Luxury Safari at the Lion Sands

As a city girl I never realized how romantic being whisked away to the wilderness can be, until my visit to Lion Sands Game Reserve. A quick look on the website had given me a picture of what to expect but as you know sometimes pictures can be deceiving right? Well read on to find out. 

Getting there 

Lion Sands Tinga Lodge is located inside the Kruger National Park and we drove from Johannesburg via N4 To Nelspruit and arrived at Numbi Gate about 4.5 hours later. Upon entry we completed the admin process, paid park fees and proceeded to drive to the lodge.  

                             

  What to expect 

From the moment we parked outside the lodge, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff who assisted with parking our car, offering us welcome drinks and ushering us to the reception area to check-in. After check-in we had a walkthrough of the lodge shortly before the potter walked us to our Suite to settle in. 

As we walked into the elegant high thatch room, I was quickly drawn to the welcome message on the bed with both our names. There were also personalized water bottles for our perusal during and after our stay. The elegant styled suite featured a large en suite bathroom with a big bathtub, shower his/hers basins with skincare from Africology neatly placed on the side. Outside the suite was the lounging deck and plunge pool. This was going to be an unforgettable holiday.

                           The Itinerary

We started our day with an early morning 3 hour game drive with our spotter and game ranger Simon Mbambo, who was quite knowledgeable and familiar with the ground which led to spectacular sightings along the way. We were able to see the animals at a very close range observing their natural behaviour. During the game drive we drove past the Sabie river where we could see hippos swimming in the water. Shortly after, Simon found a scenic pot where we made a stopover to enjoy some refreshments in the bush. After the game drive, we came back to the suite to freshen up and get ready for a breakfast spread. I should mention that you need to bring your appetite to this place as they will feed you from morning till dusk! After breakfast we could go on a guided bushwalk which my partner went on without me as I didn’t fancy meeting any creepy crawlies along the way. I used the gap to relax and nap. After midday we had a three course meal, served outside the restaurant on the deck overlooking a pond where animals took turns to make an appearance for our viewing pleasure. 

Afternoon tea is served in the restaurant around 1500 hours, which is just before the sunset game drive when we are re-united with our Guide. Well into the drive we came across a pride of lions which completed our goal of seeing all the big 5 animals during our stay. Once again Simon finds a scenic spot and prepares a mini picnic as we watch the sunset in the wild marvelling at the African sun.

After making it back to the lodge, we have enough time to refresh and have a drink at the bar before the evening Boma dinner which is “dinner under the skies” in the open air. With a grand selection of wine among other beverages, the night is in full swing as we mingle with other guests and exchange stories.

The morning after we had a lie-in after the early morning game drive.
Later on I indulged in an aromatherapy massage in the comfort of our Suite and it was just what I needed on a lazy afternoon.
We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the deck, listening to the soothing sounds of nature before our intimate dinner evening enjoying our last night in a safari paradise.

This was truly an unforgettable, enriching experience that will remain entrenched in my mind.