Naledi Game Lodges

If we could give 6 stars for our 3 day stay at Naledi we would! My wife and I visited Naledi for 3 days in January 2025. We were incredibly well taken care of by Marise, Matthew, Lilian, Decide and Chef Dudu throughout our stay. The food was delicious, our room in the Paperbark suite and the entire property is meticulously maintained, and they made incredible efforts to make our trip as enjoyable as possible. They succeeded! The game drives with Oupa and Excellent exceeded every expectation. They are true experts at guiding and tracking the majestic animals in the Balule reserve, and just incredibly lovely gentlemen to spend time with. We saw so much - yes, the Big 5, but also warthogs and hyenas and giraffes and hippos and zebras and impala herds and beautiful birds; sunset and sunrise and a rainbow one morning took our breath away. On our final sundowners, Oupa and Excellent took us by the Olifant River where we enjoyed the sunset and drinks surrounded by hippos and a grazing rhino. Each day felt like a treasure hunt - we gave very little input, allowing Oupa and Excellent to do their thing, and loved every minute. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip for my wife and I, as we were visiting South Africa from the US for a friend's wedding. I went back and forth between the more well-known reserves (Sabi Sands, Timbavati) and was unsure what we'd be able to see in the summer season (our visit was in late January) - I'm so glad we chose Naledi and if there's ever an opportunity to visit South Africa again, we will be back!

The lodge is nice enough for the value of what you are paying, but at the end of the day what takes the cake is the staff and the quality of the game drives. This is our second time returning to Naledi, and I would return again just for the staff. They have wonderful people working there that make your experience so much more enjoyable. The trackers and guides are also really amazing, funny, and talented. We saw the Big 5 and had amazing game drives with them. I would recommend this place if you're looking for a more affordable experience compared to fancy lodges, it's a really nice place. Thank you Naledi!

This weekend was mind blowing, beyond words. From our arrival until our departure we were treated to the most delicious and beautifully presented meals and a surprise birthday cake. Our room was luxurious with a view to a watering hole approximately 40m from the deck and saw many elephants, impala, kudud, warthogs, baboons and lots of birds visiting meters away. Our game drives and walk is where we spent most of or time and worth every second. Oupa and Excellence has wealth of knowledge and experience in the veld and going at high speed 3 times to rush to a possible leopard siting. When an animal was spotted they would assess the situation and numerous times we were taken within meters of the anumal, wthout putting anyone or animal in danger. We saw a big male lion, black & white rhino, giraffe, elephants including Ezulwini, big dominant bull of the park, hippo, crocodile, lots of impala, waterbuck, kudu, duiker, klipspringer, steenbok and highlight was spotting a leopard in a tree on our final drive. Visiting Naledi should be on everyone's bucket list. We are planning an annual trip to Naledi as this was one of my best experiences I have ever encountered and the memories are entwined in my soul.