Lion Sands River Lodge

For my 70th birthday, I wanted to celebrate by doing something I always wanted to do and that was going on a safari. I had a travel agent arrange an amazing 4 country tour. We started at the Lion Sands and I have never had a better experience in any hotel in my life. From the minute we were picked up at the airport, the welcoming committee upon arrival, the orientation and the beautiful room brought a smile to our faces. I loved that it was small intimate hotel where you knew everyone after a few days. The staff went beyond my expectations. Darren, the manager could not have been more helpful. Whenever I asked for something, the answer was always yes. The word no is not in their vocabulary. From Melo, to our tracker George, our funny and informative guide Cruz and our server Cliff - every one made you feel like you were the only guest in the resort. They went as far as making me a birthday disco party. As a person who is very critical of rooms and cleanliness, the room was immaculate, the house keeping top notch and comfortable. If I could give this hotel more stars, I would. The game drives were amazing. I cannot say enough about how special this hotel is. If you are looking to go on a safari, look no further. The Lion Sands River Lodge is the place to go.

We started our South African adventure at Lion Sands. From the moment we arrived we were surrounded by happy, smiling and the most extraordinarily dedicated people. We were escorted to our magnificent room, and then shown the various amenities of the room and the Lion Sands compound. At no time were we disappointed with Lion Sands. Our guide, Cruz, and his sidekick George the tracker, made each game drive fun, exciting, exhilarating and informative. They really know their stuff! The wildlife in Africa is amazing. The beauty of it all nearly took our breath away. Returning after a drive, we would be met by Cliff, our personal butler, who ensured we would have good eats and drinks, replete with smiles and laughter. Lots and lots of smiles! The men and women at Lion Sands never stopped smiling! The vibe was so good and so friendly, that we felt as if we had an extended family there. And let us not forget Darren, the manager, who could not have been more accommodating. And Joy...oh she is certainly a joy. And Mello made the entire food experience worthwhile. This wonderful crew made us feel as if we never wanted to leave. And we didn't want to. We could have stayed there forever. They made a special disco themed birthday party for my wife, since disco is her thing. They went above and beyond. Disco balls, flashing lights, and music! Then followed by dancing around a fire pit with African dancers. THIS was entertainment we never would have seen anyplace else....because the crew added the very personal touches. Because they care. After visiting many places after Lion Sands, and traveling through three other countries, I would give Lion Sands TEN stars, but can only give 5. They certainly have my vote as the best, nicest, and most accommodating and friendly game resort in South Africa. We are already planning our next trip, to include Lion Sands as our main attraction. Book a visit there. You will NEVER regret it, and you will never forget it!

I was just at River lodge for the 2nd time and booked my reservation for next year already before I left. River lodge truly feels like home and I consider the staff family. The lodge has The best staff, top notch service and phenomenal guides! The food is fabulous and the lodge itself is absolutely gorgeous. I’m already counting down until I’m back there again.

From arrival to the safari’s to all meals and truly welcoming employees Lion Sands exceeded my expectations every step of the way! Our field guide Gus was incredible! Gus was extremely knowledgeable and very interested in spotting animals and getting us incredible views.

Lion Sands River Lodge is absolutely perfect. We were there with our family and extended family, a group of 13 total. My husband, two children (13 and 10), and I stayed in a family suite, which was gorgeous beyond all expectations with its floor to ceiling windows with views of the river, expansive deck, and its own heated pool. One night we had our own personal elephant show, in which around ten elephants feasted on the vegetation in the backyard for two hours before moving on (we of course watched from inside — they made loud, scary noises if we attempted to open a sliding door to the deck). We also enjoyed the large rock monitor lizard that was always hanging out in the tree next to the deck… we named him Monty. :) The daily game drives were incredible every single time. The beauty of the animals and the landscape is breathtaking. Our guide and tracker team, Ozy and Heavy, were unbelievably knowledgeable and their love and respect for the environment and their work was evident in every aspect of every game drive. Because of our large group, half of our group went with a different guide/tracker team, Rector and Culture, who were equally outstanding. We were able to see the Big Five within our first 24 hours at Lion Sands. Alice in the creative lab was also so patient and helpful when I visited there to edit some photos and get some of my photos printed on canvases. They turned out beautifully! The sundowners, a bush walk with breakfast in the bush at the end, and the barbecue in the boma were all really special surprise details that made the trip that much more memorable and exciting. I am still craving a Ranger Coffee every day! Nothing about this trip could have been more perfect, and we feel so fortunate to have been able to stay at Lion Sands and experience its beauty and magic with our family.

We had a wonderful 4 nights here at the lion sands. The food, service, safari were out of this world! Thank you to Adelaide, Raymond and Amu for taking care of us. Connie for explaining the food and Precious for the spa treatments! We stayed in the two-bedroom villa and loved the downtime there. The staff in general were amazing and made sure we were well taken care of. This safari trip and the location was truly a once in a lifetime trip and we collected so many memories including seeing the big five, but also hippos, hyenas, nocturnal mating lions, sundowners and a bush walk learning how to make tooth brushes and what to eat or not ! Thank you so much for everything.