Nyala Safari Lodge

We had a wonderful 2 night stay at Nyala Safari Lodge in October 2024. The camp has a very relaxed and homely feel and we were made to feel right at home from the minute we were met by our safari guide Krystal at the reserve entrance. In terms of the camp itself it is so comfortable. The rooms are lovely and spacious and well furnished. The outdoor seating areas overlooking the waterhole are second to none. Even if the camp is full and everyone is out at the main area you could find a quiet spot to yourself. There is a small pool for cooling off and large gardens for wandering about or throwing the ball to Maple the dog! Having dinner done by the waterhole with table lamps on the deck was magical. Dave and Nicki who run the camp were so nice and made sure we had everything we need. Shylet and Kutso in the kitchen did a wonderful job and the food was fantastic with great service. The rest of the staff were great and kept the camp looking so nice. Our game drives were lots of fun. Krystal our guide was excellent, knowledgeable and funny and made for entertaining drives. We were lucky and had some incredible encounters with leopard, wild dogs and elephants. We also saw a lioness with cubs and plenty buffalo. As a family of four we all loved Nyala Safari lodge and hope to return one day - it was amazing.

Our experience at Nyala private lodge game reserve was wonderful. Nikki, Dave and Krystal made us feel like family and right at home from the get go. Warm, friendly, extremely accommodating to any needs or requirements we asked for. Nyala is a small/boutique lodge with only a handful of cabins which was perfect for us. The fire pit + dining area at the lodge is perfectly positioned and overlooks a lighten up water hole, perfect view point to see any animals which decide to past through during the evening. The little cabins themselves are surrounded by bush. We saw impalas bouncing around and heads lions calling which made us feel like we were on a safari, not only on the drives but also at the lodge itself. Be prepared to hear those wonderful bush noises throughout the night. The interior of the cabins are thoughtfully decorated with nice little touches all around, I especially loved the dual shower option, indoor or outdoor and of course the little welcome chocolate on the pillows. :) The reserve area itself is large, open and raw and is home for a lot of leopards which we had the privilege of witnessing. Thanks again to the Nyala family, we hope to see you again one day soon!

We had an absolutely amazing stay at Nyala! The entire staff there just blew us away. The attention to detail, knowledge, and overall experience we had was incredible. The chef was truly a genius - the meals she did with extra special attention to dairy free was way beyond what we had expected. I know Our dairy free guest appreciated being able to eat the same as everyone else - and the dishes were flavorful and unique (we haven’t gotten the level of food for dairy free at the other places we’ve stayed). Nicholle was an amazing guide full of knowledge -and Polite was absolutely amazing as well, again everyone going way beyond our expectations, making our stay incredible!

We have been to many private game reserves and national parks in South Africa since 1999 and we've found only recently Nyala Safari Lodge... We really enjoyed our first stay at the lodge and we cannot wait to share this well kept secret with friends and relatives! The road from Hoedspruit to Nyala is pretty good so you wil get to the lodge in max. 40 minutes. You will find the location absolutely amazing! The lodge is next to a dry river bed, in the middle of an immaculate garden... The buildings and the facilities are very well maintained. The staff is great and very professional. Lizzy is very discrete and has worked in the lodge for many years : don't even try to wash the dishes, it is strictly prohibited! Gideon is a very experienced ranger (he used to work as a tracker... ) and is happy to share his knowledge! He doesn't even need to communicate with other rangers by radio to find elephants, rhinos, buffalos... not to mention hyenas, cheatas and even a leopard 2 minutes from the lodge!!! To make a long story short, Nyala Safari Lodge is one of the very best self-catering lodges we've ever visited! Don't expect upmarket bathrooms (there are only showers in the rondavels), neither ultra-modern decoration or fully serviced luxury accomodation... but if you're looking for a real bush experience and a warm welcome, if you're keen on African wildlife and ready to spend a few days in an awesome place so Nyala Safari Lodge is for you! We will come back, for sure!

Stayed here for 7nights for our honeymoon absolutely amazing place. Lovely people, lovely accommodation and lovely food. We managed to see 3 of the big 5 but so many more animals, birds and insects. Wes our ranger was an absolute legend. Such a nice guy and so knowledgeable that he made every drive we had so fascinating. Following the lions was one of my highlights. Would 100% go back to Nyala. Helen & Carl

Quiet, relaxing and surrounded by nature. A very spacious kitchen and rooms. The variety of wildlife is amazing, birds, mammals abound around the camp which is all reserved for you. Gamedrives are special with passionate guides who will certainly entertain you on every drive. A waterhole is close by and at night it is lit up and anything from a honey badger to an elephant could appear to quench their thirst. If you looking for affordable exclusivity then this lodge must be one of you first choices.