Lodge in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Best Safari Lodges in Africa Safari: Lions Sands and Londolozi

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

South Africa

Places Visited

Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Lion Sands Game Reserve...

See all

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Take an opulent and evocative journey across the Kruger that's Inspired by Travel + Leisure's 2016 best safari lodges in Africa. From the rhino-filled wilderness of Eastern Kruger to the private reserves in the west, the 8-day safari is filled with exclusive extras; bush walks, a private treehouse, plunge pools visited by elephants, and spa treatments while overlooking the savannah. It's a thrilling big-game safari for those seeking to blend contemporary luxury with pure wilderness.

Customizable Itinerary

Expand All

Trip Highlights

  • Settle into the untrammeled luxury of the finest safari lodges in Africa, as recognized by the 2016 Travel + Leisure awards
  • Lose yourself in the pure wilderness of Kruger National Park, spending two days in the remote western savannah, where lions and rhinos roam beneath the lodge
  • Discover the opulence of an old-world safari in Londolozi Game Reserve, one of Africa's oldest and most luxurious lodges
  • Sleep in a glass-enclosed private treehouse high above the Kruger savannah in the Lion Sands Game Reserve
  • Spot buffalo from your private plunge pool, enjoy spa treatments while gazing down on the herds, and watch elephants wander past while savoring exquisite evening meals
  • Private game drives unravel all the dreamy African scenes, like leopards on a hunt or lionesses lounging on boulders
  • Gain a new perspective with guided bush walks that bring a fresh proximity to an array of wild mammals
  • Spend a day crossing the Kruger, an evocative journey that reveals the scale of the savannah and passes tens of thousands of wild mammals
  • Quickly discover that a Kruger safari is filled with countless sightings of the Big Five, yet also dominated by rare and unique animal encounters

Detailed Description

Kruger National Park is one of Africa's largest and most evocative safari wildernesses. It's a land where lions clash with buffalos, thousands of rhinos roam free, and the haunting calls of the wild echo across the savannah. Often, you're miles from anywhere, surrounded by the raw authenticity of Africa's ancient rhythm. Yet within this wilderness you also find some of the world's most luxurious lodges and most decadent travel experiences. The wild blurs with contemporary design; a private glass-enclosed treehouse above the savannah, private plunge pools visited by elephants, fine dining beneath the stars as giraffes lope past. For safari luxury, the Kruger provides more options than anywhere else on the continent, creating a thrilling journey for both first-time safari goers and those that treasure opulent travel experiences.

This 8-day Kruger safari is inspired by Travel + Leisure Magazine's 2016 finest safari lodges in Africa. Using three distinctive bases, it explores both the scale and the detail of the Kruger, with each day enhanced by an exclusive or unusual safari extra. You start with a night in Johannesburg at the boutique Saxon Hotel, voted the number one city hotel in Africa and the Middle East. Then explore the vast scale of the Kruger at Singita's Sweni Lodge, deep in the east of the national park. The impression of wild Africa is absolute, with rhinos and lions amongst those that can be spotted from the lodge. Game drives start to showcase the beauty of the savannah, bringing a series of personal encounters with the Big Five and much, much more. Like each day on safari, you can explore both a private concession and the publicly accessible Kruger National Park.

Next, you cross the Kruger, a full-day game drive providing a rugged and intrepid adventure. You bump along sandy trails, passing different waterholes and habitats to appreciate the unrivaled enormity of the national park. By passing through the diverse landscapes, you can explore the nuances of the park, taking the safari fay beyond notions of the Big Five. Narina Lodge in the Lion Sands Game Reserve provides the enchanting reward after the drive, a sublime lodge secluded amongst the trees of the Sabie River. The following day is equally adventurous, with a guided safari walk unveiling the Kruger from a new and thrilling angle, and a wonderful treehouse continuing the luxurious immersion in the bush.

Londolozi is one of Africa's oldest and most revered private reserves. Nestled on the Sand River, it's a haven of old-world safari style and intimate animal encounters. Leopard sightings are legendary here and your villa offers a supreme view over the water. Sip champagne as elephants wander past, admire buffalo silhouettes from a lantern-lit dining table under the trees, and celebrate the lodge's natural elegance while savoring the landscape's ancient splendor. Like each day on this safari, you get to create a personal program of activities and customize each aspect of the journey; picnic beside a river with South Africa's finest wine, see spotted cats out hunting, and sit back on the elevated deck and watch the Kruger subtly change throughout the day. From Londolozi, you fly back to Johannesburg for your departure flight. 

Starting Price

$5,200 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.94 stars based on 1076 reviews.

South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe Luxury Travel Review: Safari,...
"This was a phenomenal experience, perhaps my best yet facilitated...

Reviewed By Tremayne G.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Luxury Travel Review: Cape Town,...
"Overall, we would give a rating of 10 out of 10, with special...

Reviewed By eric s.

South Africa Luxury Tour Review: Safari, 10 Nights
"Zicasso's tour company was amazing to work with. If you...

Reviewed By Wendy T.

South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe Tour Review: Sky Balloon...
"Zicasso’s tour company did an outstanding job planning...

Reviewed By Joe K.

South Africa, Zimbabwe Vacation Review: Cape Town, God’s...
"This trip was beyond anything I could ever have hoped for...

Reviewed By Paula J.

Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe Luxury Anniversary Tour...
"Zicasso's travel company turned our dream safari into a...

Reviewed By Andres S.

Your Dream Vacation

in 3 simple steps

  1. 1

    Describe your dream trip

  2. 2

    Get matched with top travel specialists

  3. 3

    Book the trip

Free service - no credit card required