Money, honestly
The conservation levy: what you pay on top of the bed
Every Sabi Sand guest pays a conservation levy on top of the nightly rate, and the amounts vary by a factor of five: from R310 per person per night at Arathusa to R1,615 per adult per day at Dulini. The landowners' association publishes its tiered tariff, the gate fees are fixed, and several lodges quietly stop charging the levy after three nights. This page has all the amounts, and the two things nobody has written down.
If you only want the answer
On top of the bed, expect a conservation levy of R310 to R1,615 per adult per day depending on the lodge: Arathusa and Inyati charge about R310, Jaci's Sabi House R320, Sabi Sabi R450 on its own separate scheme, Savanna about R577, Cheetah Plains R1,014.82 and Dulini R1,615, rising to R2,150 in 2027 (all from the lodges' 2026 rate sheets, read 16 September 2026). Driving in adds R370 per light vehicle and R170 per person at the gate. Dulini, Savanna and Inyati cap the levy at three nights, which cuts a five-night Dulini stay for two adults from R16,150 to R9,690 in levies. The association's own tiered contribution runs R106.38 to R957.38 per guest for 2026, but it does not say which lodge sits in which tier, nor whether it is charged per night or per stay.
Two systems, one invoice
There is no ticket office in the Sabi Sand. What you pay for conservation arrives on your lodge invoice, and it comes from two directions. The Sabi Sand Wildtuin, the landowners' association, sets a tiered Guest Conservation Contribution per guest. Each lodge then charges its own levy, which may be that contribution passed straight through (Inyati, Savanna, Jaci's), something larger with extra components (Dulini), or a different scheme entirely (Sabi Sabi, which charges its own SGR Conservation Levy and calls its ground the Sabie Game Reserve).
The amounts below come from the association's site and the lodges' own rate sheets, all read 16 September 2026.
The association's tariff: the Guest Conservation Contribution
The tier follows the lodge's rack rate excluding VAT: the more the bed costs, the higher the contribution per guest, VAT included (sabisand.co.za/gcc/, read 16 September 2026).
| Tier | Rack rate 2026 (excl VAT) | GCC 2026 (incl VAT) | Rack rate 2027 (excl VAT) | GCC 2027 (incl VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R30,001 to R50,000 | R957.38 | R31,801 to R53,000 | R1,014.82 |
| 2 | R17,501 to R30,000 | R574.00 | R18,551 to R31,800 | R608.44 |
| 3 | R5,001 to R17,500 | R310.19 | R5,301 to R18,550 | R328.80 |
| 4 | R1 to R5,000 | R106.38 | R1 to R5,300 | R112.76 |
Two things the association's page does not say: whether the contribution is charged per night or per stay, and which lodge falls in which tier. The lodges answer the first question in practice, since every lodge that prints the charge bills it per person per night, three of them capped at three nights. The second stays open, though two lodges name their own tier: Inyati calls itself tier 3 and charges R310.13, Savanna calls itself tier 2 at R576.50 to R578.99.
The gate fees
If you drive in, you also pay at the gate, VAT included (sabisand.co.za/access/, read 16 September 2026). Gates run 05:00 to 23:00 with last entry at 22:00; arriving outside those hours costs R150 in cash. The association does not say whether the fee is per entry or per day.
Savanna's rate sheet prints slightly different Newington Gate figures for 2026: R372 per vehicle and R171 per extra person until 31 March, then R374 and R172 from 1 April, which it ties to VAT moving from 15.5% to 16% (savannalodge.com, read 16 September 2026). The association's page says R370 and R170. Both sets are printed here; expect the gate to be a few rand ahead of any website.
| Fee | Amount 2026 |
|---|---|
| Light vehicle, up to 3,500 kg | R370 |
| Heavy vehicle | R660 |
| Per person | R170 |
| Outside gate hours | R150, cash |
What each lodge actually charges
Per person per night unless stated otherwise, from each lodge's own 2026 rate sheet, read 16 September 2026. The spread for adults is a factor of five.
| Lodge | Levy 2026 | Levy 2027 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dulini | R1,615 per adult per day | R2,150 | Capped at 3 nights; children R1,100 (2026) |
| Cheetah Plains | R1,014.82 | Not published | Matches the association's 2027 tier 1 figure to the cent |
| Savanna | R576.50 to R578.99 | Not published | GCC tier 2 passed through; capped at 3 nights |
| Sabi Sabi | R450 | R495 | Own SGR Conservation Levy, not the association's GCC |
| Jaci's Sabi House | R320 | Not published | Lodge also quotes the gate money: R370 per vehicle, R170 per guest |
| Arathusa | R310 | R328.80 | 2027 figure matches the association's tier 3 to the cent |
| Inyati | R310.13 | Not published | GCC tier 3; capped at 3 nights, invoiced separately |
Dulini's levy is far above the GCC because it bundles four components: the association's contribution at R574, an EsiDulini Trust contribution, a land management levy and a Bushbuckridge community levy. Dulini's own levy document totals R1,500 per adult against the R1,615 on its 2026 rate sheet; the rate sheet appears to be the newer figure, and both are printed here. Its 2027 rise to R2,150 is 33%.
The three-night cap, and why five nights changes the sum
Dulini, Savanna and Inyati all cap the levy at a three-night charge, which turns it from a nightly cost into a fixed one and reshuffles lodge comparisons for longer stays. Two adults, five nights:
| Lodge | Levy per adult per day | 5 nights, 2 adults |
|---|---|---|
| Dulini (capped at 3 nights) | R1,615 | R9,690 |
| Cheetah Plains (no cap stated) | R1,014.82 | R10,148 |
| Sabi Sabi (no cap stated) | R450 | R4,500 |
| Inyati (capped at 3 nights) | R310.13 | R1,861 |
Read the first two rows twice: over five nights, Cheetah Plains' levy costs more than Dulini's, even though its daily figure is R600 lower, because Dulini stops charging after night three. On a three-night stay the order flips back. Without the cap, Dulini's five nights would cost the pair R16,150 instead of R9,690. Whether a cap exists is worth as much as the daily amount; ask for it in writing.
Still unresolved
- Whether the association's contribution is per night or per stay: its page does not say. Every lodge that prints the charge bills it per night, several capped at three nights, but the association's own wording leaves it open.
- Which lodge sits in which tier: no list exists anywhere. Only Inyati and Savanna name their own tier.
- Whether the gate fees are charged once per entry or per day: not stated on the association's access page.
- The amounts at Leopard Hills, Silvan, Elephant Plains and Idube: each names a levy as excluded from the room rate and none prints a number. Singita goes one further and names three separate charges, a conservation contribution, a tourism levy and a carbon offset levy, without an amount for any of them.
Sources
- Sabi Sand Wildtuin, Guest Conservation Contribution (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Sabi Sand Wildtuin, access and gate fees (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Dulini rate sheets 2026 and 2027 plus sustainability levy document (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Cheetah Plains rates (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Savanna rates and rack-rate sheet (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Sabi Sabi rates (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Jaci's Sabi House rates and info (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Arathusa rates (read 16 Sep 2026)
- Inyati rates (read 16 Sep 2026)