Vuyani Safari Lodge

We visited for 3 nights as part of our honeymoon and really enjoyed ourselves. The complimentary pick up from the nearby airport was ideal and appreciated. The staff were so friendly and did everything they could to make sure you had a great time. We were so lucky to have Solly and Stephen as our game drivers- they were so much fun, very knowledgeable and just a pleasure to be with. We saw ALL the animals and it was incredible. The accomodation was nice and the housekeepers did a great job. The food was also top notch, however I did highlight a peanut allergy and I do feel like the staff were a little confused when I was asking them if certain foods contained nuts. A few did say ‘no I think it’s fine’ but this needs to be dealt with more seriously. They weren’t being rude but probably didn’t understand fully. After the 3rd morning of asking if the breakfast snacks contained nuts, Stephen was around and offered to ring the chef for me which was greatly appreciated and he really tried to help. All in all, I think this was outstanding value for money in comparison to some of the Safari lodges we were looking at. Highly recommend!

Visited Vuyani for 5 nights at the start of November with my sister and partner. It’s hard to put into words how good it was. We shared Honeymoon Suit 1 (HM1) and they setup an additional bed for my sister. The rooms are quite spacious and you never feel you are getting under each other’s feet. The little plug pool was well used on the hot sunny days. Each room has a small fridge containing a selection of beers, cider and some soft drinks as well as a few bags of crisps, all of which are topped up every day. Some wine would have been nice as I’m not much of a beer drinker, I suspect I could have asked for a bottle but drinks are available all the time from the bar and it really wasn’t a deal breaker. I saw some reviews that said get Peace as your tracker. You are pre allocated a tracker and driver for your stay and we lucked out and got Peace and Jannie who were both amazing. In fairness, everyone said their driver and tracker were amazing, Yuyani only hire amazing people so you are in good hands no matter who you drive with, but we certainly had the most fun. I think in total there are only 10 rooms at Vuyani so it’s very personal and comfortable. Everyone knows your name and preference and it feels like a big family rather than big impersonal hotel. Game drives take place twice a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. Depending on the time of year, we were getting up at 4:30am to be ready for 5:15am. Animals don’t appear on demand and it’s not a zoo so you need to be ready when they are active. The game drives are a lot of fun as you never know what you are going to see, they are a mini adventure. It’s quite a thrill to jump in the 4x4, drive for 100 meters and see giraffes, elephants etc and then get a call to say lions have been spotted. All the guides work together to find the animals and driving off road was a lot of fun. We saw so many amazing sights. Lions pulling the head off breakfast, elephants so close you could see your reflection in their eyes. Stopping for drinks with crocodiles, hippos, hyenas and a leopard all less than 100m away. My sister was on a call back home and I overheard her say, “I have seen things you wouldn’t believe”, that pretty much summed it up. I took on average 200 photos every day and I could write another 50 chapters on the experience. Just book it already.

This was my first visit to Vuyani and I was full of anticipation. From the welcome at the airport, to the farewell from the lodge it was a wonderful experience. The people are beautiful, nothing is too much trouble and they want you to love the country as much as they do. The chefs had no trouble accommodating my food allergy and the communal tables at meals were fun (and it’s okay to ask for your own table if you prefer). The food was delicious. Local produce, imaginative combinations, beautifully presented and the wine flowed freely. My room ( in the apartment) was spacious, comfortable and clean but a little noisy so I’ll definitely splash out and upgrade next time I visit. There are a variety of options and, again, the staff will do their best to accommodate. There are two game drives daily, with a 5 a.m. wake up call. The guides and trackers are exceptionally knowledgeable and soon suss out what each guest wants from their experience. We saw the Big Five and so much more besides, as well as getting to know a lot about the country. Epic, awesome, these words are not too much. Once in a lifetime, nah who am I kidding?! Thank you to everyone who made my first safari holiday so special.

What started as a once in a lifetime trip ended with “when are we coming back” We were able to fully relax each day while the staff took care of everything. Jannie and Peace made each drive special and entertaining to say the least (tip: never miss a game drive, each one is different!) As some mentioned before dining is communal however we found this to be pleasant and made some wonderful friends along the way! Henky and Chris remembered our names and orders which just added to the personalized experience. The chefs keep things interesting and fresh each day, everything was exceptional. My husband asked to try some local side dish (pap and Chakalaka) which was accommodated with pleasure.

Had the most amazing Safari experience staying at Vuyani VIP lodge. We had amazing manager, chef and staff. All our needs were well catered for and nothing too much trouble. The lodge was well appointed and always spotlessly clean. We had 2 safari drives every day. Our driver and spotter were so knowledgeable about all the animals, birds and even insects. We learnt so much and also in a fun way. It can be cold first thing in the morning and on the drive back in the evening, so layering clothes is a good tip. We will definitely be back.

Very friendly staff, the attention to detail is amazing, nothing is too much trouble, the game drives are amazing, the accommodation is excellent, very clean. A big thank you to everyone there for making our experience special, can't remember all their names, but in particular Bennete, Godsave, Witness, Chriswell, Stephen, Andrews, Franklin, Rusell and Alyssa. Recommended, will go back