Vuyani River Lodge

Amazing safari experience. The daily game drives were brilliant, our tracker Direct and guide Jarrod were the ultimate dream team! We took advantage of a couple of the excursions including the boat ride at Blyde river canyon and the all day trip to Kruger which were well organised and worth doing. The food was great. As a fussy eater / pescatarian I was so well catered for at each meal. The sundowner drinks on safari were also a lovely touch, sipping on a G&T surrounded by giraffes watching the sun go down - priceless. We stayed for 5 days - will go back for longer next time.

Warning. This is not my first review of this place nor will it be my last, I’m sure. Keeping it short this time (ish). Incredible game viewing ✅ (thanks Jarrod and Direct) Great food and drinks ✅ (Mini bar in the rooms included in the price) Amazing staff ✅ (they will feel like family) Fantastic value for money ✅ (it really is for everything that’s included) Would I book again ✅ (I actually already have 😂) It truly is such a beautiful place, comfy beds, lovely rooms, the wildlife viewing will blow your mind, and on such a beautiful reserve.

Well the 5 star reviews are definitely not exaggerated! We have had the BEST 5 days at Vuyani River Lodge! Our flight was delayed by an hour and a half but we had a brilliant car journey with our lovely driver Johan. Yes it’s long but Johan kept us entertained on the way and is very knowledgeable and the time flew by! Johan got us to the Lodge in time for our afternoon safari and we jumped on board with Stuart (our driver) and Mpilo (our spotter) and a lovely couple who had arrived on the same flight as us and who when we left feeling we had made some great friends! We went on every single drive (FOMO 🤣) and we came really really close (sometimes holding my breath close) to lions, lionesses, elephants, cheetahs and giraffes. One evening we were having sundowner drinks and heard a whoosh like a snort and Stuart said for us to turn around and there was a rhino literally 10 metres from us all (in the pitch black 😳)…he just looked at us and sauntered by! I can’t even explain how amazing our driver Stuart was…he was so funny, so friendly, so knowledgeable about the wildlife and was always looking out for anything of interest . There were many times we were at specific spots first, he was constantly on the radio, refusing to give up when he knew animals were in the area. He completely made our safaris! He was very careful not to overload these beautiful creatures with too many watchers and kept viewing numbers to sensible levels to ensure that they were given the respect they deserved. How he managed to drive, look out for any wildlife whilst also being so funny and entertaining we do not know but we do know we were soo lucky to have Stuart as the leader of our A Team 👍🏻 Our spotter Mpilo was awesome, he even spotted a small chameleon on a bush in the dark on the way back to the Lodge…how on earth he spotted that I do not know! He went looking for lions nearby on foot 🫣 and we literally didn’t pick him back up for at least 30 minutes whilst we watched these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.! Then on our very last safari drive he spotted the very elusive leopard 🐆 and we gazed at it in awe for around 15 minutes from a distance but this just completely topped our holiday. There are so many memories made from this holiday, the outdoor shower, the giraffes walking past the pool area, monkeys trying to steal food, the warthog family and their babies within the ground, so many lovely guests we spent time with over 5 days, the early ‘Good moorrnniinnggg’ knock on the doors from Benjamin and Floyd who escorted us from our rooms in the dark, the drinks at the bar throughout the day and evening from Clive and Clyde and the housekeeping team Gloria, Gladys and Remember, Jan with his care and attention every day. This has honestly been a holiday of a lifetime and we felt very emotional leaving and can’t wait to return 💕 Tips/extra info: We went the last week of March and I wish I’d taken some warmer clothes. Both drives are cold before sunris

If you are looking for a true safari experience it is the place to go. Games, food, wine are excellent. The small size of the Vuyani River lodge is making the staff taking a great care of you, both hospitality and game drive. The car will not be overcrowded which is definitely a +. Sharing meals with the other guests was amazing, we can all talked about what we saw during the game and what we were dreaming about for the next one. I really hope to get back one day !!!

Fantastic place to visit. The game drives were top notch and we managed to see the big 5. The staff were very attentive and knowledgeable about the animals and they took the time to explain. I’ve learnt so much. It’s one of the best holidays I’ve had.

Vuyani River Lodge is superb! This place feels like home from the minute you walk in the entrance! Everything from the food to the safari's is second to none. The "tents" that you stay in have drastically improved my view on camping... although I have a feeling it is far from the reality of camping! The outdoor shower is amazing, it feels weird the first time but you get used to it pretty quickly and will soon enjoy being at one with nature! The staff are so attentive and are great fun, nothing is ever too much trouble. The guide and tracker on the safari's are fantastic and so knowledgeable. Take a jacket or hoody for the safaris it can get a bit chilly! If you want a 5* safari experience book Vuyani River Lodge now! I never wanted to leave and have already planned to go back!