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Nature Walks
Being within nature landscapes slows down one's pace. Smell the flowers and plants along the way and take in the breathtaking scenery around you.
Enjoy guided walks through one of the private wilderness areas in the Klein Karoo and enjoy the beauty of the Renosterveld.
Birding
The Reserve is home to more than 200 species of birds.
Fish Eagle, pair of Black Eagle or a regular sighing of a Black Harrier are only some of the raptors, which can be seen at Sanbona.
Interesting birds on the Reserve are the
Cinnmonbrested warbler, which is endemic for the South African region and is inhabitant of arid, rocky hill slopes.
Booted eagle that migrates during the European winter to sub Saharan Africa.
The Southern grey tit that is endemic to fynbos and Karoo regions and typically seen in pairs or small flocks roaming over rocky and arid areas.
The Namaqua Sand grouse can be found all over the western half of southern Africa and particularly in arid areas with short grass.
Botanical
The Sanbona Wildlife Reserve has about 600 species of plants. Various floral kingdoms make up the Reserve. These include the Acacia, Karoo, Renosterveld, Succulent Karoo and the Mountain Fynbos.
The succulent Karoo with its winter rainfalls is known for its hundreds of kinds of succulent plants. It has a variety of small shrubs, as well as winter-growing grasses, which disappear during the drought and re-appear after the rain.
Wildlife
Animals, which used to roam freely in former times, are being reintroduced to Sanbona. The Big Five - Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant, Rhinoceros as well as other species such as Gemsbok, Springbok, Hartebeest, Eland, Kudu, Wildebeest, Zebra and Giraffe. The natural small game such as Jackal, Caracal, Aardwolf, Ant bear, brown Hyena, Grey Reedbuck, Steenbok, Klipspringer, Grysbok, Duiker can also be observed.
A variety of these species ha adopted to the diversity of habitat types found in the Karoo. Eland, Hartebeest, Springbok, Duiker, Steenbok are Karoo generalists. Other species prefer more specific habitat conditions. The Cape Mountain Zebra, Mountain reedbuck, grey rheebok and Klipspringer occur in mountainous and broken habitats. The specialists of the grassy plains are the Black wildebeest, Gemsbok. The network of wooded kloofs, valleys and river channels that dissects much of the Karoo provides habitat for specialist woodland browsers such as Black rhinoceros and Kudu. Permanent water and rivers support the Hippopotamus, Elephant and Buffalo.
The White Lion project at Sanbona returned an integrated lion pride including two adult males and two juvenile female white lions back to the wild. This makes Sanbona home to the only free roaming White Lions in the world.
The Riverine rabbit, which can be seen on night drives is endemic to parts of the Klein Karoo and is one of the most endangered terrestrial mammals in South Africa. With an estimation of a few hundred animals being left in the wild, today the species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction.
The Karoo
The Karoo is a spectacularly wild and open landscape of rugged mountains, stony plains, saltpans and sand dunes. Rain may fall in winter. In summer without warning or not at all. The indigenous plants and animals of the Karoo have been selected over hundreds of thousands of years to escape or endure heat, droughts and floods. The unpredictability of the weather, together with the unusual vegetation of the region, makes it a very special place.
Rock Art
The San People of Africa lived in this area for thousands of years until 100 years ago. The ixam tribe, the nomadic hunter-gatherers living in harmony with nature, realized then that man and nature together are sustainable. There are 7 sites throughout the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, rock art sites dating back more than 3500 years depicting the spiritual beliefs and lives of these fascinating people.
Stargazing
With the absence of artificial light stargazing in the Karoo and Sanbona is amongst the best.
Few things in life are as pleasant as sitting around a campfire on a warm summer night and gazing skyward at the tapestry of stars overhead. The cares of the day-to-day world can seem as distant as those flickering points of light.
Our ancient ancestors came together around campfires at night after long, hard days of hunting, fishing, and farming. After the evening meal, the elders would weave incredible tales and stories that told of fantastic creatures, evil villains, and damsels in distress. They would often use patterns among the stars to illustrate these myths. Over the years, these stories were passed on from generation to generation, with many remaining popular even to this day.
We can still look upon their star pictures, or constellations as they are now called, and recall some of their fantastic tales.
Incentive
White Lion Lodge caters for small, exclusive group incentives.
Activities on the Reserve and in the vicinity are numerous and tailored specifically to each group's requirement.
Weddings
A wedding at the White Lion Lodge, on the Sanbona Reserve offers romance, magic, charm and adventure.
At the White Lion Lodge you can enjoy an intimate wedding up to 8 guests with an incredible hospitality.
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