How we make this
We research, compare and check. We don’t pretend we’ve been everywhere.
Start from the source
Every listing begins with the business’s own website, the park authority’s page (SANParks, CapeNature, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and others) or OpenStreetMap. When that page is down or says too little, we use reputable secondary sources instead (provincial and regional tourism boards, booking platforms’ listing pages, brand dealer locators, the place’s own Facebook page, established travel publications) and we name every one on the listing. We prefer two sources that agree; where sources disagree, we leave the fact out. We don’t use Google Maps data or copy reviews and ratings.
Write it fresh
We write every summary in our own words. We don’t copy text or photos from the places we list.
Leave out what we can’t confirm
If no source says a campsite allows dogs, we don’t say it does. If a manufacturer doesn’t publish a spec, the table says “not published”.
A photo of the place, or none
A listing only shows a photo of that place, or of the park or area right around it (and the caption says so). When we can’t find one we’re allowed to use, you get a map card instead, never a picture of somewhere else. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons and other openly licensed collections, credited on every page; none are AI-made.
Date everything
Each listing shows its source and the date we last checked it. We re-check listings regularly and mark anything we can’t confirm.
Let owners correct us
Businesses can claim their listing. Once an owner confirms the details, the listing gets an owner-verified stamp.
Where AI fits in
Sandtracks is produced with heavy help from AI tools. They help us find sources, pull facts out of official pages, draft summaries and build comparison tables. The rules they work under are strict: facts only from named sources, no first-person claims, no invented numbers, and nothing published that fails a check against its source.
That’s also why we’re careful about what we don’t claim. We haven’t stayed at the campsites or tested the gear. When first-hand detail appears on the site, it will come from the people who have: owners answering our interview questions and readers sending in trips, clearly credited.
Photos and maps
Photos come from Wikimedia Commons and Unsplash under their licences, credited on each page and on the credits page. Province outlines come from geoBoundaries; locations from OpenStreetMap contributors. We never use AI-generated images of real places or products.
Money
Listings are free while we launch. Later, businesses will be able to pay for a featured listing, and some articles may be sponsored. Paid content will always carry a #Sponsored label, and paying won’t change the facts we publish. See get featured.
Spotted a mistake?
Tell us. We fix errors and note the change on the listing.