Karongwe Portfolio- Shiduli Private Game Lodge

As part of the Karongwe Private Reserve, Shiduli Lodge offers an abundance of tastefully decorated common areas to lounge around in. The staff are dedicated, knowledgeable and leave nothing for wanting - constantly feeding us beautiful spread of various foods including traditional cuisine. Laundry service were fast and efficient and easy to follow. And the day we left, they provided us with a large packed breakfast for the road. The Safari game drives were fantastic and our guide Colin and his tracker Michael were friendly and knowledgeable and able to show us some magical animals. While air conditioning was welcomed by us in this heat, we found the rooms a little claustrophobic and small and dark. Perhaps because the twin beds might have crowded the room. This didn’t take away from our overall enjoyment and experience of the place. We will be recommending this lodge to friends and family.

Besides being fabulous in every other way - game drives, pool, gorgeous common areas, a stunning boma, etc. - Shiduli stood out to us for being the best place we have ever been in South Africa for special diet catering. My daughter has celiac disease and the gluten-free options were outstanding. Gluten-free pancakes, bread, puddings, pasta, and each dish on the buffet was clearly marked. Vegan and lactose-free also catered for. They even made us an amazing packed breakfast (one vegan, one gluten-free) for our early departure on the last day. Huge thank you to the chef, as well as to all the other exceptional staff.

The Safari is amazing. The hotel is faraway from the airport. There are many options much closer. The food is really limited, no international variety. The rooms are simple and clean. But should have shower in all of them.

We just returned from a stay at Shiduli and wanted to give them a shout out! From the moment we arrived, we could feel the smiles and warmth of the staff that extended throughout our entire stay. We could not have had a better time. The lodge itself is beautiful, especially the dining room with it's majestic thatched roof and formal settings. There was always a great selection of both local and international food, and the chef is very accommodating. Without asking, they had tasty boxed breakfasts waiting for us on a day we had an early departure. The rooms are comfortable, especially the bed, with large showers and dual sinks. The nightly turndown service meant that bed was waiting for us to collapse into! The game drives were incredible and the guides and the trackers are on top of it and very knowledgeable. No doubt some will find some small things to pick at, but we got to know the new lodge managers well, and we have no doubt they're committed to making every detail count and giving their guests the best possible experience. We highly recommend Suiduli, and are glad we added this private game reserve to our other safari experiences.

I stayed here for four days during a tour of South Africa. We went out on safaris with Charlie and Peter who were marvellous. Not only did we see lots of wild animals but we also learned about how the animals live and about the conservation work done in Kruger. It was a great experience. After the evening safaris we were welcomed back with a liquer before dinner. The meals were good and the staff really nice.

Shiduli is an amazing experience, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. Excellent facilities, delicious food and the game drives were unforgettable! Thank you for looking after us so well!