Lion Sands Ivory Lodge
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge sits directly on the bank of the Sabie River within the Lion Sands Game Reserve, part of the Sabi Sand. It’s the only lodge in the entire Sabi Sand Reserve with direct access to the river itself. That distinction matters in practical terms. The perennial water draws wildlife consistently throughout the year. Several guests describe seeing elephant on the riverbank, or leopard along the water’s edge, directly from their own suite without needing to leave the property at all.
Design and Setting
The lodge is run by the More family, now in its fourth generation managing Lion Sands. Their grandfather was among the founding members of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin in 1948. This gives the property a genuine, multi-generational connection to the conservation history of the wider reserve. Ivory Lodge itself comprises eight single villas plus one double-suite villa, each elevated and individually positioned, mostly with direct views over the river. Architecturally, the lodge takes a sleek, restrained approach: full glass walls, a muted palette, air conditioning. One long-running review described it as almost too urban for a traditional bush lodge. Most guests who choose Ivory specifically want exactly that contemporary register, however, rather than a more rustic alternative.
Villas and the Fish Eagle Residence
Each villa includes a master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom featuring a free-standing bath and both indoor and outdoor showers. A private lounge area with a fireplace and full glass walls genuinely merge indoor comfort with the surrounding bushveld. A heated plunge pool sits on the private deck of every villa, with a covered patio for game viewing during the heat of the day. The double-suite Fish Eagle Villa connects two private bedrooms via an entrance hall, lounge and study, suited to families or friends travelling together. The separate Fish Eagle Residence, by contrast, extends the property’s most exclusive tier still further. This fully self-contained option comes with its own chef, butler, dedicated guide team and vehicle, including a private 10-metre lap pool, fire deck and star jetty over the river.
Dining and Treehouses
The lodge’s communal spaces include a private lounge, wooden viewing decks, a wine cellar, a gallery showing work from celebrated South African artists, and an Africology spa and gym. Dining moves through several settings across a stay. The mahogany main deck wraps around towering trees with views to the Sabie. A second platform sits at the river’s edge, alongside a leadwood-lined boma. In-suite dining, in addition, arrives via a built-in service hatch. The slow-cooked oxtail has developed something of an independent reputation among repeat guests.
Two treehouses extend the Ivory Lodge experience further still. The Chalkley Treehouse sits in an ancient leadwood tree, while the Kingston Treehouse overlooks the river. Guests are driven out after dinner to spend a night sleeping under the open sky, with a proper bed, mosquito netting and a viewing deck, but otherwise genuinely exposed to the African night. Few other lodges in the region offer this distinctive add-on in quite the same form.
Children under 10 aren’t permitted at Ivory Lodge, making it a clearly adults-and-older-children-oriented property. The lodge is generally recommended over its sister property, River Lodge, specifically for guests wanting more privacy and exclusivity rather than a sociable, communal atmosphere. For couples, honeymooners, or smaller groups wanting the most private and exclusive lodge within the Lion Sands collection, with genuinely unmatched river frontage, Ivory Lodge remains one of the strongest arguments in the Sabi Sand for travellers comparing it against Royal Malewane or Singita.
Why Stay Here
- The only lodge in the entire Sabi Sand Reserve with direct frontage on the perennial Sabie River
- Eight private villas plus a double-suite villa, each with a heated plunge pool and full glass walls
- The Fish Eagle Residence, a fully self-contained option with private chef, butler and dedicated guide team
- Two treehouses for an exposed, under-the-stars sleeping experience over the river
- Run by the fourth generation of the More family, with deep roots in the Sabi Sand’s conservation history
Accommodation
Eight single villas and one double-suite villa are individually elevated, mostly overlooking the Sabie River, each with a master bedroom, en-suite bathroom with free-standing bath, private lounge with fireplace, and a heated plunge pool on the deck. The Fish Eagle Residence offers a fully self-contained, exclusive-use option with its own chef, butler, guide team and vehicle.
Dining
Meals move between the mahogany main deck overlooking the Sabie River, a riverside platform, a leadwood-lined boma, and private in-suite dining delivered via a service hatch. The slow-cooked oxtail has built a following of its own among returning guests.
Experiences
Game drives and walks run with experienced guides and trackers across the Lion Sands reserve, with off-road driving and night drives both permitted for special sightings. Two treehouses, Chalkley and Kingston, offer a night spent sleeping under the stars overlooking the river. An Africology spa, gym, wine cellar and art gallery round out the lodge’s facilities.
Best For
Couples and honeymooners wanting the most private and exclusive lodge in the Lion Sands collection, and travellers specifically drawn to genuine river frontage and passive wildlife viewing from their own suite.