Simbambili Game Lodge

4.9 /5
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Based on over 1000 Verified Reviews.

Overview

Ideal for the discerning traveller, Simbambili Game Lodge is a luxury safari lodge situated on the banks of the seasonal Manyeleti River in the exclusive Sabi Sand Game Reserve. As the lodge accommodates a maximum of 18 guests, you're ensured a truly private and personalised experience.

This Big 5 area is well known for its exceptional wildlife viewing, and in particular its regular leopard sightings. Set out on early morning and late afternoon/early evening game drives to experience the African wilderness at its most active and rewarding. The expert rangers are allowed to go off-road for close-up sightings, and guided bush walks are also offered.

 

Highlights

  • Situated in the private Sabi Sand Game Reserve
  • Classic Big 5 game viewing
  • Extremely friendly & hospitable staff
  • Spacious and comfortable rooms
  • One of our favourite honeymoon lodges
  • View game at the waterhole from the lodge deck
  • Excellent value for money

Activities

  • Guided walks
  • Bird watching
  • Game drives
  • Night drives
  • Guided walking safaris
  • Bush dining

Rooms

Waterhole Suite

Situated near the lodge's main area, the Waterhole Suite offers guests a grandstand view of the waterhole. It's the only suite at Simbambili that has a separate, cosy lounge area for those visitors searching for a little bit of extra comfort. The bedroom walks out onto a private deck with a plunge pool and daybed, both delivering fantastic views of the waterhole.

Suite

Simbambili Game Lodge offers eight sophisticated thatched suites with all the luxury and comfort you need while on safari. All the rooms feature en suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, views over the seasonal river, and private viewing decks with plunge pools and daybeds. The 'honeymoon suite' is situated the furthers away from the main lodge, offering supreme privacy and an outdoor shower.

Facilities

During the hottest part of the day - when even the wildlife lies low - you can relax on your private deck or cool off in your plunge pool.

You can also spoil yourself to a health and wellness treatment at the spa, or get your blood flowing with a workout at the gym - and after all that exertion, wind down with a cold drink from the bar.

Dining

Your safari experience at Simbambili is complemented by elegant cuisine and a selection of fine wines from the bar.

The lodge offers al fresco bush breakfasts, boma or riverbed dinners and private in-suite dinners complete with private butler service.

Sundowner drinks can be enjoyed from the viewing decks that overlook the banks of the seasonal river.

General facilities

  • Plunge pool
  • Restaurant
  • Spa
  • Gym
  • Bar

Rates

Special Offer

Stay Longer for Less

Valid for Travel

  • 2023-11-01 - 2023-12-31

From

R54 000 per person sharing
Save 25%
Description

Stay 4 nights & only pay for 3

All inclusions

4 Nights accommodation in a suite on a fully inclusive basis

Minimum 4 nights stay

Maximum 6 pax

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Traveller Reviews

Simbambili Game Lodge
DM

Daniel Milich

The safari was extraordinary! The entire experience was so memorable and the staff was kind, attentive, and helpful with anything we needed. We saw every animal we wanted to see. We got to enjoy delicious food throughout and loved the room as well, w hich was huge.
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CB

Colette Brown-Graham

"The safari was the highlight. Simbambili was fantastic."
DG

Dean Gettinger

'The time we spent at Simbambili Game Lodge was absolutely amazing. The entire staff was very welcoming and the service exceeded our expectations. Our guide, Doug, and tracker, Willies, were the absolute best. Our only regret was that we could not s tay longer.'
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BS

Bob Spiers

We had a fantastic time at Simbambili, everything was perfect - the weather, the animal sightings, the food and the staff. I loved the surprise dinner out in the bush... thank you for the suggestion to stay there and thank you for all your help. We c ouldn’t have asked for a better trip; its hard not to take a good pictures in Sabi Sands: ). I would love to do it again sometime and bring my daughters.
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JJ

Jamie James

"Simbambili was gorgeous! Our suite was completely lovely and the setting was beautiful. The reception and desk staff was wonderful, very helpful. The ranger and tracker were outstanding. Game drives were wonderful."
TV

Tara Vaught

"South Africa far exceeded our dreams! From the organization, accomodations, food, and the people everything was perfect."
DJ

Dorothie Jones

"Simbambili Game Lodge was fantastic, the accommodation and the guiding was superb. We enjoyed every minute....even the massive thunderstorm on our last drive!"
DH

Derek Hewitt

"Simbambili was excellent, and we had one of the best viewings ever!"
RE

Randi Erber

"We LOVED Simbambili. The game drives were amazing, the lodge itself was great, and they really went over the top with the details to make our dinners very special."
LH

Lorraine Huff

Liam, our ranger at Simbambili, was a brilliant guide, very knowledgeable and passionate about the animals & their habitat, and always keen to ensure we got right up close for great viewing and photography. The lodge was luxurious and the food was e xcellent - the BBQ out in the bush by lamplight was particularly magical.
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MS

Maura Satalin

"I cant say enough wonderful things about Simbambili and their staff there. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience!"
KL

Kelly Lennon

At Simbambili, we saw the big 5 in one day! I absolutely loved our ranger and tracker as well as the different types of eating experiences they created at Simbambili, like at a Boma, in the bush (a surprise breakfast!), and at the lodge. Christina, the hostess, and Reinas, the butler, were the epitome of class.
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JY

Jessica Yee

This was the perfect lodge for us! Throughout our 3 days at Simbambili, we continued to be overwhelmed by the level of service we received. Our tracker and guide were excellent - they were so knowledable and friendly and we really loved our time with them. Our butler took great care of us and we were really impressed by the quality and variety of all the food. Simbambili surpassed our expectations in every way by leaps and bounds. It was truly a magical experience.
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DaMC

David and Marilyn Calladine

"Our stay in Kruger was by far the best safari we have had, the accommodation at the lodge was good but the food was average. The ranger and all the staff were very helpful and they made the stay worthwhile."
CB

Charles Brooks

"As you said the safari was the highlight of many. I can see why they are on your list, so I would also recommend Simbambili Game Lodge to anyone wishing for a special safari experience."
SB

Sharon Bach

Words can’t explain how we feel for this place, everything was perfect! Accommodation so comfortable, couldn’t fault the food – plenty of it and of a very high standard. All the staff were excellent and so were the game drives, we loved every mome nt here. We would certainly stay again.
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Ja

Jane averstock

We had a very warm welcome, had a short time to freshen up before meeting everyone around the boma (camp fire) for dinner. This was very relaxing and a nice way to meet your fellow travellers from different parts of the world and discussing their sa fari experiences. We had 4 amazing game drives during our 3 night stay, experiencing something different every time. We saw 4 of the big 5, we did not see any lions as they had passed through a couple of weeks before we travelled out to Africa. We saw leopards on every game drive, rhino's, hippo's, elephant's, zebra, buffalo, hyena, civet, giraffe, Jackal, mongoose, vulture, eagle, many kinds of deer and birds etc. Our accommodation was again very comfortable, looking out onto a dry river bed where we saw giraffe and water buck. On returning back to our lodge on the second night, we were greeted with the room being lit with lots of candles and a letter saying they were putting on a special meal in our room for my 50th birthday, we had a path of lit tea lights leading from our bedroom to the bath which again was filled with hot water surrounded with lit tea lights and a bottle of champagne and 2 glasses. This was a lovely surprise and made the holiday seem more special. The meal of our choice was brought to us by our host who always made sure we had everything we wanted. He also left little messages or chocolates on our bed at night which was also a nice touch. After our 3rd comfortable night we had to leave early in the morning to move on to our final destination Benguerra Island in Mozambique and we e were waved off by members of the Simbambilli lodge, which was a nice way to say goodbye. We found the accommodation, food, service, and people excellent, we could not fault any of it.
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VH

Vicki Hanson

"I just wanted to say we throughly enjoyed our time in South Africa. Thanks for suggesting Simbambili -- we loved it!"
RD

Robyn Davidoff

"Simbambili was awesome: the lodge/room was incredible and our safari guide was fabulous."
SM

Sabina Mehra

Simbambili room was great and we saw the big 5 on the game drives and really loved all the wildlife viewings. The hospitality at both Simbambili and Ngoma was wonderful. At Simbambili on my birthday they decorated our room and served us a private di nner in the room. I'm glad we did both Sabi Sands and Chobe as they were both very different.
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AC

Ann Champoux

"Simabambili - AMAZING! Great guide (Liam), wonderful accommodations. I don't think this could be beat. Saw it all including a leopard with its bush buck kill - taking it while we were watching and hiding in the trees. Lots of lions."
WH

Warwick Holtham

We had a fantastic holiday. Thank you so much for organising it for us. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Simbambili had fabulous food, the staff were excellent and the game drives fantastic. We finally got to see good sightings of leopard – yay! We also had amazing sightings of wild dogs at Simbambili, which was very special.
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GD

Gregory Dierenfield

The staff at Simbambili were beyond accomidating with any request, to include timely responses and five star service. We had the most interaction with Kathy, Pierre, and Stanley all of whom took on their responsibilities with the highest standard of professionalisum. Also I enjoyed being able to talk to the staff on a person to person level and learn about their experiences and respect for the African bush. Simbambili lodge was the perfect size with just enough guests to be engaging yet small enough to get the intimate treatment one would expect from such a place. We made many life long friends at Simbambili and hope to return with more family and friends in a very short while.
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PB

Peter Boone

Our safari was just absolutely amazing. I cannot speak highly enough of the Simbambili Lodge. Our guidle Liam and his wife who is a manager there were just awesome! The service and the food was just incredible. We saw the Big 5 and much more on the very first game drive! I could have gone home after the first game drive and been 100% satisfied. It was so incredible!
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WF

William Frankfort

There are no words that can fully describe the experience we had in Sabi Sands. The Simbambili property was truly five star. Our "Waterhole" suite was beyond anyone' wildest dreams. The food was more than excellent and the service was impeccable. Th e best part of Sabi Sands was our guide and tracker. Our first drive was in the afternoon and we saw three of the five "Big Five" the very first drive. The female leopard with her kill was amazing and the lion pride with cubs was great. We actually also caught glimpses of 3-4 week old leopard cubs. By the next morning we saw elephants and rhinos. I
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SB

Simon Brodie

My wife and I stayed here for 4 nights, it exceeded our every expectation. We were greeted warmly on arrival even though we were later than expected. After a freshen up in our suite we joined the other guests for dinner at the small boma. It was amaz ing listening to their experiences and wandering what our stay had in store for us.Our first game drive the next morning was unbelievable! Within minutes of heading out we were on the trail of large bull elephant. Our Guide and Tracker knew how to make everyone feel so special and their knowledge was just mind-blowing. Over our time here we saw all of the Big Five and many other amazing animals.Meals here are top notch, the food is plentiful and varied. We can't recommend Simbambili highly enough. We would go back at any time..
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PB

Patrick Burke

"We LOVED Simbambili. The place was beautiful and the staff was awesome. We got to see 4 of the big 5 among many other animals and were blown away by the experience. I have to thank you for that recommendation."
SC

Sharon Carpenter

The workers at this guest house were Sabi Sands, Simbambili was awesome. I was so looking forward to this aspect of the holiday. We first had to take a plane to Hoedspruit and then met with a very nice transfer to the Simbambili Resort. All of our f lights and transfer pick ups at the airports were all on point. The Safari adventures were amazing. This place is amazing. The highlight of this part of the trip was the game drives, 2 a day.
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DH

Dan Henry

"We both liked the Simbambelli Lodge. It was a good choice."
JA

Joanne Apotheloz

Since our safari game drives were so successful, we could have used another night though. As it were, we did see the Big Five, in addition to wild dogs which I was told was part of the Super Seven; didn't see a cheetah. I can't say enough positive comments about Simbambili Lodge and the staff! I was so emotional leaving that I cried. It took me by surprise. Our guide Liam and his tracker Mumps were so wonderful and you could tell that they were highly skilled and had a natural love for what they did, for the bush and the animals. Our driver from the Simbambili back to the airport was so entertaining!
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AT

Alessandra Tassinario

"The safari was amazing and loved our time at Simbambili Game Lodge."
AA

Alfonso Alvarez

The welcome at Simbambili was absolutely amazing, we liked a lot the place, the surroundings, the vista from the veranda, the placement of the rooms, and the decoration both of the rooms and common spaces. Everything helps to create a really comforta ble place but integrated in the environment. The views from the veranda, having breakfast etc are overwhelming. Our bungalow was really nice, and the big surprise was that when returning from our morning game viewing we found an elephant playing with the water of our plunge pool! It was the top or hour holiday, and a memory that will last forever!! So close, a mature male!! Of course the pool was a mess and we could never enjoy it, but definitely it worth it. The experience was incredible.
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GK

Gigi Koenig

Simbambili is still my favourite place and we loved it so much again that we are going to rearrange our trip next year so that we can go back again. This year we had 2 different rangers as Richard our ranger from last year was on leave. Firstly Lazar us, who normally only drives for the owners and otherwise does maintenance. He had all the stories that only someone born in the area can tell. It was a bumpy ride but very informative. Then Liam, who is the head ranger, and luckily Mumps as a tracker with both. Liam and Mumps together are an amazing team. Just a little sign from Mumps and Liam goes off road in these unbelievable places to track the leopards, rhinos... They asked us what we hoped to see and we said we hoped to see the leopard with her cub from last year that had had her cubs under the spa. Unfortunately the second cub was killed by hyenas in July but we did see the leopard up close in a tree just a few minutes before we had to leave for the airport. You are nearly guaranteed to see everything and more at Simbambili. The team organised a beautiful surprise for us for our last night, with rose petals and candles everywhere in our room and a table set up for a private diner. We decided to quickly finish our packing before diner and had a shock when we finally opened the bathroom door to find another 34 candles and rose petals and a steaming (too) hot bath for 2 with a bottle of champagne set on a little table next to it. Wow! Food was very good again.
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AG

Arie Goldstein

"Simbambili - Very nice lodge and people (Tip : If you're celebrating some anniversary you'll have a private dinner in your room, very romantic with candles and flowers.) We got lucky to see 3 kills and a buffalo delivery..."
EE

Erica Ellis

"Our trip was absolutely incredible! Everything was perfect. The lodge was amazing- beautiful place, delicious food, incredible game drives/awesome guide and tracker. We loved every minute of it! If we ever go back we will let you know!!!"
SL

Sophie Latham

Our particular favorites were Schoone Oordt and Simbambili - the former was so incredibly elegant they thought of absolutely everything. The lodge and the safari were so special - beautiful appointments, wonderful guide (Pierre) and tracker (Service ); lovely butler, Arnold, and incredible front of house staff, like Allison and Katherine.
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KB

Kelly Bonneville

Simbambili: LOVED everything about this- people, accommodations, reserve, game viewing, ranger Liam, tracker Mumps. We would definitely return here in a heart beat. Only exceptional things to say. We had really wanted to stay at Lion Sands River l odge but they were booked and then Jehan had recommended this one, which is more north Sabi Sands, but we feel everything worked out great and loved this place. Next trip we would like to see more southern Sabi Sands Reserve.
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JW

Jim Weil

The staff at both Simbambili and Muchengie were over-the-top good. The private birthday dinner for Lori at Simambili was very special, and the folks at Muchengie were very accommodating, even taking us on a private, final game drive our last morning before dropping us off at the Kasane airport.
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AW

Anna Woods

I was going to email you anyway to say thank you for the start of our trip at Simbambili. It was amazing and somehow we got the Waterhole Suite, which we felt very, very lucky about. The resort was perfect - peaceful, lovely accommodation, great game drives, beautiful staff, great food. We were saying we couldn't imagine how anyone could find even the tiniest thing to complain about. We have a lot of travelling in our trip but it was so worth it for Simbambili.
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EC

Esther Chow

We stayed at the Simbambili Lodge - their hospitality, service, and food were beyond our expectations. We were so impressed with all the care they took into making our stay comfortable, safe, and feeding us like royalty. Our guide Pierre was very kno wledgable, and his energy and passion made the whole safari experience even better. The only comment we had for Simbambili was our room. It was overall clean, but there were a number of bugs that creeped into our room.
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LG

Linda Gilbertson

"On to Simbambilli, a Palace in the bush, different type of safari, not as numerous game, more the hunter in the bush where the game had to be tracked which made it more exciting."
AG

Anju Gupta

Simbambilli itself is absolutely gorgeous. The staff are so polite and gracious. We really felt pampered. The game driver Pierre & tracker Service were both so knowledgeable. They made everything so much fun with their banter and light heartedness. We managed to see so many animals including the big 5! Pierre especially took it upon himself to ensure that we saw so much and had the opportunity to take great photos. We were so very impressed with him. The lodge itself is so luxurious. Very clean and like nothing we expected. We were so pleased at how homely yet professional everyone was. The staff really pay attention to every detail. Yet, they're all so approachable. They organised a private dinner for us one night. It was stunning. The room was decorated, the service was pristine and we definitely have lasting memories.
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BON

Brian O Neill

Our honeymoon was absolutely incredible. It was truly the best trip of our lives. Without your meticulous help and support, we would not have had such an unforgettable honeymoon. Simbambili welcomed us with open arms as soon as we arrived and the lev el of service was so good that by the end of our time there, my wife and I felt like we were leaving as new members of the Simbambili family. We cannot begin to express in words how memorable our time at Simbambili was. From the people to the food to the game viewing to the accommodations and hospitality, it really was amazing.
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KWT

Ker Wei Tan

In Simbambili, special mention to all the rangers and trackers. All of them are rock stars for being able to look for game, and we can clearly see their passion and drive for their profession. In particular, Pierre and Service, our ranger and tracker , have been exceptional in showing us the animals in Sabi Sands, and being able to go right up to them. It's especially fortunate that Pierre has a photographer's eye, so he is able to position the vehicle so that we are able to get some really good shots of the animals we saw. Abigail has been warm and welcoming, and we managed to get a glimpse of her lovely daughter as well. Everything there has been excellent, from the service to the food, and we cannot sing enough praises on the entire staff.
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SN

Scott Neuman

"This was our favorite part of the trip. Simbambili was really luxurious but still allowed us to get out into the bush, both in the cars and on foot. Great lodging, food, guides, staff, etc. No complaints -- we want to go back!"
MY

Mike Young

Stop one was Simbambeli Game Lodge in Sabi Sands. Excellent lodge good amenities with large well-equipped sleeping accommodation and the food was excellent. The small number of clients allowed the staff to cater for all our needs. We did two x 3 hour game drives a day one in the morning and the other late afternoon. Both the tracker and the ranger were helpful, knowledgeable and informative. On the game drives very great effort was made to make sure that we saw the widest range of animals with highlights being the large cats. The arrival and departure timing at the lodge allowed us to do the afternoon game drive on arrival and the morning game dive on the day of departure.
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JC

John Cox

A great lodge to stay at, staff was so friendly and willing to have one enjoy the adventure they came for. The rooms were amazing, the huge beds, the porch with personal dipping pool and the best part was no TV or Wi-Fi in the rooms. The game drives were exactly as I pictured them, the ranger and tracker were extremely professional and knowledgable. Richard was a walking Wikipedia on the animals and plants in the area. Really passionate for what he does and for the animals in his area. Only saw 4 of the Big 5, but was prepared for that due to knowing how mother nature can change things. The meals were incredible, wasn't prepared to eat so much great food. Never had a bad meal the whole time, also enjoyed how they would move the dinner location to different areas of the lodge, and also have the cooks announce the meal that was being served. Did not want to leave there.
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LC

Lee Campbell

Our personal favorite lodge was Simbambili. The suite was amazing and provided us with the most comfort and allowed us to relax and unwind as well as go on game drives. We found (of course) the air conditioning to be a massive bonus during the day, a s we would return from 4-hour drives incredibly exhausted and were able to have a nap in comfort before the afternoon drive. I would definitely aim to stay in more places with that commodity, as it allowed us to relax without the heat of the day although I appreciate that it doesn’t really tie in with the ‘African adventure’ idea too well. The spa was incredible and the most relaxing and beautiful experience. We were so relaxed that we fell asleep and woke up to a herd of elephants walking past us.
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RH

Rob Hudson

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to you for everything that you did in helping to make our holiday so special - we really enjoyed everywhere we stayed, and Simbalili on safari was a particularly amazing experience. The whole holiday went very smoo thly and the itinerary and directions you pulled together were so easy to follow.
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Sara Pasquali

"Thanks for all of your help in planning our trip, everything was great! The safari was excellent and everything at Simbambili exceeded our expectations. The game drives, meals, staff, lodging, all were excellent."
KT

Karen Testman

The stay at Simbambili was just remarkable! The rooms were fabulous, the food fantastic and the animal sightings more than we hoped for. We saw all the big five and numerous other animials (zebra, giraffe, antelope, birds). The service was impeccable and the game drives just wonderful. I have already recommended the lodge to a friend and will be passing along your contact information. I cannot imagine better accomodations and activities for the money.
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GK

Gigi Konig

Simbambili: 5 star and more: Superb, outstanding, breathtaking. We loved it so much that we've decided to go back to there next year even if we hadn't planned on going to the Kruger again. I can't thank you enough for getting us such a great deal the re. They make you feel at home in 5 stars. Excellent food too. You've been there so I don't need to say how beautiful the rooms and deck are. Unfortunately we had bad weather so couldn't use our plunge pool but just digesting lunch on the day bed outside is fabulous.Richard is by far the most superior guide that we have ever had anywhere. All guides know the basics and more but he wants to learn and teach much much more. Now he is trying to put together a book on all of the wild flowers in the area some of which you need a microscope to see clearly! He has had his photos of the leopards and other wildlife that are always around the lodge made into postcards which you can get in the well-stocked curio shop. When he sees a leopard, he says meet 'Salayexe' because he names the animals and knows their little secrets... like Salayexe giving birth to her 2 cubs under the spa. An amazing experience.
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LW

Lorraine Wright

It was wonderful and each destination offered something different, if pushed to choose... we did especially enjoy our time on safari at Simbambilli. Again it would be tough to choose as all of the trip was so good. Simbambilli was excellent and added some lovely surprises for our anniversary.
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JN

Jan Navatkoski

Sambambili was very nice. It was also full and thus we shared the lodge with approx 16 other guests and the game drives were full! The manager was all but absent during our stay, but this might have been because she had a baby boy about 2 months ago. The hotel staff were quite nice and professional. The food was really quite good and varied. They remembered my gluten issue and without even asking made accommodations... I was impressed! While we did see our share of leopards and even 2 packs of wild dogs (which are supposed to be a rare sighting), they got these tips from the other game drivers. Our ranger was very informative and excited about the wildlife which made our drives quite interesting, despite sometimes long intervals between animal sightings. Again, the almost constant rain, except for the last day, I think made sightings a bit challenging. It was a shame that the weather was so raw and rainy, since we would have loved to have lounged outside and enjoyed a bit more of the wilderness. Our suite here has a deck with 2 lounge chairs, a plunge pool, and a queen-size bed to layout and gaze over the bush!
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BH

Ben Hittman

"We absolutely loved Simbambili and we'd recommend it to anyone and everyone. Everything there - the drives, the food, the people, the suites - was amazing. We could not ask for more."
MG

Merry Garrard

Simbambili is totally awesome! It is so luxurious but at the same time comfortable and everyone was very friendly. On the afternoon we arrived it was hot and we went on the second game drive of the day... by the next morning the cold rainy front had moved in, so we pulled out our warm gear and went on! The rest of the drives were in cold and sometimes misty conditions but the guide (Pierre) was very personable and we would have gone with him no matter what the weather. For such a young guy he really knew a lot about animals and the bush. We took a walking safari with him and two other people and that is where we really learned how to look at animal tracks and plants and trees to see where the elephants had been. We loved the coziness of Simbambili, with its huge fireplaces in the great room... we basically loved the architecture of the lodge and took lots of photos just in case we ever get to build our dream home that looks like this lodge! Ha! Everyone there was so friendly and caring, from the girls in the front office to our waiter. The attention to detail in the rooms was noticed, too, as they had thought of everything one might need and they came in throughout the day to tidy up . We love this place and if we could, we would go back tomorrow! We saw plenty of animals and loved going off road to follow them! Especially at night! We understand that only in private reserves this can be done.
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MM

Margaret Mills

The accommodation was amazing. I would actually rather stay at the smaller and more private Simbambili Game Lodge as I thought it was much more personal and better value for money. This game lodge was the BEST value for money. It is very small with f ew guests and the staff are fantastic. Excellently appointed rooms with a lovely bathroom and private plunge pool, although we didn't use it during our stay due to the weather. Had a view to the watering hole from our room and saw impala, monkeys, water buck, elephant and even a hippo out of the water at dawn. Special touches such as a private dinner for our 15th wedding anniversary made the stay even more exceptional and personal. The game driving and sightings were not as good as last time we visited Sabi Sands two years ago, but we have been assured this is a general comment due to the vast growth due to early rains, not specifically the area Simbambili Game Lodge is located. Having said this, we still did see the 'BIG 5' and also wild dog, which we did not see last visit.
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MW

Mauricio Wroclawski

"Both lodges were great. We felt that we had a more personilized stay in Simbambili. They prepared a private dinner for us in the room and that was great!"
HR

Hy Ruby

The Simbambili Lodge was an excellent choice; the quality service was remarkably visible in every aspect: the daily welcoming by Allison, the room accommodations, the personal touch of providing "your butler" for the duration of our stay. They allow ed us in to the kitchen to prepare our kosher food. The game drives were productive and rewarding, giving us many opportunities to observe the various wildlife in their natural habitat.
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VM

Vivek Malipatil

The safari was also an experience of a lifetime. For our parents and Usha, it was all new and really enjoyable... iit was nice for me to see them enjoy it. I loved it, too, as it was definitely an upgrade from my prior visit to Kruger five years ago (we had gone to the national park and done a more 'budget' version of the trip). We will surely recommend you if any of our friends are thinking of a trip to South Africa – we have been extremely satisfied with the experience.
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DK

Deborah King

We absolutely loved Simbambili, the service was amazing, they were so friendly and welcoming. The food is excellent there. The game drives were good, although a different experience to my last safari, as it is very much about TRACKING the animals ra ther than just driving around looking for them. We saw all of the ones we were looking for, but I would warn people if that is their first safari, that they may not see LOTS of animals.
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DK

Deborah King

We absolutely loved Simbambili, the service was amazing, they were so friendly and welcoming. The food is excellent there. The game drives were good, although a different experience to my last safari, as it is very much about TRACKING the animals rather than just driving around looking for them. We saw all of the ones we were looking for, but I would warn people if that is their first safari, that they may not see LOTS of animals.
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JT

John Tutela

"Simbambili is a beautiful facility with fantastic meals. During game drives, we saw so many animals... the Big 5 and so much more!"
JJ

Jemy Jacob

Simbambili - WOW. Where do I begin... We loved Simbambili and the staff! It was definetly an excellent 'real' start to our vacay. We had a great tracker (Mumps) and ranger (Pierre) that took us on very successful fun game drives. Our fantastic butler , Reinus, attended to every detail of our meals/cottage. They arranged a very special dinner for us on our anniversary, it was so lovely and gave us a complimentary bottle of champagne. This lodge was our favorite place during this trip. Beautiful cottage with a great view of the watering hole, wonderful staff, fun activities (game drives, spa), delicious meals.
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JL

Jennifer Lee

Simbambili - The highlight of our trip! You picked all accommodations/services for us perfectly but this was AMAZING. We can't rave about it enough. Managers/staff/our ranger, tracker, butler - everyone was so awesome! Every meal was gourmet and perf ect.
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Marie Therrien

"We were very pleased with all the accommodation you suggested and would not hesitate to recommend Simbambili Lodge as a Safari base. We were amazd to see so much wild life on our game drives and we were extremely well looked after at the lodge."
VL

Vannier Laurent

"Our stay at Simbambili was amazing. We loved everything about it. This is exactly what we were looking for."
MO

Melissa Oxman

"Of course, if we had to pick a favorite, it would be Simbambili. Our experience there was absolutely incredible, and I would very highly recommend the lodge to anyone. The staff, the food, the accommodations - all of it was excellent."
DM

Dale Matthews

"Simbambili was outstanding: Alison was very hospitable and particularly helpful in addressing the flat tire situation. Liam and the trackers (Momps and Doktor) were terrific guides."
EdF

Elizabeth de Friend

Simbambili was better for the walkabout space it offered and the suite was astonishing. It was a little less intimate in atmosphere – couples eating on separate tables, for example, and having to select one’s wine. But it grew on us quickly as we got to know the new group and ranger, and we found we comfortably filled the space available in our room! The sightings here were different – much closer, and we focused on even more birds. My bird highspots were a giant eagle owl and a bee eater. It didn’t come across as remotely tedious, seeing everything again because every scene is so different. It was fabulous seeing a 2-week-old elephant, young giraffes being so tactile with the mother, another leopard or two, a herd of impala leaping across the road... I have great rhino and elephant shots from here. We saw – and heard - a giraffe eating a bone from a carcass, fascinating!
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JD

Julie Detomo

"This was a wonderful weekend away... the lodge pampered us and had a very special valentines celebration - we truely enjoyed our visit. As well we saw leopards and cheetahs and even wild dogs (a rarity I hear)."
DM

Dineke Meijers

"Simbambili was very nice as well; very nice game drives, bush walks and the food was great, too."
CE

Carolyn English

"Safari was fantastic and could not have been better, transport was well organised and every person involved very friendly and polite. An amazing experience."
MW

Michael Warman

"Sambambili was also memorable - facilities, food and the main guide - suddenly forgot his name. His wife is the manager. Animal experiences also memorable. Walks with Jacob were great - no problem. Overall great in every respect."
R&CL

Richy & Coreen Lindberg

"It was all an unforgettable holiday. We truly hope to be able to visit South Africa again. We had an amazing holiday. Everything went very smoothly."
GW

Garry Willinge

"We saw the big 5 a number of times in Simbambili."
KE

Kristin Etre

Simbambili was amazing! Every single staff member was so incredibly nice. They went above and beyond. I was sad to leave. Our game drives have left me speechless!! I knew we would get close to the animals, but I never imagine getting as close as we did. Our ranger Shoes and our tracker Doctor were awesome. We saw all of the big 5 by our second game drive. We saw 6 different leopard, which we were told doesn’t happen that often. Simbambili is truly a fabulous place. The accommodations were incredible. It was pure luxury.
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PA

Pooja Amin

The safari at Simbahali was amazing to say the least. We got to see the Big 5 several times as well as other wild animals. The resort was beautiful, and the meals were exquisite. Our tracker (Doc) and ranger (Shoes) were so knowledgeable about the wi ldlife that we felt honored to be in their company. We are a couple that has traveled the globe quite a bit, and our trip to Africa is our favorite trip by far, and we are very thankful to you for organizing an amazing adventure of a lifetime.
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Vijay Subramanian

"We had an awesome holiday in Simbambili. The game lodge and animal sightings were fantastic, and we are struggling to adjust to the urban jungle of New York!"
KM

Kim McDowell

Thank you for recommending this! Fantastic! Welcome - incredible! We arrived around 8pm and had asked for dinner in the room. OMG! There were candles everywhere! A hot bath drawn with rose petals floating on the water! Sparkling wine on ice beside th e tub! Alison made us feel very welcome as soon as we arrived. Our butler Ramius brought each course for us to dine on, including candles on a chocolate cake for dessert. Room - very good, large, comfortable bed, all the amenities needed including bug spray. Fully stocked bar in the room with very affordable prices. Deck - excellent. Two chaise lounges with mattresses along with a large king-size mattress bed under a canopy and a nice cool plunge pool. Very private! Food - excellent! Breakfast, lunch, dinner all incredibly good - chef is excellent. Service is very professional, discreet. Game Drives - I don't know how it could be any better. Vechicle excellent, Liam our guide was sooo knowledgeable and passionate about the animals, and fauna. Our very first drive we saw lions, leopards, elephants and over the 5 drives we did we saw all the Big 5 and many others. We even did a bush walk one day with Liam and learned so much - it was really amazing! We have memories from this resort that will literally last a lifetime and I think it will be very difficult to top this vacation.
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Jared Knab

I did want to let you know that the safari was absolutely spectacular in every way. The flights and ground transfers were seamless, the lodge was amazing, the staff could not have been more friendly, and on top of that, we saw plenty of wildlife. Eve n though we were there for a short time, we still managed to see all of the Big 5, plus impala, wildebeest, kudu, hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra, and who knows how many other species. Plus, I even got to practice my Portuguese with our ranger who happened to be from Mozambique.
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GW

Greg Wade

Simbambili was also really nice and we got to see the Big Five by the second day, therefore 3 days probably would have been enough because between game drives there is a lot of time to kill. Alison, Liam , Richard and all the other staff there were a lso great.
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FK

Fred King

"We are back home from our trip and had a fabulous time on the safari. Thanks for all the planning. Simbambili was amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a safari experience."
JW

Jack Wong

"We LOVED Simbabili, best viewing!"
JdG

Jeremie de Gersigny

"Our stay at Simbambili was a rare moment of bliss, that we would never forget."
CJ

Colin James

Then the virgin bush of Simbambili - the wildlife – lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, rhino and all the buck – their splendid suite. After an end-of-day early evening protracted drive into the bush with the ranger they returned to their suite. She w ent into the stunning bedroom to find the bed covered with rose petals and the room full of flowers.
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VS

Volker Steinwascher

"The experience in Sabi Sands was just outstanding. Especially the ranger team was a class of its own. All in all, it was really worth it even with my experience as a worldwide traveler normally flying first class and only taking 5-star hotels."
AM

Amy MacWilliams

"Simbambili was great. The accommodations were wonderful and the staff was so friendly. We also really enjoyed the food."
JW

Jeff White

All was perfection! We really had the experience of the lifetime. The lodge was awesome - the staff was wonderful - our room was amazing and we saw so much. Flights and transfers were seamless. Really can't thank you enough for your guidance. Plannin g such a big trip from so far away was daunting, but you gave me good insight and advice, and I really appreciate it.
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AM

Anthony Morreale

Two things I might have changed if I had to do it again 1. Simbambili - although an excellent facility and great game viewing it would have been better if it had been an all inclusive place. The meals and drinks were a little less robust than those we experienced in the &beyond lodges and they were more expensive as a lodge, but yet not more exclusive. I would have looked to stay longer at the &beyond sites or booked another &beyond lodge
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AP

Angela Pearman

"Had a wonderful safari experience at Simbambili Game Lodge. Excellent guides and wonderful accommodation and food. Can highly recommend it. Thank you for your assistance."
BG

Barry Gershenson

Yes, the trip will be a memorable one! All the plans you created went flawlessly and the accommodations and staff were wonderful. The Simbambilli "turn down" will be one of the many highlights of our trip and couldn't have been more romantic…thank you!
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PI

Phil Ice

Simbambili was the highlight of the trip. The camp is understated elegance at its finest. The guides and trackers are second to none. Simply everything about Simbambili was a dream experience. If anyone I know travels to South Africa I would recommen d this camp immediately.
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DL

Deborah Lahoda

"Simbambili was wonderful, the staff very helpful and the safaris were top-notch."
SM

Stuart Magness

Stuart and I would like to say a huge THANK YOU for all your help in booking our belated honeymoon - we had the best time ever and will have trouble in topping it! I have passed on our details to many of my friends who are thining of booking a safari . Stuart and I saw the Big 5 within less than 24 hours of our arrival at Simbambili Lodge. The Lodge and its staff were fantastic and we couldn't have asked for more! Many thanks again for all your help in bringing our dream holiday to life!
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SO

Stephanie Olson

Simbambili was beautiful, but the real value to us was in being able to go on the early morning and night drives before and after Kruger opened. Richard, our ranger and Service, our tracker, were terrific. At Simbambili, we saw all Big 5, and many ot her animals, including a cheetah which I understand is quite rare.
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RL

Robin Lacour

Simbambili was a nice as expected. The dinner atmosphere was fun and unique each night. One night, they served us a private dinner in our room to celebrate our anniversary. The other nights, group dinners were arranged around the fire pit and in the river bed. At Simbambili, we saw all of the Big 5 in the first three game drives. We also saw more giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impala, etc. We even got to see a leopard feeding on his kill up in a tree. The baby elephants and baby rhinos were so special. The sunsets were amazing!
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PD

Pauline Desjardins

The safari has to be the 'creme de la creme'. The lodge, the people/service, and atmosphere, the exchanges with the other guests - all this conjugated to the highlight of our trip.Thanks to you and our daughter's innitiative I had a memorable 70th bi rthday, very much appreciated, many thanks.
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EdF

Elizabeth de Friend

Simbambili offered lots of walkabout space and the suite was astonishing. It was a little more stiff at first, a little less personal, or intimate in atmosphere - couples eating on separate tables, for example, and having to select one's wine. But it grew on us quickly as we got to know the new group and ranger, and we found we comfortably filled the space available in our room! The sightings here were different - much closer, and we focused on even more birds. My bird highspots were a giant eagle owl and a bee eater. It didn't come across as remotely tedious, seeing everything again because every scene is so different. It was fabulous seeing a 2-week-old elephant, young giraffes being so tactile with the mother, another leopard or two, a herd of impala leaping across the road... I have great rhino and elephant shots from here. We saw - and heard - a giraffe eating a bone from a carcass, fascinating! And so you can tell all this was perfect for us.
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KV

Krista Von

"On the safaris we saw everything... male and female lions, cheetahs, leopards, rhino, elephant, zebra, wildebeest, warthogs, water buffalo, giraffe, hyenas, wild dogs... it was incredible."
GC

Gilli Cowley

We loved Simbambili Lodge - it was fantastic and our room was lovely and the balcony with the plunge pool. The first drive out we saw leopard. It was so exciting. We saw the Big 5. We loved our room - especially dodging leopard and hippo at night goi ng back to our rooms after dinner! We had lots of birds and monkeys visit us and drink from the plunge pool and we loved that. I think the only criticism we found was at this lodge - in that the maid came in every day about four times and in between times when we were there we would set out our clothes in readiness for the next drive and the maid would come in and move everything and mix it all up with each others. Time was always tight racing from a drive to eat etc - so it got a bit irritating. Also the maid mixed up all the towels. I think we were a bit untidy - so she probably felt she was doing her job. We did leave a message on the questionnaire we completed when we left saying this happened. This does not affect the fact that we had a really good time there and the food was delicious and loads of it. Now we have to diet!
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BS

Benami Shoshana

"It was fabulous staying in Simbambili Lodge and we will not forget it for a long time."
MA

Michael Anisfeld

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. The safari at Simbambili was amazing, your travel arrangements were flawless, and we had a great time."
EH

Emma Hall

"Thornybush in SA - amazing still. Service levels, food, ranger (Marco). So intimate - only eight people max, and first night just the two of us and we had private game drive the next morning as well! It is fabulous."
SW

Stuart Watson

It got even better at simbambili, when we didn't think it could. Again, the food (each night different meal location, braai, riverbed, restaurant). Very, very upmarket and great accommodation as well. Ranger Matt was awesome. I would recommend this p lace - thank you so much. They did nice things like bottle of champagne, baths with flower petals for honeymoon and all a surprise as well.
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HM

Himanshu Misra

"We had a great vacation, generally, and Simbambili Lodge was memorable. The game safaris were quite an experience."
ALL

Alison Lee Lemon

"The service from Nico, the butler, was outstanding and I loved the day spa! The food was fantastic! Simbambili is the place to go if you want to see the leopards."
JZ

Jacquelyn Zimmerman

Heaven, luxury to the max. The game drives were great! Matt and Doctor were fantastic driver and tracker we not only saw the Big 5, we have close-up photos of them ALL... so many I'm not sure which ones I'm going to have enlarged! I completely filled a 4-gig card and probably half of the second one!
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PC

Peter Cohen-Millstein

I wanted to let you know that Robbie and I had an incredible time at Simbambili. The lodge is beautiful, the staff was phenomenal, and the food was excellent. I can't complement the chef enough for his wonderful vegetarian creations. Thanks again so much for your help in planning this.
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DR

Drew Ries

The Simbambilli hotel was lovely. We loved our room and deck (plunge pool, day bed etc). The common areas were quite nice as well. Food was quite good and they did dinners in a number of interesting locations (river bed, boma, private in room, etc). In general, we might have liked a lodge that also had a larger common area pool as there is a fair bit of downtime on dafari. We had a amazing safari experience. The animal viewing was terrific (we saw the 'Big 5' including a number of leopards with their cubs, a lioness and her cub, wild dogs, hippo, giraffe, zebra, etc.). We like the open Land Rover vehicles and the fact that Sabi Sands lets the vehicles go off-road (I understand that is not the case in Kruger, Serengeti, etc.).
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Lynn Anderson

The lodge is completely open - meaning that the animals come very close to your tents (we loved it). Our tent was small but very comfortable. Twin beds, a separate bath with some having the shower or bathtub outside (our shower was inside which I th ink we preferred although I didn't hear any complaints from others). The food was very good: breakfast after morning drive was excellent: tea at about 3pm with quiches, salad, sweets, etc.; dinner at about 8pm with some of the best soups I have ever had and then dinner and dessert - again very good (we even had warthog and it was not bad) although that was the only unusual dish we had. Small lodge so you get to meet the others although you stay with your same guide/driver for the duration of your trip. The guides were very good - many of our rides were almost four hours depending on what we saw. Our last drive was simply amazing - saw almost every animal that day - each time we made a turn in the road - something else including the elusive white rhino and a woman on our van said she had been there over 10 years and had never encountered such a day. The owners are very pleasant and helpful. Their staff is very helpful and nice. I would highly recommend this lodge for someone who does not care about amenities (spas, phones in the rooms, etc). It is much more personal and you get a chance to get to know the others on the drives and in the lodge - it is a small place so there were only about 15 or less there). And you are really up close to the animals - no fences or barriers which we loved. We loved it and thanks so much for all your assistance.
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JB

Josh Bowman

Simbambili was probably the highlight of the trip. It is a truly amazing place and the staff and trackers were great. We had some very lucky and memorable safari experiences and even the 5:30am starts didn't really seem to matter. Again food and wine was fabulous.
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Jackie O'Brien

"Simbambilli was another beautiful lodge and the animal sightings and ranger and tracker were magnificent."
LP

Lesley Prais

Could not fault Simbambili. The lodge we stayed at was perfect. Good attention/food etc. I had a facial in the spa, the best I've ever had. And on my birthday I arrived back from the game drive to find a bathtub filled with hot water and bubbles toge ther with half bottle of champagne. Another nice thing was that every evening we had dinner in a different setting. Saw lots of animals etc.
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HT

HB Tanner

"The Simbambili Game Lodge was very nice. The staff were very friendly and attentive and we practically had the whole place to ourselves for some of the time. The food was also very good. We also had a very good tracker so we saw lots of things."
DK

Drew Kovach

"Simbambili Game Lodge is a very special place and the two daily safaris were absolutely fantastic. I have hundreds of beautiful pictures of many animals including the Big 5. The service and accommodations there were exceptional."
RP

Roberta Piagneri

Simply great, wonderful, gorgeous... Thank you so much for making this opportunity for us. Over there the service (restaurant, game, welcoming, people) are excellent and very friendly (I almost cried for leaving that place!). Our ranger (Lazaro) has been wonderful... We should have listened to you and stay there three days and not just two. Even there they have a really good opinion of Go2Africa!
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Iain Cockin

After visiting about five game lodges before I think your recommendation of Simbambili was probably the best I have been to and certainly the most value for money, as you suggested the fact that it was only max 16 guests also made the place more spec ial.
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AM

Andrea May

Our safari experience at the Simbambili Lodge was outstanding. We were warmly welcomed. The dinners were superb in varying locations around the lodge. Nothing was too much trouble and any queries we had were handled quickly and to our satisfaction. O ur ranger Matt was an absolute 'top-class bloke'. We saw all the Big 5, thanks to Matt and to Doc our tracker. I obviously hadn't read my itinerary thouroughly and was surprised to find out that we were flying back to Joburg initially from a little airstrip at our lodge. It was a fantastic experience.
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JVN

John Van Nuys

"Simbamibili was excellent. I could not believe the wildlife I saw: a pack of 14 wild dogs hunting impala (!)."
KB

Kim Boddy

Absolutely fantastic. From our arrival the staff were helpful and friendly and nothing was to much trouble. Our room was very good with a private balcony and plunge pool and a large outside bed. Our ranger Matt and tracker Doctor (he assured us that was his name) were knowledgeable, friendly and had a great sense of humour. We saw all the Big 5 plus hippos and lots lots more. The food was of a high standard with the restaurant overlooking a waterhole with a wide choice of visiting animals. All in all an excellent choice, thank you.
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BM

Barbara McCormack

Fabulous accommodation and very well looked after by our guide. The hotel management had gone away leaving two new guides and guide girlfriend in charge - and they had just been employed there for two weeks. They did very well. Food was good though not outstanding. We had amazing experiences with lions, leopards and elephants so Jim was in his element. Game drives and guide/tracker were superb.
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SM

Sue Middleton

"We very much enjoyed our three nights at Simbambili - the rooms are great and the people are very nice. The lions weren't there due some recent problems although we did get to see a female right at the end."
DB

Daniel Brannegan

"Simbambilli, just extraordinary. At the end of the stay, our difficulty was that we had to leave our tracker, Moamb and our guide Micah."
JB

Jennifer Binion

The staff was wonderful. We felt like royalty with so much attention. The weather was wonderful. The games drives were excellent. You will never believe it... but when we were riding out in the open Land Rovers to take our wedding photos they tracked a leopard! We may possibly be the only couple with a leopard in our wedding photos! It was awesome! They really pampered me with my manicure, pedicure, and hair on my wedding day. It was so nice. I would highly recommend Simbambili to everyone. The food is excellent. ( I probably gained 5 lbs!) Everything flowed so smoothly.... everyone kept telling me that I did a great job planning, but I told them that you did all the work!
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AF

Aikaterini Fytopoulou

"The people, the service, the experiences were just fantastic!"
SL

Shari Levitt

"Was everything we could possibly have hoped for and more, much more. I could write paragraphs on the experience but suffice it to say that absolutely everything was perfect!"
PL

Peter Leigh

Game viewing was very good. I enjoyed the company of lots of very pleasant people, both those on holiday and those at the lodges. Weather though very varied was generally kind to me. The area is in desperate need of rain. Believe it or not, in the en d I was saying ' Not ANOTHER leopard'!
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Roger Avery

First of all, I wanted to thank you for all your help in making the arrangements for our trip to South Africa. We had a fantastic time on our safari - I was amazed at our tracker's ability to find animals and thrilled at how close we were to wild ani mals. In the first 24 hours at Simbambili we had sundowners with some rhinos, watched lions mating, hippos out of the water, and a leopard feasting on impala. We, too, enjoyed feasting on various game in the boma at Simbambili.
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Nick Ackerman

Simbambili Game Lodge was an amazing place to go on safari, not only in terms of the accomodation, facilities and amount of game on display, but also the friendly staff and their knowledge - everything was absolutely perfect. I would definitely reco mmend them, and your company, to any of my friends who were planning a trip to South Africa.
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Nava Yeganeh

"I really enjoyed the ranger on our safari (Lazerus) and everyone at Simbambili was extremely nice"
CW

Clyde Waggoner

Simbambili was incredible. We saw 15 lions on a buffalo and - yes - 15 wild dogs on a impala. The wild dogs were great because we watched how they (the pack) let the alpha female eat first by herself and when she got up and left the rest of the pack went crazy. Fifteen minutes later there was nothing left except a skull, ribs and spine and some leg bones (sorry to be so graphic). They probably ate these after we left.
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