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.

What an amazing and luxurious stay at Lion Sands! The lodge was beautifully clean, with a river view, and a lovely bushbuck visited our backyard two days in a row. The food and drinks prepared by the excellent chefs were all wonderful, and all friendly staff we met every day made our journey unforgettable. Special thanks to Trust, Ntombi, and Sandra for giving us a seven-star stay experience. A very special thanks to Ozy and Heaviness, who took us on eight game drives. With their friendly and professional guidance, they not only helped us fulfill our dream of seeing more than the Big Five, but also gave us an extraordinary experience in the wild. Although Lion Sands stay is not the cheapest option to explore Kruger National Park, it was worth every cent we paid. One small thing that would make Lion Sands perfect for me is if the gym equipment were more modern and varied. Highly recommended — we will definitely stay at Lion Sands again one day.

The lodge is in a beautiful setting along the river with grounds well maintained, definitely saw animals along the river drinking including elephants and impala. Compared to other lodges we stayed at, this was much larger (18 rooms) and came with a more commercial or sanitized feeling. I certainly would recommend, but maybe not the first place I’d recommend. Transfer from airport was very quick and easy. Along with a much bigger lodge, there are more lodges in the immediate area meaning you don’t feel super remote like some other lodges. The game drives have to “rotate through” when lions or leopards are found, though they try to all avoid each other. Game drivers also seemed more apt to off road on a whim than other places which was slightly off putting, completely running over medium sized trees. But we did see the big 5. Very disappointed that the main pool isn’t heated since we didn’t have a private plunge pool (which were heated). We were in room 14, which felt shoved up against the main lodge limiting our view, I would ask for one further away or on the other side behind the main pool. Service was good and food was good, but not amazing, maybe trying too hard to be “elevated.” All in all a very lovely stay, but we probably wouldn’t return based on the value at such a high price point.