Earlier this month I was fortunate enough to be hosted at the recently opened "1933 at Lion Sands", the latest addition to the More family’s safari Lodges- Lion Sands Ivory Lodge and Lions Sands River Lodge. Lions Sands is one of Roar Africa’s favourite hand-picked boutique lodges. And it is not only our favourite- It has been named in Tatler Magazine’s "101 Best Hotels in the World".

Lion Sands is a luxurious, intimate, socially and environmentally conscious family-owned lodge built and run by the More family. Nicholas and Robert More are the current owners but the family has owned this reserve in Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger National Park) since 1933 when their great grandfather Guy Chalkley fell in love with and bought the land. This is where the name of their new lodge “1933 at Lion Sands” comes from.

1933 at Lion Sands, the new addition, is in fact not new at all. It is the family homestead which has been converted into a private safari lodge complete with Chalkley’s old chests, family photos and so on. It is an exclusive camp on the banks of the Sabie River and consists of four beautiful private suites and a children’s dormitory. In true form nothing has been overlooked. There is even a room for an Au Pair. The food and service are exceptional and given the exclusivity of the lodge- they are all focused on accommodating only your party’s exact needs. That could be from the cuisine your private chef prepares to game viewing in your private Land Rover, or to whatever else you can practically dream of.

The main lodge is designed to blend into the environment, with large windows and sliding doors, and a muted colour scheme. You’ll find yourself living both inside and out enjoying the views and game viewing directly from your suite, the private wrap around balcony, or from the 13.5m lap pool. Timber and thatch add charm and the kitchen opens onto a dining area that’s equally suited to informal family meals or formal dinners.

This is the perfect private camp for a family or group desiring an exceptional experience and luxurious home away from home. Thanks Rob and Nicholas and congratulations to the team Lion Sands!

See more on Lion Sands and some of Roar Africa's other chosen lodges here.

"It's the thrill of the chase, not the kill, that delights the heart of the hunter…." ANON

Hunting, conservation and elephants- how do those three come together? Green-hunting is the answer. Roar Africa does not support hunting generally but there are times when hunting can benefit conservation of animals. For example the non-lethal, green-hunting of elephants. Clients enjoy the thrill of the hunt whilst contributing to conservation both scientifically and financially, and without depleting the dominant elephant bull population-essential to the health and social dynamics of elephant herds.

This concept has been pioneered by Save the Elephants and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve on the western border of the famous Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Hunters pay to dart large bull elephants which have been depleted though excessive hunting and poaching. They then get involved collecting data on the unconcious elephant for both scientific reasons and for the creation of their eco-friendly trophy. It is a thrilling experience and one kind of hunting which we would love to share with you.

Meet Mac the 100+ pound-per-tusk, green hunting emissary and get a detailed account at Save the Elephants. The charity was founded in 1993 by Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton who made a pioneering study of elephant behaviour in the late '60s in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania.
http://www.save-the-elephants.org/regions.asp?linkID=10&contentID=17