Description
Lion Sands is an award winning lodge situated in a game rich area of the Sabi Sands offering guests a fantastic safari experience.
Ivory Lodge offers six beautifully appointed villas each with a separate living room, heated swimming pool and an open plan en-suite bathroom with an outdoor shower. Spacious glass-fronted bedrooms afford fabulous views onto the river bed below. Guests can sit by their private plunge pools and watch game from their decks which often includes baby elephants bathing in the river, zebra, gnu and the large Nile crocodile.
Facilities at Ivory Lodge include a private bar with a cosy fireplace, a library lounge, well stocked wine cellar, wooden viewing decks, a magnificent River Island Deck built on the river, Lalamuka Health Spa and gymnasium, curio shop and both an indoor and open-air dining area. Meals can be served in the main area, in the boma or privately on the deck of your villa. Fabulous menus are on offer and great pride is taken in the cuisine and impeccable service. Relax and unwind at the spa
Guests can choose to spend a night in the Tree House for a real wilderness experience. A beautiful bed set on stilts is set up in the middle of the bush for the ultimate in privacy and romance. Other activities aside from game drives include spa treatments, ballooning safaris over the Sabie River Valley, clay pigeon shooting, golf, helicopter rides and cultural village experiences.
Accommodation
Ivory Lodge offers 6 gorgeous suites featuring a king size bed with mosquito netting (can be made up as twin bed), en-suite bathroom, inside and outside shower, free standing bath and double vanity basin,
private viewing deck, individual heated plunge pool, lounge with fireplace, air conditioning and overhead fan, minibar, safe and telephone.
Childcare
Children under 7 are not accepted at Ivory Lodge.
Facilities
Facilities at Ivory Lodge include a private bar with fireplace, a library lounge, well stocked wine cellar, wooden viewing decks, a magnificent River Island Deck built on the river, Lalamuka Health Spa and gymnasium, curio shop and both an indoor and open-air dining area (boma).
Activities
Astronomy, game drives, guided walks, viewing from the hide, hippo tours and wildlife lectures are all included in room rates. Spa treatments, ballooning safaris over the Sabie River Valley, clay pigeon shooting, private game drives, golf, helicopter rides, cultural village experiences and nights in Chalkey Tree House are charged additionally.
When to travel
There is no bad time to go on safari in the Kruger National Park. The experience does, however, change from month to month. In the summer months (October to March), it gets very hot. The verdant vistas are all the more spectacular because of the rains, but this means that the foliage is denser, water is more abundant and game is therefore trickier to see. There are lots of beautiful migratory birds during the summer months. While the daytime temperature in the winter months (May to September) is ideal, it does get a little chilly at night and in the early morning.
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Location and directions
Sabi Sands, South Africa
Lion Sands Private Game Reserve is located in the finest territory of the world famous Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Forming part of the greater Kruger National Park, the reserve has no fences and the wildlife is able to traverse freely between Lion Sands and the Kruger National Park.
How to get there
Skukuza airfield (12km) is the closest airport to Ivory Lodge. There are thrice daily flights (1 hour 15 minutes) from Johannesburg to this small landing strip. Transfers from here will take 25 minutes. Kruger Mpumalanga Airport (110km) is larger, but further away. You can fly there direct from Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town; from there it is a 1-hour and 45-minute (110km) road transfer; or you can get a 25-minute flight to Skukuza. Driving from Johannesburg will take 5 to 6 hours.
