Lion Sands River Lodge | Sabi Sand Nature Reserve
With its unparalleled beauty, Lion Sands River Lodge is located in the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. Contemporary design with clean white lines, the suites are furnished with lavish bathrooms and wooden decks to relax after a day of thrilling wildlife encounters. The public areas at River Lodge offer guests 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 Deck, Lalamuka Health Spa & gymnasium, curio shop and both an indoor and open-air dining areas. Game Drives and Bush Walks with knowledgeable guides are included. There is also the rare opportunity to sleep under the sparkling night sky when you book a sleep-out experience. An unforgettable experience awaits at Lion Sands.
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Lion Sands River Lodge 360 Virtual Tour
Lion Sands River Lodge 360 Virtual Tour
In each of our eight Luxury Rooms, fold-back glass doors unveil a private river-view deck. Inside, you'll find an ultra-comfortable king bed (or the option of ¾ twins) complemented by a full en-suite. Organic amenities add a further touch of luxury. You are in for a memorable stay.
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Bath Towels, Bath, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En Suite Bathroom, Hairdryer, Hand Towels, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Safe, Shower
We offer six Superior Luxury Rooms, each notably more spacious and featuring lavish open-plan bathrooms along with outdoor showers. Two sets of interleading rooms work perfectly if you’re travelling with the family. Linger over bush views from the deck and cushioned couches, dreaming of your next sightings.
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Bath Towels, Bath, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En Suite Bathroom, Hairdryer, Hand Towels, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Private Lounge / Sitting Area, Safe, Shower
Our three standalone, River Suites promise even more space and heightened privacy. Each comes with its own deck and inviting plunge pool, drawing you closer to the natural world. Step from the expansive bedrooms into comprehensive en-suites, which then lead to outdoor showers, making nature feel like an extension of your living space. Relax in your personal sanctuary, soaking in the river views.
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Bath Towels, Bath, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, En Suite Bathroom, External Shower, Hairdryer, Hand Towels, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Outside Shower, Private Lounge / Sitting Area, Private Pool / Jacuzzi, Safe, Shower
Our two-bedroom Family Suite treats families to plenty of space. Both bedrooms can be configured as double or twin and when laid out for your children, it’s like home – only better! The suite includes a central en-suite bath, private deck and pool creating ample spaces for family bonding.
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Bath Towels, Bath, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En Suite Bathroom, External Shower, Hairdryer, Hand Towels, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Outside Shower, Private Lounge / Sitting Area, Private Pool / Jacuzzi, Safe, Shower
Property Facilities
Bar, Eco Friendly, Internet Access, Library, Mobile Connectivity, Pool, Secure Parking, Spa, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Fan, Mini Bar, Outside Shower, Safe, Shower, Tea / Coffee
Available Services
24-hour Security, Airport Shuttle (Complimentary), Credit Card Facilities, Disability, Foreign Exchange, Room Service
Activities on Site
Big 5, Bird Watching, Game Drives, Game Walks, Massages, Safaris
Activities Nearby
Africa has been called the greatest show on earth, and Lion Sands presents a safari that plays out like a highlights reel. Our reserve conserves 5 000ha (12 500ac) of a habitat that is home to the highest and most diverse concentration of wildlife in the southern hemisphere. You will see all of Africa’s iconic species – lion leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and zebra – along with a supporting cast of no less intriguing 137 mammal species and over 450 varieties of bird. Our safaris present an adventure that is wild, and then some!
Being entirely private, Lion Sands offers you an intimate safari experience. With only six guests to a game viewer and exclusive traversing on our reserve, you’ll have minimal encounters with other people. Though compelling sightings do attract more attention, the number of vehicles here is also limited. This ensures the animals aren’t put under stress and you are able to spend more time with them, observing their natural behaviour. While you are out exploring, you will by no means be roughing it. Your game viewer has cushioned bucket seats, waterproof device holders, blankets and ponchos – and stops off in a scenic spot for drinks and snacks.
These are our after-breakfast walks on the wild side. For those who wish to experience the bush, not just observe it, there is no better guided excursion. You are dropped in the thick of things and all five senses engage… Feel the scrub crunch beneath your feet, touch a velvety acacia seed pod, hear the crack of a branch indicating you are not alone, and spot the game appear just metres off – exhilarating! This is also a wonderful opportunity to encounter the smaller creatures, often missed on safari vehicles, and to discover more about the reserve’s plants – many with fascinating medicinal properties and traditional uses.
The African landscape stretches as far as the eye can see at Lion Sands, and we knew we had to find a special place to capture and enjoy its vastness and splendour. Guy Aubrey Chalkley once set up camp in a majestic centuries old Leadwood Tree to escape predators roaming the plains below.
We decided that this would be the ideal place to build the ultimate bush bedroom, the Chalkley Treehouse. The treehouse is a secure and lavish platform under the African stars, with all the comforts that a guest can experience at a five star safari lodge.
We take our guests to the tree house at sunset, where drinks and a scrumptious picnic dinner await them.The hours of African dusk can be enjoyed relaxing and absorbing the vastness of the bushveld as it transforms from day to night, before turning in for slumber beneath the incredible night sky.
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.
Enjoy a dinner of tapas or a full meal with Champagne, under the splendor of an African starlit sky.
From boma feasts to safari refreshment stops, dining promises to be a highlight – for all our guests, with any dietary requirement, including kosher, catered for. Our chefs transform local recipes into contemporary dishes, giving you a taste for Southern Africa. Paired with premium wines from the Cape, dining becomes an experience. Our wine tastings are also a favourite of connoisseurs and dabblers, alike.
Between game drives, find spaces to simply breathe. Lion Sands' wellness experiences restore what daily life depletes - deep sleep returns, tension melts away, and time slows enough to reconnect with yourself. Massage therapies work through safari-tired muscles to the soundtrack of birdsong drifting through open windows. Facials and deeply hydrating body treatments use TheraNaka™ and TheraVine™ products infused with African shea butter, CBD oil, and Pinotage botanicals. Hand and foot rituals bring softness after days in open safari vehicles. Couples enjoy shared spa experiences whilst the wilderness continues just beyond your treatment room. All treatments feature indigenous ingredients that nourish skin left dry by bush air. Exfoliation rituals leave you smooth and radiant, combining luxury with plants that have thrived in this landscape for millennia - shea butter, healing botanicals, restorative oils that restore and rejuvenate.
Lion Sands together with More Community Trust assists our local Huntington and Justicia B villages, and you can get involved, too. Take a community tour, the proceeds of which go to our development projects here, or roll up your sleeves to help out through our Get Your Hands Dirty initiatives.
These centre on education, infrastructure, health and environment, and you can choose the area best suited to your skills and interest. These are extraordinary social experiences that bring you to the heart of Southern Africa to make your own and others’ dreams come true.
Your Stay
3 Nights
Fully Inclusive - Bed, All Meals, Fees and Activities
Your Rooms
1x Luxury Room
Fast Facts
5 Stars
Lodge
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 18
Special Interests: Big 5, Birding, Flora, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife, Wine
