GibaLand — Hotel in KwaZulu-Natal

We spent New Year’s Eve camping at Giba Gorge, and given the high cost, it was not a worthwhile experience.

To begin with, the entrance lacks clear directions, which is essential since there are multiple other establishments along Stockville Road. Although we had already paid for our camping accommodation, an additional fee of R45 per person was required for entry into Giba Gorge.

The overall condition of the site is poor and inadequately maintained. The vegetation surrounding the Teepee campsite is overgrown, and the area is poorly illuminated at night. Inside the Teepee tents, the bench covers, and bedding are outdated and unclean. Additionally, the Wi-Fi service was unavailable during our stay at Giba Land. The standard camping area also suffers from neglect, with the ablution facilities located at a considerable distance.

The hiking trails are not well-marked, leading to potential confusion for visitors. There are no resting benches or logs along the trails for those wishing to take a break, and hard copies of the hiking maps are not provided.

The children’s play area is in need of maintenance and renovation. The ablution facilities were quite dirty, prompting us to request that the owner send someone to clean them, which was eventually addressed after some time.

Overall, the site is in dire need of upgrades, and the promotional videos and images on the website do not accurately represent its current condition. I would consider returning if improvements were made and proper maintenance was implemented. Furthermore, the pricing for camping should be reassessed, as it...

Gibaland was certainly an adventure for me as I've never been on a glamping experience before. The place in itself is scenic even boasts many Jaboticaba miracle trees🌳 and has some really stunning views especially the waterfall which is about a 10 minute walk from the teepees. There are however longer hikes as well for those built for the long haul😁. The staff are pleasant and polite. The ablution facilities were not up to standard and the showers really untidy. However we were told this was due to their staffing issue. After bringing this to the attention of the owner it was then cleaned. The pizzas and breakfast was really not up to standard. The owner was kind enough to buy us Chinese food for supper on the 2nd night of our stay. At night a bon fire is lit and this gives the place a cosy atmosphere. Whilst trying to get some sleep in the teepee you get to hear the night sounds of chirping insects, the flowing river chatting to the swaying trees, sounds a bit eerie. It was a cold and windy 2 nights so definitely the howling wind got to me. Glamping I suppose is for the adventurous kind of people..will I do it again... highly unlikely.. but I do recommend it for those that are not faint hearted about vacaying...

Don't suggest eating here on a Sunday. We ordered two pizzas on Sunday at 2pm, they are pricey but that was not a problem at all, what was the problem was the absolutely dismal pizzas that arrived. They were lacking almost all the ingredients, and we were served them with no forewarning. We first noticed all the micro greens were missing, and then it was obvious that so we're most of the other core ingredients. We took them back to the kitchen, and the very nice staff confirmed they were low on, and out of most ingredients. We had waited a while, so we agreed to eat our sparse pizzas. We thought we would then rectify the poor experience with a milkshake after the meal, but same story, no ice cream. OK we said, malva pudding? No can do was the response. We are out of malva pudding too. What a debacle. The owner will probably say they were unusually busy being the first weekend of school holidays, to which we would answer, really..... So this is the first time you have catered at the beginning of a school holiday?? The answer is rhetorical. Poor show guys! A long way to drive for a disappointing...