
PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS:
- Lion Sands River Lodge is a beautifully designed safari lodge in the heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. On the bank of the Sabi River, the location offers unparalleled game viewing, and the lodge a luxurious experience with fantastic service.
- There is also a spa offering spa body, facial and hydrotherapy treatments.
- Dinner is served in a variety of locations, usually changing daily, from dining platform to riverbed to boma, making each evening a slightly different experience. Picnic lunches can be arranged at the water hole.
- Game viewing with River Lodge’s excellent rangers and trackers.
- Hot air balloon trip at dawn over the Sabie River Valley.
- Big 5 game viewing in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
- Two luxury tree houses within the reserve.
- A maximum of six guests per game-drive vehicle, making for an exclusive experience.
- Lovely wine tasting evenings.
EXCLUSIVE LUXE VOYAGER VIP BENEFITS & BEST PRICE
We negotiate rates & benefits for our clients directly with the hotels’ senior management. Our rates match or in many cases are lower than the best online rate for the property. Our clients also enjoy a suite of extra VIP privileges and recognition while staying at a partner hotel.
- Complimentary room upgrade on arrival.
- Daily complimentary buffet breakfast for two.
- Up to $100 dining or spa credit per stay, and or in-house dining / spa discounts.
- Welcome amenities (wine/chocolates/fruit) and card from the GM.
- Complimentary private airport transfers.
- Complimentary roll-away bed if required.
- Early check-in and late check-out.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi.
- Enhanced recognition through VIP status at all touch points in the guest experience.
A complete or partial suite of VIP benefits will be offered, subject to the property T&C, including availability, category of room & length of stay.
ACTIVITIES:
The Sabi Sands is widely regarded as one of the most rewarding regions for spotting leopard in Africa. With good populations and the ability to go on night game-drives which coincides when these big cats are most active, all you need is good timing!

Lion Sands River Lodge is a beautifully designed safari lodge in the heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. On the bank of the Sabi River, the location offers unparalleled game viewing, and the lodge a luxurious experience with fantastic service. Set on the banks of the Sabi River, surrounded by 800 year-old trees, Lion Sands River Lodge catches the morning sun as it rises over Kruger, giving guests a warm and gentle start to the day. The vibe at the lodge is exclusive yet relaxed, with a variety of seating areas on viewing decks and around the pool so that guests can be as sociable as they wish.
Following an extensive refurbishment and rebuild in early 2010, the lodge now offers 18 thatched bedrooms with en-suite bathroom, outdoor and indoor shower and wooden viewing deck. Bedrooms feature king size beds and air conditioning with an overhead fan for complete comfort during your stay. The style is a mixture of contemporary South African design, with the small touches and attention to detail that bring an authentic safari lodge atmosphere to the property. Game drives take place first thing in the morning and late afternoon, with mealtimes arranged around game viewing activities. In the middle of the day, guests can relax by the pool, take a siesta, contemplate the beautiful scenery from one of the viewing decks or make use of the various games on offer. There is also a spa offering spa body, facial and hydrotherapy treatments. Dinner is served in a variety of locations, usually changing daily, from dining platform to riverbed to boma, making each evening a slightly different experience.
Guest accommodation consists of eight Luxury Rooms, six Superior Luxury Rooms, and four River Suites, one of which has two bedrooms. All are positioned within classic timber, stone, and thatch structures set out along the riverbanks on either side of the property’s central lodge. Inside, the décor has a fresh and modern feel. The Luxury Room offers 66 square metres of floor space. Every bedroom within this category has a double bed or twin beds, bedside tables and lighting, a dressing table and chair, a wardrobe, a luggage rack, and a well-stocked mini-bar. Additional amenities include air conditioning, room fans, direct dial telephone, safe, and hairdryer, and en-suite facilities comprise flush toilet, twin washbasins, shower, and bathtub. There’s also a fantastic viewing deck! The Superior Luxury Room option benefits from all the features of the Luxury Room, as well as an outdoor shower. Covering 98 sq m, it’s more spacious too – and two pairs of this type of room interconnect, which is great for small groups or families. Travellers looking for something even more generously proportioned could consider a one-bedroom River Suite, which boasts everything the Superior Luxury Room provides, plus its own garden complete with private plunge pool! And finally, the two-bedroom River Suite has an extra twin bedroom, and it’s also known as the Family Suite.
The Lion Sands Luxury Treehouses are the ultimate bush bedrooms. Arrive at sunset to a scrumptious picnic dinner, and spend the hours of dusk fully appreciating the vastness of the bushveld as it transforms from day to night. Slumber directly beneath the Milky Way where you may well lose count of the shooting stars. The Treehouses at Lion Sands are for the hopeless romantic (ideal as a wedding or anniversary treat), the adventurer, the person who needs a complete disconnect and digital detox, or the wildlife enthusiast who prefers the bush au-natural. All of the Treehouses are securely constructed above the ground, where animals will remain at a safe and comfortable distance. Our Field Guide will provide a full orientation when he drops guests off before sunset, and will remain on call via the radio left behind until it is time to leave the following morning after sunrise and a good cup of coffee!


Luxury Rooms
12 Luxury Rooms have bathroom en-suite, lounge area with mini bar and wooden deck from which to appreciate the wilds beyond.Twenty suites make up the accommodation at Lion Sands River Lodge. All offer fantastic views over the Sabie River from private wooden decks. The air-conditioned suites also feature king-sized beds draped with white mosquito netting and full en suite bathrooms with stand-alone bathtubs and showers. In addition to a mini-bar, every suite also has Wi-Fi connectivity.



Superior Luxury Suites
6 Superior Luxury Suites are larger in size, and have ample open-plan bathrooms and outdoor showers. 4 of the 6 Suites are inter-leading, and are therefore ideal for families. The Superior Luxury Suites are particularly spacious and offer all of the facilities of the Luxury Suites with the added advantage of an outdoor shower for star-lit ablutions with a view. Four of these suites are inter-leading and perfect for families with children older than 10 years. Like the Luxury Suites, the bedrooms feature king-sized beds with draped mosquito nets, which may be made up as twin beds, and full en suite bathrooms with separate toilets.






River Suites
2 River Suites are located further from the public areas and are therefore more private. They have incredible river views, best appreciated from the expansive decks. River Suites also have outdoor showers and a private pool.




Kingston Treehouse
Make your way through rows of magnificent white boulders and across a small drawbridge, and you will find Africa opening up in front if you. Set amid the pure and untouched wild, you will be surrounded by African bush and uninhibited wildlife at its best.The Kingston Treehouse is constructed entirely from wood and glass, with contemporary décor in understated hues of greys, white, black and purple. No matter what the weather has in store, you will have a safe and luxurious setting with a unique window to enjoy the ever-changing views. In fact, we defy you to find two identical African sunsets.The 60m2 Treehouse is situated about 5 minutes from the main lodge, and you will have radio contact with the rangers, should you choose to. You will also find some cellphone reception; but don’t expect any wi-fi in the bush. Kingston is equipped with full bathroom and shower facilities, and Africology products to complete your sensory experience. Before a dinner of tapas or a full meal with Champagne, enjoy an hour-long massage under the stars to relax and become quiet with the nature around you. A yoga mat and chart are also provided for your use, should the whim strike you.
Enjoy uniquely African dishes with a gourmand twist from the lodge’s celebrated kitchen. Delicious local delicacies include zebra and black cherry potjie, and crocodile kebabs with a lemon-butter and apricot sauce. Dine in the intimate River Lounge and the authentic open-air Boma, or allow the staff to prepare a secluded haven for you in wilderness to feast beneath the stars.



Deck Dining


Boma Dining

Firepit Dining


Romantic Private Riverside Dining

Lounge and Bar
Facilities at Lion Sands River Lodge include a private lounge and bar with fireplace, an outdoor safari lounge, 2 swimming pools (heated in winter), wooden viewing decks, a secluded bird hide, a magnificent River Island Deck built on the river, a conference room, Lalamuka Health Spa and gymnasium, curio shop and both an indoor and open-air dining area (boma).


Pool
Each River Suite has a private pool. There are also two common swimming pools which are heated in winter.
Spa
Africology spa where you can enjoy facials, massages and manicures in between game drives. Africology is one of South Africa’s leading eco-friendly and holistic spa brands and uses all natural ingredients that are kind to the skin. Some treatments are performed outside, so if you can keep your eyes open while having a relaxing massages, there are beautiful surroundings to gaze at.
Area & Location
Area, Country
Sabi Sand, South Africa
Nearest Airport
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
Local Currency
South African Rand (ZAR)
Time Change
GMT +2:00
Language
Afrikaans, English
Best time to go
Best visited between September through May.
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