Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / South Africa / Sabi Sand Game Reserve / Lion Sands Treehouses
Lion Sands Treehouses
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa · Lion Sands · High Luxury
Lion Sands' three treehouses trace back to 1933, when Guy Aubrey Chalkley bought the Kingston farm along the Sabie River and later became a founding member of the Sabi Sand reserve. The Chalkley Treehouse opened in 2003 on the exact site where he once camped in a leadwood tree to escape predators, followed by the Kingston and Tinyeleti treehouses in 2013. Each is a one-night, lantern-lit platform reached by drawbridge or locked stairway, with no Wi-Fi and radio contact with the main lodge through the night.
- 3 rooms
- Opened 2003
- Neighborhood: Sabi Sand
- Rooms from 350 sq ft (33 m²)
About Lion Sands Treehouses
- Guy Aubrey Chalkley purchased the Kingston farm in November 1933 and became a founding member of the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve fifteen years later.
- The Chalkley Treehouse sits on the exact site of his original bush camp; family legend says he once climbed a leadwood tree here to escape a predator.
- Tinyeleti, meaning 'many stars' in the local language, overlooks the Sabie River, while Kingston sits beyond a rocky outcrop with wide views across the reserve.
- Entry-level rooms start at 350 sq ft (33 m²).
History
The treehouses are part of the Lion Sands Game Reserve, with the original Chalkley Treehouse opened in 2003 on the site of Guy Aubrey Chalkley's original bush camp, followed by the Kingston and Tinyeleti treehouses in 2013. These three luxury platforms (Chalkley, Kingston, and Tinyeleti) are set 8 to 10 meters above the ground in both Sabi Sand and Kruger National Park. They are booked as a one-night supplement to stays at the reserve's main lodges, providing a private, lantern-lit wilderness experience.
Experiences
- Treehouse night — Spend a night in Chalkley, Kingston, or Tinyeleti Treehouse - open-air sanctuaries raised high above the bush, with a comfortable bed, gourmet picnic, and lantern light under a canopy of stars.
Amenities
- Gourmet picnic basket and selected drinks
- En-suite bathroom facilities with WC and shower
- Two-way radio communication for safety
- Solar-powered lighting
- 360-degree game viewing decks
- Secure access via locked doors or drawbridges
Awards
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
Open Lion Sands Treehouses in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More Lion Sands hotels
- Lion Sands Ivory Lodge — Sabi Sand, South Africa · Grand Luxury
- Lion Sands River Lodge — Sabi Sand, South Africa · High Luxury
More hotels in Sabi Sand Game Reserve
- Ulusaba — Virgin Limited Edition · High Luxury
- Cheetah Plains — Independent · Grand Luxury
- Londolozi Healing House Retreat — Londolozi · Grand Luxury
- Londolozi Private Game Reserve — Londolozi · Grand Luxury
- Londolozi Private Granite Suites — Londolozi · Grand Luxury
- MalaMala Rattray's Camp — Independent · Grand Luxury
Lion Sands in The Maison: the brand's idea, history and every house on the atlas.