Arathusa Safari Lodge
Air-conditioned suites, full-service safari lodge · Northern sector, served by Gowrie Gate. Independently owned, not part of any group. · Arathusa Safari Lodge
Mid-range
Inside the park
Owner-run
Arathusa sits in the reserve's northern sector, through Gowrie Gate, and unlike most of its neighbours it prices on one flat rate rather than seasonal bands: R11,500 per person sharing in 2026, R12,950 in 2027, VAT included. That covers two daily game drives, guided walks and a house drinks selection. It does not cover Sabi Sand's gate fees or Arathusa's own conservation levy, which runs R310 per person per night in 2026 and R328.80 in 2027. The lodge does not publish its own traversing figure, only that its land borders Kruger through the open boundary.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Private plunge pool in every bush-facing suite
- One flat rate all year, no seasonal bands
- Six-hour road transfer makes self-drive arrival possible
- Infinity pool and a Safari Spa for couples
- Two daily game drives plus guided walks included
Cons
- No wifi in suites, only in shared areas
- Children under 12 only on exclusive-use bookings
- Conservation levy and gate fees billed separately
- Not wheelchair accessible; bush suites cross uneven ground
Rates at Arathusa Safari Lodge
From R11,500 pppn (2026). R11,500 per person sharing in 2026 (one flat rate, no seasonal bands), rising to R12,950 in 2027; VAT included. Converted at 1 USD = 16.35 ZAR on 23 September 2026: about $703 (2026) and $792 (2027). On top of that, Arathusa charges its own conservation levy of R310 per person per night in 2026, R328.80 in 2027, plus Sabi Sand gate fees at Gowrie Gate.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Rates and fees come from each lodge's own website, read 16 September 2026, cross-checked against the Sabi Sand Wildtuin's own published Guest Conservation Contribution and access fees at sabisand.co.za (the landowners' association, spelled without an 's') and against a reserve overview compiled the same day. Two booking-agent microsites, sabisands.com and sabisands.co.za (both spelled with an 's', unrelated to the association), were checked for cross-reference only and are not used as a source for any rate or levy figure. Ulusaba's own site quotes no nightly rate for its three lodges, so those are recorded as rates on request. Sabi Sabi and MalaMala are not on the Sabi Sand Wildtuin's own lodge list, and neither states whether the reserve's own conservation contribution applies to a stay there; both maintain their own separate levy or none at all, as noted lodge by lodge.
Questions about Arathusa Safari Lodge
Is Arathusa good for families?
Arathusa welcomes children aged 12 and over at full adult rates. Younger children are only accommodated when the lodge is booked on an exclusive-use basis, because it is unfenced in a Big Five reserve. There are no dedicated family suites; families typically book adjoining rooms.
Can you self-drive to Arathusa?
Yes, in one sense: Arathusa quotes a six-hour road transfer from Johannesburg, so it is reachable by car rather than only by charter flight. Most guests still fly in, about an hour from Johannesburg to the shared Arathusa Airstrip with Federal Air. Once inside the reserve, all game drives run through the lodge's own guides and vehicles.
What does the rate at Arathusa include?
The 2026 rate of R11,500 per person sharing is a single flat price with no seasonal bands, covering two daily game drives and guided bush walks plus a house selection of wine, beer and spirits. It does not include Arathusa's own conservation levy, R310 per person per night in 2026, or Sabi Sand's gate fees, both billed on top.
Is Arathusa good for a honeymoon?
Arathusa does not name a dedicated honeymoon suite, but bush-facing suites have a private plunge pool and both suite types open onto a private veranda. Its spa builds a Couples' Dinner Escape of a hydrotherapy bath, massage, sparkling wine and a private dinner under the stars, which the lodge markets directly for anniversaries and honeymoons.
When is Arathusa open?
Arathusa runs on one rate year-round rather than a seasonal calendar, and its own site names no closed season. A minimum stay of three nights is recommended rather than required. Confirm exact dates directly with the lodge, since its site gives no fixed opening or closing dates.