Inside Sandringham, Sabi Sabi’s New Luxury Safari Reserve in SA

A new chapter in South Africa’s luxury safari landscape has begun with Sandringham Private Game Reserve, the latest destination from the Sabi Sabi Collection. Welcoming its first guests on 1 August 2026, the reserve follows five years of planning and rehabilitation, transforming a former hunting reserve into a protected area where wildlife can thrive.

Situated in the Greater Kruger, Sandringham is described by Managing Director Rod Wyndham as “probably one of the last pieces of great African bushveld part of the Greater Kruger that one could get hold of”. Its story is one of renewal, offering a slower-paced safari while giving neglected land the opportunity to recover.

For Wyndham, the project carries significance beyond the creation of a new luxury destination. He speaks of the pride in “watching historically neglected land being restored and seeing it returning to its true glory. All while taking the youth from a rural community and not only giving them a future, but a sense of pride.” Guests look across still water towards the distant Drakensberg Mountains. As Wyndham puts it: “Through Sandringham there is hope for both wildlife and mankind.”

Architecture Shaped By The Landscape

Architect Nick Plewman and interior designer Cate Simpson of Reflecting Africa shaped the main lodge, where a bar, lounge and restaurant overlook water at the meeting point of four rivers. The bushveld provides a backdrop to time spent in these shared spaces.

A timber walkway connects the lodge to Shisaka and N’Weti camps, as well as a gym, spa, library, museum and bush boutique. The lodge is a gathering place for guests to share stories after a day on safari.

The camps offer contrasting bushveld retreats. Shisaka takes its name from the Tsonga word for ‘nest’, reflected in its nest-like rooftop salas. From here, guests can watch the light move across the river towards the Drakensberg Mountains. The camp also has two luxury villas. N’Weti, a luxury canvas camp, pays homage to Tsonga culture; its name refers to the mountains on a moonlit night.

A Private Safari Retreat

Sandringham House is an exclusive-use residence measuring 1,100 square metres, designed for families or small groups seeking privacy and flexibility. Its four elegant en-suite bedrooms accommodate up to eight guests, with a dedicated chef, butler, ranger and private vehicle. The arrangement is particularly suited to multi-generational stays.

Executive Chef Dion Von Wielligh and his team lead the five-star dining experience. Safari activities extend beyond time spent out in the reserve: the lodge’s expansive decks also offer a place for an armchair safari, with the surrounding landscape in view.

A Second Chance For Wildlife And Community

Conservation and community remain central to the project. Partnerships with the Tracker Training Academy and Bushwise form part of Sandringham’s rewilding and conservation efforts. The focus on training and opportunity for young people from a rural community connects the reserve’s future to that of its neighbours.

Although Sandringham is a new name in South Africa’s luxury safari scene, it builds on more than 45 years of Sabi Sabi hospitality. Marketing Director Jacques Smit says: “With this new destination under the Sabi Sabi Collection’s portfolio, we’re not only giving wildlife a second chance to thrive; we’re also bringing our guests Sabi Sabi’s hospitality in an exciting new place. The Sabi Sabi Collection’s longstanding, established hospitality impact ensured that Sandringham could enter the market with well-trained guides and experienced staff, offering guests the five-star service they expect from the brand.”

Perhaps the feeling of the place is best captured by one of its first visitors: “Sandringham is not a place. It’s a feeling; an emotion.” With its first guests now welcomed, the reserve brings together a new luxury safari offering and a longer story of restoration, connection and second chances.

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Images: Supplied