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Write a User ReviewAwesome
Visited Tinga Lodge, it was magical. The guides, Simon and Isaac were so knowledgeable and tracked and found all manner of wildlife. Highly recommend, the accommodation and wildlife
Massai_1 (Carsten M.)
Visited:
November 2014
Reviewed: May 25, 2015
Katherine
Visited:
December 2014
Reviewed: Feb 6, 2015
Our honeymoon safari was life changing!
All of our expectations of going on a safari were exceeded! The lodge was so luxurious, the service some of the best in the world & to be in the bush with the wildlife forever changed us. Luckily Southern Destinations sent us to an area where there are the most leopards as well as all the other Big 5 wildlife. We had many sightings that we will treasure & took hundreds of photos. The South African rangers are so well educated & can tell you everything from the smallest dung beetle to everything about elephants. They graduate from Wildlife college & are certified guides. The native trackers have grown up on the reserves so they can spot animals or tracks when no one else can. Our food at the lodge was top notch & the chef accommodates any & all special requests along with providing wonderful wines. We felt terribly spoiled our entire stay!
epharston
US
Visited:
November 2012
Reviewed: Feb 13, 2013
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exciting, relaxing, fascinating, up-close and personal.
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chips - and South African favorite. Back at the resort, meals was served on the deck overlooking the riverbed. One day we were treated to an elephant parade on the other side. They entertained us for 45 minutes as they browsed, dirt bathed, then crossed the river. The Lion Sands resort consisted of individual "houses" each with open architecture. A lovely raised wooden pathway let the way to well-marked abodes. Inside, your eyes are immediately drawn upwards by the high ceilings - really the underside of the grass roofs. The King size bed (complete with ample mosquito net) faces sliding glass doors which open toward the river. There was a wonderfully stocked bar area and attractive bathroom complete with outdoor shower (said to use it only during the day because of the danger of leopards at night). After dark we were escorted to and from our room as a precaution against a wild animal encounter. We had no incidents for us, but another couple had to wait in their room while the staff chased a buffalo away. Lush vegetation meant no lack of wildlife, including seemingly-tame bush bucks grazing around the raised walkways leading to our rooms. Velvet monkeys, some with young clinging to their fronts, adorned nearly every tree. Thankfully, they were appropriately kept at bay from the eating area.Theater seating in the Land Rovers offered the perfect safari vantage point from any seat. While the rear-most (and highest) seats amplified the dips and curves a bit, we thought it just added to the adventure. The kitchen staff was extremely accommodating, willing to customize any food preference you might have. Fast, friendly butlers soon anticipated our preferences. Meals were available at any time - completely at our convenience. Wireless internet access is available for the technology-dependent. Two onsite swimming pools were less than inviting - evidently no filters or chlorine, so one could not even see the bottom. Massage services were private but open-air overlooking the river - nice!
The overall resort completely exceeded all of my expectations! I would definitely go back.
After our stay, we also stayed at the exclusive Camp Jabulani. I also highly recommend it. Elephant safaris, volunteering at the Hoedspurit Endangered Species Center (arranged only for Jabulani guests), gourmet meals, etc... Tops!
Jo H.
US
Visited:
February 2011
Reviewed: Aug 14, 2012
Email Jo H. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lion Sands Game Reserve was an unforgettable experience!
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a sighting but a fuller experience. We saw the "Big Five" in the first day, plus so many more fascinating animals, right down to the not-so-small Golden Orb spiders. We had the unique experience of following a female leopard for an hour as she walked about, sharpened her claws, stalked prey, and seemed virtually unaffected by our presence. Throughout our stay, the staff did things to surprise and delight us. As an example, on an evening game drive we stopped unexpectedly in the bush to find a gorgeous white-tableclothed bush dinner set up for us under the stars around a bonfire. Another example, our ranger and tracker pulled an impromptu bar from the Land Rover and served us mixed drinks along the riverbank, while we watched the hippos lazily playing in the water as the sun went down. Lion Sands was an unforgettable experience and I can't wait to go back!
alex_griffiths
GB
Visited:
January 2010
Reviewed: Aug 3, 2012
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fun and educational everything I would want from a safari
The resort it’s self is to a very high standard and it’s the little things that make the difference, for example staff address you my name within the first few hours and remember you name throughout your stay. Makes you feel special. After the evening game drive you return to your room to find a warm bath has been run and a glass of sherry waits you before dinner.
The game at loin sands can be a bit hit and miss depending on the session and its location, but you will still see plenty more than if you were anywhere else. On the game drives the rangers are very knowledgeable and the resorts are very good at taking it in turns to see the animals, so you are never sat there with a hundred other game vehicles. The drives are done
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in such a way that you always feel that you have just found the animal whilst knowing full well the ranger has been driving around for 5 minutes waiting their turn.The resort itself will leave you wanting for nothing, the food and drink is excellent and plentiful. We drank them out of Savannah so the next day they sent some poor sole on a good 4 hour drive to ensure that we had for the next evenings sun downers.
As a wildlife photographer this is an ideal place to get some really nice shots, the rangers are always happy to reposition the vehicle so you can get the shot you want and will get as close to the animals as you and the animals are comfortable with.
For anyone that has not been on a safari before Lion Sand will deliver some excellent game spotting, but I would recommend as you have gone all that way to spend some time in the Kruger national park that borders the Sabi Sands and is about 2 hours from Lion sands, to truly appreciate the wildlife. You will be spoilt at Lion Sands no driving around for 4 hours seeing nothing but bush. (though nothing is guaranteed the animals are wild after all.)
I have been fortunate to stay in a few places in the Sabi sands and Lion Sands is defiantly one of my favourites.
Neal D
CA
Visited:
August 2010
Reviewed: Jul 27, 2012
Exceeded Our Expectations
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hippos, African wild dogs and many many more. We had nothing but memorable moments during our stay, but in addition to the welcome parade of elephant on the first day, a couple did stand out. We watched two hynea stalked a pack of African wild dogs. Observing the actions of the pack as they moved to protect their young was fascinating. And then there was my close encounter with a lioness. We had come across a pride of lions on one of the roads and stopped to watch as they passed our land rover. I was snapping picture after picture with my telephoto lens and as one lioness' head seemed to fill the viewfinder I took the camera away from my eye to find out that she was right beside the truck. I am sure I could have reached out and touched her. When I later looked at the photo, I saw that the fur on her face was red with blood from the morning kill. It was quite an experience. I would highly recommend the Sabi Sands Game Reserve to anyone who wants a great safari experience. The staff at the Lions Sands River Lodge were attentitive to our every need. The rangers and trackers are experienced and extremely knowledgeable and made sure we saw everything that was possible to see. The accomodations are spacious and comfortable and the food was great. Our time was much too short and we are hopeful we can return one day to this beautiful place.
downeym
Visited:
August 2010
Reviewed: Jul 26, 2012
An amazing Safari experince in a beautiful and comfortable setting
When we arrived at the Lion Sands lodge, we were immediately greeted by a heard of wild elephants grazing in the dry riverbed right next to the common part of the lodge. That amazing sight was just a taste for what we had in store. Over the next few days, we were able to see all of the "Big 5" thanks to our knowledgeable guides and trackers, all from the relative comfort of our jeep.
The facilities are all top notch and everything worked quite efficiently, which is not always the case in the middle of the jungle. the food was wonderful and the staff working there are all very friendly and helpful.
All in all, I can HIGHLY recommend the Lion sands game reserve to anyone thinking of going. While there are cheaper game reserves in the Kruger park, there are few better.
video of our safari: https://vimeo.com/14495537
Pictures of our Safari: http://www.flickr.com/photos/downeym/sets/72157624700900975/
Goodstuff
Visited:
August 2007
Reviewed: Apr 26, 2012
Airboat Afrika
ZA
Visited:
May 2011
Reviewed: Oct 16, 2011
35-50 years of age
Lion Sands remains an all time favorite. Best location (in SA), best architecture, best service, best food. They are so alarmingly friendly. Oh, awesome game, too.