrain and made using local materials. Inside the main reception, the sound of the water fountains from the indoor pool bounces off the walls.
When we first arrived, I was given a guided tour of the space before being shown around my suite. I noticed how the room was filled with sensorial amenities, from the scent of fresh flowers to the feel of textured walls. I took my socks off—the floor felt smooth, but rough—almost like we were still outside. Alta, the lodge manager, made sure I could work the shower, and helped me access the phone so I could call reception if needed (there was a raised dot on the corresponding button). Opening the lodge patio door, we were hit with the sounds of the bush. I could hear a warthog snuffling around nearby the swimming pool. Hippos were grunting happily as they bathed in the watering hole a little further away.
What really moved me though was the attention to detail at Sabi Sabi. Every single member of staff remembered my name. As soon as I finished a drink, a new one was poured by our lovely server (and now friend), Helen. Each night, as guests sat down to dinner, a waiter would read the menu aloud. This felt so special—I’m so used to being handed a menu without thought, or having it read solely to me while my fellow diners read ahead. The joy of having the same experience as all the other guests was a masterclass in inclusive hospitality. Mercy, the head chef, prepared five-course feasts every evening—my favorite dish was a vegetarian Bobotie, a traditional South African casserole. The waiter would explain each element of the dish to me as it was served, even guiding my hand to touch different components as they were described.
On our last morning, we were back in the Land Cruiser after a 5.30 a.m. wake-up call. We stopped for morning tea and homemade rusks (a South African biscuit), and Jamiel picked some wild cotton so I could feel it. I tasted some green leaves from the Red Spike Thorn tree. We pulled up alongside the remnants of an elephant skull, scattered across the land by Hyenas. The weight of its jaw was astonishing. I felt the diamondesque ridges found on the molars of African Elephants. The Red Billed Ox Pecker was chirping nearby, eating ticks off a White Rhino and letting those nearby know there was danger approaching.
After our last drive of the trip, we said goodbye to the team, and tears trickled down my cheeks. I realized why: when greeting us only four days earlier, they had said, “Welcome home”, even though we had never set foot in these lands before this. Here, I felt free, much like the animals surrounding us—Disabled or not, you don't have to explain yourself in the bush. You are accepted by the team, as part of the pack. Elephants, wildebeests, and lions didn't care if I could see them or not. There was a beauty of just existing next to these majestic creatures on Safari. I left a piece of my heart at Earth Lodge—a place where I feel truly, unequivocally accepted.
A seven-night stay in South Africa with Audley Travel costs from £15,000 per person (based on two traveling). The itinerary includes three nights in a suite at Sabi Earth Lodge (fully inclusive), three nights at Grootbos (full board), and one night in Cape Town (B&B). The price includes international flights from London to Johannesburg in Premium Economy and domestic flights in economy, with special assistance at Heathrow and meet and greets on flights arriving in to and flying out of Johannesburg. Private transfers, park fees and activities at Grootbos and safari activities at Sabi Earth are also included. A version of this story originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller UK.
