Kariega Game Reserve River Lodge

An absolutely outstanding safari experience with some special extras (such as a trip to the beach) thrown in. Every member of staff went above and beyond to make us feel looked after and a special shout out to Kyran for his efforts to tailor our experience and for sharing his wisdom about the bush and all the flora and fauna within it.

The accommodation was great, very nice staff. Our guide Forrest was amazing! We learnt so much about the animals and he went above and beyond. There was also the lovely opportunity to take a boat ride down to the beach which was thoroughly enjoyable!

Firstly, Hanna and her her team were excellent and stayed 4 nights .. 8 game drives .. Accomodation and food and choice of drinks excellent. Service Excellent .. no issues … Game Drives .. excellent. .. saw all Animals except one which eluded us .. even though we could see trackings .. Highlight .. Midnight drive from one lodge to other .. very exhilarating but petrifying too .. but our Ranger Osi, Had it in control .. Night Sky and Animals at night .. just breathtaking.. Between the Game drives .. Went on boat cruise to the beach and swim in Indian ocean .. and Osi kindly taught me to fish .. ! Something I wanted to learn !! (Didn’t catch anything but was perfect was to spend the afternoon) Had a Spa treatment .. again very good .. Last night we had a SA “Bri” .. BBQ … and had visitors .. giraffes came to see what was going on .. just lovely .. Pool warm .. and mixture of sun facing loungers to shades .. I think in the end it was the team .. led by Hannah … who had Guests in forefront .. relaxation and comfort .. that makes the River Lodge .. little things that made it for me .. small touches .. like any resort there will be improvements they can make .. but to me I enjoyed my stay and would definitely recommend it .. they looked after me for sure .. Will be coming back soon .. unfinished Photo with one Animal ! Thank you River Lodge wonderful memories and life long friends created ..

Amazing couple of days spent at Kariega. Stayed at the River Lodge, beautiful room with a view of a watering hole that attracted Impalas, Warthogs and Giraffes. The staff were extremely helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Special thanks to Aussie who took us on our game drives and a great boat trip to the Indian Ocean. He was very knowledgeable, professional and took time to share his experience with us. Would definitely recommend Kariega.

My wife and I stayed here for three days as part of our 40th wedding anniversary celebrations. What a great choice. The food, wine and staff were excellent. Nadine and the team made us feel very special. Our ranger, Leigh, was fantastic - very friendly and knowledgable - over several game drives he got us close up to all the animals we wanted to see. His attention to detail and tracking skills were impressive. Sad to be leaving.

If you’re looking for an unforgettable, culture rich, indulgent escape to the eastern cape then the Kariega Riverside Lodge is the place for you. This breathtaking game reserve reminds you of how beautiful this world is whilst providing a luxuriously enriching and heartwarming stay. The team that work at Riverside really have a love for what they do, this is shone throughout with every welcome with morning coffee, greeting with a hot towel & drink when you hop off your safari, to the poolside service with a smile & evening wine & dine. The whole place, given is in the wild, is kept immaculate with everything you’ll need to enjoy your stay very easily accessible. Our room at riverside was a lavish thatched roofed lodge which provided the perfect place for peace & tranquility with a view of the bushman’s river. My husband had arranged with Nadine a wonderful surprise of sparkling wine & petals decorating the room for my birthday which I celebrated during our stay. Forrest was our fantastically insightful ranger, he was with us during our whole stay and really made the Safari as magical as it was with his excellent knowledge of the park and its residents. Forrest managed to take us to see the Big 5 and then some, he even took us out on a boat trip to the beach for some time in the sun. We’re extremely grateful for our ranger and the efforts he made to show us as much as we could during our stay & his patients, in fact charm when answering all of our questions. The meals served in the riverside lodge are just delectable. Having a food allergy I often feel left out with limited options however the chef here catered to my requirements and offered the same incredible menu with the adjustments I needed, this was extremely appreciated. What made the dining experience even more memorable was the whole team coming out to sing me happy birthday whilst chef served me my own dairy free cake (and a normal one for the rest of the guests to enjoy) this really made my day a birthday to remember. If you have time I’d recommend getting booked in to the spa. Tulisa was wonderful, very professional & really helped me unwind after a morning of bouncing around on those bumpy Safari routes. Overall our time here at Kariega Riverside Lodge MADE our honeymoon, we would highly recommend this to anyone looking to stay for a wonderful safari experience in the eastern cape