Lion Sands Narina Lodge

You will be surprised at how a visit to Lion Sands can completely restore your energy and allow you to truly relax. When you’re right on the Sabie River, watching the animals, surrounded by bush and sky, you really feel like you’ve escaped from the world. With 5 000ha of wilderness in this private concession within the world-renowned Kruger National Park, you can go exploring off-road, follow in the footsteps of a leopard, track down a herd of elephant, or simply wait for them to come to you. 

Lion Sands' Narina Lodge has a wonderful sense of remoteness and peace. Its nine luxury Suites perch on stilts among 100-year-old trees just up from the Sabie River, and link to a spa sala and intimate lodge via elevated walkways. This shared space is enhanced by natural décor and open design, extending out to generously furnished decks. From here there are views of animals feeding on the opposite bank, and you can engage in the social chatter this inevitably stirs or meditate on the rustle of the leaves.

The Suites are built to afford complete privacy in a wilderness where you can watch the animals come down to the river from your pool and deck, as well as bed and bath. Glass sliding doors and windows open up your sanctuary to the outside, while a romantic canopy bed, sink-into-me couches, an egg bath you can wallow in up to your chin, and a personal bar all add to the delight of being in Africa – in style.

Suites: 9 for 18 guests

Size of suites: 125m2

Double bed convertible to twin: Yes

Private plunge pool: Yes

Air-conditioning: Yes

Room fan: Yes

Mosquito nets: Yes

Outdoor shower: Yes

Indoor shower: Yes

Free Wi-Fi: Yes

Satellite television: Yes (Public area only)

In-room safe: Yes

Personal bar: Yes

Telephone: Yes

Guests per safari vehicle: 6

Private 4 x 4 safari vehicle: Yes, subject to availability

Wild Life

Africa has been called the greatest show on earth, and Lion Sands presents a safari that plays out like a highlights reel. Our reserve conserves 5 000ha (12 500ac) of a habitat that is home to the highest and most diverse concentration of wildlife in the southern hemisphere. You will see all of Africa’s iconic species – lion leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and zebra – along with a supporting cast of no less intriguing 137 mammal species and over 450 varieties of bird. Tge safaris present an adventure that is wild, and then some!

Being entirely private, Lion Sands offers you an intimate safari experience. With only six guests to a game viewer and exclusive traversing on our reserve, you’ll have minimal encounters with other people. Though compelling sightings do attract more attention, the number of vehicles here is also limited. This ensures the animals aren’t put under stress and you are able to spend more time with them, observing their natural behavior. While you are out exploring, you will by no means be roughing it. Your game viewer has cushioned bucket seats, waterproof device holders, blankets and ponchos – and stops off in a scenic spot for drinks and snacks.

Bush Walks

These are our after-breakfast walks on the wild side. For those who wish to experience the bush, not just observe it, there is no better guided excursion. You are dropped in the thick of things and all five senses engage… Feel the scrub crunch beneath your feet, touch a velvety acacia seed pod, hear the crack of a branch indicating you are not alone, and spot the game appear just metres off – exhilarating! This is also a wonderful opportunity to encounter the smaller creatures, often missed on safari vehicles, and to discover more about the reserve’s plants – many with fascinating medicinal properties and traditional uses.

Food & Wine

From boma feasts to safari refreshment stops, dining promises to be a highlight – for all our guests, with any dietary requirement, including kosher, catered for. Our chefs transform local recipes into contemporary dishes, giving you a taste for Southern Africa. Paired with premium wines from the Cape, dining becomes an experience. Our wine tastings are also a favourite of connoisseurs and dabblers, alike.

Spa & Wellness

In our experience, being well taken care of inspires a fundamental sense of well-being. And how better to indulge than with luxurious accommodation, wholesome food, and spa therapies? We favor Africology products, instilled with the belief that self-care brings balance. So with our massages, wraps and facials, we promise a wellness experience to rejuvenate your body, quiet your mind, and revitalize your spirit.

Tinyeleti Treehouse

Let the Sabie River itself welcome you to this endless African landscape. The Tinyeleti Treehouse, which translates to Many Stars, is not merely a vantage point from where to observe the splendor that is The Sabie River and all the life it sustains, but rather an open-air invitation to take your place
and become part of it.

Tinyeleti Treehouse is fully equipped for your relaxation and you can expect all the comforts of a luxury stay. Enjoy your choice of tapas or a full meal, and then settle in with a cocktail as the animals come to drink at sunset. The 50m2 deck can accommodate 4 people, and children are welcome. We will provide you with a torch, and, even though there is no electricity, you will find a few bars of cellphone signal.

Expect to hear the constant rush of life from the Sabie River on your doorstep, as well as a few animals, night predators and birds chiming in.

Tinyeleti is an uninterrupted overnight experience that cannot be replicated, but that will most definitely be re-told. That is, if you can find the words to describe it. For us who have come here many times over, well, we’re still at a loss.

Giving Back

Lion Sands together with More Community Trust assists our local Huntington and Justicia B villages, and you can get involved, too. Take a community tour, the proceeds of which go to our development projects here, or roll up your sleeves to help out through our Get Your Hands Dirty initiatives. These centre on education, infrastructure, health and environment, and you can choose the area best suited to your skills and interest. These are extraordinary social experiences that bring you to the heart of Southern Africa to make your own and others’ dreams come true.

To learn more about the lodge, click HERE