Nyala Safari Lodge

Meravigliosa esperienza in questo lounge raffinato ma dalla dimensione familiare. Ci sono solo 5 bungalow da due persone e la prima sera noi quattro eravamo gli unici ospiti della struttura. L'atmosfera è curata, rilassata, accudente. Un'ottima cucina dallo stile europeo, raffinata ma semplice, e con attenzione ai gusti e alle preferenze di tutti. Si pranza e si cena su una terrazza che affaccia su un fiume in secca nel quale la pozza d'acqua rimasta attrae gli animali a bere, abbiamo visto impala, giraffe, elefanti, kudu e persino due honeybadgers. Grazie ad Amy e alla sua conduzione dei safari abbiamo avuto la fortuna di osservare molti animali, alcuni grazie ad itinerari personalizzati per cercare di vedere esemplari che finora ci erano sfuggiti (facoceri e iene)... siamo stati accontentati! Che cosa volere di più? Tornarci!

Sorry, this review is a few months overdue, but, hope it still offers potential new guests some pointers. We visited Nyala Safari Lodge in early April 2025. This was our 2nd visit to the lodge following a previous visit in 2022. Some friends accompanied us this time and for them this was their first ever safari trip to South Africa. We kept Nyala until the last stop on our safari adventure, as based on our last visit we knew our friends would love the 'feel and ambience' this place had to offer - and it did not disappoint. Dave and Nikkie are very attentive towards their guests and run this lodge really well. You can tell because there is a happy atmosphere in the camp which translates into excellent service served up by staff with genuine smiles. We find the standard of food in South Africa to be generally very good anyway. However, the quality of dishes served up by Shylet (Head Chef) and Kutso were once again, truly exceptional. So much so that all four of us really looked forward to what was on the menu each day. The standard of accomodation at Nyala is excellent and there is no attention to detail spared in terms of decoration, including towels folded up in the shape of a smily elephant's head on your arrival. The rondavels are beautifully appointed and the bathrooms, including an additional outside shower facility, really make for a truly wonderful bush experience. You visit Nyala though for the safari experience and in this respect we had some wonderful sightings this time. Christelle was once again our guide and she really knows her stuff - and is incredibly funny and interesting too. Knowing that we were (slightly) disappointed last time not to see Ezulwini ( a big elephant tusker that sometimes visits the property) she went out of her way to make sure we saw him this time. So, thanks Christelle and we hope your trip to Norway went well. Finally, a big thanks to the Nyala team. We really enjoyed our stay and needless to say our friends got back home with some wonderful memories of their last stopover in South Africa.

Fantastic overall experience – this place offers both adventure and relaxation. The absolute highlights are the two game drives a day we had with the most passionate and fabulous guide, Christelle – you couldn’t wish for better!! Nicki and Dave and the whole team at the lodge are amazing, you can tell that they are putting a lot of thought into how to make it a memorable stay. They prepared different romantic dinners for us and the chef spoiled us with her delicious food! Do bring a book or two—between game drives, the peaceful surroundings invite you to unwind. Hoedspruit Airport is relatively close by, making arrivals and departures convenient. The 3-4 planes that fly by in the early afternoon are hardly noticeable. Rooms are very clean, and taken care of twice a day when on safari. The lodge is well protected, felt very safe during day and night time. With stunning views of the riverbanks, you might see various animals pass by while dining or relaxing—making this a place to remember and one we would love to come back to one day!