Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Narina Lodge is a place nurturing natural beauty. Perched on stilts under a canopy of 100-year-old trees just up from the water, Narina Lodge offers guests a wonderful sense of remoteness and peace, and panoramic views of the Sabie River from the main lodge or one of the nine private luxury suites. Like the Narina Trogon bird after which it is named, the lodge is astonishingly beautiful, yet blends unassumingly into the natural environment. Our Creative Lab is available for photographers to turn their images into works of art. Million-star Tinyeleti Treehouse is the ultimate bush bedroom. Here romantics, adventurers, and solitude seekers alike can discover the magic of a night out in Africa – in complete luxury. Tinyeleti Treehouse offers a starry riverside retreat. All our treehouses have bathroom facilities with hot running water. The Treehouse Experience is booked additionally in conjunction with accommodation at the lodge, with the room available for returning to at any point. Lion Sands conserves 12 400ha (30 600ac) of a habitat that is home to the highest and most diverse concentration of wildlife in the southern hemisphere offering exceptional game-viewing opportunities. Natural animal populations include the Big Five, along with a supporting cast of 137 mammal species and over 450 varieties of bird, and the reserve is renowned for the quality of its leopard viewing. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives with our highly qualified field guides and trackers. Bush dinners and boma dinners will have you dining under the African stars.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu
Location
Skukuza 1260 South Africa
Lion Sands Narina Lodge
254 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
You get a lot of places claiming to be five stars and the meaning is lost. The experience at Lion Sands Narina Lodge was above and beyond any place I’ve stayed before. Of course that is reflected in the price but it’s worth it. The rooms are amazing extremely private and overlook the Sabie River with animals walking by below you. The staff is very personal and you can learn a lot about their lives by talking with them and learn a little bit more about South Africa. You won’t ever go hungry they are constantly feeding you even on the game drives. We were extremely fortunate to have our guides track and call a pack of 30 or so wild dogs with whom we spent an hours time. The pups were playing and rolling around in the mud and watching the dogs interact and not seeming to care at all that we were there was amazing. They could up their game on the food inventiveness a bit, but overall it was quite excellent. They were offering Covid specials which made the cost a bit more affordable. Highly recommended for a splurge!
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Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
From the moment you are collected by jeep and enter the reserve and lodge everything is a breath taking experience. You are greeted by an enthusiastic and engaging team. The main lodge and reception is the heart of the resort with the rooms spanning out in each direction overlooking the Sabie river. All meals are served in this area. The food and quality of service are second to none .
The rooms have a real wow factor with modern amenities and luxury you would expect yet with a local feel to the decor. The rooms have a plunge pool and view of the river (our view was slightly obscured by overhanging branches). As there are no electric fences to keep animals out you are escorted to/from your rooms during the evening.
The safari drives were tailored to the needs of your group by your guide/tracker and enabled us to see all the game we expected and more. We were lucky enough to visit the adjoining sabie sands reserve to observe lions and had a drive into Kruger National Park to observe more lions and wild dogs.
Aside from the safari drives and meals there are few other amenities or activities so be prepared to be able to occupy your self during the day (most guests caught up on their sleep from the early starts!). In summary an awesome safari experience.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Narina Lodge is located overlooking the Sabie river. Hence, you can see elephant, hippo, baboons right by your bedroom. In fact we saw elephant whilst showering! The quality of food service and accommodation is well beyond 5*. It is an all-inclusive Lodge, and the commitment, courtesy and personal attention given to residents of the nine rooms is exceptional. You get collected from Skukuza airport; greeted personally by the Lodge host; and are assigned a personal butler. Two safaris are organised each day and the driver and tracker made every effort to ensure we saw The Big 5’. We did! For us, the leopard we saw stalking three storks was riveting, as was the collaboration of lions. I cannot praise the facilities, activities organised, and staff at Narina Lodge enough. There was even coffee served on the dawn safari, and gin & tonic on the dusk safari. An exceptional, outstanding 7* experience.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The suites by the river, built to afford complete privacy in a wilderness where you can watch animals come down to the river from the comfort of your bedroom. I was impressed with the quality of fresh produce at every meal, not forgetting the many sightings and the big 5 within the first day of our game drive, thanks to our dedicated guide and tracker. Unfortunately we weren't so lucky during our 2N stay, first night one of the A/C broke down and it couldn't be fixed so we had to kinda sweat it out since it was summer, to make it worse no one updated us on the repair status and we had to keep following up the next day. On our final night we stayed at the open air tree house, but sadly had to cut short out our stay as the water supply ran out halfway while my husband was showering, this was after a first round of maintenance when the generator went off. Do take note that the tree house is an amazing experience but do go with an open mind, as the website doesn't give any heads up on the number of bugs you will meet up there when night falls, and I recommend going earlier so you can have ample time to take photos, enjoy dinner and settle down before the sun sets and all the insects come out to play. Many thanks, nevertheless, to Gerald the manager who kindly refunded our tree house stay due to the hiccup, and the staff at the restaurant for taking care of my dietary restrictions. Best wishes, Alison and Steven from Singapore
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have just returned from 2 nights at Narina and I simple cannot recommend this place enough! Everything from the staff, the room, the food, the game drives and the setting is simply unforgettable. I have stayed in many 5 star resorts and it is up there with the top.
I was bit concerned after reading the review below this regarding the food but I'm not sure he has the correct place - we were offered everything from beef fillet, dorado, seabass, blesbok, duck, ostrich and yes, chicken too. They were all cooked exceptionally with great flavours!
The rooms are beautifully decorated with gorgeous views of the river (we had hippos wallowing right in front of us as well as buffalo, hyena and water buck). Our cleaning lady (Nelly) also leaves a personal note everyday which is a lovely touch.
Our game ranger and tracker (Mandla and Reckson) were faultless. Incredibly knowledgeable and went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. We were saw 25 animals (including the big five) and too many birds to mention!
Lodrey, the manager, is very attentive. I left my jacket on the plane and mentioned it to her and within 24 hours she had somehow managed to contact the airline, go to the airport to fetch it and when i returned back from the game drive it was handed to me in my room! That is PHENOMENAL service!
Cannot wait to return!!
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Date of stay: December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Absolutely gorgeous place with amazing food and wonderful staff. I can't say enough good things about our experience. From the second we walked in we felt so welcome. The entire staff from the room cleaners, to the restaurant, to the the guides and trackers were so kind and generous. We always felt safe and looked after. They even accommodated our gluten free and dairy free requests and had special treats for us every day.
The best thing about the property is the location right on the Sabie River. We spent hours watching wildlife there every day. The rooms themselves are huge and spotless and stocked with treats...just make sure you keep your doors locked because there are some naughty monkeys in the trees outside!
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Bring binoculars so you can watch for wildlife on the river!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MORE Family Collection Lodges and Hotels, Owner at Lion Sands Narina Lodge
Responded 27 Mar 2023
Thank you for the wonderful review. We are so glad you loved your stay, naughty monkeys and all. We truly love sharing the beauty of Lion Sands with our guests and we are so glad you enjoyed your moments spent with us. Kind regards Mark Broodryk, General Manager, Kruger National Park, Lion Sands Game Reserve
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Instead of a laundry list of all the wonderful details that we were so fortunate to experience during our pre-New Year's Day 4 night stay at Narina, I'll just say this: do it. Yes, this is probably more money than you're used to spending on holiday for a few days. But this is the best value for money you will experience on holiday travel.
Oh yeah, while you're fretting over the price tag, do yourself a favor: book a night in the treehouse. Waking up under a canopy of stars to two water buffalo thrashing around in the nearby river while you eat a fabulous breakfast and drink mimosas is always value for money.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â If you care whether there's a flat screen TV at Narina, you are booking the wrong experience.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Narina Lodge in the Kruger Park has a unique location that provides for incredible sightings and is located on a truly magical setting on the Sabie River. This unique location allowed us the chance to drive through some of the best game viewing areas of the Kruger Park. What made this trip truly special was the expert guiding of Johan and Manny. Johan's love of the area and his knowledge and fun stories added to the incredible sightings we had. Johan and Manny provided for many entertaining and informative stories between animal sightings. Our extended bush walk was a very special experience that Johan helped arrange. In addition to the incredible guiding the service at Narina was super. Sue, the Camp manager, was always visible and available to ensure every request was handled flawlessly and ensures the experience is just perfect. Abel managed all our meals and his service was very friendly and efficient. All the great service makes it easy to really enjoy the beautiful setting. The view from the main lodge area and rooms are truly special and the large patio, soaking tub, bedroom, and indoor and outdoor shower overlooking the Sabie River is idyllic. This location is uniquely special as it provides for some of the best game viewing in the Kruger Park where you have a chance to see special up close sightings of leopards, lions, and so much more... and also large herds of elephants, buffalos and so many other varieties of animals. The combination of seeing unique sightings and large herds makes this lodge special. Narina is ideal for anyone looking to experience incredible animal sightings, with a beautiful and unique location with wonderful guiding .
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Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our Butler Patrick was Outstanding!!!!!! 20 Stars He greeted us daily with the most amazing smile and attention to detailed service. He knew what I wanted to drink without me even asking.
Our Safari Ranger - Albert and Tracker Mishack were beyond Awesome, knowledgeable, funny, friendly accommodating and engaging!!!! We loved them! Each game drive was better than the last!
Our Room Attendants Thembe & Tinkele (I hope I am not spelling the names incorrectly) kept our room sparkling and the daily written notes on the chalkboard made us feel so welcome and appreciated guests....
Jared The Lodge Manager deserves all the acolades for his ability to talk to each and every guests staying in a meaningful way. He was very approachable and always checked in to make sure our stay was great. I watched him interact with his team and he always spoke in a kind manner which is how a manager is suppose to interact with their staff.
I have to tell you that I truly enjoyed the peace, comfort and amazing cuisine we received at Lion Sands Narina. A 30 star rating isn't enough of a rating to meet the level of service that was provided not only to us but to all guests staying at the lodge. I only saw smiles on everyones faces!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: April 2022
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed three nights and went on 5 game drives. On the first drive we saw all the Big 5. Subsequent drives we saw so many beautiful animals. I had no idea we would be able to get so close to the animals. Our Guide, Simon, and Tracker, Isaac, were professional and excellent. My husband and I learned so much about Kruger and the animals. When you return to the lodge after a drive you are always welcomed back by management. You are assigned a butler who makes sure you are attended to. The cottages are beautifully done with plenty of living space including a private balcony with a small pool that a resident mama monkey and her baby loved to hang by. The food and service was excellent in a beautiful open air dinning room overlooking a river full of accommodating hippos. Can't say enough.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MORE Family Collection Lodges and Hotels, Owner at Lion Sands Narina Lodge
Responded 13 Jun 2022
Thank you for the review, which certainly made our day. We love your images. We are truly privileged to be the custodians of one of Africa’s last truly unspoiled wilderness areas, and just as privileged to be able to share this with our special guests. So pleased we exceeded expectations. Do visit again! Kind regards, Alison Rainier, General Manager, Lion Sands Narina Lodge
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Skukuza area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 36,792 - RÂ 58,307 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaMpumalangaSkukuza
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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