Southern Sands Eco Lodge

The review below is very detailed, but for those who need a short summary, if you need a break from city life, with a view and unbeatable peace and quiet, you can't go wrong here. We booked here looking for a quick peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, and it pulls this off perfectly. To get here you drive some kilometres on dirt road, which has that real African bush feel, and often you get see different buck, monkeys, and even giraffe. We were warmly greeted by Terry upon arrival and was shown the facilities. The tents feature a King Size bed, a mini fridge, and your own bathroom and outdoor shower. So yes you can shower whilst seeing the stars, moons and sun in daytime. The view of the river is stunning, though partially obscured by the large amount of trees, and the fence which unfortunately is a must, lest you want to wake up with a 3 ton hippo on your porch. The braai fireplace areas are private and spacious, but are poorly lit, as the "cold white" outdoor l.e.d light mounted to the tree is too far from the main braai area or the firepit itself, so we had to use a torch nonetheless to braai and see if meat is cooked. I would recommend some poled lights being installed right next to the braai. The swimming pool features a pool table too, and some recliners. Please remember sun screen, and keep cars and tents closed or the monkeys will help themselves to your food, very cute but that means you need to head back to town to replace items. Terry did a stellar job of warning us about this so thank you. There is need of maintenance to some areas I.E the kettle is rusted on the inside, and the shower tap falls off. It is also incredibly hot and stuffy in the tent, even at night, so a fan would be appreciated. I understand this is a tented set up with emphasis on eco friendly, but as someone who grew up in a hot town, I still found spending time inside very difficult, even though we were here in Autumn, so I can't imagine being in such a tent without a small fan to circulate air in mid summer. All round a pleasant stay. Nearby activities: If you are willing to drive, hoedspruit has endless activities and sight seeing. Blyde River Canyon, Moholoholo Wildlife Rehab centre, hikes, restaurants, wildlife toursalso available on site here. The list goes on and on.

To say it was amazing would be an understatement. The location took our breath away. The rooms were nice and clean and to Terry,Ribuna and Sarah,the owners Thank you for having us.Rooms: 5/5

Absolutely amazing! This was my second visit to the lodge and I loved everything about it. Terry was such a great host, the breakfast lady made mouthwatering breakfast. The game drive and scenery, the sound of the river at night, there's nothing not to like about this lodge.Rooms: 5/5

What a wonderful stay!!! The owner was friendly and helpful. The room was lovely and the facilities were great! Best part is the sounds of the river running in front of the tent. Thank you for a amazing break away!! Wish we could stay LONGER! Highly recommended!!Rooms: 5/5

We had an amazing stay! The place is fantastic, very calm and peaceful thanks to the river next to the tent. The reserve is incredible, we had the luck to see Kudus, Nyalas, Giraffes,... The host, Terry, is an amazing person, very kind and helpful. If you're looking for an amazing experience next to the Kruger Park, stop searching: it's here!

This is a very tranquil place next to the sounds of the Olifants River in Limpopo. We would Recommend to anyone wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. We stayed 4 nights and used it as a place to chill for a couple of days and used it also as a base to explore the many things to do in the area. We had braai's on two nights and ate out at two of the many restaurants in the area. They had good food and excellent ambiance. Stunning scenery is all around and lots of wild life. Tents were adequately appointed and secluded, they were very cosy to sleep in. The hosts are very nice people and very hospitable. Seven Stars by our rating !!! John and Vickie

Absolutely fantastic! We only stayed for a night but would happily have stayed for a week. It's clean, well kept, private and beautiful

Wow!!! This place is absolutely amazing!!! Thank You so much to Joanne and her fantastic staff for making our time away from the city so special!!! This place gets a 10 out of 5 starts!!!

Tenting, super tenting.......