Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve
Game ReserveFeatured DestinationBig Five

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

South Africa 65 km² (25 mi²) Est. 1979

About Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve is one of the original luxury safari lodges in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin, offering Big Five game viewing since 1979. Spanning 6,500 hectares of prime bushveld with unfenced access to both the greater Sabi Sand reserve and Kruger National Park, Sabi Sabi is celebrated for its four distinct lodges — Earth Lodge (a Leading Hotel of the World built into the hillside), Bush Lodge (classic safari), Little Bush Camp (intimate), and Selati Camp (railway heritage). The reserve's traversing rights across 30,000 hectares of the Sabi Sand provide exceptional leopard and lion encounters, with expert trackers and rangers who are among the most experienced in the industry. Sabi Sabi has pioneered sustainable luxury safari tourism for over four decades.

0

Safari Tours

4.0

Avg Rating

5/5

Big Five

47

Years Protected

Highlights

  • Four iconic lodges including Earth Lodge — a Leading Hotel of the World
  • Over 40 years of luxury safari experience and expertise
  • Exceptional leopard and lion viewing in the Sabi Sand
  • Expert trackers among the best in the industry
  • Unfenced with Kruger — full Big Five movement

Considerations

  • Very expensive across all four lodge options
  • Popular and well-known — can feel less exclusive
  • Malaria area requiring prophylaxis
  • No self-drive or budget options

Wildlife

Big Five Status

🦁

Lion

common

🐆

Leopard

common

🐘

Elephant

common

🦬

Buffalo

common

🦏

Rhino

common

Notable Species

Lion

Common

Leopard

Common

Elephant

Common

Cape Buffalo

Common

White Rhino

Common

Cheetah

Occasional

Giraffe

Common

Impala

Common

Hyena

Common

Common Occasional Rare

Best Time to Visit

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Peak Season Good Time Less Ideal

Climate Overview

Getting There

Sabi Sabi is accessed via Skukuza Airport or KMIA (Hoedspruit) with road transfers. Federal Air and Airlink operate scheduled flights from Johannesburg. By road approximately 500 km (5.5 hours) from Johannesburg via the N4 and Hazyview.

Nearest Airport

Skukuza Airport

Nearest City

Hazyview

Drive Time

5.5 hours