Ulusaba Rock Lodge

Reviews

"It's difficult to describe how amazing this place is. The staff are superb, nothing is too much trouble but they act in a totally friendly way, not ingratiating like some 5 star places. You are made to feel totally at home, can help yourself from the bar but in fact they are so kind that we rarely had to pour our own drinks. The views are truly spectacular, looking down on the huge veld with watering holes for elephants, buffalo, waterbuck and Impala. I took photos of the view from our room but nothing does it justice, you have to see it! Rooms are spacious, well equipped with lovely Africolgy products ( shower gel, shampoo etc). Beds are huge and wonderfully comfortable and the mini bar is stacked to overflowing. Breakfast is great, lots of fresh fruit platters with a cooked breakfast to follow, personal favourites the eggs benedict and Ulasaba special ( poached egg on boerewors sausage ). Lunch can be light with fish, salads or more substantial burgers, ostrich skewers. Dinner was first rate, chef Jess is very inventive and each night she cooked to a different theme, South African specials, 5 course tasting menu, braai (BBQ). The icing on the cake is the truly amazing game drives. Wake up call comes at 5am,(gulp) quick cup of tea, muffins and out in the Bush by 6am just as the sun is rising. We had 2 incredibly knowledgeable and experienced trackers in Matt and Eric, what a team! They work so well together and often just used hand signals to speak to each other. On our 1st drive we stopped close ( and I mean close) to a beautiful leopard. You have to stay in the truck and keep still but the animals are used to seeing the truck and see no threat so they are happy to be veiwed. Back for breakfast at 9.00 and then out again on a game drive at 4.30 until 7.30pm, stopping for sundowners at 6pm in the middle of the bush, life can never be normal again! We saw a huge amount but it's not forced, you go with the flow, some days we saw so much we could not keep track, other days less so but still great because it's not just about the big 5 ( saw them all a few times though) but interesting plants, birds, trees and smaller animals. One of the most interesting was a nest of baby hyenas and yes they are cute! The game reserves all work together to try and stop poachers (Rhinos under severe threat). Try and visit the schools and houses supported by Pride n'Purpose (Ulusaba's charitable arm) - fabulous kids who have been left without parents or with one mother struggling. They couldn't be more welcoming, Ulusaba helps hugely and it's a special visit. We will return and mine is a Chardonnay, Amos ( but of course you will remember that! )."

- Sherry

---

"Ulusaba rock Lodge is the most beautiful place for safari. The staff are all so welcoming, a way I can only describe as a 'family atmosphere', exceeding all expectations. The accommodation is wonderful & the views from the Rock Lodge breathtaking. Myself my husband & 4 kids have just returned from 4 nights stay & I was so sad to leave. The Rangers & trackers are so experienced fun & friendly & make the whole safari experience so wonderful with many surprises also along the way! We saw all the animals we wanted to see plus more, and the game drives were so exciting. We highly recommend Ulusaba & do hope to return there one day ourselves. Thank you Ulusaba Rock Lodge."

- Clare

---

"Stayed at rock lodge, amazing experience, staff are out to make sure your stay is nothing but perfect. You are greeted at the airstrip, and a nice bottle of bubbles on ice waiting for you. Ryann who collected us was our game driver, he was fantastic his knowledge of the wildlife was incredible, he had a person who has never really taken an interest in birds becoming a bird watcher, well done Ryan! He did everything in his power to make sure we had an amazing wildlife experience. We'll done to everyone associated with rock lodge it's a team effort."

- Heather

---

"I stayed at Safari Lodge for two nights and Rock Lodge for another two. Although we enjoyed both, I would definitely say our favorite was Rock. The views are just phenomenal...our room (dusk suite) had its own plunge pool and wrap around porch. We stayed at the treehouse suite in Safari, and although it was also beautiful--the hippos and baboons are very loud at night! :) But what really made our stay at Ulusaba unforgettable was the staff. Our guide Sean was incredible---he was such a wealth of knowledge and we were lucky enough to have the jeep to ourselves for a day and a half. We saw the Big Five, cubs, a kill + countless other beautiful animals & birds. I can't imagine a better safari experience...we were treated to two breakfasts in the bush, drinks at night with the hippos, star-gazing, and other magical experiences we will never forget. If you're like me and do A LOT of research before your trips, look no further. This is a trip you will never forget."

- Elisa

---

"My husband and I stayed here for 4 nights for our Honeymoon. It was an incredible experience from start to finish. We flew to Ulusaba airstrip with Fed Air (who we would recommend). Here we were greeted by our Ranger (Brandon), who congratulated us on our marriage and helped us fill in a brief form whilst we sipped on some bubbly. Then it was off to the Rock Lodge in the open top Land Rover. The road leading up to the Rock Lodge is extremely steep and as it is so high up, the views are simply amazing. We were quickly shown to our room. It was beautifully decorated with tasteful dark wood furniture. The mini bar had a wide selection of drinks, including soft drinks and alcohol. We also had a bottle of champagne on ice waiting for us. The room had floor to ceiling windows in the main bedroom and bathroom which was great for staring out onto miles and miles of game whilst having a relaxing bath in the generously sized tub! There was also a large rainfall shower and twin sinks, which was great. Every morning we were woken up at 05:30 by a phone call from our Ranger, to go for our morning game drive. We had a brief breakfast of fresh orange and muffins and set off around 06:00. Viewing the animals in their natural habitat was both wonderful and educational and we frequently went off road to view them up close, and as a result we got some incredible photographs. After the morning game drive we had a full English breakfast, and then the time was free to do whatever you pleased. We took the opportunity to go on two excursions during our visit. We visited Elephant Whispers and also did the Canyons, Cultures and Contrasts excursion. We would highly recommend both, as they were worth every penny and allowed us to experience the beauty of South Africa. After returning from our excursions, we went on an evening game drive around 16:00 and this was followed by a 3 course evening meal at 19:30. All the guests at the lodge sit around one big table to eat on the evening. This was great as we were able to chat about the animals we had spotted and make new friends. The food at the lodge is exquisite. We enjoyed every meal and the drinks are constantly flowing too. The staff made us feel so welcome and really made our trip special. On our last night at the lodge we were given the option to have a private dinner. We did and it was so romantic and again the food was simply amazing. We both agree that what really made our Honeymoon special was the hard work and enthusiasm of our Ranger (Brandon) and Tracker (Jack) who were a great team making sure we had the opportunity to see as many animals as possible. They were so generous in sharing their vast knowledge of the animals and South African culture, and we are so grateful to them for giving us the experience of a lifetime. We would love to return and do it all again!"

- Pip

---

"We are a family of 5 (3 boys aged 17,14,11). Had the most amazing stay at Ulusaba Rock Lodge for our 4 nights. Our 2 older boys shared a Rock Room, while we stayed in a Makwela Suite with our youngest. Both rooms had a real African influence, the bathrooms were wonderful. Each room had a different view both were fantastic. The staff were very welcoming, the food beautiful, we loved everything about our stay. Our ranger Johnny and tracker Dan were great - in fact we saw all the Big 5 on our first afternoon. After our stay here we continued our holiday for another 2 weeks. Now we are home, we ask our boys which was the best place. Ulusaba without hesitation. We will be talking about this place for years to come."

- Janine

---

"We stayed at Ulusaba for 3 nights last month and it was simply the most amazing place I've ever been to. It felt like staying in someone's home, it was so intimate and personal (in a good way). Staff were all delightful, everyone knew each other by name, any request was fulfilled. The drives were unreal and we saw EVERYTHING. The rangers were so knowledgeable and entertaining. I also took my little boy with us and he had an absolute blast and learned so much. Food was also very good and service impeccable. Very highly recommend this place. Thank you, everyone at Ulusaba, for making this stay unforgettable."

- Jessica

---

"This is my fifth safari and by far this was the best! I really enjoyed the family atmosphere and attention to detail, everything was taken care of and the organisation was excellent. Our guides, Stewart and Dan were brilliant and made sure we had a good drive out every morning and afternoon. Dinner for two nights was on the long table as the weather wasn't so warm and it made for a great atmosphere with everyone sitting and chatting together. I was made a fuss of for my birthday and champagne flowed and I even had a cake! Just everything very special."

- Jules

---

"The views from the Rock Lodge are beyond description. It appears that you can see the entire world from this magnificent lodge. It even had a tennis court. The rooms are wonderful, the staff is absolutely outstanding and they were very accommodating to my dietary needs (no sugar, dairy or red meat). Special thanks to Karl the General Manager for making sure our stay was magical. Our Ranger/Driver Sam was sensational as was our Tracker, Don. Sam was very ecologically minded and was an animal rights advocate. He was like a friend sharing with you great information. We were treated to a great show of staff dancing and singing (which you can join in on) and special appetizers. Richard Branson is very involved with saving the Rhinos and I admire his determination."

- Gary

---

""Perfect wedding and honeymoon. The absolute definition of excellent customer care!" We got married and stayed at Ulusaba in March and miss this place already. Everything about this place and all of the people there make it very hard to leave, we could not find one single flaw! From the moment we arrived until the second we left was simply perfection. We cannot thank the resort team enough for a time and place we will never forget, from Robyn, the perfect host, Matt and Eric, the ranger and tracker who found at least 1 of the big 5 on every single drive, to Ernest and Sunny the most attentive waiters and everyone else who made our dream wedding come true (including famous Amos), thank you Ulusaba. We will be back one day!"

- Tracey