Vuyani River Lodge

A magical place! The staff were all warm, funny and caring. The experience far exceeded any and all expectations. We met so many lovely people, both staff and other guests. The family style dining was special. Our Guide Jarrod and Tracker Direct are passionate about their jobs and obviously care about the animals as well as ensuring the guests have the best possible experience. Direct makes the best hot chocolate ever! We cannot recommend this place and experience enough.

If you are considering booking …….. just do it !!! Vuyani River Lodge and all its staff are like a little piece of heaven. Before staying I couldn’t quite believe all the 5* reviews but if I could give 10*s I would. The rooms are lovely, well appointed and serviced several times a day. The outdoor shower was perfect (and I was dreading it !) You feel like you are in the bush but with that little bit of luxury. The food was delicious and I’m sure all my clothes are now a little tighter ! The animals on our drives were just magnificent . We saw everything including Leopards several times. When we thought it could get no better we would spot something else. At times it was quite overwhelming to see these animals living in the wild. We did a couple of day trips and would highly recommend the Kruger National Park and Blyde Canyon trip. Both a lovely contrast to the reserve, but what made Vuyani River Lodge so special was its staff. Every member of staff were so helpful and cheerful and we cannot fault any one of them. Each and everyone of them could not do enough for you. A special mention to our driver Stuart the “Happy Chappie” and spotter Pilo. They were so skilled and we learnt so much about the animals. When we left it actually felt as if we were leaving friends behind. Vuyani you have stolen a piece of my heart and I will be back. Thank you to all the staff.

We have just returned from the most amazing visit at Vuyani River Lodge. The lodges were stunning and set in the middle of the game reserve, meaning that you were never far from wildlife. We were so lucky to have a visit from a group of elephants drinking from the swimming pool one evening! Our guide Stuart and our tracker were both very knowledgeable and made sure each game drive was full of very close animal encounters. They ensured that we saw as much as possible! They were also fantastic company. Stuart always made us laugh! All the staff at Vuyani went above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience and nothing was ever too much trouble. The food was freshly cooked and delicious. Thank you for making us have the holiday of a lifetime!

Right from the pick up at the Hoedspruit airpot to the drop off at the same, the staff were remarkably friendly and proffessional. Our guide, Jarrod and Tracker/Spotter, Direct were extremely friendly, knowledgeable and found animals for us to see on every Safari. The Sky Chalet accomodation was very comfortable and a unique experience. Even with the animals roaming close by, we felt safe and secure. The main lodge was spacious and well appointed, and we enjoyed our meals in there and by the infinity pool. The Chefs were excellent, as was the food. That was our first time in South Africa, but it won't be our last, as we hope to come back to Vuyani in two years.

This place is totally totally amazing. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about it. From the moment you arrive and are welcomed by lovely staff you know you’ve made the right choice. You are literally living in the Bush. It’s brilliant. Surrounded by wildlife 24/7. All your meals and safari snacks are cooked fresh by Chef Adelaide, Chef Onios and Chef Matomb . So delicious. The amazing Waiters Wavil, Conclive, Cyril and Reply are always so happy to see you and Clive makes the amazing cocktails ! The lodges are clean and spacious and are looked after by the lovely cleaning team , Glades, Gina, Rember and Glory. Laundry is taken care of and collected from your lodge and returned early evening all in pristine condition. Benjamin the lovely night watchman accompanies you back to your lodge every night only to return with a friendly wake up call every morning. The amazing guides are so knowledgeable it blows your mind. They are like walking encyclopaedias. Jarrod and Direck make a great team and we looked forward to the twice daily game drives. Their abilities to track the animals in the wild are second to none. We loved their friendly disposition and their sense of humour. ( even when my mobile nearly ended up as dessert for a hungry lion ) Goodman took us to Kruger for the day and it was a pleasure to spend time with him. Kulani and Siyabi were excellent hosts and catering to our every need. Nothing was too much trouble. Jan was totally amazing. He runs a brilliant place and is an excellent Manager. Vuyani River Lodge is a totally amazing place , it’s well run , clean and an exciting place to stay. All of the staff are so friendly and helpful , it was a pleasure to get to know them so much so we now regard them as our Vuyani Family. The first day we arrived we knew it was a place we would return to and we have just booked to return next year and are counting down the days. All the staff are a real credit to the company and I hope the management recognise them for their tremendous first class service.

We really enjoyed our stay at Vuyani. Everything from the staff, service, food and game drives was fantastic. Thank you to each staff member who went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. We are looking forward to our next stay at Vuyani River Lodge.

Upon arrival we were welcomed by the warm smiles of Kulani and Siyabi and this is where our journey at the wonderful Vuyani River Lodge started. The rooms were spacious, had all the amenities you could wish for and most importantly very clean (thank you Glory and Gladuis). The food was absolutely incredible! Each meal was thoughtfully and deliciously prepared by Chef Onias and Chef Ntombi. The staff also went above and beyond to plan a romantic setting where we celebrated our engagement. A huge thank you to Kelly and Jarrod for arranging this! The game drives lead by Jarrod and Direct delivered breathtaking sightings of Elephants, Lions, Giraffes, Cheetah, Hippo's to name a few (and even the smallest of creatures - the chameleons - was fantastic to see). The Leopard was by far the best sighting of the weekend and was a perfect ending to our Journey in the Bush. Thank you to everyone who made our stay enjoyable and memorable. We will definitely be back soon!

Amazing safari experience. The daily game drives were brilliant, our tracker Direct and guide Jarrod were the ultimate dream team! We took advantage of a couple of the excursions including the boat ride at Blyde river canyon and the all day trip to Kruger which were well organised and worth doing. The food was great. As a fussy eater / pescatarian I was so well catered for at each meal. The sundowner drinks on safari were also a lovely touch, sipping on a G&T surrounded by giraffes watching the sun go down - priceless. We stayed for 5 days - will go back for longer next time.

Vuyani River Lodge is a wonderful, friendly, welcoming lodge. The staff are a credit to the company, each one being polite and attentive, they genuinely want to do everything they can to enable you to have a great experience. The rooms are spacious and clean with an outside shower adding to the safari experience. The food was outstanding and the chefs were happy to cater to any dietary needs. Communal eating with the other guests was delightful, everyone was so friendly. The sunrise and sunset game drives were magical with Jarrod our driver and Direct our tracker. These guys truly made our experience outstanding. We saw so many animals it far outweighed our expectations, we even saw a pangolin!!! I would highly recommend this delightful, intimate, friendly lodge.