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BEST honeymoon ever!!
We spent the better part of our year saving for the safari portion of our honeymoon in South Africa, so needless to say, expectations were high! From our transport from our hotel in Ballito to our arrival and departure 5 days later from the Forest Lodge, everything exceeded our wildest expectations.
After our bags were whisked to our lodge upon check in, we were taken to lunch on the veranda where we met our favorite waiter, Mr. Q. From day one through day five, the "Cocktail of the Day" was always on point, and the food was some of the best we have had...and we are foodies!!
On top of having a great experience with ALL of the Forest Lodge staff, we felt especially lucky to have Dylan Royal as our guide and Mr. T as our tracker. We saw the Big Five, and then some, and even witnessed a brawl between two Cheetah families. We saw leopard TWICE in two days. Mr. T. one day also noticed drag marks in the sand, and he and Dylan successfully tracked a cheetah on foot for us. We were able to witness this cheetah and one cub enjoying a fresh kill (from afar, for safety and respect, of course).
Being that we were celebrating the biggest event of our lives, it was also really fun to have amarula in our morning coffees while having the snack on morning game ride, as well as our "sun downer" gin and tonics for the evening game ride. All alongside some stunning scenery!
We were planning to sweat it out in the heat during our late January trip, but were surprised to have come across rain all but one day of our safari. Not an issue for us, as we were there to see the animals in all their glory and the cool temps really provided some great opportunities to see them out and about. I must say that andBeyond handled the rainy days beautifully. On one of the days, we got a call just before lunch saying there would be a conservation presentation in the main lodge. We made sure to attend after eating our lunch, and were amazed to learn even more about andBeyond's commitment to saving the Rhino population. As we wanted to learn more about these beautiful animals and efforts to protect them in their natural habitat, this was definitely an additional highlight of our week.
As for our lodge, we miss it every day! It was the epitome of tranquility...we often sat on our deck, watching the birds, and utilizing our mini bar for some fresh snacks or drinks. The bed was comfortable as could be, and the bathroom was impeccable, as was its twice daily housekeeping service! We really loved that there was no need to have a key at the lodges, since it was such a quiet, intimate setting. It felt like home to us.
We think about our Forest family just about every day, and we plan to visit within the next few years! We would also be missing a shoutout if we didn't include our andBeyond planner, Nicci Braude, in this review. She was fantastic to work with and kept everything running as planned!
Thank you for the best honeymoon,...
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Fantastic area of South Africa to do a safari. The resort was recently remodeled, and the little private suites are well appointed. Rooms have ac and heat, Coffee station soaking tub, bar, writing area all glassed in so you feel like you are alone in the forest. Service was excellent from housekeeping to the guides. The Food was the best I have had at any previous safari lodge many choices to choose from. You dine at tables with your own group or as a couple. Every few nights they will have the Boma Grill outside where you will sit with others from your guided group. The guides and trackers did an amazing job. We saw everything on big 5 list and much more. You can take bikes or a guided walk in the forest which was amazing. Helly was our guide he was fantastic. There are 17 units at this lodge which made it feel a bit more like a resort for me but they also have other lodges in Phinda by & beyond that have less units. I prefer 8 units or less, but it was still a magnificent stay, and you do not feel crowded when you are out on safari. The best thing are the different habitats that you can find, grass land areas, shrub areas mountainous areas and of course the unique sand forest. I used the spa the facility was fantastic, and the therapist was as well. Another consideration is that the lodge is close enough to Sodwana Bay to go diving or snorkeling could be done in the middle of stay or even stay a few days after or prior. I would not hesitate to highly recommend this...
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We had a wonderful four days at Forest Lodge in Phinda. The staff, food and guiding were excellent slightly let down by some areas of the property itself but we understand it closed at the end of May for major refurbishment so hopefully all will be put right. ||The lodge is located in the sand forest, a truly remarkable area and we strongly recommend a guided walk where you can admire the little things which you miss when driving through on a jeep. Spot the pin orchids which are truly beautiful. Josie and Mr T were our guide and tracker and worked so well together, managing to get us close to the action with lions on a kill, lions playing and chasing other jeeps, white rhino, cheetah, leopard on a kill............the list is endless but it made for a remarkable stay at Forest Lodge.||All the staff from guides to housekeeping and everyone in between were friendly and dedicated and made our stay truly special. A cappuccino coffee, chocomokkarula or just a mokkarula was a mind-blowing option in the middle of the bush!|The tasty treats that accompanied the sundowners or morning bush stop were amazing and the food in camp was extra special, so fresh, so tasty.||We look forward to returning when the...
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