As wild as Mother Nature herself…
We took the short flight (40 minutes) from Johannesburg to Skukuza Airport, which is situated in Kruger National Park. We were greeted by one of the Lion Sands team who escorted us to the River Lodge, our accommodation. We were lucky enough to get there by 15:00, to make the evening Game Drive. On arrival, Lion Sands River Lodge took our breath away; situated next to the river and where we had the opportunity over our stay to come up close with leopards and hippos whilst eating breakfast.
The food was exceptional. We asked if the chef’s had a Michelin Star as the range, quality and taste would fully deserve one in our opinion. Our butler for our stay was Abraham and his service was first class. At the bar we had the pleasure of meeting Derreck and talking at length with him about the area and local cultures.
The rooms are fantastic. We had a great view out into the bush and were greeted on several occasions by the local wildlife. After sunset and before sunrise it is essential to request an escort to your room. This was again a great opportunity to talk to the Lion Sands team about the animals and their experiences. The standard of the rooms are extremely high and it is clear that the housekeeping staff take such pride in their work – personalised messages each night, decorated bed sheets and bottles of champagne. I cannot thank them enough for making us feel so welcome.
There are two Game Drives each day; 06:30 and 15:30 (July/August). Our guide was Erich, who's passion and knowledge of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve was second to none. On arrival he asked us for our preferences and he did his upmost to deliver. We were blessed with the opportunity to see all of the ‘Big Five’ in just 24 hours! The opportunity to walk on foot to track a White Rhino will be an everlasting memory of this trip. This would not have been made possible without the experience and knowledge of our tracker, Juice. Although there is an element of luck when it comes to Game Drives, Juice had a skill to spot animals from such a distance and pick up on animal tracks, with success in tracking. He would also set up the ‘moving bar’ each morning and evening so that we could stand and watch the African sunrise and sunset with a hot chocolate or beer in hand!
We took the opportunity to have Africa all by ourselves for one night, staying in the Kingston Treehouse. This is not just a sleep out, but rather your own personal wild adventure in Africa. I would recommend it to anyone who stays at Lion Sands. We were dropped off midway through the evening Game Drive to be left alone to watch the sunset whilst drinking champagne. Again, the food hamper was excellent and well prepared. After dark it was time to sit back, turn off the lanterns, look up at the stars and listen to the wildlife below waking up for their night hunts. The temperature can be a bit cooler but you are provided with enough blankets and hot water bottles to see you through the night before the morning pickup and Game Drive.
An incredible safari; the sounds we heard and sights we saw would imprint this experience in our memory as one of the best bucket-list items we have ever had. We will be back!!
