Branson Bundles Safari and Luxury in Africa

It's nearly summer in the Sabi Sands, one of South Africa's most successful game reserves near the border of Kruger National Park in the Mpumalanga Province.

Famous for its big five game viewing, Sabi Sands is equally known for its unparalleled luxury lodges that include Londolozi, Ulusaba and Singita. Located at the northwestern border of the park, Ulusaba Game Reserve is part of Virgin Limited Edition and its global resorts owned by Sir Richard Branson.

A safari trekker pauses at the main watering hole near Ulusaba.

Ulusaba is divided between two lodges. The Rock Lodge is the most iconic, perched atop one of the park's highest mountains with suspended chain bridges connecting a series of suites fresh off a recent renovation. The Safari Lodge offers a more traditional safari resort, with a series of native lodges and suites interconnected by suspended walkways along the Mabrak River.

Arrival to Ulusaba: Most people arrive to Ulusaba via Federal Air, a private air taxi connecting the lodges of Sabi Sand to Johannesburg International Airport via an hour-and-a-half flight. We arrive by private car from a neighboring lodge, which catches the reception off-guard as almost everyone arrives by plane. Visitors are greeted at the private airport lounge, which features a thatch-roof design, with a champagne reception. Our driver takes a back road, traverses a ditch and then drives up and across the runway to a tarmac ramp where three workers are meticulously shellacking a layer of gloss. An Indiana Jones-like guide named Duarte greets us, grabs my new Tumi luggage and rolls it across the wet ramp, as we tramp behind with sticky, wet feet into the arrivals area.

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