Kariega Game Reserve - Settlers Drift — Hotel in Ndlambe Local Municipality

Positives: The lodge and suites are to an excellent standard, very well maintained and site staff work hard to maintain the standard. Rangers are excellent and the safari experience is great. Two game drives a day which are very enjoyable.

Negatives: our in room Internet was down for our whole stay. Selection of food for an 'all inclusive' experience is pathetic. Particularly the afternoon tea which is nothing more than a couple of sandwiches and snacks covered by flys and surrounded by uninterested staff. Evening dinner menu is small and options are all about style over substance, presented well but cooked poorly, some of the toughest lamb I have ever eaten. I really don't understand why they note dietary requirements upon arrival because they certainly weren't considered. Worst of all is their recommended tipping system, the expectation they set in their in room information was tipping rangers the equivalent of £100pp for two days worth of drives, this is after paying £1000pp for the stay. Waitresses in the lodge could do with learning how to smile.

The garden route is beautiful and towards Port Elizabeth there are many safari parks, some of which offer more for your money and certainly set expectations which...

Just came back from the most incredible four days at Settlers drift. We spent a long time searching for the perfect location for our first safari and this passed our hopes and expectations. I can't remember the last time I was genuinely blown away by a holiday like this.

The rooms were huge and wonderfully comfortable, we loved being able to view the animals from the terrace and swimming pool. I thought maybe you'd see the occasional antelope but every time we looked there were dozens of animals to sit back relax and watch, ostriches, giraffes, zebras etc.

Then there was the drives, Michael was a fantastic expert and we saw big cats on every drive along with a huge variety of other animals. Each drive was different as you explore a different part of the park.

Food was excellent, two breakfasts are served (one before and one after your morning drive) and dinners were of the highest quality.

All the staff were incredible, with small surprises throughout the trip to make everything feel particularly magical. The massages at the spa was high quality and very decently priced.

Thank you to everyone at settlers drift for the most...

Our stay at Settlers Drift was nothing short of extraordinary, made even more special as we were celebrating our marriage. From the moment we arrived, the attention to detail was impeccable, ensuring that every aspect of our experience was perfectly tailored to our needs. The staff was absolutely wonderful—friendly, attentive, and always ready to assist with a smile.

We were touched by their thoughtful gesture of arranging a private dinner for two, making our celebration even more intimate and memorable.

A special mention goes to our guide, Richard, who truly went above and beyond on each game drive. His deep knowledge of the area, passion for wildlife, and keen eye made every outing one we will never forget. Richard’s dedication to making sure we had the best possible experience was evident in every moment.

Settlers Drift is a gem in the Kariega Game Reserve, and we cannot recommend it...