Lion Sands Game Reserve

Our stay at Lion Sands River Lodge was nothing short of extraordinary. The lodge itself is stunning, the food is exceptional, and the hospitality is unparalleled. Ntombi was a wonderful butler, our room was always immaculate thanks to the housekeeping team, and Xolisa crafted delicious cocktails—including a bramble made from freshly strained blueberry juice that was refreshing and bold. Waking up to breathtaking sunrises, enjoying gourmet meals overlooking the river, and dining beneath a sky full of stars felt like a dream. The game drives exceeded our expectations. Werner, our guide, and Norman, our tracker, were a fun team whose knowledge, skill, and passion made every safari an adventure. Their ability to track wildlife and share fascinating insights about the bush was remarkable, and the number and variety of animals we saw each day was astonishing. Norman, in the dark, spotted a tiny green chameleon perched on a tree branch as we drove by- and that is when I knew he was a legend🙌🏻 We also loved learning from Advocate, a tracker in training who shared his astronomy knowledge with us. We will be forever grateful for this trip and for the lovely employees of the Lion Sands River Lodge. ❤️

We stayed at Lion Sands River Lodge, Sabie Park and from start to finish were well looked after. Our guide, tracker and intern (Gino, Patric and Advocate) were knowledgeable and all excellent in their respective roles. They ensured that we saw the Big 5 plus many more animals and birds. The whole trip exceeded all of our expectations. Our thanks to you all.

I truly don't have the words to put into how incredible our stay at Lion Sands River Lodge was. I actually cried when I left. In the 5 days I was there, I truly felt like I was among family through it all. The lodge is quaint and truly perfect with wildlife walking through out. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and just so pretty. Our housekeeper wrote hand-written notes on a chalk board each night and made us feel so special. We also stayed in the Kingston Treehouse one night which was so pretty and such a fun and unique experience (although yes it was a bit scary knowing we're sleeping basically in the wilderness above the trees haha). You have morning and evening game drives which were out of this world. We saw every animal we wanted to see and learned so much. Andries, our tracker, and Jess, our guide, were incredible, knowledgeable, kind and again, felt like family. We didn't bring our camera because I didn't feel like buying a long lens, and when we arrived, we found out that you can rent a camera for the drives. Alice, who helped us with the camera, editing, etc. was also so talented, so kind and so caring. She was genuinely excited to see our photos and hear about what we saw each day. The food was incredible!!! Cliff and his team truly made our stay so memorable. Every morning, we ordered Cappuccinos (which were amazing) and by the last morning, we didn't even have to ask for them. There was an abundance of food at all times too (breakfast, lunch, dinner, before game drives, snacks in the room, etc.). I ate SO good! I loved overlooking the watering hole for breakfast and lunch and miss that view so much. Overall, this was a trip of a lifetime and I really do give props to the team at Lion Sands for making us feel well taken care of and like family. I cannot wait to go back in the future. I highly recommend this lodge and can't say more positive things about it.