Stunning complex with great facilities Enjoyed our huge tent which had a lovely view and wasn’t too close to other guests. Felt it was very private Friendly helpful staff Tasty and plentiful food at the restaurant and a great wine selection Game drives excellent especially the cheetah and elephant experiences We loved it

Unfortunately it was overrun by very badly behaved screaming children at the restaurant and pool area. One evening at 10pm there were children running around screaming and crying. We couldn’t hear ourselves speak Whilst I appreciate families want to have a great holiday I don’t appreciate screaming children whilst I’m trying to enjoy my meal I suggest that your lodge either has a separate area for families or have 2 sittings and not allow children after 8pm I also think you should have a separate children’s pool area as it was impossible to swim in the lovely pool area without screaming children wacking you in the face After all this is a wildlife and bush experience and not a crèche

Fabulous tents. Friendly staff. Superb restaurant and stunning location.

Small pool area which was over-run with rather noisy children! Similarly, dinner in the restaurant was diminished a bit by noisy young children. ( I would add I have my own kids and grandkids and love to holiday with them; I’m just not sure this is the place? Maybe an adult only section for dining?)

We loved Buffelsdrift Game Lodge. We were blown away by the luxury tent and decor. We stayed in tent 10, slightly set back from the water. Great views from the tent windows, there was a private decking to the side with no views. We loved the rolled top bath with views over the water, it was a lovely experience to shower outside in the private area whilst gazing at the sky and stars. The bed was amazing, it was so comfortable, we slept well. The restaurant served a great choice of food for breakfast, the staff were friendly and helpful. We paid for the half board package so enjoyed the evening meals in the restaurant. The food was superb, we opted for the fillet steak and ostrich, both were fantastic! The service sometimes was a little slow, the staff were busy, when we were attended to the staff were excellent. The pool overlooking the water was great, on our second day it was busy, we were unable to get a sun lounger, there are limited beds, from memory I think there are only 12. We were lucky enough to watch the hippos in the water whilst sitting at the pool. We enjoyed the safari trip, the guide was extremely knowledgeable and made sure we got to see as many animals as we could. A wonderful experience, memories to last a lifetime.

Not enough sun loungers at the pool.

Our accommodation was fine, although because we had an evening game drive and an early morning game drive the following day we barely got to use it. Our evening meal in the restaurant was good without being exceptional and service was friendly and attentive. The highlights of our stay were the game drives; our guides Tian and Ewan were both outstanding, incredibly knowledgeable and great fun to spend time with. An unexpected encounter with a rhino made the evening drive particularly memorable and the Cheetah drive was nothing short of amazing. A special mention too to Gloria who arranged for my wife’s Kindle to be couriered back to Cape Town. Thank you!

Reception could have been friendlier when explaining the check out procedure.

The lodge and surroundings were beautiful and really welcoming. The place was pristinely clean and tidy and you could see the care and attention that went into maintaining the facilities. The food was delicious and plentiful (we were on a half board deal and had plenty of choice) and the staff were helpful and friendly. The pool area was lovely, overlooking the dam with the 3 hippos, and the tents were spacious, comfortable and really well presented. We were a family with a 6-year old and found that we could partake in almost all of the activities on offer. There was a decent range of animals on the reserve and we enjoyed the various “experiences” that were open to us. The free-roaming nyalas outside our tents and around the dining deck were a huge hit! The rangers were knowledgeable and friendly (all very young). Having been to “the real thing” in Kruger a few years ago, Buffelsdrift offered a budget-friendly option with guaranteed sightings of lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, various antelope breeds and more. It was heartening to learn that many of these animals were part of conservation projects.

The only thing I wish had been done slightly differently was the sundowner on our afternoon/evening game drive. On our previous safari experience we always stopped in an ideal setting to watch the sun set and the rangers took a drinks order from everyone before leaving the lodge. Here, we did go to an elevated position, but behind another hill which blocked the actual sunset and there was a random mix of drinks which we wouldn’t have otherwise chosen. A very small detail in an otherwise blemish-free experience.

The decor , the restaurant was so cozy, the breakfast was delicious and nice , the coffee sachets in the rooms , spotting animals around your tent was an interesting experience . The bush safari was great we went with eddy who was amazing. By the way , you. Can book the activities even if you are not staying at the game reserve

Sleeping was a bit difficult due to the noise from the ducks however there were ear plugs which I used and slept fine . It can get very cold at night and the heating AC takes a bit time to get the room warm . Expensive compared to other game reserves as the reservation does not include any activities. I had two tents reserved as I thought one tent is not enough for me and my husband and my 4-year old daughter however it was enough . However after multiple communication with booking and the reservation it is sorted out now to return the money for the other tent. Also tents are spaced out a bit so you have to walk a couple of meters to enter the other one which opposes the goal of our trip to spend time together .

We had a wonderful stay at Buffelsdrift. The lodge was amazing and the staff were all very kind and helpful. The tents were comfortable and well equipped with fantastic views . We thouroughly enjoyed sitting on the deck and hearing the wildlife, it was an amazing experience overall! The food was excellent and the restaurant staff were so friendly and provided great service. We enjoyed the various activities, especially an experience we did with Eddie, he is a great Ranger, he is very knowledgeable and made the trip so memorable for us. We will definitely come back soon!

Everything was fantastic.

Loved the rooms, waking up to the hippos was amazing. Beds were fabulous and the food at the restaurant was to die for, delicious. The reception staff are the best here! This was one of the best safari lodge style accoms we stayed at and the price is amazing. Can’t fault the rooms, genuinely you have to stay here, the food and accom are simple amazing!!!!

The night safari wasn’t great, our guide he was misnaming animals which took ages to retrain my son on the correct ones. But we saw lots of animals so full credit to him there! The spa treatments are poor, very poor hubby had a sore back for 3 weeks after his massage, as did my son and my foot massage was a waste of money. But these don’t take away from the vibe of this place which is simply amazing!!!

Location was stunning, games drives were excellent with knowledgeable guides, food excellent, spa very good, staff lovely. Very efficiently run game reserve.

We booked water front tents and were in numbers 8 & 9, the tents themselves were amazing but position wise number 9 was close to the service maintenance area and it was rather noisy at times and a little smelly. We did ask to move but they were fully booked. Slight down side but not a major problem.

Beautiful setting with lots of wildlife close to the accommodation and in the water. Luxurious tent exceeded expectations. Lovely food in the restaurant and pleasantly surprised that it was not expensive. Great customer service. Enjoyed our sunset game drive and saw lots of animals.

Hadn’t realised that doing a game drive would not include a glimpse of the elephants and lions. Seems excessive to expect people to pay for 3 trips in order to see everything, and difficult when you are only staying one night.