Kariega Game Reserve Ukhozi Lodge

Visited Kariega and stayed at Ukhozi Lodge as part of a birthday celebration with our friends. We could not have picked a more perfect place to celebrate. All the staff have been amazing and what can I say about the food; it’s five star grub, morning, noon and evening. We experienced the wonders of the park with Megan, our guide, she is a font of knowledge and a credit to the reserve. We went on five drives and each one provided wonderful new experiences. Please look after Leonard and Alfred, as we expect to see them on our return trip here

Words almost fail me trying to write this review because there are just too many good things to say! From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, everything was… well, not just perfect, but more than perfect. The staff were incredible – every single one of them so thoughtful and kind. Our guide Melissa was an absolute star. She went above and beyond to make sure we saw everything we hoped for and that we were comfortable every step of the way. Most of our drives had just four of us, but for our last afternoon and morning we were the only guests in the lodge – and that meant we had Melissa all to ourselves! Honestly, who gets that?! I’d have totally understood if they’d combined us with another group since we were just a couple, but no – we had our very own private drive, which felt unbelievably special. Melissa was fab: knowledgeable, fun, considerate (she even made sure the snacks and drinks suited us), and just an all-round wonderful person. We can’t thank her enough. And it wasn’t just Melissa – everyone else was amazing too. I’ll admit, I was a little worried before going that I might have to ‘make do’ as a vegetarian. How wrong I was! The food was absolutely fantastic – I honestly don’t think I’ve ever eaten so well on a holiday. They even made me a birthday cake, and on our last night, despite us being the only guests, they put on a proper Boma with singing, dancing, and an explanation of the songs. It was magical and we felt so spoiled. They even helped patch up a broken suitcase so we could travel onwards without worry – just another example of how nothing was too much trouble. And of course, the animals! That’s why you go on safari, right? This was our very first one and I knew there was a chance we might not see everything… but wow, were we lucky. Within hours of landing in Port Elizabeth we were already face-to-face with lions. Then came zebras, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, wildebeest , antelope galore, and even wallowing hippos. We ticked off everything we’d hoped to see (okay, except for the lion cubs – but that just gives us the perfect excuse to come back!). Honestly, if you’re hesitating about whether to book this safari – don’t. Just go. It was magical from start to finish, and I couldn’t fault a single thing. Huge thanks to Melissa and the whole team – you gave us memories we’ll treasure forever, and we really hope to see you again.

From the minute we arrived until we left - everything was perfect. Welcome drinks, friendly and efficient staff, stunning lodge and gorgeous bedroom cabins with plunge pool (too cold for me!). As we absolutely love our food, we were very pleasantly surprised with delicious meals 3 x a day - see photos!! Not forgetting the main event: the fabulous game drives. One at 6am for 3 hours and another at 4pm for 3 hours. Our guide JJ was super knowledgeable and showed us the maximum amount of animals - he just found them every day!! Thanks very much for an amazing stay xx

The best Reserve 4th time and can't wait to go again.Staff friendly and nothing is a problem. Brendon our game ranger was AMAZING, knew his stuff and really went the extra mile.Foix and accommodation highly recommended. Thank you Kariega for a amazing 3 days

Most amazing experience ever. We booked this for our honeymoon as it had been a life time dream of my husband’s and it did not disappoint. I would recommend it to everyone. The food was delicious, the service was brilliant, you couldn’t ask for more. We couldn’t have been looked after better. The managers were so lovely, and often made us laugh too. Megan, our guide, was the complete highlight of the trip. Megan was outstanding, not only incredibly knowledgeable but also very personable! If Megan said she was going to try to see an animal she did everything she possibly could to make that happen. Her driving is incredible and she was determined to get you as close as possible while still being incredibly respectful to the animals. I have a million more compliments I could give her. Best experience ever.

First visited Ukhozi Lodge in 2023. Our 2nd visit did not disappoint. The lodge is lovely and the suites are spacious with everything you could want. The reserve has been extended since our last visit with predators being separated and furthest away from the lodge. However, the daily drives always produced sightings you wouldn't want to miss. Our ranger Megan, assisted by Kianna, delivered on every level and made each drive an adventure. Ask to do the river cruise which was a lovely way to spend a morning. Kariega Ukhozi is well worth a visit if you're in the Eastern Cape.