Kariega Game Reserve - Ukhozi Lodge — Hotel in Ndlambe Local Municipality

Words almost fail me trying to write this review because there are just too many good things to say! From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, everything was… well, not just perfect, but more than perfect.||The staff were incredible – every single one of them so thoughtful and kind. Our guide Melissa was an absolute star. She went above and beyond to make sure we saw everything we hoped for and that we were comfortable every step of the way. Most of our drives had just four of us, but for our last afternoon and morning we were the only guests in the lodge – and that meant we had Melissa all to ourselves! Honestly, who gets that?! I’d have totally understood if they’d combined us with another group since we were just a couple, but no – we had our very own private drive, which felt unbelievably special. Melissa was fab: knowledgeable, fun, considerate (she even made sure the snacks and drinks suited us), and just an all-round wonderful person. We can’t thank her enough.||And it wasn’t just Melissa – everyone else was amazing too. I’ll admit, I was a little worried before going that I might have to ‘make do’ as a vegetarian. How wrong I was! The food was absolutely fantastic – I honestly don’t think I’ve ever eaten so well on a holiday. They even made me a birthday cake, and on our last night, despite us being the only guests, they put on a proper Boma with singing, dancing, and an explanation of the songs. It was magical and we felt so spoiled. They even helped patch up a broken suitcase so we could travel onwards without worry – just another example of how nothing was too much trouble.||And of course, the animals! That’s why you go on safari, right? This was our very first one and I knew there was a chance we might not see everything… but wow, were we lucky. Within hours of landing in Port Elizabeth we were already face-to-face with lions. Then came zebras, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, wildebeest , antelope galore, and even wallowing hippos. We ticked off everything we’d hoped to see (okay, except for the lion cubs – but that just gives us the perfect excuse to come back!).||Honestly, if you’re hesitating about whether to book this safari – don’t. Just go. It was magical from start to finish, and I couldn’t fault a single thing. Huge thanks to Melissa and the whole team – you gave us memories we’ll treasure forever, and we really hope to...

Kariega Game Reserve is an absolutely incredible destination, particularly if you are a safari beginner. The reserve offers abundant opportunities to see a wide variety of animals, making the experience accessible and deeply rewarding. The staff across the board were exceptionally friendly, adding to the welcoming atmosphere that defined our stay. This reserve perfectly balances the thrill of the wild with comfortable luxury, ensuring a truly memorable African adventure.

The single greatest highlight of our entire experience was our guide, Melissa. Her passion and knowledge were truly infectious. She possessed an amazing energy, always friendly and approachable, which made every drive a pleasure. Melissa's expertise was astounding—she was so knowledgeable she could identify different bird species simply by their call. What truly set her apart was her ability to strike the perfect balance: she was engaging and talkative when sharing information, but also knew exactly when to leave us to simply relax and soak up the vast silence of the bush. She is undoubtedly a world-class guide and enhanced the safari immeasurably.

Regarding the dining experience, the all-inclusive package was fantastic, offering a large selection of truly great wines. We especially enjoyed the dinners, which were generally quite nice, and the opportunity to have dinner as a group was a lovely, unexpected social element we wouldn't typically experience. The only area for improvement was the lack of choice at lunchtime, where meals were simply provided without options.

Our accommodation was lovely and contributed greatly to a comfortable stay. Minor issues included a somewhat loud air conditioning unit and a shower experience that, unfortunately, was the weakest part of the room amenities. However, these small drawbacks were easily overlooked thanks to the consistent friendliness of all the staff members and the genuinely incredible safari drives. We enthusiastically recommend Kariega to anyone considering their...

We stayed at the Ukhozi Lodge at Kariega for our honeymoon in December 2024 (thought I’d posted this review earlier), and we had the most amazing three nights there. We wanted to do everything we could, and took advantage of the two game drives a day plus a river cruise on our last morning, we really felt that we got value for money with the amount we did. We saw all of the Big 5 apart from that illusive Jaguar!

From arrival, we were treated so well and had a real 5 star experience. The staff were amazingly friendly and you really felt nothing was too much trouble.

The food was delicious and our ‘suite’ was always clean and had the most beautiful view. It was nice to have the all-inclusive experience but still be able to pick from a menu and have the food served to you – made it all a bit more special. Having a drink by the big roaring fire when you returned from the evening game drive was so lovely too.

Our guide, Dumsayne (apologies for the spelling) was so knowledgeable and accommodating – nothing was too much trouble and he was such a nice guy.

We will never forget our visit to Kariega – drinking wine at 5pm over the South African plains, watching the wildlife will be a core memory forever!

Thank...