Hotels in Umbabat Nature Reserve

"This is a little piece of paradise. Under Neville’s management nothing ever felt “out of control” or ever too much. Their hospitality, the service and concern for guests is what makes this place unique. The animals make it special. Sindiso our guide made sure that every drive was filled with as much sightings and information as possible. He is very knowledgeable not only on the animals but on the birds and trees as well. Walking out of your room seeing the giraffes, lounging in the pool or on the patio with the zebra’s grazing close by and the hippos in the pond. You certainly don’t go hungry either, Sibosiso the cook made sure we were always well fed and you could see and feel the love he put into his cooking. Sibosiso the server was always there with something refreshing to drink. The cleaning staff made sure our room was always picture perfect and clean. The gardeners were always cleaning up and making sure the grounds were perfect, and I mean artist perfect. From beginning to end everyone at Elandela made our stay extremely memorable and we will definitely be back. I can not recommend this place strongly enough, these are the memories and friends you will never forget. Thank you for making my husband’s first safari special."

"Yes"

"The bungalows are lovely, staff is fabulous (friendly, helpful, and wanting your stay to be the best!), the safaris are incredible, and the food is amazing! I look forward to returning "

"Yes ,no"

"We had the most amazing time at Motswari — truly unforgettable! Every moment was special. All the meals were excellent, with breakfast and dinner set in different beautiful locations each day, which kept things exciting. Our guide and tracker, Owen and George, were outstanding — incredibly knowledgeable and made sure each drive felt unique. We were lucky enough to see the Big 5 within our first two drives, and got incredibly close to the animals. Elephants and giraffes even wandered right past our room, which was surreal. I’d recommend at least 3 nights to really soak it all in. The lodge’s location is also a big plus — close to Hoedspruit airport, so no need for a private plane. The only small downside is that there’s no phone in the rooms. Once escorted back at night, there’s no way to call staff for something simple like water. On our first night, a short circuit knocked out the lights and hot water, and while it wasn’t serious enough to blow the emergency whistle, it would’ve been nice to contact staff more easily. That aside, Motswari is an incredible place, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience."

"The facilities are in excellent condition, the staff is lovely, the breakfast is very good, and it's not far from the Kruger gate and shops. Unfortunately the people in the adjacent room to mine were blaring music or TV until late in the evening and I had to wear ear plugs to sleep. But the place itself is great. "

"We enjoyed everything about it"

"This is a gorgeous lodge with incredible staff; delicious meals; comfortable and well designed rooms; a very small number of guests to keep the experience intimate; and a once in a lifetime safari opportunity with extremely knowledgeable guides. "