diedel0f
Google
Our stay at Loin Sands Tinga was exceptional in many ways. The rooms are beautifully luxurious, with thoughtful touches like turn-down service after supper. The shower opens to the outdoors, where we watched nyala wander by, and the mini fridge was well stocked with kombucha and premium liquors.||Ben, our guide, demonstrated excellent driving skills and shared interesting insights — such as how to determine South and true North using the stars. On one of our morning drives, Wanted even left the cruiser to track lions, though without success.||The rest of the team, including Bennie and others, were equally warm and welcoming. The deck area is stunning, built around a large Jakkalberry tree, and small touches like a warm towel on arrival added to the experience. We also really appreciated the beauty of the massive trees and the surrounding landscape — it made the setting truly memorable. The Land Cruiser seats were exceptionally comfortable, and the built walkways made it easy to hop on and off during sightings.||That said, there are a few areas for improvement. For the price point, the food was fairly average, and service during meals did not meet expectations — despite many staff being present, plates were not cleared promptly, and water wasn’t refilled regularly. We were also disrupted by a woodworking workshop just outside our room, with loud machinery running during our afternoon rest. While the noise stopped after we complained, it affected the experience. In addition, the milk in the fridge was off on arrival.||We also felt that a simple in-room information booklet would have been helpful — including details such as drive times, meal times, what’s included and excluded in the package, and general lodge orientation. While the hostess communicated some of this on arrival, it was hard to absorb everything after a long journey.||Regarding the game viewing, it’s worth noting that the Lion Sands Reserve seems to have significantly less wildlife activity compared to Kruger National Park. While we had two excellent sightings of leopard and lions on one drive, the other three drives were relatively quiet. This may not be a concern for international guests unfamiliar with Kruger, but our expectation was for a superior experience, and in hindsight, we might have preferred to pay slightly more to stay in Sabi Sands.||Lastly, during quieter drives, it would enhance the experience if guides took more time to point out birdlife, plants, and other ecological details to keep guests engaged.
