> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sabi Sand, Timbavati or Thornybush? A guide for South African residents - URL: https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/journal/sabi-sand-vs-timbavati-vs-thornybush/ - Published: 2026-10-01T11:22:22.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-01T13:31:07.000Z - Description: Leopards, space or the shortest journey. How the 3 best-known private reserves near the Kruger compare, from people who live next door. - Author: Sian Loehrer - Tags: Reserves compared **The short answer.** Choose the Sabi Sand for leopards and the famous lodge names. Choose the Timbavati for space, walking and, on the specials we see, often the lowest prices of the 3\. Choose Thornybush for the shortest journey: small lodges, its own tarred airstrip and Hoedspruit about 30 minutes away. All 3 are Big Five private reserves, all are open to the wider Kruger, and all are in a malaria area. We live in Hoedspruit, so Thornybush and the Timbavati are our neighbours and the Sabi Sand is a couple of hours south. Here is how they compare. ## At a glance | | Sabi Sand | Timbavati | Thornybush | | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | Size | About 65,000 ha | 55,600 ha | About 14,500 ha | | Open to the Kruger | Yes, fences down since 1993 | Yes, fences down since 1993 | Yes, through the Timbavati since 2017 | | Known for | Relaxed leopards, the Sand River | Space, walking, rare white lions | Short transfers, small lodges, private villas | | By road from Joburg | 5 to 6 hours | About 6 hours | 5 to 6 hours | | Fly to | Skukuza, Kruger Mpumalanga (KMIA) or a lodge airstrip | Hoedspruit (Eastgate) or a lodge airstrip | Hoedspruit (Eastgate) or the Thornybush airstrip | | Conservation levy, 2026 | R106 to R957 pppn depending on the lodge, plus a gate fee | R660 per adult per night, R330 per child under 12 | R650 per person per day | | Lodges | Many, from family-run to famous names | 18 lodges and 4 self-catering options | About a dozen | | Malaria | Malaria area | Malaria area | Malaria area | ## Sabi Sand: for leopards and the famous names The Sabi Sand was founded in 1948 by 14 landowners, and is often described as South Africa's first private game reserve. Its fences with the Kruger came down in 1993\. The Sand River runs through it and the Sabie River forms its southern edge. It is best known for leopards that are unusually relaxed around vehicles, which makes it one of the best places in Africa to see one. Off-road driving is allowed and vehicle numbers at each sighting are limited. Southern lodges are reached from Hazyview through Newington Gate, northern lodges through Gowrie Gate near Acornhoek. The 2026 gate fee is R370 per vehicle plus R170 per person. The nightly levy is set in 4 tiers by each lodge's rack rate, from R106 to R957 per person, so it rises with the lodge you choose. Many guests fly instead, into Skukuza, Kruger Mpumalanga International or a lodge airstrip. **Suits:** a first safari where a leopard is the dream, photographers, and couples who want a well-known lodge. **Trade-off:** prices are usually the highest of the 3. See today's rates on our [Sabi Sand page](https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/sabi-sand/). ## Timbavati: for space, walking and value The Timbavati was established in 1956 and covers 55,600 hectares. Its fences with the Kruger came down in 1993, and it is open to the Klaserie and Umbabat to the north as well. There is a single public gate, Enkhulu, about 25 minutes from Hoedspruit. White lions were first recorded here in the mid-1970s. They are rare, so treat a sighting as a bonus and never a promise. What the Timbavati gives you every day is room: 18 lodges spread across a big area, from family lodges with pools to trails lodges built around guided walks. **Suits:** families, walkers and longer stays. **Trade-off:** the best rates here often need 3 or 4 nights. See today's rates on our [Timbavati page](https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/timbavati/). ## Thornybush: for the shortest journey Thornybush is the smallest of the 3 at about 14,500 hectares. In 2017 its boundary fence with the Timbavati was removed, which joined it to the open Greater Kruger. Animals now move freely between Thornybush, the Timbavati and the Kruger beyond. It has its own 1.2 km tarred airstrip, and Hoedspruit Eastgate airport is about 30 minutes away by road. About a dozen lodges share the reserve, including Saseka and private villas such as Little Saseka, booked for your group alone. The bush is thick in places, so guides work hard for their sightings. **Suits:** short breaks, couples, and friends who want a whole villa. **Trade-off:** a smaller area, and no walking for children under 16. See today's rates on our [Thornybush page](https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/thornybush/). ## For a South African long weekend All 3 are 5 to 6 hours from Joburg by road, so leaving after lunch on a Friday means arriving after dark and usually missing the afternoon drive. On a 2-night weekend, fly to Hoedspruit for the Timbavati or Thornybush, or to Skukuza or Kruger Mpumalanga for the Sabi Sand. If you drive, make it 3 nights, or leave on the Thursday. Over the December school holidays, 10 December 2026 to 12 January 2027, the best resident rates go first, so ask early. The When filter on our [specials](https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/specials/) shows what is open over each long weekend and school holiday. ## Which one is yours? - **A first safari and a leopard is the dream:** Sabi Sand. - **The family, with room to roam:** Timbavati. - **2 nights, flying in on a Friday:** Thornybush. - **You want to walk:** Timbavati. - **Friends together in a private villa:** Thornybush. - **Once in a lifetime:** Sabi Sand. ## Good to know - All 3 are in a malaria area, classed low to moderate risk by the NICD. Risk is highest from about September to May. Speak to a travel clinic before you go. - There is no self-drive game viewing. You drive to your lodge and your guide takes it from there. - Conservation levies are charged on top of most rates. See [conservation fees at South African reserves in 2026](https://local-marula-hill.ghost.io/journal/conservation-fees-2026/). *Torn between 2? Tell us your dates and who is coming, and we will tell you which we would book.* ## Questions we are asked ### Is the Sabi Sand better than the Timbavati? It depends on what you want. The Sabi Sand is the more famous for leopards and big-name lodges. The Timbavati has more space, more walking and often lower prices. ### Is Thornybush part of the Greater Kruger? Yes. Its fence with the Timbavati was removed in 2017, so its wildlife moves freely through the Timbavati and into the Kruger. ### Can you see white lions in the Timbavati? Sometimes. White lions have been recorded there since the mid-1970s, but they are rare, so no lodge can promise a sighting. ### Which reserve is closest to Hoedspruit? Thornybush and the Timbavati are both about 30 minutes from Hoedspruit airport. The northern Sabi Sand is about 2 hours by road. ### What are the conservation fees in 2026? In the Sabi Sand it is R106 to R957 per person per night depending on the lodge, plus a gate fee. It is R660 per adult per night in the Timbavati, and R650 per person per day in Thornybush. Most lodges charge them on top of the rate. For the full story of the Sabi Sand and our lodge reviews, read [Sabi Sand: the leopard reserve](https://www.marulahill.com/sabi-sand-the-leopard-reserve/?ref=local-marula-hill.ghost.io) on our international site.