"The iconic treehouse experience — where luxury meets raw wilderness."
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge is renowned for its six extraordinary "treehouses" — elevated, open-air sleeping platforms deep in the Sabi Sand bush, where guests spend the night under a blanket of stars with only a mosquito net between them and Africa. The lodge itself, set on the Sand River, offers seven exquisite villa suites with private pools and panoramic bush views.
Lion Sands is one of the oldest and most storied properties in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, with a history dating back to 1933. Ivory Lodge, their flagship ultra-luxury camp, represents the pinnacle of the Lion Sands experience.
The lodge's seven villa suites are true private sanctuaries — freestanding on the river's edge, with infinity pools perched above the waterline, indoor and outdoor showers, and vast glass walls that dissolve the boundary between living space and bush. Interiors blend mid-century modern aesthetics with African textures: leather, linen, woven baskets, and hand-carved detail.
But Ivory Lodge's most remarkable offering is its collection of six iconic treehouses. Built high in ancient-growth trees — Chalkley, Kingston, Tinyeleti, Rockfig Jr, Viewpoint, and the remarkable Rockfig — these open-air platforms offer one of Africa's most extraordinary sleep experiences. With no walls or roof, guests lie under a million stars listening to the bush come alive around them. Hyenas yipping. Nightjars calling. The distant rumble of lions. It is an immersive, unforgettable encounter with the wild.
By day, Ivory Lodge's Big 5 game drives are world-class. The Sabi Sand's dense wildlife population ensures consistently spectacular sightings, and Lion Sands' guides are experienced, passionate, and deeply knowledgeable.
Gourmet bush cuisine with a focus on bold African flavours. Breakfast on your villa deck, lunch at the main boma, and sunset cocktails before multi-course dinners in the wilderness — often at a special surprise location deep in the bush.
Lion Sands actively contributes to Sabi Sand Wildtuin's conservation fund, supports local community development through Makuleke royalties, and participates in the reserve's comprehensive predator monitoring and anti-poaching programs.
Species that are frequently sighted in and around this reserve:
Community rating shows after 3 votes
From ~R33,000 per person per night
Fully inclusive of meals, game drives, treehouse experience, and conservation fees. Treehouse nights are included for Ivory Lodge guests.
Sand River, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Opens in a new tab. We are not affiliated with or compensated by this lodge.