At a Glance
- Guests can now arrive via private helicopter transfers directly to the lodge’s helipad.
- The lodge blends natural wilderness with refined comfort along the Sabie River’s scenic edge.
- Every flight route protects wildlife habitats while showcasing breathtaking views of Kruger and Blyde Canyon.
Set along the Sabie River in South Africa’s famed Sabi Sand Reserve, Lion Sands River Lodge offers a safari experience that blends comfort, wilderness, and now, helicopter adventure.
Guests can arrive by private chopper from Johannesburg or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, landing directly at the lodge’s helipad.
From the air, the luxury safari lodge reveals the wild beauty of Sabi Sand, with views stretching across the Lowveld, Kruger National Park, and the Blyde Canyon.
Private helicopter transfers to Lion Sands River lodge
The lodge has begun offering private helicopter flights and transfers, adding another layer to its long tradition of blending ease with adventure.
Travelers can now lift off from Johannesburg or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and land directly at the lodge’s helipad, skipping the long road drive through the bush.
Some choose a scenic flight that follows the Sabie River, glides over Blyde Canyon, and edges along Kruger National Park, a route that reveals the Lowveld in a way few people ever see.
Luxury safari meets wilderness in Sabi sand
Lion Sands has been part of the More family’s story for generations. Their vision helped shape the Sabi Sand Reserve into the wildlife haven it is today.
Over the years, the lodge has built its reputation on authenticity, fine linen and open decks, yes, but also a sense of belonging that makes even first-time guests feel at home.
Adding helicopters doesn’t change that spirit; it extends it. What was once a five-hour drive is now an hour’s glide above elephant herds, winding rivers, and mopane forests.
From the air, it’s not hard to spot buffalo threading through the trees or hippos stirring in the shallows, moments that remind you how alive the land really is.
From the sky to the Sabie river edge
The Sabie River shapes everything here. It feeds the land and draws animals in, lions lounging in the shade, leopards slipping through the brush, herds of buffalo gathering at dusk.
From your suite or the main deck, you can watch it all unfold, the day’s rhythm carried by the soft rush of water below.
Game drives at dawn and dusk remain the lodge’s heartbeat, led by seasoned guides who know every bend in the river.
But from the sky, guests gain a new sense of how it all connects, Sabi Sand flowing into Kruger, forests melting into open plains, the whole ecosystem breathing as one.
Suites and flavors of the wild
The design of River Lodge is simple, warm, and open, thatched roofs, timber walkways, and rooms that face the river.
Each suite feels private yet part of the landscape, with an outdoor shower and deck made for lingering. Sometimes, it’s the quiet moments that stay with you: watching elephants cross the river at dawn or hearing distant lions call as you drift to sleep.
Meals follow the rhythm of the day. Bush breakfasts greet the sunrise, lazy lunches unfold under trees, and dinners glow under the stars.
The kitchen focuses on fresh, local produce and South African wines, letting each dish tell a story of the region. Nothing feels rushed here; even the meals remind guests to slow down.
Supporting conservation and local communities
Between drives, guests can relax at the Africology Spa, where treatments draw on indigenous herbs and traditional techniques.
But Lion Sands’ care extends far beyond its spa. Through the More Community Trust, the lodge supports nearby villages and conservation efforts that safeguard both people and wildlife.
Even the new helicopter service reflects that ethos.
Every flight path is carefully planned to limit noise and avoid sensitive areas, ensuring the wilderness remains as undisturbed as possible.
A different kind of arrival
Lion Sands River Lodge has always been about more than luxury; it’s about connection, to the land, to the people who care for it, and to the animals that call it home.
With the new helicopter service, that connection begins before you even arrive. The view from above, rivers twisting through the bush, herds moving like brushstrokes on the land, turns the journey into part of the story.
For travelers chasing something real yet rare, Lion Sands offers a safari unlike any other, one that begins in the clouds and ends by the water’s edge, where Africa’s wild heart still beats strong.
