Kariega Game Reserve Main Lodge

We just finished our 3 day visit to Kariega game reserve and I have to say it was excellent. Our guide Mariska was fantastic ... so knowledgeable and capable and incredibly obliging. She made a big difference to our experience and Kariega are lucky to have her. Overall the food, chalets, staff and ALL the guides and all the different things that they laid on for us were top notch. Thanks guys Alan & Siobhan

What a fantastic experience for the whole family. 13 of us aged from 14 months to 68 years and it was an epic trip. We had two 4 bedroom lodges which were spotless and very comfortable. One lodge had its own plunge pool. The food in the main lodge was very good both at breakfast/brunch and dinner. One slight negative for us was the barbecue night. We actually felt the food on this night was not great which was disappointing as we had all been looking forward to it. The babysitter was superb and we felt completely comfortable leaving the youngest with her. She was also extremely flexible re timing to allow for dinner etc Finally our safaris were superb. Huge shout out to Margot & Dume(?). You guys made the whole experience memorable for young and old alike. Happy to recommend Kariega for a family safari. We have been home for a month now but the memories for the grandchildren will last a lifetime. Many thanks to everyone at Kariega

We’ve had the most magical trip of a lifetime at The Kariega Game Reserve. Mariska, our ranger, was so knowledgable and personable which just made our experience so memorable. The accommodation was wonderful, with a balcony looking out over the reserve. The food was plentiful and delicious. I even enjoyed the early starts!! Thanks so much to Mariska and the whole team for making our dream holiday a reality :-)

We stayed at Kariega Game Reserve Main Lodge for 3 nights 4th week in September. After a long drive we were given a top welcome by the receptionist and introduced to our guide Matthew. Matthew took us down to our one bedroom chalet which was more than adequate however we felt it was a little dated. We had lunch in the restaurant which was excellent (as was all our meals) and then Matthew picked us up for the first of our five game drives at 4.00pm. I can’t begin to find the words to explain how pleased we were with Matthew over the next two and a half days. He was absolutely amazing during our time at Kariega, his knowledge and experience resulting in a truly fantastic experience, which we will never forget. We were truly privileged to see everything we wanted to see and more. Not only did he locate the animals, we also tracked them and took loads of pictures and videos so we can relive our time at Kariega. Not only was Matthew very knowledgeable, he was a great ambassador for the “Kariega family” speaking very highly of the owners and of the Game Reserve. He was the model professional employee and hopefully he is well rewarded for his loyalty. The Kariega Game Reserve was a great way to finish our South Africa adventure holiday and we will recommend it to all our friends and family.

We had the best time on safari at Kariega and would highly recommend. Our guide Wes was funny, kind and incredibly knowledgeable - you have lucked out if you get him! Although all the rangers seemed really great. We were a family of three with a 7-year-old and luckily there were other kids in our group and they all had a fantastic time together on the drives, with lots of fun and laughs. Three hours flies by. The early starts are tough but worth it as sunrise in the reserve is just magical. We had so many amazing encounters with wildlife and learnt so much thanks to Wes. Loved the sundowner drinks and boat ride - I swam in the river which was great fun. The lodges are a little dated but felt very authentic and the beds are super comfy with good air con in the bedrooms. We were lucky to have a plunge pool but spent most of our time at the main pool relaxing between drives. The food is plentiful and delicious - there is the chance to try home style South African cooking or eat something a bit closer to home. They also do a bbq one evening in the boma with a campfire and traditional dancing. Also worth a mention is that my daughter arrived sick and the staff were so kind and helpful, providing lots of juices and taking us to a local doctor to get antibiotics. We will never forget our stay at Kariega - thanks to everyone there for making our trip so special.

Food: The food was absolutely delicious! We had one Boma dinner and the rest buffets. At the Boma for dinner, there was a delicious braii/barbeque with African dancing that was led by very kind children. There was a variety of different options for all pallets and dietary requirements. Although the main selection was heavily full of meat, there was a different menu for children and for vegetarians that we used multiple times. The breakfasts were really delicious - the fruit was fresh and sweet and everything was beautifully displayed! Staff: The staff were all extremely friendly and helpful - anything that you wanted was met with a smile and the request was immediately met. Facilities and Accommodation: We stayed in Main Lodge chalets and we also had our own pool. While we didn’t go in very much, it was very clean and sanitary. The bedrooms and bathrooms were very pristine. We were extremely comfortable in our lush beds and bedrooms. We visited the main pool once and it was very lovely. The pools were slightly cool but they were a good temperature to enjoy a swim! The children’s club was very well run and while we didn’t go to any of the set activities we enjoyed the different toys and fun things to play with. Safari and Tour Guide: Each day, we joined each of the 2 safari drives while some of our family (ages 11-68) stayed in the lodge. We had a tour guide named Wes/Wesley who was extremely kind and informative. He was very good with all of the children on our drive and knew the answer to each and every one of our questions. We loved seeing all the different animals including the hippos, lions and elephants! Thank you so much Kareiga! We loved our experience!!