The top private game reserve in South Africa that costs R29,600 to enter
Sabi Sabi is a luxury private game reserve bordering the Kruger National Park, regarded by several groups as one of the best in the country and on the continent.
The reserve was founded in 1979 by investment banker Hilton Loon and his wife, Jacqui Loon, and remains a family-owned business.
After purchasing the initial piece of land, the Hiltons acquired several other surrounding properties, expanding to approximately 54 square kilometres.
Sabi Sabi was named after the Sabie River, which runs near the reserve and into the nearby Kruger National Park.
The reserve has four separate luxury lodges, each offering a different experience for visitors, along with both day and night game drives.
The four lodges – the Selati Camp, Bush Lodge, Little Bush Camp, and Earth Lodge- each have their own designs, with prices ranging from R29,600 to R44,000 per person per night for luxury suites.
The Bush Lodge was the reserve’s original lodge, which Sabi Sabi describes as “known for its vibrancy and contemporary mix of safari-themed furnishing” on its website.
The reserve’s newest accommodation is the Earth Lodge, which features 12 luxury suites and a luxury villa.
The Bush Lodge and Earth Lodge both offer villas which accommodate four people and include a private safari vehicle, costing between R149,000 and R165,000 per night.
The rates are fully inclusive of game drives in the reserve, meals, walking safaris, and drinks, including select South African wines.
The meals include several options, such as picnics, private dining experiences, and special-occasion offerings.
The reserve is not open to day visitors or private game drives to help keep the park undisturbed and aid anti-poaching efforts.
Sabi Sabi is well known for its luxury accommodations, and was recently acclaimed as the leading private game reserve in Africa in the World Travel Awards.
The luxury lodge beat several South African nominees in this category, as well as reserves in Namibia and Kenya.
Historically, the World Travel Awards has also acclaimed Sabi Sabi as Africa’s leading safari lodge in 2024, 2022, and 2008.
Sabi Sabi’s awards and distinctions
In addition to accolades from the World Travel Awards, Sabi Sabi has received several local and international awards for its luxury offerings.
This includes several recognitions from both the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards and the Travel and Leisure World’s Best.
International publications such as Lonely Planet and International Traveller have also listed Sabi Sabi as one of the top destinations in the world.
The recognition makes sense, given Sabi Sabi’s wealth of luxury amenities and the intimate experience it provides in one of South Africa’s most popular tourism sectors.
The nearby Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s most popular game reserves and has nearly 1 million visitors annually, according to its website.
Of the nearly 1 million visitors, the park said approximately 20% are international travellers, underscoring the strong local and international appeal of South Africa’s ecotourism.
Jacqui Loon, one of Sabi Sabi’s founders, said in 2014 that the defining aspect of the reserve was its welcoming environment for visitors.
“The feedback we get most often and of which we are very proud, is that each guest is made to feel special, and is welcomed like part of the family,” she said.
Along with a welcoming environment, she emphasised that rigorous training for rangers and those involved with the reserve’s animals was paramount.
Conservation is an important part of Sabi Sabi’s business philosophy, and the group said on its website that it takes several steps to achieve this.
“We aim to conserve the decreasing wilderness areas that form part of South Africa’s heritage and be an example of a business that balances tourism with conservation and local communities,” it said.
“We do this by promoting community development, employing members of staff from neighbouring areas and empowering individuals through training and personal development.”
Photos of Sabi Sabi
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