Sibuya Game Reserve and Lodge

If you're only interested in wildlife and scenery, Sibuya delivers. But if you're expecting a well-rounded 4-star experience—including food, hospitality, and comfort—you may want to look elsewhere. I'm originally from South Africa and planned a 4-star safari as the highlight of our trip to visit family. After comparing multiple game reserves, we chose Sibuya based on glowing reviews and recommendations. The bush lodge was 'booked' (later discovered it was under renovation), so we opted for the forest camp, trusting that the price would reflect the quality. Unfortunately, while our ranger and game drives exceeded expectations, nearly every other aspect of our stay was a disappointment—and ultimately led us to leave a day early. What Went Well Our ranger, CJ, was phenomenal. Knowledgeable, passionate, and engaging, he made each drive memorable. We saw four of the Big Five in their natural habitat. Game drives were intimate and personal, especially on the first day and a half when we were the only guests. Forest camp cabins were cozy and bug-free during the winter season. What Undermined the Entire Experience Food & Beverage Failures The “complimentary” bar was never staffed. Getting a drink often felt like an intrusion rather than an amenity. Morning coffee was a self-service station with dirty pots, old grounds, and missing essentials like sugar. Staff were absent, so we cleaned it ourselves. Our request to take a wine bottle to the table was denied for unclear reasons—yet no quantity limit was enforced. Meals were abundant but uninspired: burnt meats, repetitive dishes, and a bizarre absence of local staples like mielie pap. Even the milktart felt like a failed imitation. To our disgust, the same salad that was swarmed by flies on Day 1 appeared again on Day 2. Substandard Service The staff—especially our host—were often missing or glued to their phones. Reasonable requests (like lighting the cabin fireplace in winter) felt like too much to ask. Our room was superficially cleaned (the bed was made) but lacked fresh drinking water and a clean bathroom. When we reported a leaky kayak to management, it was met with a chuckle instead of concern. Ambience Undermined Sibuya marketed itself as an immersive wilderness escape, but the illusion was shattered by the sound of chainsaws, hammering, and loud chatter from ongoing construction. Piles of renovation debris surrounded the lodge. One stack of wire fencing sat exactly where guests disembarked from game trucks—unsafe and unsightly. Departure & Aftermath The contrast was jarring when new guests arrived: suddenly, the coffee station was clean and stocked, cereal appeared before the game drive, and a new host was introduced. It was clear standards could be met—but we were already too fatigued, hungry, and frustrated to continue. When we voiced our concerns to the manager (Chris), he offered no resolution beyond saying he’d speak to the team. We were refunded for our shortened stay, but t

We cannot say enough about this reserve. We stayed in Bush Lodge and had the most amazing experience. Our ranger Caylem was amazing and went out of his way to show us and tell us about everything. The lodge was beautiful with a private swimming pool and the staff could not do more for us. Our coordinator Tyler took such good care of us. If you only go on one safari in your life, this is the one to do.

I thoroughly recommend Sibuya! My husband, two kids and I had a fabulous stay in River camp - the accommodation is beautiful and very well thought out - all the little touches have been considered and provided, and the nature viewing was great. The river cruise to get to camp was a really fun start to the adventure, and the drives in the reserve were great, with a truly excellent guide - so knowledgeable and interesting, but also really fun and relaxed. Meals were really enjoyable and everyone eating together made it feel very fun and homely. My kids are already asking when we can go back!