Nyala Safari Lodge

Amazing experience and everyone involved in Nyala looked after us so well. The food, guides, rooms, all of it was excellent. Dave and Nikki are excellent hosts and Cristal is a fantastic guide, so knowledgeable about the animals, birds and scenery.

Sorry, this review is a few months overdue, but, hope it still offers potential new guests some pointers. We visited Nyala Safari Lodge in early April 2025. This was our 2nd visit to the lodge following a previous visit in 2022. Some friends accompanied us this time and for them this was their first ever safari trip to South Africa. We kept Nyala until the last stop on our safari adventure, as based on our last visit we knew our friends would love the 'feel and ambience' this place had to offer - and it did not disappoint. Dave and Nikkie are very attentive towards their guests and run this lodge really well. You can tell because there is a happy atmosphere in the camp which translates into excellent service served up by staff with genuine smiles. We find the standard of food in South Africa to be generally very good anyway. However, the quality of dishes served up by Shylet (Head Chef) and Kutso were once again, truly exceptional. So much so that all four of us really looked forward to what was on the menu each day. The standard of accomodation at Nyala is excellent and there is no attention to detail spared in terms of decoration, including towels folded up in the shape of a smily elephant's head on your arrival. The rondavels are beautifully appointed and the bathrooms, including an additional outside shower facility, really make for a truly wonderful bush experience. You visit Nyala though for the safari experience and in this respect we had some wonderful sightings this time. Christelle was once again our guide and she really knows her stuff - and is incredibly funny and interesting too. Knowing that we were (slightly) disappointed last time not to see Ezulwini ( a big elephant tusker that sometimes visits the property) she went out of her way to make sure we saw him this time. So, thanks Christelle and we hope your trip to Norway went well. Finally, a big thanks to the Nyala team. We really enjoyed our stay and needless to say our friends got back home with some wonderful memories of their last stopover in South Africa.

The best thing about Nyala are the traditional African elements to it including the beautiful rondavels. Nyala may be traditional but it's luxurious too but the African elements to this camp make it what it is - an exceptional! experience. All the staff are so welcoming and professional (thank you Nicki) and Wes our guide's passion and knowledge contributed so much to an overall wonderful trip. We have been many times to Nyala and hope to be back soon.

We spent four days in this exquisite, little camp. The managers Dave and Nicky made us feel at home with their attention to detail. They made sure each of our experiences, from the morning safari to late evenings by the fire were perfect. Shylet and Kudzu created delicious meals that were just right. The rooms and camp area were beautifully maintained. The highlight, of course, was the safaris twice a day. Nick, our guide, was knowledgeable, patient, accommodating and made it a great experience for every single person - and we were six individuals with different interests ranging from big 5 to birds to photography. We couldn’t have asked for more!

Joan and I had a fantastic week at Nyala Safari Lodge. From the moment Christelle our guide, picked us up at the gate to the private game reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park and the greeting at the Lodge by managers David and Nikki and staff, until we left (with not a few tears) a week later, we were treated as beloved guests. The accommodations are delightful, with views of an ephemeral river bed and permanent waterhole frequented by wild game including elephants, rhinos, antelope, and the occasional lion and leopard. The cottage was immaculately clean, large and comfortable with A/C, indoor and outdoor showers and an African veld charm (including a traditional thatched roof). The food was excellent and prepared by well trained and charming staff. And then there were the animals! Driving from the entrance gate to the Lodge we saw the first of our 5 lepards. Not only did Christelle bring us close to the beautiful animal she was able to tell us about her, how many babies she has had and a great deal about lepard’s natural history. This was typical of Christelle who is not only a great guide and tracker (in addition to being kind and very funny) but is also a knowledgeable naturalist. I am an avid amateur wildlife photographer, and never had to request that Christelle position me for a better shot - she just did it. During our week at Nyala, we not only saw the Big Five once, but two separate times. Equally exciting was seeing and photographing an incredible variety of wildlife and birds. Truly a remarkable experience. Joan and I cannot thank David, Nikki, Christelle and the Staff enough for one of the most enjoyable and exciting experiences of our many travels. While Joan and I are in our late 70’s we are already planning to return to Nyala next year.