Private Reserves in Greater Kruger

A Brief Summary

Private reserves, which form part of South Africa's most famous conservation area and top safari destination, offer international visitors exceptional game viewing and various luxury safari lodges, ranging from very comfortable to some of the finest top-end accommodation establishments in the world.

This infographic summarizes their location and provides some essential information. The Sabi Sand and Timbavati are the most revered wildlife conservation areas. They have received international acclaim for the quality of accommodations and the exceptional Big Five game viewing that can be enjoyed here accompanied by local rangers and trackers on daily open 4x4 safaris.

The less well-known reserves that form part of Greater Kruger include Klaserie, Manyeleti, Balule, Thornybush and Umbabat, while MalaMala, between the Sabi Sand and the Kruger National Park, is managed on its own. In these areas, you can enjoy safaris of equal quality to those provided in the wilderness areas listed above.

The infographic starts with a locator that zooms from Africa to South Africa and then to Greater Kruger, which combines Kruger National Park with the private reserves along its western border. It also notes that the most luxurious and exclusive lodges are found in these private reserves and on private concessions inside the park.

On the detailed map, the reserves run from north to south. Balule, the Klaserie reserve and Umbabat lie in the north, with the Timbavati and Thornybush below them. Manyeleti sits in the middle, and the Sabi Sand and MalaMala complete the chain in the south.

Two side notes single out the best-known reserves. The Timbavati is described as a good area for predators and for large herds of elephant and buffalo, and our Timbavati reserve guide covers its lodges in more detail. The Sabi Sand is noted for top-end lodges, privacy and leopard sightings. The infographic closes with the Big Five, lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, which can be seen in all the private reserves.