Buffelsdrift Game Lodge

We love it! We will definitely come back again and recommend it to our friends. Good food, clean room, a good place to relax, and get back to nature and animals.

It could be an amazing experience but you can see that the staff are new, and probably also a little unqualified without intuition to make the guest experience enhanced. We had the coldest welcome in our whole South Africa tour, no explanation on any game activities other than a sheet of paper with the titles and price, we had to probe and question the front desk for information around timings, what to expect and where to go, which were given eventually but without a smile. It really felt like we were putting them out by being there and asking questions for the activités that we would pay extra for. Whilst we waited out the storm, we were asked if we would wait for the porter or make our own way to the room as it wasn’t far - we weren’t shown a map or location to our tent so we had no idea where to go. A simple explanation of the layout would have been appreciated and saved us all time. We don’t have highest of expectations however the basics of hospitality would include a warm welcome, a smile, and introduction to upsell their own activités (which were well worth it thanks to their amazing game drive hosts) however the front desk really did that team an injustice by lack of explanation. On top of that, the room wasn’t ready for the storm to come so there was water in the tent, which was also quite dirty already with vintage flies and it was missing some basic items such as a bottle opener for the wine and beers they provide. We asked twice at reception for a bottle opener, both times they didn’t mention they were not provided in the room, instead on the second ask they sent us to the bar, where the lovely bar man said he didn’t have one either and he opened his bottles with his ring. We were finally lended a bottle opener which was for sale in the shop… a basic if you are offering beers and wine in the room no? Overall a great location, fantastic extra activités and game drives, but really disappointing front desk with lack of information and enthusiasm for the basic requirements of the stay. We wouldn’t recommend to our friends coming to SA on this basis.

We had 3 tents for 3 nights and must confess it was absolutely stunning. The accommodation was out of this world. Immaculate! The service and all personnel were amazing! The breakfasts was top notch. The dinner experience was perfect. The elephant experience was unbelievable! Never miss that on your visits. The game drive was very informative and a lovely experience offered by a lady with a vast knowledge of her area and animals Our second visit and undertook to make this a yearly excursion

Fabulous stay st Buffelsdrift. Wonderful lion viewing in the morning followed by a visit to the Elephants. They have three who were rescued after their families were killed by poachers. They’ve been at Buffelsdrift since they were traumatised babies. They’re huge and so gentle. What an overwhelming experience to have such amazing animals accept us humans when others of our kind butchered their families. I can’t recommended the whole experience enough. Fabulous lunch in the restaurant and then retiring to a wonderful lodge for a little snooze before an evening game drive and dinner. So impressed with this place. Super friendly staff too.

Second Game Lodge we stayed at during our trip through South Africa. Amazing Service and nice landscape. Food was amazing and the cheetah experience is a must. During game drives you might not see as much animals as elsewhere because of the many bushes, trees and tall grass. Be aware of free roaming wild antilopes inside the area. Wild animals are not fed or touched here, which is good!

The staff are very professional, friendly and helpful. The accommodation is superb, with views of the magnificent mountains and well maintained gardens, where small buck roam freely. Our meals were delicious and well presented and, in the evening, the Restaurant was transformed with candles flickering on each table, and, two cosy fires. In the day, we were entertained by 3 hippo’s swimming and romping in the lake. The Elephant Experience was the ‘giftwrap’ on our two-day visit! We were made to feel very special