Kambaku River Lodge. — Hotel in Nkomazi

Two problems with this place. First, during the Panoramic tour, a driver from the lodge took us on the tour. The scenery was beautiful; however, the driver informed us that we needed to pay for his lunch. This was a surprise, as I didn't see this listed anywhere. The driver also mentioned that he felt he was considerably underpaid, attributing this to the owner's inability to conceive children due to a horse accident, which he believed was affecting the workers' pay. This made both my mother and me feel uncomfortable. There was also an issue with the amenities with an ant problem stemming from the wall in the kitchen to the sink ( we cleaned it up), while also the entire time there was no hot water for the shower. This trip was meant to be an exciting experience for us, but after this, we were ready to leave. The second issue arose when my mother purchased several items from merchants in the Kruger area. I asked the hotel, Kambaku River Lodge, if they could ship the merchandise for us, as the items were too large and delicate for my mom and me to carry for the rest of our journey. The manager at Kambaku assured me that this would be no problem and that they would be happy to help. They mentioned that they would obtain a quote from their international shipper, and if we agreed to the price, they would handle the shipment. After leaving the hotel, they texted me that they had received a quote of 6,500 R ($349.27 USD). I agreed, knowing the items were delicate. When the package arrived, I immediately noticed that the packaging was of poor quality. Upon opening it, I discovered that all of the wooden items had broken pieces, with one item completely sheared off at the head. This was extremely frustrating, especially given that I had paid $349.27 for shipping intended for delicate items. After discovering the damage, I wrote to Kambaku River Lodge to file a complaint and request the physical shipping quote to determine if I had been overcharged for shipping, especially since the packaging was inadequate. I received no response, which was annoying because it says read by them on January 13th, at 21:14, (see attached photos. Kambaku’s preferred communication method is WhatsApp), so I contacted my bank to dispute the charge. A month later, after receiving my dispute, I was flooded with responses from the hotel, stating that they didn't think this was fair and that they had acted out of the goodness of their hearts and should not be held accountable. It is interesting how this hotel can lack control over their emotions and seemingly not care about their guests' needs as long as it serves them. They appeared indifferent because they thought it wouldn't affect them. Now that it does affect them financially, they seem to care. I provided all of the broken item photos and information to my bank because, at this point, I don't trust them (the bank advised me not to talk to them). This should serve as a learning experience for them in hospitality: it is essential to be responsive when someone first reports a problem instead of ignoring them. All in all, it would be better to find a...

My family and I stayed at Kambaku River Lodge for safari at Kruger. We had a beautiful 2 bedroom + 2 bathroom suite with a fully-equipped kitchen. After a long day of safari in Kruger, we came home to delicious home-cooked meals served on our private patio, where the staff also set up a fire pit every evening. ||The property is situated on the banks of the Crocodile River, so there is a constant parade of wild animals (elephants, hippos, warthogs, birds, etc.) right in the backyard. (The animals are protected from us humans by a discreet electric fence.) It really is such a beautiful property. With binoculars in one hand and a glass of Stellenbosch red in the other and a beautiful South African sunset in the background, what more can one ask for?||As for the safaris, the lodge has its own vehicles and guides for drives into Kruger, with the Malelane gate a short distance away from the lodge. We signed up for morning and afternoon drives and were shown around by Kambaku’s Amanda and Elvis, guides who are very knowledgeable about all aspects of the park. We saw all sorts of amazing animals in short order. It was also very helpful to find the suite equipped with thermos/Stanley containers, blankets, and electric hand warmers, all very useful during the winter.||We were also very impressed with the owner, Leanne (who lives on the property), and her attentive staff, who would stop at nothing to ensure that guests were completely happy with their stay. There is very much a personal touch at Kambaku that you just won't find in most other places. ||We chose Kambaku River Lodge because we wanted a memorable, high-quality safari experience, but also a good value—luxury amenities at a non-luxury price point. Importantly, we also felt completely safe in this gated property. For our style of travel, Kambaku was a perfect fit. Highly...

Kambaku River Lodge has a very special place in my heart. A piece of heaven nestled in the most spectacular gardens overlooking the Crocodile River.

The stylish finishes in the units, make sure your every wish is taken care of. The facilities and attention to details take the rooms those steps over the point of sheer indulgence. From my private patio and upstairs viewing deck, I had a panoramic view of our incredible country, South Africa.

I have wonderful experiences of the Elephant Hide and being besotted with Elephants, I found myself speechless and in absolute awe. What a phenomenal experience.

I was also blessed with 2 safari trips into the Kruger Park and what a treat. We had the most incredible sightings.

Nomsa from the Spa gave me the most indulgent full body massage. It was sheer bliss.

The food was delicious and the combinations of flavours, created a symphony of taste with each bite. My hat goes off to the chefs and all those involved with making our meals a culinary treat!!!

Garry is a fantastic Lodge Manager and his passion for each guest, each animal, basically everything that makes the Lodge run is contagious. He always has a smile on his face and is willing to help with anything.

Leanne is a phenomenal conductor of the Lodge. Leanne and Tony are superb hosts, and although often in the background they have created this beautiful Lodge and escape from reality.

It was my 1st holiday in 4 years and I came to Kambaku....best decision I made. Thank you Leanne and Tony for having me spend time at the Lodge!!!

5 stars 🌟 just doesn't seem to be enough as there should be so many more stars and acknowledgements for this incredible...