Independent hotels in Djuma Game Reserve, Greater Kruger National Park

"This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed; an amazing location in beautiful Skukuza, the quirkiest stunning train/bridge hotel and the extraordinary staff! Rooms are extremely spacious and beautifully decorated, the views from the room and the pool deck is breathtaking. It’s the most beautiful feeling watching animals from above, enjoying the river running under the train bridge. The staff is maybe the friendliest and the most hardworking hotel staff I’ve experienced. Tinashe, Happy, Angie and many more .. they make you feel so welcomed, almost like a family! On top of all, what makes it even more special is the Kruger NP game drives. My husband and I both feel extremely lucky to have met the amazing Victor, who is a very special and extraordinary game guide. I have done a lot safaris around the world but never met a guide like him. He is full of love for animals (and BIRDS!), he gets so excited seeing them, tracking them, as if this is not what he sees everyday. His level of knowledge about all animals, their behaviours, patterns, from the biggest to the rarest animal, the surrounding fauna.. it is just like going on documentary drives. Unbelievable! Till I met him, I didn’t know much about birds. When I said that to him, he went and printed me a copy of an extensive bird checklist as a surprise for our next drive and we tracked them together the rest of our drives.Thank you so much Victor for everything you did for us, we couldn’t ask for a better experience"

"Amazing stay, food, decor, amenities, rooms were great and would love to stay here again. Safari was also amazing with a great guide, Culture. Conveniently located 1min away from the Paul Kruger Gate. Highly recommend staying here."

"Do you want to see the big five while being treated as a royalty? Book the Elephant Plains Game Lodge. Their facility is excellent, location is great, and the level of service is awesome. They will be waiting for you when you arrive because they know that you’re coming and they will pamper you on every step of the way: from the room personalized for your visit to the dining options tailored to your diet to sundowners and welcome back drinks. They make you feel like a family and you would not want to leave. Ever. "

"Up close and personal with the wildlife."

"The minute we arrived we were greeted by lovely staff and elephants at the pool. What followed was a once in a lifetime experience. The positives - Beds are super comfy with electric blankets for those cold nights and a fan for the warm days. The food was AMAZING. I LOVED being seated with fellow safari mates and getting to know people from across the world even though we are total introverts. Our guide Leighton was brilliant, knowledgeable and an excellent driver. And the wildlife…. Wow. I still can’t believe we saw so many lions, leopards and cheetahs, not to mention everything else. Being birders we were worried that we would be ignored and never get a moment to identify a bird but Leighton balanced the needs of the guests so well and had an excellent knowledge of all animals. The only downsides… when we arrived we were so hungry but because our flight was delayed we missed the afternoon safari and had to wait until everyone returned before we could access any food - a wait of 2 hours was really tough and no one explained what was happening. Highly recommend explaining the daily itinerary to people on arrival and having snacks available for purchase. Loved the Couples shower but unfortunately not enough hot water for 2 people. "

"We were surprised at how comfortable the room was. Great nights sleep and perfectly positioned for early morning access to the NP."

"Staying at simbambili was the best experience of our life. The lodge was stunning, the food was exceptional, the attention to detail was like no other, but above all the team that worked there made you feel like family. I looked at dozens of lodges before choosing for our honeymoon, so when I finally landed on Simbambili, it was due to the amazing reviews and location. When we arrived it was even better than what we could have imagined. Magical is really the word that comes to mind. Our days started with our Ranger Solomon and Tracker Roy, took us out on our drives. They were so passionate and knowledgeable. Then came back to a very cheerful Caroline who welcomed us, and then every meal Rich was there to take care of us. There was a watering hole at the lodge and constantly we were able to see so many animals coming up for a drink. Look no further for your dream safari, it’s at simbambili!"

"Great place to stay. Authentic, great vibe. "

"This is an exceptional property in the Manyeleti Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park. It is a magical place where Impala's roam the property and the elephants come to drink water from the pool. The "tents" are very nice with toilet facilities and showers and comfortable beds. The food was good, but the staff are the best! They do everything they can to meet your needs and wants. Everyday there are two game drives into the reserve where you can get very close to amazing game animals. The guides on these drives are very good at their jobs. Ours was named Brilliant and he truly was brilliant. He can find animals, birds and snakes at distance and at night in places I can barely see. He is amazing! We want to thank the staff for making our stay very special-Dan, Mavis, Trevor, Previous, Noa and other...and especially Brilliant!"