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Lodge · Sabi Sand
Lion Sands River Lodge
Set directly on the Sabie River, intimate and unhurried, with riverside views from every room and from the heart of the lodge.
From R 21 430 per person sharing, per night
Special offer available on selected dates.
Lodge · Sabi Sand
Lion Sands River Lodge
Set directly on the Sabie River, intimate and unhurried, with riverside views from every room and from the heart of the lodge.
Live availability
Lion Sands River Lodge
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Lion Sands River Lodge
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About the lodge
An overview of Lion Sands River Lodge.
Set directly on the Sabie River, intimate and unhurried, with riverside views from every room and from the heart of the lodge.
Highlights
- Sophisticated traditional safari lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve
- Light and bright contemporary décor
- Lion Sands River Lodge is ideal for solo explorers, couples, and families looking for a luxury Big 5 safari adventure.
You Should Know
- Children aged 10 years and older are welcome at the lodge and are permitted on game drives.
- Children's activities and childminding services are available.
The Detail
Lion Sands River Lodge, set along the Sabie River, provides a picturesque backdrop with stunning views from the lodge rooms. Guests can watch a variety of animals that are drawn to the riverbanks. The private Lion Sands Game Reserve is an ideal location for close-up encounters with exceptional wildlife, including the Big Five.
The lodge features eight luxury rooms, six superior luxury rooms, three standalone river suites, and a two-bedroom family suite. Each accommodation is designed in a contemporary African style and equipped with modern amenities. The suites include private decks with stunning views of the river or the bush, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in the natural surroundings.
Offering a tranquil atmosphere for relaxation, the lodge features a spa with a range of treatments and a swimming pool where guests can unwind while observing wildlife at the river. With a focus on personalized service, Lion Sands River Lodge tailors each guest's experience to their preferences, whether it’s arranging special meals, private game drives, or unique bush experiences.
Price Includes
- Luxury accommodation, all meals, teas/coffees, Skukuza airport road transfers, local branded beverages, and safari activities.
You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup.
The same as booking direct
Rates and dates.
Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.
Valid until 3 Jan 2027
Peak / migration
1 Jun 2026 – 30 Sept 2026
All Inclusive - All meals, drinks, daily game drives, specified activities and transfers
Special offer
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 22 520
per person · night · normally R 30 020
Shoulder
1 Oct 2026 – 19 Dec 2026
All Inclusive - All meals, drinks, daily game drives, specified activities and transfers
Special offer
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 21 430
per person · night · normally R 28 570
Festive
20 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
All Inclusive - All meals, drinks, daily game drives, specified activities and transfers
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 30 020
per person · night
Low season
4 Jan 2027 – 31 May 2027
All Inclusive - All meals, drinks, daily game drives, specified activities and transfers
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 28 570
per person · night
Rates are per person sharing, per night. Where a reduced rate is shown, it reflects a stay-pay or long-stay offer for those dates; honeymoon and other offers are applied separately when we prepare your quote. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.
Current offers
Special offer available.
Where the rates above show a saving, it comes from a stay-pay or long-stay offer. Honeymoon, family and last-minute offers are applied by your safari specialist when preparing your quote.
Stay & Pay
Stay four nights and pay for only three under the StayMORE offer, available for travel from 1 June to 31 October 2026, 1 April to 31 May 2027, 1 October to 19 December 2027 and 1 April to 31 May 2028. From 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 and 4 January to 31 March 2028, ExperienceMORE applies instead, giving three nights for the price of two. Both are on a per-stay basis, subject to availability, limited to individual bookings of no more than five rooms or ten guests, and are not available from 20 December to 3 January.
Honeymoon
CelebrateMORE offers 25 per cent off per person for milestone celebrations, including honeymoons, babymoons, milestone anniversaries and milestone birthdays. The discount applies to the guest celebrating the occasion and, where applicable, their room-sharing partner, and the occasion must be specified at the time of reservation. Subject to availability, individual bookings only to a maximum of five rooms or ten guests, and not available from 20 December to 3 January.
Last minute
South African and SADC residents may book within 60 days of arrival for reduced nightly rates on Luxury Rooms, Superior Luxury Rooms and River Suites for travel until 19 December 2026. Valid for new bookings only, and a South African identity document or SADC passport is required on arrival.
Long stay
DiscoverMORE gives 10 per cent off accommodation at each property when you book two or more MORE Collection properties on the same itinerary. Returning guests, together with the family and friends travelling with them, receive 10 per cent off accommodation through Friends of MORE, which may be combined with other promotions; DiscoverMORE may not. Both are subject to availability, limited to individual bookings of a maximum of five rooms or ten guests, and DiscoverMORE excludes 20 December to 3 January.
Family
Children aged 10 to 15 sharing a room with an adult are charged at 50 per cent of the adult per person sharing rate, and children of 16 and older at the full adult rate. Where two children aged 10 to 15 occupy a room of their own, including interleading rooms, one is charged at the full adult per person sharing rate and the second at 50 per cent. The lodge is unable to accommodate children under the age of 10.
Family policies
Travelling with children.
What our safari specialists know about bringing children to Lion Sands River Lodge, current as of May 2026. They plan family trips here all the time, so anything below that needs arranging, they will sort. For the bigger picture, see our guide to safari with children .
- Minimum ages
- Stay 10+ · Game drives 10+ · Walking safari 16+
- Child rates
- Children under 10 not accommodated. Ages 10–15 charged at 50% of the full adult per person sharing rate; 16+ charged at full adult rate. Children 10+ accommodated in their own room are charged the full adult rate. If two under-16s share a room (including interleading), one is charged at the full adult rate. In the 2-bedroom Family River Suite, a minimum of 3 full adult per person sharing rates applies.
- Family rooms
- Family unit available.
- Care
- Kids' programme
- Exceptions
-
Lion Sands River Lodge does not offer Private Safari Vehicles, so no private-vehicle workaround exists for younger children on drives. The Family River Suite (two bedrooms, one bathroom) sleeps up to 4 (2 adults + 2 children), and two sets of interleading Superior Luxury Rooms are also available — but the lodge's age-10 minimum still applies; these family units do not unlock under-10 access. Note on the sister Lion Sands treehouses: Kingston Treehouse accepts 2 adults + 2 children aged 10–15; Tinyeleti Treehouse accepts 2 adults + 2 children aged 6–15; Chalkley Treehouse is no children. The Mack & Madi Kids' Adventure Explorers programme is available for children meeting the age-10 minimum.
Sleep-outs
Under the stars.
Star beds, sleep-out hides, walking sleep-outs and overnight platforms documented at Lion Sands River Lodge.
Star bed
Chalkley Treehouse
The Chalkley Treehouse is a dedicated overnight sleep-out experience available exclusively to guests staying at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge or River Lodge. It accommodates a maximum of 2 adults (no children), is weather dependent, and is classed as a bookable activity separate from the room rate. Advance reservation is essential and must be confirmed at time of booking.
- Availability
- Advance booking required; weather dependent; subject to availability; guests must be staying at Ivory Lodge or River Lodge
Star bed
Kingston Treehouse
The Kingston Treehouse is a dedicated overnight sleep-out experience available exclusively to guests staying at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge or River Lodge. It accommodates 2 adults and 2 children aged 10–15 years. The experience is weather dependent, classed as a bookable activity, and requires an accommodation booking at an MFC property. Advance reservation is essential.
- Availability
- Advance booking required; weather dependent; subject to availability; guests must be staying at Ivory Lodge or River Lodge
Sourced from operator rate sheets and audited by our safari specialists. Prices and availability subject to change. Your specialist confirms at booking.
Imagery
A closer look.
Your specialist for this lodge
Safari Specialist - Southern Africa
Knows Lion Sands River Lodge backwards. Your direct contact from first enquiry to the day you come home.
With Shann and Candis across the team.
"Lynn Bowers and Clarisha Horne were incredibly helpful and responsive throughout the booking process. We were looking for a safari on a fairly short timeline, and they were able to quickly understand what we were looking for and help us find an option that was a great fit. They was very attentive, patient, and willing to assist with all the details to help make sure everything is set up for a wonderful trip. We really appreciated how easy she made the planning and booking process, especially given that we booked everything in less than a week! We’re looking forward to our safari and are very grateful to Lynn and Clarisha for all her help getting everything arranged. Highly recommend working with them if you’re planning a safari!"
Speak to a safari specialist
Let's design your stay.
From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Lion Sands River Lodge: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.
Planning something beyond the ordinary?
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