Our guests are our top priority at Garonga Safari Co. If you have a comment about your stay with us or a photograph you would like to share, please email reservations@garonga.com. For more guest reviews, visit TripAdvisor where Garonga has a five-star rating and has been awarded the Travellers’ Choice Award multiple years running.
Libbie H
From the moment we arrived at the reserve, we were treated like royalty. The staff were beyond lovely – so warm, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about making our stay perfect. Nothing was too much trouble for them; every request was met with a smile and the kind of effortless service that makes you feel completely at home.
The setting itself is breathtaking – a truly beautiful place surrounded by nature at its best. In just two days, we saw an incredible variety of wildlife: lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos – you name it! Each game drive felt like a new adventure, and our guides were both knowledgeable and enthusiastic, sharing fascinating facts about every animal we encountered.
The lodge was spotless and beautifully designed, offering the perfect blend of comfort and authenticity. Sitting by the fire at night, listening to the sounds of the bush, was pure magic.
The food was lovely and there was always plenty of option. You will never have an empty belly that is for sure!
I honestly can’t recommend this safari game reserve highly enough. It was an unforgettable experience from start to finish — five stars simply aren’t enough!I
phillipjL1234DQ
My wife Daisy and I spent an awesome few days in Little Garonga which was way beyond our wildest dreams! We have travelled extensively but never had this hugely impressive customer experience and personal attention. The surprises, the food and drinks (plentiful), Robert front of house with staff were awesome and the nicest people. The room and facilities were first class, phenomenal! Also special thanks to the drivers and trackers, Moses and Floyd, Jeff and Gilbert who worked tirelessly to ensure we saw all the Big 5 and more. Daisy always wanting to see the animals close-up and that surprised look on her face will never leave me guys thank you! We shall return to celebrate a milestone anniversary for sure. Thank you so much everyone, you are all truly amazing people and professionals.
Love Phil and Daisy (UK)
Stephen G
We had the most amazing time at Garonga, it really exceeded our expectations in every category.
The room, location and food were all fantastic with beautiful views out to the watering hole from the main deck (we saw elephants bathing whilst eating lunch!)
I think what made Garonga so special was both the staff and the boutique experience with other guests, with only 6 rooms you really get to know all of the other guests which was really lovely.
The staff were all great with a special shoutout to Colin who kept us safe at night, but our drivers Phineas and Trevor were the standout. As well the knowledge and tracking skills, they were just such great people and extremely fun to spend time with (you spend 7 hours a day with your drivers so this really matters!)
Overall we couldn’t have wished for a better stay and would highly recommend. Thank you to the team!
Ruud Oost
It was just magnificent. In an open Jeep we have seen the big five and way more: 30 elephant bathing in the pool and relaxing around our lodges, lions and cubs, rhino and cub, hyena and cubs, buffalo, cheetahs chasing warthog, leopard and much more. Little Garonga has 3 lodges, superbly designed, utterly clean and the staff is so so friendly and welcoming. We had high expectations, but they were exceeded during our 3 night stay.
It’s for those who are looking for a cozy stay and enjoy the privacy and warmth of the staff.
Andrea C
Garonga is the most beautiful, welcoming safari camp with wonderful helpful, cheery staff who look after you so incredibly well. We were 24 hours late arriving – thanks to British Airways – so we lost a day of safari trips. However, Phineas and Trevor were fantastic finding all the animals and on our first night we saw a pride of lions and her cubs, 3 cheetahs, zebras to name a few. We continued to see so many animals and so close up too. The food was delicious and it was lovely the chef and sommelier shared the menu and wine each night.
The accommodation is beautiful, very comfortable huge bed, outside shower (and inside one) and everything you need. Lots of attention to detail. We had our own verandah with sitting including a hammock which overlooked a waterhole where we saw rhino and baby, herd of impala and buffalo. Thank you Garonga, you were fantastic. Would highly recommend to everyone who wants a dream safari trip.
Mark and Tania Soulos
We had the most amazing stay at Little Garonga. It was the absolute highlight of our trip to South Africa. From the minute we arrived, we were looked after in every aspect. The games drives were superb – Kaiser and Godlove were definitely the best team we could have wished for. So passionate about their jobs and letting us experience everything the private reserve had to offer. Watching their process tracking the animals was mesmorizing and then being able to see the animals so close was phenomenal.
Robert and the lodge staff were fabulous as well, catering for all our needs. The drinks and meals were delicious and plentiful. Norma was phenomenal in tracking down our lost luggage and having it delivered to the lodge in a timely fashion.
The sleepout is an absolute must do. We felt so safe and sleeping under the stars was a once in a lifetime experience. The spa treatment was gorgeous as well and I would highly recommend the Chrystal ball massage. Nothing at Little Garonga was too much to ask for. It was the most incredible part of our trip and we hope to return to this magical place some time soon.
Cathy L
This is a beautiful idyllic place to stay.we stayed in little garonga and the accommodation was outstanding and the safaris experience was the very best we had done.
The attention to detail from breakfast and the choice of lunch and evening meals were outstanding…they will cook you an alternative meal if the menu choice is not what you want.
You get a morning wake up call for your safaris and take warm clothes as it gets cold early in the morning safaris.
The guides will track the animals and this gives you a chance to see the animals in there natural environment.
All credit goes to the team of people and Jordan the manager which made this holiday a truly memorable experience…….we miss you all and the breakfast 🍳 cathy and Anthony
Nick & Ellie H
We stayed at Garonga Safari Camp in May 2025 as part of our Honeymoon and it was just the most incredible experience. The camp itself is luxuriously appointed, each “tent” is well thought out with supremely comfortable beds, with a nice touch being electric blankets that get turned out as part of their turn down service.
The game drives are phenomenal, our guide, Oli, and tracker Roy worked tirelessly to find the game within the reserve and we were lucky enough to encounter the Big 5 while we were there for 5 days, all incredible sightings and they took their time whenever we encountered the wildlife.
The food as all amazing, we had two Boma dinners while we were there, with thoughtful cuisine cooked up and a great environment for the social dining experience. On other nights, we could enjoy candlelit and romantic dinners for just the two of us, with incredibly refined dining and a great wine selection.
Finally, the staff make this place – they are all so welcoming, accommodating, friendly and clearly love the environment in which they operate within. We hope to go back one day! Thank you.
Georgie & Liam
To Everyone at Garonga Safari Camp,
Thank you so much for your incredible hospitality during our stay. The entire team were so friendly and welcoming, the food was incredible and the safari drives were amazing. We were looked after so well and felt completely spoilt and very at home. The heated blankets made our stay particularly cosy.
Big thank you also for the amazing massage- the best we have ever had, without a doubt!
The team anticipated our every need – from the hot toddies on our first evening when the elephants came to visit the camp, to the romantic evening made for us in the star bath, and the incredible guides finding us the most amazing animals and sharing their incredible knowledge with us and answering our many questions. You made our honeymoon so special. The trip went beyond our expectations and Garonga will always have a very special place in our hearts.
We know that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make Garonga so special including the wonderful team who made our rooms cosy before bedtime (thank you for sorting out mosquito nets and turning on the heated blankets!) and who came and tidied our room for us whilst we were out adventuring.
We hope to come back and visit one day and we will be telling everyone about what an incredible place you have at the camp.
You have helped us make some wonderful memories to take home with us.
Thank you so much!
Nicholas Hill
Jill Long (stayed at MCH)
This was my first Safari & I do not know how it can get any better. Truly a remarkable experience. The guide & tracking team of Bongi & Norman is the absolutely best.
They are skilled and dedicated to putting guests in positions to see all animals. I cannot recommend them enough. Back at the camp, Enock and Norma were incredibly attentive and went above and beyond to make my stay special.
Sweet Caroline’s dishes ensured I am going home full of depiction meals- oh my goodness they were so yummy. And Douglas kept us safe at night.
I know many others contributed to making my stay phenomenal- but thank you all so very much!!
Amelia Garreffa
We had the most amazing experience at MCH. As our first ever time to go on Safari we could not have asked for a better time. Norma and all the staff in camp were truly exceptional and made us feel so welcome and so well looked after.
Kaiser and Godlove were amazing on all our drives, they made sure we had a great time, they were keeping track of what we had seen and what was left on our wish list.
Overall I could not fault our entire stay and would not hesitate to recommend to anyone! Thank you for the best time!
Aimee Smith
Jim H
MCH is a fairly new property on the Garonga property, consisting of 4 (yes, only 4) tents. Glamping puts it mildly, as it was one of the best hotel rooms we’ve ever stayed in, just with canvas for walls. The entire camp is decorated in colonial style and was gorgeous. A fully stocked bar in the “study” complemented the personal bar in each room, so we were never thirsty. The food was amazing – and the staff was attentive without hovering. I would highly recommend this one-of-a-kind experience. Don’t let the term “tent” scare you off!
Shelby Sproule
Our driver and tracker were amazing, answered all our questions and was very accommodating to our group. They were very welcoming to us and made us feel safe in the bush. There tracking ability blew our minds! Our drink stops were fun and where we really got to know them and vise versa. Jeff and Gilbert filled our first safari with memories we will remember for ever. The bar has been set very high and I don’t think anything will ever compare to our time at Garonga. I will be recommending this place to everyone.
The staff at the lodge were absolutely incredible, they knew what I wanted before I could even ask for it. They were also very welcoming and informative.
Everyone at the lodge made it very hard for us to leave, already planning for when we can come back.
Special shout out to Jordan, Courage, Thomas and Norma as well.
Rupert R
Eight of us, all old friends, took the MCH encampment at Garonga for a few days. It was a magical stay. The atmosphere in MCH was wonderful, from our individual tents to the food and wine to the location and decor. The wildlife that we saw was off the charts: well over a hundred different species, including all the game plus the birds and other assorted. I highly recommend.
CLEMENTINE L
Everything was amazing: the service is so perfect that everything comes before you even ask; the staff is super nice; the place is beautiful, decorated in good taste and in harmony with nature; the food is absolutely delicious and the games are amazing, we saw so may animals and the Big 5. We even had elephants coming in front of our room. We just had the best holidays ever (and we have traveled a lot). We were so sad to leave and we will definitely be back!
LAURA S
My husband and I stayed here for three nights in January and had an amazing time. It was everything we hoped for and more. Very personal but not intrusive service from all of the staff. Setting is beautiful as you would expect. Different experience staying in a tented room but luxurious and comfortable too. Our game drives were exceptional. Special thank you to Josiah and Phinaeus who were knowledgable and fun to be around in equal measures. We saw and learnt so much and will always remember our time with you. Best sundowner bar we will ever visit that’s for sure! Can’t fault a single thing really. Thanks to all who made our first safari experience so special here.
HOWARD WOOLLASTON
Just outstanding game viewing in a great setting. We split our visit with three nights in Little Garonga and two nights in the Safari Camp. This is our second visit and it fully matched our memory. Staff are a delight and cannot do more for you. Food is very good and loads of it. Accommodation is good without being extravagant which you would expect on safari. Little Garonga is three houses all air conditioned with its own lounge/dining building and pool. Tents are solid wall on three sides with good bathrooms but no a/c. Surprisingly that didn’t prove to be a problem. Large lounge/dining building with a massive deck and fantastic views.
SDURAN199118
Loved our stay at Garonga Safari Camp. The facilities are outstanding, the service is top notch, the safaris were great and our tracker and driver Johnson and Phineas were brilliant. We got to see all the animals we wanted to see; they went above and beyond to make sure we did. The extras were also fantastic, the Bush Bath is a wonderful experience, and the massage was also very good. Would highly recommend this place for anyone wanting a fantastic safari experience.
LOUISEP
This is the place to be if you want to know the real safari experience in an intimate and magical place.
We stayed there for two nights and this place felt like heaven. With only 6 tents and 12 guests max, the place is really intimate which allows to connect with other guests easily and enjoy the calm and the magic of the savannah. It doesn’t feel like a ‘touristic’ thing at all, compared to the other reserve we’ve been to after. But what made our stay even more unforgettable is the very friendly staff – they made us very welcome, they connect with their guests, they really want to make your stay special, they were always very caring. Our safari guide was passionate, eager to make us discover everything about the nature and the animals…
ESHER1
We stayed for three nights with our two children in the Hambleden Suite in Little Garonga. Weather was lovely and warm and the accommodation was excellent with two bedrooms and lovely views over the waterhole where we saw elephants come to drink in the afternoon. Our guides were Johnson and Phineas and they were very helpful and informative. Food was wonderful and my son got a lovely cake for his birthday as a surprise. It was our second visit as we came in 1998 as a couple when the camp had just opened. Bernie came and said hello again which was a nice surprise. We saw a lot of game, including the Big 5 with the exception of the leopard. All-in-all, a lovely relaxing safari and very welcoming place.
