What makes Sabi Sands Safaris special (and affordable)?
When people think about an African safari, one of the first places they think of is the Kruger National Park in South Africa. This is no wonder, with its varying habitats, huge number of mammal, reptile, creepy-crawly and bird species and beautiful bush, beside the ever-sought-after Big 5!
It can get confusing though, trying to work out the difference between the Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) and the Kruger National Park (KNP) – they’re joined and unfenced – and then choosing where in this vast, 20 000 000 hectare, area you should go.
We’ve gone into the details of the GKNP and the KNP in our blog, Breaking Down the Greater Kruger National Park and in this blog we’re going to go into more detail on one of our favourite parts of the GKNP, Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
Where is Sabi Sands?
Elephant herd
Situated in the south-west of Kruger, Sabi Sand Reserve covers an area of 65 000 hectares and shares a 50 km, unfenced border with Kruger. On its southern boundary the Sand River, and through the middle, the Sabie River flow, thus the name: Sabi Sand. Below is a Sabi Sands map that shows its position within the Greater Kruger Park, Sabi Sand within South Africa and Sabi Sand within Afrrica.
Map of Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Greater Kruger
It forms part of the Greater Kruger, which means that the animals roam freely across the whole area. Sabi Sands is known for its incredible game sightings, including the predators and especially leopard. The Big 5 thrive here.
Look at me!
How to Get to Sabi Sands
Getting to Sabi Sand is easy. Numerous operators offer a shuttle service from Johannesburg to Sabi and with most safaris, this transfer is included.
If you’re not keen to spend time on the roads, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump by air to one of the three airports - Skukuza Airport, Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport or Hoedspruit Airport. Depending on where you land, the transfer by road to your camp may be through the park, so it’s a mini, welcoming, game drive. There are also a number of small airstrips within Sabi Sands, for those wishing to arrive by charter flight.
By road:
From Johannesburg: 450 km, 6 hours
From Cape Town: 1 855 km, 21 hours
By air (to Skukuza Airport):
From Johannesburg: 50 minutes (two flights daily)
From Cape Town: 2-and-a-half hours (one direct flight daily)
What makes Sabi Sands special?
One of the ‘secrets’ of Sabi Sands’ amazing game viewing is the fact that in the ‘olden days’, before it was declared a reserve, the area was populated with cattle farms. The farmers all dug boreholes and made dams to keep their cattle watered, and these remain. There is water all year, which attracts huge numbers of animals into the area, including big herds which, in turn, attract the predators.
Rhino pair
Because the area is part of a ‘private’ reserve, with limited camps and therefore less people, you get a real bush experience, without the crowds. There are also strict rules that include only two vehicles allowed at a sighting at a time. Basically, the experience is more ‘exclusive’.
Experienced rangers can get off the beaten track and are in constant contact with each other, ensuring that your game sightings are out of this world.
Sabi Sands game drive
Time and again people comment on their incredible game experiences within Sabi Sands, mostly commenting about how close they could come to the animals without them being disturbed, due to them being habituated to the game vehicles.
Predators of Sabi Sands
Sabi Sands is known especially for its predator sightings, with regular reports of leopard casually walking alongside safari vehicles. Lions, too, love the Sabi Sands and have even become movie stars! The Mapogo Brothers became known as the most savage lions in the park.
Trigger Warning: there is plenty of ‘lions hunting animals’ footage in this video
As always happens in nature, new gangs have slowly drawn new territorial lines, so the Mapogo gang has been disbanded. Certainly they and their ancestors still amble through the park, adding to the brilliant game sightings at Sabi Sands.
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Lion cubs cuddling
Accommodation at Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Often people think that Sabi Sand only offers luxurious, high end (and very expensive) accommodation. Not true. There are a number of camps and lodges within Sabi Sands that offer accommodation at more affordable prices.
Camouflaged accommodation
African Budget Safaris offers numerous safaris into Sabi Sands, such as our 3 Day Sabi Sands Lodge Safari and 4 Day Sabi Sands Exclusive Tented Camp Safari - 4 Day.
Think exclusive, but affordable.
Weather & Seasons
Basically, the weather here is always good. Do remember, though, that the rainy season is summer – October to March – which means that the bush is lush and green, making game viewing a little more challenging. The ‘rainy’ season usually consists of beautiful, hot mornings with wild and short thunderstorms in the afternoons, followed by more sunshine.
Average temperatures and rainfall:
Kruger Park Weather by Meteoblue
Photographic safaris
If you’re a keen photographer and are wanting to catch the Big Five on film, Sabi Sand is a photographer’s paradise. As mentioned above, the rangers in Sabi Sand know where to go and sightings are reported via radio.
Giraffes posing
The animals in the area are habituated to safari vehicles, so carry on with their daily carryings-on, meaning you can get that perfect shot of a lion lolling under a tree, his belly full, or a baby elephant skipping along behind its mother. Also, due to the limited numbers of people in the park, you can get the shot without six other game vehicles in the background!
Kruger vs Greater Kruger
Many people want to experience both parts of the park. At ABS, we get this, so many of our trips include stys in both the Kruger Park and Sabi Sands. It’s a win-win situation. Here are just three of them:
- Kruger & Sabi Sands Tented Camp Package - 4 Day
- 5 Day Kruger & Sabi Sands Lodge Safari
- 5 Day Kruger Park Bungalow and Sabi Sand Lodge Safari
Sundowners at Sabi Sands
Now you know why Sabi Sands is special exclusive but still affordable. Contact one of our knowledgeable ABS consultants now to book your dream safari.
Briony is a qualified pharmacist, published author and travel blogger living in Cape Town. She writes her own blog about travel, the arts, music and the good things in life, with a focus on accessibility. She likes watching the world go by, and sometimes it makes her nose twitchy, but mostly it provides golden nuggets with which to light up the page.
