RiverBend Lodge

"We had a wonderful experience at River Bend in Addo. Our tracker was great and we saw lots of animals. Food was good. Staff was great."

"River Bend Lodge service was exceptional and the food gourmet. The food rivaled any high end restaurant. The guide was exceptionally knowledgeable. I saw two of the Big 5 at River Bend."

"River Bend Lodge was very nice and the staff was great. They have great food and the cottages are very nice."

"Our trip was fabulous to say the least. We really enjoyed Addo’s River Bend Lodge. The warmth of the hospitality and the passion that the staff showed in doing their job."

River Bend Lodge staff printed off our boarding passes while we went on our last safari also they gave us a free pass to drive through the elephant park on our way to the airport, on our last night our bedroom and bathroom were decorated with petals and tea lights and I was given a birthday cake, all the staff sang Happy birthday to me

We had amazing stay in all the places we visited and were very pleased with River Bend. River Bend was the highlight of our trip, it really exceeded our expectations. They were extremely good with children and my daughter was overjoyed to see all the animals in the wild (we were lucky to see 4 of the Big 5) and also play with other children.

We had a wonderful time in South Africa and can’t thank you enough for the wonderful experience. It was a trip of a lifetime and I think it will be hard to beat. Riverbend Lodge was out of this world! We cannot say enough about this place, the servic es, the food, and the safaris. We left reviews on Tripadvisor as well, top notch!

As for River Bend: absolutely superb, befitting its five-star status. Extremely friendly staff, huge attention to detail, wonderful safari guide, fantastic wildlife and landscape. To have it to ourselves as it were, due to the concession being privat e, just added to the experience. We left with great reluctance!

The service couldn't have been better. Everyone was more than accommodating. Rooms were very spacious. Meals were great. Because we were the only ones on the property our last night, they gave us a private dinner in the lounge near the fireplace. It was a nice touch. We also got to see 4 out of the Big 5.

"Service, food, setting, tour guides, sundowners, rooms, etc all remarkable. We had a close encounter with an angry elephant on the first day, sort of freaked us out, other than that, an amazing experience."

Riverbend was great, we all enjoyed it very much. We were alone in all our game drives and the elephant sightings are among the best in our lives. The guys at the lodge were fantastic, great help and very nice to us, especially to the kids. An excell ent place I would definitely recommend.

"At River Bend Lodge we felt special and also there it was great with our child."

"RiverBend had beautiful accommodation and great service again and we had some amazing up close experiences with the Elephants amongst other animals, but sadly no Rhino or Lions to be seen."

We spent 2 nights at River Bend Lodge. From the moment you arrive until it's time leave, the place, the people, the game viewing is fantastic. Stef, Chris and the River Bend Team made sure that everything was just perfect. The friendly lodge manager, Stef, welcomed us with some really nice cold lemonade. She took us through the beautiful lush gardens and a quick introductory tour to show us where the dining, bar, library, swimming area is. When we got to our spacious en-suite bedroom with a private outdoor shower and secluded veranda, I immediately felt at home, I was so in love with this place. Our bed was extraordinary... it was big enough for a whole family! I wanted to stay forever! The food at River Bend Lodge is to die for. Breakfast and lunch is served from 08h00 until 15h00. Make sure you have enough space for everything. I have to admit, we almost could not handle eating all meals because we were stuffed, but we did anyway! Dinner was mouth-watering, we had chorizo and camembert stuffed pork belly with fried brown rice and sherry soaked apricots. If you're not a vegetarian, this is definitely something to try out when you are there. Off to bed we went as Chris our field guide and host warned us that he will wake us at 06h30 in the morning with some coffee in bed to get ready for our game drive. The game drives are sensational, Chris, was excellent and his passion for the animals & plants is evident. Chris was willing to stop and talk about the smaller species of wildlife and plants that a lot of guides skip over because most people just want to see the Big Five only. He is a human encyclopedia of fauna & flora. To add, he was extremely friendly & personable which is not necessary but certainly nice to have, my husband really appreciated this. River Bend can beyond doubt be extremely proud of Chris as he was the best ranger we had on our honeymoon trip. If you ever get the opportunity to visit River Bend please do yourself a favor and ask for Chris to be your field guide. Here is one piece of excitement we have experienced... there were 100s of elephants passing us, Chris then told us about the twin ellies (which in elephant world is very rare) and the naughty bigger sister. As we sat there he said, 'Just sit still and watch'. The small twin ellies and the mother walked passed us but the bigger sister came straight towards the vehicle (my heart was jumping out of my chest) and she STOPPED, she shoved the truck with her trunk, rocking us like a boat... then our eyes met and she walked away. WOW this was an experience of a lifetime. Every game drive Chris took us on was different but so special in every way. Wish I could put all his tales on paper and write a story book. When we got back at the lodge we were met with a warm face cloth to freshen up. The attention to detail and customer service at this lodge is really evident. They did everything to make our stay as lovely and warm as possible. After our afternoon game drive Stef and Chris arranged something special for our final evening. We entered our room... candle lights, flowers and a warm bathtub... AND they have set up a private dinner table in OUR very OWN ROOM. Yet another memorable experience. River Bend is very special and my husband and I loved every minute of our stay. Nothing at River Bend is a rush everything was so relaxed and just perfect. If you are looking for a luxurious lodge type of accommodation, WELL YOU HAVE THE ANSWER! GO GO GO and meet the twin ellies and the naughty sister! Definitely a place I will recommend if you want to experience exceptional service.

"Again very good. The wine tour they organized for us was fantastic."

It is an incredible place and it really takes a day to settle into the way of life there - we had a great guide and when we arrive the elephant herd which hadn't been seen near the lodge for a couple of weeks decided to pay a visit so we really were there at a great time. The food is fantastic and we didn't want to leave there and return to civilisation!