Savanna Lodge Airport Transfer
Savanna doesn't include the airport transfer in your rate — most guests arrange it separately, whether flying into Skukuza or KMIA. Send us your lodge and flight and we'll confirm the right route and vehicle, at the same rates as booking direct.
Already booked Savanna? This takes under a minute — no obligation to book the transfer with us.
Booked Savanna? Let's Get You a Driver.
To get a quote, send:
- Lodge name (Savanna)
- Arrival airport
- Flight number
- Number of guests
- Trip dates
Most enquiries take less than 2 minutes.
Even at Savanna, the transfer isn't included
Savanna is an independently run lodge in Sabi Sand's southern sector, right near the Newington Gate entrance — and like most Sabi Sand lodges, the road transfer from the airport to the lodge is arranged and paid for separately from your room rate.
Not sure which airport makes sense for your flights? That's exactly what we sort out for you — tell us your dates and we'll confirm the most sensible route.
Arranging Your Transfer
Send your flight details
Arrival airport, flight number, group size and luggage. Two minutes via the enquiry form or WhatsApp.
We confirm the route and driver
Checked against Savanna's traversing area, with a local operator experienced on this exact route.
You confirm the booking
Nothing is booked until you say so. Once confirmed, driver details and pickup instructions come straight to you.
Your driver meets you
At arrivals, monitoring your flight — and we arrange the return leg too, so one enquiry covers your whole trip.
That's really all there is to it. Know your flight already?
Start an EnquiryOn Safari Africa handles the driving
We arrange Savanna transfers through On Safari Africa, an operator that specialises specifically in transfers into Sabi Sand. They run premium vehicles and have many years' experience on these exact roads and gates.
Private SUVs for smaller groups and lodge-to-lodge transfers.
Toyota Fortuners — comfortable, reliable, built for Lowveld roads.
The final stretch in — open Lowveld roads, timed around your flight.
Every vehicle is briefed on your flight and destination before you land.
Planning the Route
For guests who want the detail before they book — airport options and honest cost context.
A short private transfer via Shaws or Newington Gate — Savanna sits right near the Newington Gate entrance, so it's one of the quicker Sabi Sand transfers either way.
Around 1 hour 50 minutes by road. We arrange roughly as many Savanna transfers from KMIA as from Skukuza — it usually comes down to your flight schedule rather than the airport itself.
Savanna is also reachable by scheduled Federal Air charter flights from OR Tambo direct to the private Sabi Sand airstrip serving the "Ulusaba group" of lodges (which includes Savanna, Leopard Hills and Dulini), with a short vehicle transfer from there to the lodge — worth asking us about if you'd rather skip a long road transfer entirely. Worth knowing: charter flights typically limit you to a single 20kg checked bag per person. A private road transfer doesn't have that restriction, and it's usually the cheaper option too.
Skukuza to Savanna, by Road
The short version: land at Skukuza, clear the gate, and you're at the lodge — Savanna sits right near the Newington Gate entrance, so this is one of the fastest transfers in Sabi Sand.
Typically 50–60 minutes, including the gate stopOn timing: an entrance fee is payable per vehicle and per person at the gate, in cash — confirm the current amount with your operator rather than assuming it's bundled into your lodge rate.
Fly to Skukuza, or Road Transfer From KMIA?
Both are genuinely well-used routes into Savanna — we arrange transfers from KMIA about as often as from Skukuza. Which one suits you comes down to your actual flights, not one airport being the "right" choice.
Fly to Skukuza
- Shortest possible transfer — 50–60 minutes door to door
- Straightforward if your routing already goes via Johannesburg
- Real guest reports suggest this can still be one of the pricier short transfers in Sabi Sand if arranged independently — we'll always quote current rates upfront
Road Transfer From KMIA
- Often the cheaper, easier-to-book flight in, with more airlines and frequencies
- A well-travelled route for us — we arrange roughly as many Savanna transfers from here as from Skukuza
- Around 1 hour 50 minutes of driving — only a little more than Skukuza, since Savanna is so close to Newington Gate
Not sure which fits your actual flights? Send us both options and we'll tell you honestly which is faster and cheaper for your dates.
Ask UsSelf-Drive to Savanna
Technically, yes — with a confirmed booking you can self-drive in through Shaws or Newington Gate and pay the entrance fee on arrival. In practice, Sabi Sand's traversing roads aren't signposted like Kruger's public roads, and finding Savanna's own access track after a long flight isn't where you want to be. It's why most guests who look into it end up asking us to arrange it instead.
A Private Transfer, Matched to Savanna
A private vehicle sized to your group and luggage, a driver who knows Savanna's exact traversing area, and a departure time built around your actual flight rather than a fixed shuttle schedule.
Savanna Transfer — FAQ
No. Like most Sabi Sand lodges, Savanna treats the airport transfer as a separate, bookable add-on rather than something included in the nightly rate.
Typically 50–60 minutes, including the stop at Shaws or Newington Gate — one of the shortest transfers in Sabi Sand, since Savanna sits right near the Newington Gate entrance.
Yes — around 1 hour 50 minutes by road, and we arrange just as many Savanna transfers from KMIA as from Skukuza. Savanna's proximity to Newington Gate keeps the difference between the two routes small, so it usually comes down to your flight schedule rather than one airport being better.
Yes, with a confirmed booking, through Shaws or Newington Gate. Traversing roads inside the reserve aren't signposted, which is why most first-time guests still choose an arranged transfer.
Yes, payable per vehicle and per person at the gate, in cash. Confirm the current amount with your operator before travelling.
Still got a question we haven't covered? Skip the research — just ask us directly.
WhatsApp UsWhat Happens After You Send an Enquiry
- We confirm the fastest, most sensible route in based on your actual flights.
- You hear back from us directly — a real answer about Savanna specifically.
- We arrange both directions, arrival and departure, so one enquiry covers the whole trip.
- If it works for you, we lock in the driver. If not, no hard feelings.
Not staying at Savanna? See our Sabi Sand transfer hub for every gate and airport option across the reserve, or our Sabi Sabi transfer guide if you're comparing lodges. For timing, our guide to the best time to visit Kruger applies here too.
Booked Savanna?
Send your arrival flight and group size. We'll confirm the right route and a private driver, same rates as booking direct. No obligation to book.