Sabie is a small forestry town situated along the R532 Regional Route and the banks of the Sabie River in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.
The name Sabie is derived from the Xitsonga language word “Sava” which means “Sand” because of the rich Sand in the area . The word Sava was modernized by the Afrikaner settlers who changed it from Sava (Xitsonga) into the Afrikaans “Sabie”.
The town was started after H.T. Glynn and J.C. Ingle found gold there and formed the Glynns-Lydenburg Gold Mining Company.
This small town is nestled in the North Eastern Drakensberg Escarpment of Mpumalanga province and is easily accessible from Gauteng and approximately a 4-hour drive from O.R. Tambo International Airport and 64 km from Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit), Mpumalanga’s provincial capital.
Sabie is located 360 km east of Johannesburg and about 64 km west of the popular Kruger National Park.
Its main industry is forestry. The plantations surrounding Sabie form one of the world’s largest man-made forests.
It is situated approximately 1,066 metres (3,497 feet) above sea level and is in the summer rainfall area. During the winter period, there is little rainfall, and the area can become intensely dry. Forest fires are prevalent during this time, therefore precautions are taken beforehand to create fire breaks, as well as to incorporate block burning.
Sabie is also a tourism based town and relies on the steady flow of tourists year round to keep the community economy going. The town is known for its scenery and beautiful waterfalls.
There are many attractions in and around the town itself. Of these the most popular is the Lone Creek Falls about 10 km (6 mi) outside of town. There are many other waterfalls in the area, such as the Bridal Veil, Maria Shire, Horseshoe, Forest Falls, and the Sabie River falls situated within the town itself.
Sabie is part of the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality under the Ehlanzeni District Municipality in Mpumalanga province. The town is home to the Black township of Simile.
