A Safari in the Sabi Sands
The Sabie Sands Private Game Reserve is located in the northeast part of South Africa along the unfenced western boundary of the world-renowned Kruger National Park. Colloquially referred to as ‘the Sabi Sands’ or just ‘the Sands’, its fenceless boundary with the Kruger National Park gives it the status of being part of the ‘Greater Kruger Park’ ecosystem. The Greater Kruger Park is the total area encompassing the Kruger National Park and adjacent private game reserves (including the Sabi Sands), where the fences that used to separate them have been removed, allowing free movement of wildlife between all reserves.
How big is it?
Covering about 65,000 hectares (roughly 160,000 acres), it is made up of an association of privately owned properties, each with its own safari camp/s, each with negotiated traversing rights between the properties. Traversing rights determine where your guides can / cannot operate their game drives. This is an important factor because there is a direct relation between the size of the traverse and the habitat diversity and game viewing. See our Dynamic Map of Sabi Sands giving a clear picture of the properties & their traverse information. There are approximately 30+ commercial lodges and camps ranging from intimate, owner-run private getaways to ultra-luxury commercial safari camps. Some of the big names include Londolozi, Singita, Sabi Sabi, and Lion Sands, to name a few. Mala Mala is another prominent name that was once part of the association but now operates independently, although it remains part of the vast area where all wildlife roams freely. All properties manage their own style, price point, and guest experience, but they all operate under the reserve’s shared conservation ethos.
