andBeyond Tengile River Lodge — Hotel in Bushbuckridge

My wife and I stayed three nights at Tengile as the first stop on our honeymoon and it was an incredibly special experience. This will be a long review so if you want the short version here it is: Everything about Tengile is world class and you should book it. ||The safari itself was exactly what we hoped for. We did six game drives: one the day of arrival and departure and two each full day. Tip: make sure to arrive at the lodge before 1pm and depart the lodge after 10am to get the first and last day game drives. We saw the big 5 (and so much more) within our first few game drives. The amount of life was incredible. Warren (our ranger) is outstanding and knows the Sabi Sand inside and out. He knows exactly where to find each animal, he knows seemingly everything there is to know about the animals, flowers, birds, etc (tons of fun facts and knowledge), and was an absolute pleasure to hang out with (funny, interesting personal history, super nice). Rob (our tracker) was also outstanding. Once or twice per game drive Rob would spot animal tracks, hop off the jeep and walk through the bush to track the animals. He had a nearly 100% success rate following the tracks to a conclusion. Rob (and Warren too) also has the eyes of a hawk and spotted so many interesting animals hiding in trees or bushes. Warren and Rob also made the game drives so much more than just seeing animals - the drives were beautiful with sunsets, sunrises and gorgeous landscapes, during the morning drive we stopped for bush coffee (or mocha-choco-rulas as they’re called!) and during the afternoon drives we stopped for a sundowner (drinks + dried fruit + hot food cooked by Rob on a grill), we did a bush walk which was great. They also surprised us with a bush breakfast which was special. By the end Warren and Rob both felt like great friends and made our experience so enjoyable.||Last things about the game drives: 1) for those who are nervous about safety, don’t be. Warren (and I’m sure all other guides) know exactly what to do and we felt 100% safe with him at all times. 2) my wife is not as much a nature enthusiast as I am, but she loved everything about the game drives and was fully immersed. ||The service at Tengile is top notch. The entire staff somehow knows your name within a few hours and each person you meet is nicer than the next. ||Our butler Nepthal made our experience truly special and personalized. The attention to detail was remarkable. A few examples: my wife mentioned to Nepthal on the first day that she likes her coffee with oat milk - thereafter our room was always stocked with oat milk and Nepthal even brought oat milk into the bush for our bush breakfast. We got massages one day and as we walked out of the spa Nepthal was waiting with a golf cart and our lunch to drive us back to our room - we didn’t even tell Nepthal about the massage, he just somehow knew and was ready. We mentioned to Nepthal that we like Chakalaka (a South African special that you should try) - that same night Nepthal had the chef make us bread baked with chakalaka. I have never before experienced this level of personalization and care. ||The rooms themselves are sublime. They’re huge, beautifully decorated, modern, packed with drinks and coffee/tea, fully enclosed with doors (it’s not a tent, it’s a mini house). It was hard to believe such luxurious rooms could exist in the bush. ||The food was also great. You are fed seven times per day and the food changes each day. A highlight was the boma night, which is when you eat outside in a fire light structure along with the rest of the lodge. The staff performs lives music and dancing, the food is incredible, and vibes immaculate. ||There are so many people I want to shout out. Nicky, Talya, and Roscoe were so welcoming and interesting to talk to. Selby (and the other bartender whose name sadly escapes me) made excellent drinks (get the black mamba if you like tequila) and brought great energy to the bar. Pretty (and the other masseuse whose name also sadly escapes me) gave amazing massages. Also want to shoutout the gentleman who escorted us home each night after dinner - missed your name but enjoyed our interactions! Lastly shoutout to Luke from Kirkman’s Camp who picked us up at Skukuza on day 1 - he was the man. ||No doubt the lodge is expensive, but for a once in a lifetime honeymoon experience we found it worth every...

What can we say other than WOW! My wife and I spent part of our honeymoon at &Beyond’s Tengile River Lodge and were absolutely blown away by just about every part of the entire experience.

First, the facilities. Everything from the shared lodge to our massive private suites located right along the sand river was immaculately maintained. No detail was overlooked and anything that we needed was ready within arms reach. There is a fully stocked bar with any drink you can think of making in each suite and a beautiful, spa-like bathroom. This was easily one of the nicest properties we’ve ever experienced in our travels.

Next, the food. The world class chef prepared a huge range of cuisines, all phenomenal. We never felt like we were tiring of the food given the massive variety and there was not a single thing we didn’t absolutely love. It felt like we were dining in a world class restaurant for every meal, regardless of whether we took our meal in the main lodge or in our room. What really did it for us were all the little surprises the staff set up throughout the entire stay, it really made it feel like the entire experience was catered directly for us.

Moving onto the game viewing. This was our first ever safari but even so, we felt so fortunate to have seen all that we saw. Much of this can be attributed to our safari guide/tracker team (more to come below) but the game viewing in the Sabi Sands was incredible. We understand that not every safari is as fruitful as ours, with the wide range of wildlife that we encountered but the Sabi Sands game reserve based on our understanding is known for top tier wildlife viewing and we could not agree more.

Finally, the part of our whole experience that put this above any other resort, hotel, lodge, etc. we’ve ever stayed at. The service. This cannot be understated that the service was world class. The entire staff at Tengile has a way of making you feel completely comfortable without being intrusive. The level of professionalism and hospitality we experienced during our time here alone made the stay worth every penny. From the moment you step off the plane at Skukuza when we met our guide Brett, you are completely cared for and your every need met. Our butler Errohl who took care of us for every meal and he always had on a friendly face, no matter what time of day, or what the occasion. Mandie was also incredible. She tended to any miscellaneous requests we had with a friendly smile and the utmost care. The entire staff at the main lodge was accommodating and friendly, drinks were phenomenal, the decor was amazing, and we were within a few feet from various species of wildlife throughout. Finally, our safari guide/tracker team: Brett/Kholin. Maybe it’s a bit biased to say we had the best pairing but we truly felt we were in the best hands to guide our game drives every day. They say this guide/tracker relationship is crucial to a successful safari and I think we lucked out with the best of the best. Brett/Kholin answered every single question we had and were both deep pools of knowledge of everything we encountered in the African bush. One of the experiences I’ll never forget is actually when Kholin drove us back to the airport to catch our flight at the end of our trip. During our 20 minute ride, he shared details of how he learned to track and some of his thinking when out on a drive in addition to some of his past experiences. That brief conversation will stay with us for the rest of our lives and was one of the best highlights of our honeymoon hands down, thank you Khol!

To sum this all up, we could not have imagined a better safari experience than the one we got at Tengile. We came away with some amazing encounters and a hunger to learn and see more of the African wild. Our very first and hopefully not our...

Tengile River Lodge in Sabi Sands is honestly the best place we have ever stayed in our lives. “Life changing” does not even cover it. On our last morning game drive before leaving I felt an actual dopamine crash knowing we had to go. We were so, so sad to leave. It was our honeymoon and I know we will be talking about this for the rest of our lives.

The lodge itself is a dream. Only 9 suites, each right on the river with a private pool and a deck where you can just sit and watch elephants wander past or hear lions roaring at night. On our last morning I even saw a leopard sneak off the path near our room. The design is gorgeous and perfectly balanced with the wild around you. You feel spoiled and safe, but you never forget you are in the bush. Animals roam freely and that is why safety is taken so seriously here.

The daily rhythm becomes addictive. Morning drives at 6:30, stopping in the bush for coffee or Amarula (the creamy liqueur made from marula fruit that elephants love, they get tipsy on it, and we loved it too). Sometimes they set up full bush breakfasts with linen tablecloths out in the middle of the savannah. Then lunch back at the lodge. Afternoon drives at 3:30, sundowners out in the wild with snacks, then back to the lodge for cocktails at the bar before dinner. Every single meal was insaneeeeee. Michelin level food, all different, and paired with so many amazing South African wines. The boma dinners at night, outdoors by firelight with stars overhead, were unforgettable.

The game drives are what make Sabi Sands so special. Choosing a private reserve is key because it means off-roading is allowed and the guides can track animals properly. We were able to follow leopards through the bush, chase after lions at night, and sit just feet away from rhinos. None of that would have been possible in a national park where vehicles have to stay on the roads. Another tip is to do the night drives. Seeing nocturnal animals with a spotlight is insane and was something we did not realize we would love as much as we did.

Our guide Warren and tracker Jophet are legends. They have worked together for years and somehow always knew exactly where to go. We saw the Big Five on our first day. Then wild dogs, which are so rare there are only a couple hundred across the whole region. We saw leopards with kills, lion prides with cubs, herds of buffalo in the hundreds, elephants with babies, hyenas raising their cubs, rhinos under strict anti poaching protection, giraffes, zebras, crocs, warthogs, monkeys, baboons, antelope in every shape and size, so many birds I could not believe it. It is brutal and beautiful. Predators hunting, babies being born, animals mourning their dead. You feel so small and alive watching it all unfold.

And the people. The staff here work six weeks straight with no days off and still greet you every day with genuine warmth. Our butler Errol, managers like Nicky and Roscoe, bartenders like Reymond, night guards like Reply, they made us laugh, spoiled us, and made us feel safe. The level of care and consistency is unreal.

By the end I was even attached to specific animals we kept encountering, the hyenas with their cubs, elephants mourning, a leopard that barely survived a fight. It felt like a story we were living inside. And then you realize it is not a story, it is just life happening out there, raw and unscripted.

This was the highlight of our honeymoon and one of the best trips of our lives. If you have never been on safari before, know this: private reserves like Sabi Sands are worth every cent. You will see things you never dreamed you would get that close to. Bring layers for cool mornings, trust your guides, and say yes to everything. Tengile is unforgettable. I would go back...