This was an incredible and luxurious experience. The all inclusive price of meals and drinks meant that everything you could possibly expect was part of the package. Including minibar which is restocked twice a day while we were on our game drives. You definitely will not go home hungry. Three course meals, wines, sprits, soft drinks, snacks. The twice daily game drives were like being in a documentary. You don’t just see the wildlife, you learn their behaviours as well. You are assigned the same guide for the whole trip, our guide was Thomas, who kept track of what we’d seen and made sure we saw as much variety as possible. The information he shared was outstanding. The accomodation was exceptional. We stayed at the water lodge for two nights and extended our stay for a night. We had to move to the bush lodge for the extra night. It’s hard to say which was better. My partner liked the room in the bush lodge better, I preferred the room at the water lodge, but we both agreed that both rooms were outstanding. We also agreed that the water view at the water lodge was more spectacular. The water lodge staff and overall ambiance felt more intimate and personal. If we visited again we’d choose the water lodge. It was my first time on a safari and I was blown away. It was my partners 6th time visiting a game reserve, and hands down, this was the best experience they’d ever had.

Pumba is five star all the way! We were truly delighted with our four night stay there . Our room (Impala Chalet #1), is exquisite with high end yet comfortable furnishings and a fantastic view over the lake. It was a thrill to sit on our private balcony, watching the animals coming to drink from the lake. And we were happy to dip in our little plunge pool ! The staff were exceptional - Chantal and Vuyo in reception; our wonderful waiters in the dining room; and Mabhuti, our guide were all second to none. We thoroughly enjoyed two game drives per day in Mabhuti's care. We learned so much about the animals and the reserve from him and really appreciated his humour and knowledge. We feel very fortunate that he was our guide! The food was tasty and the menu changed every day. Everything is included so we could get iced coffees, snacks and other treats in between the set meal times. There is a generous hospitality bar in each room - loaded with wine, beer , soft drinks, water, snacks, coffee (a REAL coffee maker - not instant coffee!) and a jar of homemade cookies which was restocked daily, There was nothing lacking. We met Roland, the manager, who was friendly and helpful and he clearly cares deeply about his guests. Overall, we can't say enough about our time at Pumba other than we wish we could have stayed longer!! Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to a stay at this wonderful , magical place! Thank you to everyone at Pumba!!

Nothing, everything was wonderful!!

Dear Pumba Team, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for an amazing and unforgettable stay at Pumba Private Game Reserve in March 2024. The staff was extremly friendly and accommodating and provided us with the most pleasant stay possible. We often reminisce about the safari tours with Clio. His experience and respect for the animals impressed us deeply and let us experience the animals in the most special way. He explained a lot about the behavior of the animals. He grew up in this region and has a very deep understanding of the animals and nature in general. Our highlight was the lion family with their small cubs who bravely played around our car. A big thank you to the best Ranger Clio for making it possible to experience such special moments! We will never forget you. It definitely wasn’t our last stay at Pumba Private Game Reserve. See you soon! Greetings from Germany Family Jeutter

We stayed in a Mesenger Room ( B). Good size room, very clean, comfortable , great decor, bath , shower , outside shower, plunge pool with balcony overlooking the waterhole. Completely private. The Pumba Lodge team are friendly and helpful. Pumbs our safari guide was amazing, has worked there for 20 years and is very knowledgeable and we saw lots of animals on our safari drives.

There’s not much not to like . There are a few cheeky monkeys about but nothing that bothered us. Food was good but would have liked more options for dinner.The red Thai veggie curry was delicious but only on the menu once whilst there.

Absolutely amazing stunningly beatiful place. Not a thing I can fault from the food, drink, staff, rooms, views or the location. And the game drives ...wow! Pooms or game ranger was amazing...such sights we experienced due to him. The little touches like having the fire lit in our room, the hot water bottles, the blankets on the game drives for the cold mornings...cannot speak highly enough

I'd have to be really picky to find a fault... It's not the hotel's fault, but some guests leave a lot to be desired with poor manners. Can I suggest turning the wifi off in the restaurant & bar areas to encourage conversation. Also, a souvenir or 2 of Pumba in the shop..like a fridge magnet...

We had such an amazing time at Pumba. The staff were so lovely and friendly. The room was perfect, so big and spotless. The little touches the staff did were so great such as lighting the fire in our room and leaving hot water bottles in the bed at night. The food was really good with lots of options at each meal. Our ranger Mabhuti was just the best. He was so knowledgeable and made our drives so enjoyable. He went the extra mile on each drive doing his best to make sure we saw as many animals as possible. I would highly recommend Pumba.

Our best stay in South Africa. This is an amazing lodge with wonderful rooms and great staff. Our room was huge and private and the cleaning staff kept the rooms beautiful. Nightly turndown service, great food and restaurant service, wonderful guides. Mzi was our game drive guide and he was cheerful, funny, entertaining, and extremely knowledgeable about the animals and the reserve. He definitely made our stay memorable, I can't recommend him more highly. We stayed in the water lodge and got views of the hippos in the lake below us. We were there only two nights due to our travel schedule, but regretted not booking a third night.

Everything. From the moment we arrived every member of staff was friendly and accomodating. Our chalet was superb overlooking the watering hole. The pool overlooking the watering hole had a constant stream of wildlife passing all day. The spa experience was great. The menu has good variety and changed daily. The food is well prepared and portion sizes are large. Nothing is a problem for the staff Our game drives were amazing. Our jeep has 6 passengers and our ranger made sure to make us all feel like it was a personal tour. The selection of wildlife here is incredible. Every corner had something new of a different size and species. The number of each animal was huge. These are literally wild free roaming animals maintaining a life as they would in the wild. Numbers are not over curated. The night drive brings out a whole new selection of game viewings. The game drive drinks break were fantastic. We'd pull in and out ranger would have a nice selection of drinks and homemade trears to snack on but mostly had a really good interaction with the guests about the game we had just seen, what we wanted from the rest of the drive/future drives and even exploring each others lives outside of the safari. A real personal touch.

Zero. I wished we had booked to stay longer.

The location was stunning and the game we saw was amazing!

The cost of pumba is advertised as all inclusive and but you are also expected to subsidise the wages of the rangers through gratuities which they rely on to lift their basic salary. To remove the pressure and obligation from the clients many other places we have visited have a central box where all tips are gathered and distributed to staff equally. This seems a much more equitable arrangement all round.

This was my second visit to Pumba, and it was just as incredible as the first! The staff's warm hospitalitv and attention to detail made us feel so welcome. The lodges offer stunning views and a true connection to nature. The game drives were unforgettable, with expert guides and amazing wildlife encounters! The food was exceptional, with every meal perfectly prepared. Pumba is a paradise for anyone seeking a luxurious, immersive safari. I can't wait to return for a third visit!

Nothing