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SABI SAND GAME RESERVE
History of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Situated in Mpumalanga, South Africa, the Sabi Sand game reserve is a 65 000 hectare / 135 000 acre wildlife sanctuary which forms part of the great 2,3 million hectare Kruger National Park game reservation area. The Sabi Sand shares a common 50 km unfenced eastern boundary with the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa. No fences exist within this area and animals are free to roam unhindered through the enormous conservancy with habitat types ranging from riverine thicket to open savannah.
The Sabi Sand game reserve, Kruger National Park South Africa, is an association of freehold landowners many of whom manage commercially active photographic safari operations. Sharing a common environmental management program, this association is administered by a warden reporting to an elected executive committee.
Two perennial rivers supply the Sabi Sand game reserve with a valuable water source. The Sand rover flows through the reserve for 50 km from northwest to south east whilst the Sabi River flows on the southern boundary. The sustenance of these rivers ensures that this area enjoys one of the highest and most bio diverse wildlife populations of any area in Africa. Over two hundred different species occur in abundance whilst the ever-changing bird life provides even the most experienced ornithologist with rare finds.
The history of today’s Sabi Sand as a formal association dates back to 1948 when the landowners formed this private nature reserve. Credit for the association however, should go back to the original pioneers of this private game reserve in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Of these pioneers, no less than six of their families are now third and fourth generation owners of the land – a credit to the foresight of their forefathers who loved and respected Africa’s flora and fauna. As now, fences were unheard of with only claims of stones marking the corner beacons of individual properties within the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
The savannah country of the lowveld has a diverse human history. Evidence exists of Stne Age Man, Bushman, Arab and Portuguese traders and more recently the Dutch settlers or Vortrekkers who colonized the area. The Shangaan tribe developed as a result of the Mfecane during which era Shaka became the King of the Zulu’s ( 1817) and attempted to subjugate all the regional tribes.
The Sabi Sand game reserve was proclaimed in 1898 and incorporated what is today both the Sabi Sand and the Kruger National Park. However, in 1926 the National Parks Act of South Africa was passed and many private landowners were excised from the Sabie reserve. They in turn formed the Sabi Private Game Reserve in 1934 , a forerunner to the Sabi Sand. It was in 1926 that the first tourists were allowed into the Kruger National Park – the birth of sustainable wildlife tourism that is the recipe for conservation in Africa today. The Sabi Sand now forms part of the greater Kruger National Park wildlife enclave and its immense wildlife gene pool.
Climate at the Sabi Sand Game Reserve
In South Africa the average number of sunshine hours is amongst the highest in the world. In the Sabi Sand, spring and summer are rainy seasons, which in turn makes the bush green, lush and thick. It is also the time of the year where there are many newborn animals. Autumn and winter are dry, the bush is less dense and with a lack of water, animals frequent waterholes and river more often.
What items to take when visiting the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
The following items are very useful to have when staying in the Sabi Sand Kruger National Park in South Africa: sun hats, sun glasses, cameras, video cameras and spare batteries, binoculars, comfortable walking shoes for the game drives and walking safaris, sandals, bathing suit, sun screen and lip sun protection, insect repellant, light clothing for the daytime, very warm insulated parkas or bush jacket, scarves and gloves for the night safaris in the winter, anti malarial prophylactics are essential all year around. We kindly advise you to consult your doctor in regards to the malaria prophylactics. It is recommended to war clothing in neutral colours especially on the game drives.
Characteristic animal species found in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Lion, elephant, white rhino, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hyena, waterbuck, hippos, crocodile, wildebeest, kudu, baboon, and many other mammal and bird species.
Travelling to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve by Road
There are three entrance gates into the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Access to the4 various camps and game lodges is as follows:
Shaws Gate: Lion Sands Game Lodge, Sabi Sabi Game Lodge, MalaMala Game Lodge, Exeter Kirkman’s Camp, Nottens, Londolozi Game Lodge.
Newington Gate: Exeter Game Lodge, Idube Game Lodge, Inyati Game Lodge, Leopard Hills Game Lodge, Savannah Game Reserve, Singita Game Lodge, Ulusaba Game Lodge ( Rock Lodge and Safari Lodge at Ulusaba).
Gowrie Gate: Arathusa Game Lodge, Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge, Djuma Game Lodge, Elephant Plains Game Lodge, Nkorho Game Lodge, Simbambili Game Lodge.
The Shaws Gate and the Newington Gate at the Sabi Sand Game Reserve Kruger National Park are a 5 ½ hour drive from Johannesburg. The Gowrie Gate is a 7 hour drive from Johannesburg. An entrance fee per vehicle into the Sabi Sand Game Reserve is applicable. The Gates open at 05h00 / 06h00 am and close at 22h00 / 23h00, please note that these times are subject to change.
Once you enter the Sabi Sand Game reserve, please drive carefully and adhere to the following regulations:
• Travel directly to your destination and do not deviate from the route.
• Do not leave the roads.
• Do not leave your vehicle, remain in your vehicle at all times.
• Remain at a respectable distance from wild animals.
• Remember that all wild animals are dangerous.
• Do not exceed the speed limit of 40 km/hour.
• Do not feed the animals in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve Kruger National Park.
• Retain your receipt as proof of entrance and have it stamped at your destination.
• Do not litter in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
Travelling to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve by Air
The Sabi Sand Game Reserve is an approximate 1 hour flight from Johannesburg. Most of the game lodges in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve have their own airstrips or use the facilities offered by an adjacent property.
Daily scheduled flights operate to the Kruger Mpumalanga Airport KMIA/MQP and to the Hoedspruit Airport HDS utilising the services of South African Airlink / Express and Nationwide Airlines. Direct flights to the KMIA Airport are available from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Transfers by private charter or by road directly into the reserve you have chosen in the Sabi Sand are available.
The Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park consists of the following game lodges and private game reserves:
• Arathusa Safari Lodge
• Chitwa Chitwa Private Game Lodge
• Djuma Game reserve
• Ewlephant Plains Game Lodge
• Idube Private Game Reserve
• Inyati Private Game Reserve
• Leopard Hills Private Game reserve
• Nkorho Bush Lodge
• Lion Sands Private Game Reserve: Ivory Game Lodge, River Game Lodge
• MalaMala Game Reserve
• Notten's Bush camp
• Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve: Selati Camp, Bush Lodge, Earth Lodge
• Savanna Private Game Reserve: Tented Suites
• Simbambili Game Lodge
• Singita Private Game Reserve: Boulders Lodge, Ebony Lodge
• Ulusaba Private Game Reserve.
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