Lion Sands River Lodge
Jan 8th, 2009, 06:07 AM
#4
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You will have a wonderful time at River Lodge. As for the river flooding, I would not worry about that. Odds are everything will be just fine. I am going again in May and I have no worries.
Here are shots that I took at Lion Sands on my last trip.
http://www.pbase.com/mytmoss/lion_sands_2007
Mike
Here are shots that I took at Lion Sands on my last trip.
http://www.pbase.com/mytmoss/lion_sands_2007
Mike
Jan 8th, 2009, 10:33 AM
#6
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lion sands river is very nice.
personally i would prefer the sabi sabi bush lodge
http://www.sabisabi.com/lodges/bushl...1ACA0AC4D2A0B6
the rates are more or less equal.
the bush lodges is extremely stylish with huge bathrooms, large lounge and bedroom.
i have stayed at the bush lodge as well as earth. earth is posh but bush is wonderful and good value for money.
lion sands ivory is wonderfull. stayed there.
but this is a personal thing. just what you prefer.
widlofe sightings are excellent at both.
game drives and safari routine as well.
sorry if i did bring something up which you didn't want to face ;-)
div
personally i would prefer the sabi sabi bush lodge
http://www.sabisabi.com/lodges/bushl...1ACA0AC4D2A0B6
the rates are more or less equal.
the bush lodges is extremely stylish with huge bathrooms, large lounge and bedroom.
i have stayed at the bush lodge as well as earth. earth is posh but bush is wonderful and good value for money.
lion sands ivory is wonderfull. stayed there.
but this is a personal thing. just what you prefer.
widlofe sightings are excellent at both.
game drives and safari routine as well.
sorry if i did bring something up which you didn't want to face ;-)
div
Jan 14th, 2009, 11:51 AM
#10
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I was there last week and it was wonderful!! Nothing flooded, lots of wildlife, wonderful food, great guides, great staff. Guide concentrated on the small interesting stuff (birds, snakes, plants), as well as the big 5, and the respect and attention to the environment was noteworthy. Beautiful terrain, lush and green, which makes the animals harder to find of course, but the trackers are great. I want to go back!
Jan 27th, 2009, 06:19 AM
#12
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We are now in Capetown at the Cape Grace Hotel, and the City and Hotel are wonderful,far beyond our expectation.
I cannot express how nice everyone was at Lion Sands River Lodge.
We saw the big five...and much more.
The food was excellent, and we were pampered in every way..
However we did have one problem, but didn't let it spoil our trip.
We had heard that many people in this violent world request that the Rangers go for the "kill".
and are requested to follow the predators.
We contacted the Lodge, and told them that we would come there only if they guaranteed that this would not happen to us, and they gave us their word.
The first day we encountered six wild dogs with a fresh kill, and watched them tear the Impala apart and devour it completely in about ten minutes.
Kurt our Ranger, and the head Ranger there asked if I was O.K. as he knew of my request.
I was as we encountered it, rather than seeking it.
To make a long story short, the next day he did follow the dogs to find a kill.
A herd of Wildebeast outsmarted them, and the dogs eventually left, so Kurt asked "Who wants to follow the dogs".
When I said no, he turned to me and said "majority rules".
While we watched the dogs he also described in great detail how lions take down an elephant and eat it while it is alive over a two day period .
The next morning I was told at Breakfast that he will follow the predators to their natural outcome, so we might want to hire a private Ranger.
We did and paid a lot of money.
If you believe in Karma, the last night everyone was looking for a leopard as we had not seen one.
We found the leopard just finishing off the kill, and Kurt and his group were the furthest away and didn't reach us until dark when the mighty beast had dragged his kill into the darkness.
I would not return there.
I cannot express how nice everyone was at Lion Sands River Lodge.
We saw the big five...and much more.
The food was excellent, and we were pampered in every way..
However we did have one problem, but didn't let it spoil our trip.
We had heard that many people in this violent world request that the Rangers go for the "kill".
and are requested to follow the predators.
We contacted the Lodge, and told them that we would come there only if they guaranteed that this would not happen to us, and they gave us their word.
The first day we encountered six wild dogs with a fresh kill, and watched them tear the Impala apart and devour it completely in about ten minutes.
Kurt our Ranger, and the head Ranger there asked if I was O.K. as he knew of my request.
I was as we encountered it, rather than seeking it.
To make a long story short, the next day he did follow the dogs to find a kill.
A herd of Wildebeast outsmarted them, and the dogs eventually left, so Kurt asked "Who wants to follow the dogs".
When I said no, he turned to me and said "majority rules".
While we watched the dogs he also described in great detail how lions take down an elephant and eat it while it is alive over a two day period .
The next morning I was told at Breakfast that he will follow the predators to their natural outcome, so we might want to hire a private Ranger.
We did and paid a lot of money.
If you believe in Karma, the last night everyone was looking for a leopard as we had not seen one.
We found the leopard just finishing off the kill, and Kurt and his group were the furthest away and didn't reach us until dark when the mighty beast had dragged his kill into the darkness.
I would not return there.
Jan 27th, 2009, 10:09 AM
#14
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erly,
I'm sorry but you're a bit pathetic. Why did you go on safari if you know that there's always a chance of seeing a kill or something being eaten??
Kurt was 100% right when he said "majority rules". Hopefully I'll never have to share a game drive vehicle with you!!
Regards,
KL
I'm sorry but you're a bit pathetic. Why did you go on safari if you know that there's always a chance of seeing a kill or something being eaten??
Kurt was 100% right when he said "majority rules". Hopefully I'll never have to share a game drive vehicle with you!!
Regards,
KL
Jan 27th, 2009, 11:48 AM
#15
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rough crowd.....
isn't the client king anymore?
Avoiding kills is easy enough, sorry that they could not have indulged your request, but I guess that is what sets the guest orientated operators apart from the rest.
isn't the client king anymore?
Avoiding kills is easy enough, sorry that they could not have indulged your request, but I guess that is what sets the guest orientated operators apart from the rest.
Jan 27th, 2009, 12:13 PM
#16
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This issue is not a Lion Sands issue, it would be the same for all lodges where the vehicles have multiple guests. To think that LS is unique to letting "majority rules" is naive.
If you want to make sure that you do not go to an actual kill, pay for a private vehicle (which is expensive) and you can do what you want. Based on my experience, the vast majority of the visitors want to experience everything including the kills.
I would be very annoyed if I had someone in my vehicle that did not want to see that. Fortunately in my more than 50 games, its been a non issue.
Mike
If you want to make sure that you do not go to an actual kill, pay for a private vehicle (which is expensive) and you can do what you want. Based on my experience, the vast majority of the visitors want to experience everything including the kills.
I would be very annoyed if I had someone in my vehicle that did not want to see that. Fortunately in my more than 50 games, its been a non issue.
Mike
Jan 27th, 2009, 05:56 PM
#18
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In defense of erly, I think other posters are being overly harsh by missing erly's point. I point out the following, quoting from erly's original post:
First:
"We had heard that many people in this violent world request that the Rangers go for the "kill".
and are requested to follow the predators.
We contacted the Lodge, and told them that we would come there only if they guaranteed that this would not happen to us, and they gave us their word."
So, the lodge evidently assured erly that he/she would not have to go out SEEKING a kill.
Second:
"The first day we encountered six wild dogs with a fresh kill, and watched them tear the Impala apart and devour it completely in about ten minutes.
Kurt our Ranger, and the head Ranger there asked if I was O.K. as he knew of my request.
I was as we encountered it, rather than seeking it."
So, the kill, having been encountered and not actually SOUGHT, was OK with erly.
Third:
"To make a long story short, the next day he did follow the dogs to find a kill.
A herd of Wildebeast outsmarted them, and the dogs eventually left, so Kurt asked "Who wants to follow the dogs".
When I said no, he turned to me and said "majority rules".
While we watched the dogs he also described in great detail how lions take down an elephant and eat it while it is alive over a two day period."
So, the guide used 'majority rules' to seek out a kill, despite the fact erly had been promised that he/she would not be subject to that kind of behaviour (seeking a kill) from the guide.
Finally:
"The next morning I was told at Breakfast that he will follow the predators to their natural outcome, so we might want to hire a private Ranger.
We did and paid a lot of money."
So, erly was told that if he/she did not wish to seek out a kill, they should hire a private guide/car. And they did.
I believe erly's point is not in criticizing kills if encountered "naturally" in the course of a drive, it is in heading out with the specific goal to seek out a kill. And that the lodge told them that that would not happen to them. When it did happen to them, they were upset. What the lodge SHOULD have told them is that there are no guarantees on what will happen or be seen on a day-to-day basis, that the desires of vehicle-mates need to be taken into consideration and, if they want to set their own agenda, that can only be guaranteed by hiring a private vehicle & guide. So, the lodge failed to communicate properly.
The difference between "just happening upon" a kill and "seeking out a kill" may be lost to many, but it evidently had been an expressed concern by erly that the lodge failed to deal with.
First:
"We had heard that many people in this violent world request that the Rangers go for the "kill".
and are requested to follow the predators.
We contacted the Lodge, and told them that we would come there only if they guaranteed that this would not happen to us, and they gave us their word."
So, the lodge evidently assured erly that he/she would not have to go out SEEKING a kill.
Second:
"The first day we encountered six wild dogs with a fresh kill, and watched them tear the Impala apart and devour it completely in about ten minutes.
Kurt our Ranger, and the head Ranger there asked if I was O.K. as he knew of my request.
I was as we encountered it, rather than seeking it."
So, the kill, having been encountered and not actually SOUGHT, was OK with erly.
Third:
"To make a long story short, the next day he did follow the dogs to find a kill.
A herd of Wildebeast outsmarted them, and the dogs eventually left, so Kurt asked "Who wants to follow the dogs".
When I said no, he turned to me and said "majority rules".
While we watched the dogs he also described in great detail how lions take down an elephant and eat it while it is alive over a two day period."
So, the guide used 'majority rules' to seek out a kill, despite the fact erly had been promised that he/she would not be subject to that kind of behaviour (seeking a kill) from the guide.
Finally:
"The next morning I was told at Breakfast that he will follow the predators to their natural outcome, so we might want to hire a private Ranger.
We did and paid a lot of money."
So, erly was told that if he/she did not wish to seek out a kill, they should hire a private guide/car. And they did.
I believe erly's point is not in criticizing kills if encountered "naturally" in the course of a drive, it is in heading out with the specific goal to seek out a kill. And that the lodge told them that that would not happen to them. When it did happen to them, they were upset. What the lodge SHOULD have told them is that there are no guarantees on what will happen or be seen on a day-to-day basis, that the desires of vehicle-mates need to be taken into consideration and, if they want to set their own agenda, that can only be guaranteed by hiring a private vehicle & guide. So, the lodge failed to communicate properly.
The difference between "just happening upon" a kill and "seeking out a kill" may be lost to many, but it evidently had been an expressed concern by erly that the lodge failed to deal with.
Jan 27th, 2009, 07:06 PM
#19
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Agree - the lodge should not have guaranteed Erly anything, especially when they were in a shared vehicle. They should have told them upfront to book their own private vehicle. sounds like some communication issues...... still Lion Sands is a fabulous destination and I did visit there a long time ago (2003) and did enjoy it there.
All the sightings mentioned above appears to be just coming across the action ..... the wild dogs and the leopard, for example.
Erly, and everyone else going on safari should be prepared for anything in the wild. Be it, a kill or just an afternoon observing impala and kudu and some random birdlife...... For specific tailor-made safaris, a private vehicle sounds like the only logical option.
All the sightings mentioned above appears to be just coming across the action ..... the wild dogs and the leopard, for example.
Erly, and everyone else going on safari should be prepared for anything in the wild. Be it, a kill or just an afternoon observing impala and kudu and some random birdlife...... For specific tailor-made safaris, a private vehicle sounds like the only logical option.
Jan 28th, 2009, 07:26 PM
#20
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ricmck
I want to thank you and the others who actually read my post.
A private vehicle is over $1000. per day, and that would need to be factored into the cost of the trip.
The lodge should not have given their word, and reneged on their obligation.
It is a warning for like minded people.
To Tom and KL, that was exactly my point, as I didn't want to be on Safari with you.
I want to thank you and the others who actually read my post.
A private vehicle is over $1000. per day, and that would need to be factored into the cost of the trip.
The lodge should not have given their word, and reneged on their obligation.
It is a warning for like minded people.
To Tom and KL, that was exactly my point, as I didn't want to be on Safari with you.
