Lion Sands Game Reserve

One of the most unique, wonderful and memorable places we've ever stayed. From booking through to departure the team were friendly and helpful, the lodge is beautiful with a fantastic view of the river, the food is tasty, the drinks are free flowing, and the game drives were phenomenal. Absolutely recommend a visit to River Sands! Jess (our guide) and Andries (our tracker) were enthusiastic, passionate and phenomenally talented, they led us to multiple big five sightings and created many magical moments in the bush. While sightings can't be guaranteed, Jess and Andries did everything they could to ensure the odds were favourable, all while looking after us wonderfully. The Sabi Sands location means minimal other jeeps, and the ability to move into other nearby private concessions, which we did twice to view lions. We couldn't believe how close we were able to get to the animals, and how many times we saw the big five! The whole team at River Lodge were a delight, they made an effort to know us personally, and anything we needed was happily provided. Cliff, our butler, always greeted us with a smile and looked after us well. During a private boma dinner (an incredible experience) he had the specific wines we'd each been favouring on standby already - it's small details like this that make the difference. The food and drink was generous and delicious throughout our stay. We requested room 19 (a river suite) in the hope of good sightings from our plunge pool - within the first hour of arriving we'd seen a leopard, by the end of our four nights we'd seen three of the big five from our room (elephant & buffalo too), along with plenty of other animals. The room itself was also gorgeous, with plenty of thoughtful details, and fantastic views from the bathroom and outdoor shower. The pool was quite shaded throughout the day, this wasn't an issue for us but might be for some people, I think other rooms may get more sun but being the furthest room from the main lodge the animal viewing was excellent and that's what we most cared about. We would return to River Lodge in a heartbeat, thank you to the whole team for our incredible trip.

This was an absolutely brilliant experience at Lion Sands Game Reserve. The facilities and all the staff were excellent. The highlights were all of the drives through the reserves and the many animals we saw at close range. A wonderful trip to South Africa which we hope to repeat.

Our stay at Lion Sands River Lodge was nothing short of exceptional. Our butler Elliot took such good care of us and always made sure we were attended to. Kenneth at the bar always made sure we had a drink. We also had such an awesome experience with our safari guide Cruz and tracker George, they are a dynamic duo and always make you laugh. The gameviewing in Sabi Sands is fantastic compared to other places we have been before. This lodge is definitely the best place for an all rounder safari with great service, pure luxury, and great game viewing. Not to forget, the spa is also fantastic and Bongi is one of the best massage therapists out there. We will definitely return and are loyal customers of the More group.

Amazing experience! Very convenient and fun airport pickup in the LandCruiser only 15 minutes away. Lodge rooms on the edge of the river are so spacious and authentic. Loved the outdoor private shower available with out room ! Entire team is so friendly and food and wine were exquisite and authentic to South Africa. And in between the pampering, we had amazing safari adventures! Our guide and tracker were so knowledgeable and we saw all the animals we’d hoped to see! Truly a 5 Star experience at a 5 Star location!

The greeting was warm and welcoming. Our naturalist and tracker Medrew and Brian were very professional and accommodating. They were great representatives for their region and country. The accommodations are top notch and the food amazing.