Phinda Forest Lodge

Reviews

"My husband and I were fortunate enough to spend a weekend here in mid July. What a treat. From the moment one arrives at the Lodge, willing and attentive staff greet you by name and make you feel at home. Our chalet was at the end of the path and was beautifully and luxuriously furnished. Every single meal was absolutely delicious. We have stayed at a number of luxury lodges in Zululand but Phinda Forest Lodge surpassed all of the others. From the food, to the willingness of the staff to assist, to incredible game sightings, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Our tracker and guide (Dumi, I think his name was) went out of their way time and time again to ensure that we got the best game sightings possible. Their tracking skills were very impressive and their respect for the environment and the animals within it was heartwarming to see. I highly recommend Phinda Forest Lodge, I cant wait to return."

- Lynne

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"Beautiful surroundings and stunning rooms combined with delightful customer service to make this lodge a place to remember. This was an incredible experience. The skill and expertise of our ranger and tracker meant that we saw some amazing sights around the park and even the wet days were brilliant. I completely loved this place, didn't want to leave and can't wait to go back. It was a simultaneously relaxing and exciting trip."

- Kate

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"My husband has always longed to go on Safari so for his 50th, we decided to do it in style!! Wow! What a fabulous place. We arrived in 45 degree heat & were welcomed with ice cold towels & homemade ginger beer. Thankfully the temperature dropped but the hospitality didn't. We spent 2 nights & had 4 game drives, enough to see the big five, a cheetah provide supper for 3 cubs, a black rhino & all the other wonderful animals you'd expect to see. Our guides, Sarah & Chris were fabulous & were determined to find as much game as possible for us & they certainly came up trumps. My Aunt & Uncle who joined us and are locals said they hadn't see all that game in such a short space of time for 20+ years. Everyone made it a birthday to remember from the champagne breakfast in the bush to the cake with song & dance led by the wonderful chef Sam & his crew. Saskia was brilliant & sent us home with a goody bag of the dried pineapple we had so enjoyed as a morning snack mid drive & instructions of where to buy more. All in all an amazing holiday definitely made by the Forest Family! Thank you for making Jimmy's birthday a truly memorable occasion & we can't wait to come back."

- Margie

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"Everything about Phinda - Forest Lodge was perfect - except we should have stayed longer. The accommodation was luxurious, the food was fantastic ... and of course the wildlife was spectacular! What I will remember - and cherish - most was the enormous smile on my son's face when, about 20 minutes into our first game drive, we saw our first pride of lions. It was the most sensational way to begin four days of wonderfully indulgent adventure!"

- Stephen

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"This secluded lodge in the sand forest of Phinda was truly a fabulous experience. Wonderful cabins that disappear into the bush, and you can choose whether to shut out the night with curtains and air conditioning or leave the windows open for ventilation and listen to the hyenas whooping it up. We chose the latter, and were rewarded with the most wonderful night noises (the mosquitoes stayed outside behind the screens). The bush experience was the best we have ever had in many years of bush breaks, largely because of the skill, sensitivity and determination of our ranger, Ross, and tracker, Musi. Ross showed us elements of the bush that no other ranger has ever bothered with, and his patience and doggedness rewarded us with many rare and wonderful sights, including two lionesses who are raising their cubs together. Thank you, Ross, for making this a unique experience. The food, service and general ambience of the lodge could not be faulted, and the forest picnic on our last night was magical. We will definitely go back, and back, and back."

- Fran

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"From the moment we arrived until we left, this was an outstanding experience. The food was quality, the room was like a dream, a glass castle in the first. The safari adventure was the best. Our guide Sam was fabulous, we saw the big five and lots more. I loved every minute staying here. This was an experience I will cherish for ever."

- Bev Anne

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"Our experience at Phinda Forest Lodge was incredible. We saw amazingly beautiful settings with wildlife grazing so close to our safari vehicle that we simply could not believe it! Lions & cheetahs walked extremely close to us yet ignored our vehicle - we were totally fascinated that this could happen. We watched in awe as lionesses hunted & then ate their prey in the thicket. Our ranger, David, and his tracker, Thoks, were fabulous about finding all the game that we would want to see - even the elusive black rhino! We could not believe it. They made the whole experience at Phinda outstanding because of their terrific personalities & great knowledge about the game & the birds & plants. It was the best being on the game drives with them. Stopping for sundowners were, needless to say, what we looked forward to also! The rooms at Phinda were to die for! Fabulous beds, bathrooms & surrounded by nature that you could actually see through the glass walls. The food was delicious. We really had to stop ourselves from eating too much. We highly recommend it for couples that want a romantic, luxury African experience."

- Sharon

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"My husband and I recently spent two nights at Phinda Forest Lodge. Our stay at Phinda Forest Lodge was fabulous. Our accommodation in our glass walled chalet was exceptional. The food was very good although we think that the continental breakfast could have been a bit more substantial. We had dinner in the Boma on the last night of our stay and that was a real treat. The food prepared by the chef, David, was delicious. The morning and evening game drives were enjoyable. We saw the magnificent seven within 24 hours of our stay at the lodge. The amount of game appeared to be a bit sparse compared to what we have seen before at other game reserves, perhaps it had something to do with the time of year. All in all a highly enjoyable stay."

- Lawrence Penny

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"The forest lodge, like the other Phinda lodges is very well run. The staff are very accommodating and friendly. The rooms are beautiful and all all made with glass walls giving you direct views of the sand forest from all angles. We saw nyala's and monkey's practically at the foot of our bed. We spent a lot of time in the restaurant/deck area relaxing and watching the warthogs and other animals in the large veld. We highly recommended lodge for couples and it certainly rises up to that special occasion/celebration. Phinda offers an absolutely first class safari experience."

- Melanie Burgers

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"What a wonderful first safari lodge. First off, the staff, and I mean all of the staff, were fantastic. They learned our names, and made the trip so personal. Our room was everything you could dream for. Secluded, lovely design, luxurious bathrooms and linens, air conditioning. Fabulous! The main lodge where we had our meals was decorated so beautifully, you wanted to go there to relax, but really were too busy to do so. The meals were gourmet, from the breakfast buffet that was loaded with fruits, cereals, juices, breads and muffins, and eggs, and more. To the wonderful lunches and dinners, all divine. I'd go back in a minute!"

- Nancy