Kariega Game Reserve - Ukhozi Lodge

An amazing start to our honeymoon ❤️ We stayed at Ukhozi Lodge at Kariega Game Reserve as the first part of our honeymoon, and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better start. The lodge was lovely, the food was great and there was always plenty of it, and all the staff were so friendly, kind and attentive. Nothing was ever too much trouble and everyone made us feel really welcome. As it was our honeymoon, we were also treated to a bottle of sparkling wine in our room, which was such a lovely and thoughtful touch. We also had a couple of spa treatments during our stay, which were fantastic and a great way to relax after the game drives. But the biggest mention has to go to JJ, our guide. He really did make the whole experience for us. His knowledge was incredible, he had a great sense of humour and he was so determined to make sure we had the best safari possible. He would go out of his way to find things for us and was brilliant at spotting wildlife that we would have completely missed. We saw some amazing animals and had some incredible experiences, but having JJ as our guide made it so much more enjoyable. Without him, the safari just wouldn’t have been the same. He was a huge part of what made it so memorable for us. We’ve come away with some amazing memories and couldn’t have wished for a better way to start our honeymoon. A massive thank you to everyone at Ukhozi Lodge and Kariega, and especially to JJ — you made it a trip we’ll never forget! ❤️🦁🐘🦒

We stayed at Ukhozi Lodge for 3 nights in August as part of our honeymoon trip, following a recommendation from a friend who had stayed before and my gosh, are we glad we picked here for our first safari! This place is stunning, impeccably clean, and beautiful in terms of decor and scenery. The rooms/lodges are huge and you really do feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere! The team are lovely, always on hand when you need them but also let you have your own space. They’ve thought of everything, big and small, from drinking bottles to hot water bottles on game drives, your favourite wine for sundowners to a face cloth when you get back. They’ve got everything covered! The kitchen team do a brilliant job and cater to any and every need of their guests; everything we ate was delicious and cooked perfectly. You never ever go hungry! The actual safari is breathtaking; we had JJ as our ranger who really is an expert, could answer any question (and we had lots!) and was so insightful to the landscape and all animals and birds. You are never guaranteed to see any particular animals (it’s a game reserve, not a zoo), but JJ was a man on a mission to try and get us sightings of certain animals who liked to hide. We loved the approach the drivers take, in that they won’t overwhelm the animals with lots of people/vehicles at once and we felt incredibly safe on every drive. If you’re considering a safari stay and you’re looking for where to go, stop looking - this is the place.

Everything at Kariega Game Reserve completely exceeded our expectations. The Suite at Ukhozi Lodge was large, clean, well presented and housekeeping made a couple of visits per day to keep things that way. The food at the lodge was exceptional with a great selection that was always cooked beautifully. We were very lucky I feel to have JJ as our guide for the safari drives, his knowledge of all the animals, birds and just nature in general was amazing and this made all encounters a joy as we watched and discussed their behaviours.