Children are our future and they will one day be the custodians of our planet. How wonderful that at Sabi Sabi we have created a facility to entertain our young guests, while at the same time educating them about the relationship between people, nature and the world around us.

Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge’s now renowned children’s facility, the EleFun Centre, is a fun, play and environmental centre which is offered at no cost to children staying at Bush Lodge.   Children are welcomed by a team of trained and experienced staff, whose job it is to make sure that everyone has the most fun possible, play outdoors in a safe and secure environment and design activities that are age appropriate, while moulding the conservationists of the future. Learning to identify birds and animal species, even trying to pronounce the names in Shangaan (the local language spoken by our staff) are some of the activities that leave indelible memories. 

There are a host of exciting projects to tackle – from storytelling, games and crafts to doing what kids just love doing – running around expending all that energy.  All children receive their own Sabi Sabi mini drawstring bag (which they are encouraged to paint and personalise) with a Sabi Sabi water bottle, to keep our little guests hydrated.  There is even a unique Kiddies Activity Book, created exclusively for the EleFun Centre and which is filled with stories, puzzles and step-by-step toy making projects – all of which impart a message about their environment.  Designed to keep children of all ages engaged and happy, the book is filled with loads of bushveld information.  Our aim is to create the environmentalists of the future, and where possible discuss serious issues such as the necessity of saving water and electricity, the importance of reducing pollution, recycling and how to be responsible citizens of the natural world. 

The entire expanse of the EleFun Centre is safely enclosed. The “classroom” is a warm, lively place filled with artworks made by many of the children who have visited. There is a colourful wall covered with the multi-coloured and multi-cultured handprints of children from all over the world who have visited.  The outside play area consists of a large lawn area for ball games, a maze, bushveld climbing equipment and even a disused safari vehicle for the kids to clamber over.   

Finding a 5-star luxury destination that manages to make families feel at home without compromising on the highest quality experience isn’t easy. But that’s exactly what our renowned ‘home away from home’ Bush Lodge has perfected.  As well as offering child-friendly meals, we even offer a mini spa feature for our young guests who may feel left out of all the pampering that their parents are experiencing. The Amani Spa at Bush Lodge offers foot massages, as well as mini manicures and pedicures to revive tired little feet. All this attention takes place while allowing parents to have their own exciting safaris, relax, indulge in a spa treatment, bird watch, or to simply kick back and enjoy watching the goings on in the African bush.

Many pioneers of conservation discovered their deep love of nature at an early age. Potentially, this knowledge and respect for the environment was due to the influence of a parent, teacher or peer. Sabi Sabi’s commitment to conservation is a valuable lesson which we hope to pass on to our youth, to ensure that the next generation values nature, especially the Sabi Sabi sanctuary that we have worked so hard to preserve. Our focus is to make little ones fall in love with the bush from an early age and carry our message with them into the future.

Take a tour through this amazing haven for our young guests....and it may come as no surprise that we often find parents joining their children for a spot of “child-like” fun!

Meet Franscois Rosslee, Assistant Head Ranger at Sabi Sabi (or “Franna”, as he is fondly known to his colleagues).  Franna is one of the most accomplished and knowledgeable guides at Sabi Sabi with an innate ability to interpret the bush.  His love for the bushveld, and his skill, make him a favourite with all his guests – however, his colleagues are never at ease, as he regularly hides behind corners and scares unsuspecting staff members around Bush Lodge!