Average User Rating
Rating Breakdown
Write a User Review
hrosenlund
NO
Visited:
October 2013
Reviewed: Jun 24, 2015
Email hrosenlund | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
My time here was amazing. I did not stay at any of the lodges, so I cannot speak of the quality of the accomodation, altough I've heard it is excellent. The wildlife here is fantastic, and I saw a lot without looking too hard, both in terms of large mammals and in terms of birds. The scenery is awesome and classic Africa!
GerryP
Phinda combined the best of nature with the best accommodations, service and food!
We have been on many safaris and Phinda was one of, if not the best. We felt completely connected with nature , while still having Five Star amenities--accommodations, food, and service. This was one of the few lodges where I felt this way. The animals, the landscape, the design of the individual lodges at Vleit were just spectacular. I would recommend Phinda Vleit for anyone interested in having a phenomenal wildlife experience.
The experience of a lifetime!
Our trip could not have been more perfect from the moment of our arrival. Giraffes crossed our path from the jeep trek from the landing strip to our beautiful accommodations at Phinda Mountain Lodge, and my husband and I felt like kids all over again in our excitement. The friendly staff greeted us from the moment we arrived with a refreshment and cool towel. Our room was spacious and beautifully appointed; and the meals we had were simple and delicious during our 5 day stay. Ian, our amazing guide, was extraordinarily knowledgeable and the passion he has for his work was contagious. There were so many photographic opportunities that I was starting to feel like the paparazzi of the Animal Kingdom, and I came home with some incredible moments to treasure forever. I cannot wait to go back!!!
CarolynEaton
GB
Visited:
July 2015
Reviewed: Nov 4, 2015
Email CarolynEaton | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A truly wonderful experience for a family holiday.
Phinda is rich in some wildlife- rhino, cheetah for instance we saw in abundance and these are both animals that are often difficult to view, but other animals proved more elusive to us, the drought at the time we were there had moved elephants further north so we saw very few. On the whole we saw a good range of wildlife and the rangers and trackers always got us close to them. Accommodation was luxurious with great attention to detail. Food was abundant and delicious. Service from all staff was first class, friendly, hospitable without being intrusive. I particularly like the ethics of this company, their commitment to conservation is evident and they also do a great job to support their zulu comunity which meant staff were happy which means guests are happy.
Michael Potts
NL
Visited:
October 2015
Reviewed: Dec 29, 2015
Email Michael Potts | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfect Safari
I have been to Phinda a number of times but this visit was by far the best. The accommodation, food and location is unsurpassed in the Natal area. What made this trip special was the luck we had with the game sightings. Game sightings are often down to luck however in this occasion we were spoilt, great quality sightings and the rangers spent a nice amount of time with each sighting. The rangers are fantastic at Phinda and they make the safari.
Chris Bridger
GB
Visited:
October 2016
Reviewed: Dec 21, 2016
Email Chris Bridger | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A truly awe-inspiring holiday in beautiful surroundings.
Read more
stay a more memorable one, from how you'd like your eggs done, to birthday gifts they really did provide everything and were a large factor behind why I feel the holiday was such a successful one. Keep an eye out for Mandla particularly, who I didn't see without a smile on his face for four whole days.The weather was amazing for the duration of our stay, including some breath-taking electric thunderstorms on our first night. As for when you're out on safari, it does get quite cold when you're out after dark, so despite it being really sunny when you set off, take a jumper. Blankets are provided which was unexpected, but very much appreciated! It was my first safari and will take some beating - we managed to see everything we wanted to, leopards and black rhino's included...and as a keen photographer I was afforded plenty of time to take photos at will of the amazing animals on show. Our guides were totally receptive to what we wanted to see and put on a wonderful breakfast in the bush one morning, as well as taking us on some great walks when there was a bit of downtime.
My only minor criticism would be that considering you spend 7 hours a day in them, the Jeeps weren't the most comfortable form of transport. I'm a little over 6 foot 2 and the legroom in the Jeeps wasn't really adequate for me, the seats weren't very well padded either - but really once you'd gotten over it this didn't detract at all from my overall enjoyment.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Phinda Game Reserve to anyone, it was an unforgettable experience and we owe much to those who hosted us and made our stay that little bit more special.
Kok Kim
SG
Visited:
June 2018
Reviewed: Jul 2, 2018
Email Kok Kim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Cheetah was our main "target" sighting we got that.
Plus bonus of lion sightings (mating, eating carcass, stalking and chasing warthog and facing off with a rhino family). 2 lionesses we followed walked by our jeep twice!
Bryan
ZA
Visited:
May 2018
Reviewed: Oct 9, 2018
Email Bryan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Phinda must offer one of the finest guided game viewing experiences available in South Africa.
The accommodation is of five star quality and unique. Each couple had their own secluded lodge in the forest a short walk from other lodges, the swimming pool and restaurant but hidden from them. The on-suite bathroom had windows looking out on the forest allowing you to leave the blinds open while taking a bath or shower watching Impala browsing in the forest outside.
Our stay included all meals, two professionally guided game drives each day with a separate vehicle, ranger and tracker allocated for our group of 6 guests. Apart from the first day, the same
Read more
ranger and tracker handled all our game viewing trips. On several occasions our ranger and tracker joined our group for the evening meal, which provided the opportunity to discuss the days viewing experiences with very knowledgeable experts. It also allowed them to get to know us and helped in planning and personalising the next days outings to suit our particular interests.The quality of the food was excellent. Apart from the three main meals, snacks and drinks were provided in the bush during game drives and during the afternoon break between lunch and the late afternoon and evening game drive. On two nights the evening meal after the game drive was in the form of a barbecue in an open-to-the sky boma. A highlight was the champagne breakfast in the bush organised for us on our last day.
Weather during our stay was superb. During the early morning game drive it was crisply cool and sometimes misty making the mid-drive coffee break very welcome. You must try Amarula Cream in your coffee instead of milk. The misty landscapes were a photographers delight. The days were warm and very comfortable. We had a few short showers, which added to rather than dampened the experience.
All the staff are very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. They interact with you throughout your stay giving a new meaning to the word hospitality. If it fits within your budget, Phinda is an experience no one should miss.
Jacqueline Landry
CA
Visited:
June 2019
Reviewed: Jul 1, 2019
Email Jacqueline Landry | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The staff at zuka were kind, warm and so inviting! The safaris were always exciting. The scenery was beautiful!
Ruth
US
Visited:
February 2020
Reviewed: Feb 23, 2020
Email Ruth | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari