Sabi Sand vs Timbavati

The two best-known private reserves on Kruger's western edge, compared on what the sources and published rates say.

2 min read · Checked October 2026 · 4 sources

At a glance

	Sabi Sand	Timbavati
Established	1948	1956
Size	≈65,000 ha	≈53,400 ha
Nearest airport	Skukuza (SZK)	Hoedspruit Eastgate (HDS)
Lodges on Safari Shortlist	39	22
Lowest published rate	€330 pp/night	€253 pp/night
Median published rate	€1,722 pp/night	€731 pp/night
Wild dog in sources	Yes	Yes
Lodges that take children under 6	13 of 39	9 of 22

Rates are each lodge's lowest published per-person rate, converted at mid-market rates. They update when lodge data changes.

The Sabi Sand

The Sabi Sand is a group of private reserves governed by the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. It is named after the Sabie River on its southern boundary and the Sand River that flows through it, and it shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park.

Within it, sections such as MalaMala are large in their own right: Wikipedia gives MalaMala 13,500 hectares, about 27 km of Sand River frontage and a 19 km unfenced boundary with Kruger.

The Timbavati

Timbavati lies west of Kruger National Park with no fences between them; the fences came down in 1993. The reserve became famous for the white lions discovered there in the mid-1970s.

It is part of the Associated Private Nature Reserves, which also include the Klaserie, Umbabat and Balule.

Which suits you?

Budget: the Timbavati's median published rate is €731 against €1,722 in the Sabi Sand.
White lions: they were first recorded in the Timbavati in the 1970s.
Getting there: fly to Hoedspruit for the Timbavati, or to Skukuza or a lodge airstrip for the Sabi Sand.
Not sure? Safari match scores lodges in both on your own priorities.