Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Resting comfortably under a canopy of indigenous trees in the southern stretches of the Sabi Sand, sits the inimitable and understated Umkumbe Bush Lodge. This luxury tented camp offers all the creature comforts from home, and is the first of its kind in the reserve. The lodge is based on the idea of glamping, but with a luxurious twist. Umkumbe is a beautifully designed bush lodge that offers accommodation in 10 tented style suitehas its own private deck or verandah and is fully equipped for a comfortable safari retreat. This scenic part of the Sabie Game Reserve has a beautiful mix of environments from winding riverbeds and woodland to open savanna and riverine thickets. This wilderness reserve is home to the big-five as well as a huge diversity of different flora and fauna to discover. There are 2 daily game drives included in a safari stayThe morning safari will stop for a scenic coffee pit stop and on afternoon drive, guests can enjoy a classic safari sundowner and snacks
The lodge feels like paradise! The small touches, the details, the staff... We were received with some local sweet wine and fresh wet towels to cool down; luggage was taken to the room. Then lunch and we went on the evening safari tour with a drink included. Dinner was in a nice, cosy setting. A well-deserved sleep and a 5:30 tour with a sight of a resident leopard. In between the two rides, we saw elephants, turtles, giraffes, rhinoceroses, dung beetles, mole snakes, various kinds of antelopes (kudos, springbok, impalas, common elands, nyala, duiker...), zebras, waterdogs and manage to hear lions roar but no sight. The pool on site is nice and refreshing in between tours.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:staff very friendly and approachable.
your comfort is their priority
option for outside shower in...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 09 Jan 2025
Thank you so much for your refreshing review! You took home wonderful memories, please keep following us on instagram Kind regards Umkumbebushlodge team🐾
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Very pleased with our experience. The size, layout and aesthetics of the lodge were just what we wanted. Our guide was Vern who was new to this lodge, but excellent in every way. He has a great disposition and was a wealth of knowledge about all the local flora and fauna from the biggest mammals to tiny insects, plants and rhino toilets. We saw nearly every animal (no Pangolin or anteater) we had hoped to see and had several amazing experiences of being able to have very close and extended views of incredible animal behavior—a leopard with a fresh kill, 7 rhinos working out hierarchy, hyenas hanging out grooming after a big meal and wild dogs cavorting in the river. Not every drive was as action packed, but all were incredible and just being in the midst of the park was memorable. Sitting by a lovely pool with a beer between drives and watching a huge herd of elephants walk slowly by or witnessing impish monkeys break into the lounge to steal sugar packets makes for a great afternoon. The tents were lovely and very comfortable. The only thing I would give less than 5 stars was the food. Breakfasts were great. Lunch and dinners were fine but could benefit from a bit more effort and better ingredients. Having some healthy snacks available (for separate purchase would be fine) would be great as sometimes hunger hit differently than meal times. The lovely tradition of a sundowner cocktail on a night drive would have been elevated with a better snack than Dorito’s. Nonetheless, I would love to return and would recommend it to anyone who wants comfort and some luxury but on a smaller scale that doesn’t put you in a bubble away from what you are there to experience.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Early October was a great time to visit
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 03 Nov 2024
We thank you greatly for the beautiful review and thorough feedback! Please keep following our posts in instagram and fo book with us again! Regards Umkumbebushlodge team🐾
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After a drive through the game reserve you reach the Bush Lodge, a few hundred meters away from the Umkumbe Safari Lodge. The first impression was disappointing, the standard tents are relatively close together at the entrance and are very dark. But then you continue past the boma and the restaurant area to our superior tent and it is really very nice. Spacious, everything is very clean and comfortably furnished. The attached bathroom area has plenty of space, two sinks and the outdoor shower is not visible. You can sit nicely on the small terrace, but you can't see much. The tents are quite close together, so you can hear a lot from your neighbors. Breakfast and lunch are served as a buffet in the restaurant area, here there are beautiful views of the landscape. Dinner is served as a buffet in the boma, all good home cooking and you can catch up at any time. But what really makes the Umkumbe Bush Lodge so outstanding are the game drives. We have never experienced such motivated guides who at the same time treat the wildlife with respect. There is no speeding here, everyone sticks to the vehicle limit. Our guide Leo is such a pleasant person who shares his knowledge and gave us unforgettable experiences, thank you very much!
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Superior Tent muss sein, Luxury Tent direkt neben dem Restaurant und Standard Tent dunkel, klein...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This beautiful lodge is located an easy 60-90 min drive from Skukuza airport. The tented rooms are spacious, well decorated, have heater/ac, and get turndown service twice a day. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Game drives can of course be unpredictable but we saw the big 5 (and many other animals) within 3-4 days.
Our guide was Elea who was amazing!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 23 Jul 2023
Thank you for the 5star review you gave us, we truly appreciate it a lot. Please come visit us again soon, and keep following us on instagram! Kind regards Umkumbebushlodge team
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The Kruger concession provided stunning views and cozy lodging, but our experience at Umkumbe was marred by poor service and a lack of professionalism. Our game driver lacked expertise and familiarity with the local wildlife, resulting in uninspiring game drives. Additionally, the buffet-style food was both limited and poorly executed for a lodge of its caliber. The absence of a manager on-site meant that our concerns, voiced to the receptionist and head game ranger, were met with indifference and no effort to address our dissatisfaction.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 12 Dec 2023
We are truly sorry about how you feel and that your stay wasnt up to standard. Our sincere appologies. Our guests are always very important to us, and generally, actually 99% of the time we get such lovely feedback and 5star reviews, that we are kind of blown away with your reply. But we arent perfect hey, but will strive towards that and use this review to do so. Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
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This was our second stay at Umkumbe Bush Lodge with my wife, and we absolutely loved it once again. Our first visit was in November 2023, and we enjoyed it so much that we decided to return this year. We stayed in a standard tent, which was cosy, comfortable, and perfectly sufficient for our needs. For us, the real highlight is the incredible animal sightings—and this trip did not disappoint!
We were fortunate to encounter leopards almost every day during our stay and were even lucky enough to see a cheetah with her three adorable cubs. One of the most breathtaking moments was witnessing hundreds of Cape buffalo moving together in a majestic procession. We spent nearly half an hour simply admiring this unforgettable experience.
Since our last visit, Umkumbe Bush Lodge has upgraded its pool, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing at the new infinity pool overlooking the bush—a perfect escape from the hot afternoon sun.
The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming, and we had fantastic game drives with our guides, Frikkie (last year) and Ananja (this year). Both guides are passionate about providing the best wildlife viewing experience and generously shared their knowledge of the bush and its inhabitants. A special shoutout to Ananja, who consistently positioned us in the perfect spots for both viewing and photographing the animals.
Overall, my wife and I had an amazing experience at Umkumbe Bush Lodge. The friendly and cosy atmosphere truly made us feel like we were visiting old friends. We can't wait to return for another unforgettable adventure!
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 04 Jan 2025
This is heartwarming!! Thank you very much for the great feedback! Kind regards Umkumbebushlodge team🐾
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Although it's a tent, it has all the hotel facilities inside, and the service is also very high standard. The three meals are also very good. I even ran into an antelope on the less than 100 meter road to dinner one day.
Of course, if it's just these hardware, this Lodge won't leave a very prominent impression. Safari's tour guide will do everything possible to help you find animals. They share information about animal presence and will not rush back due to a 3-hour time limit. Before coming to Kruger, we had seen some animals in Chobe and on our first day here, we collected big five, which we were quite satisfied with. But the next morning Safari collected big five at once, and the luckiest thing was to see a group of five lions, who were located on the border of their private territory. I sincerely recommend the highly cost-effective Umkumbe bush lodge, and I believe I will always remember the beautiful memories here.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 05 Mar 2024
Good day, thank you for taking the time to leave us this great 5Star review, its great to see you had a WOW experience. Thats our main aim Please visit us again soon and keep following us on instagram Regards Karine Umkumbebushlodge team🐾
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I can confidently say that this was the best hospitality that my husband and I have ever experienced. We left feeling like we were leaving our family behind. Sharon at the front desk welcomed us and was always so kind to answer our many questions. The food was delicious! Abby who manages the eating areas really did a great job on checking if we needed anything and we’re always happy. My husband and I did couples massage with Anna and Michelle who were both lovely - we almost did it twice! The best part about this entire experience were the guides , they really made our drives, All guides are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about their jobs here and they really want the guests to enjoy each ride and get to see the animals they’re most excited about. We drove with Pieter and had Timba as our tracker and they were phenomenal. Pieter answered all of our questions that we had about the animals and took the time to stop for us to take photos and give us some great information on the animals we were seeing which was very helpful. They also were able to spot some great rare finds!!You won’t get this at every place! We did our walking tour with Pieter and Leo - i really felt safe after they explained the process to me of what to expect especially because I was a little anxious. I highly recommend this lodge for your stay. You will not be disappointed. You will get more up close and personal with the animals but with safe distance. We stayed 4 days and saw the big 5 which was really amazing. The tents are safari chic so I think you will enjoy it, but it really is the staff that brings this place to another level!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:We recommend planning one day trip to Kruger Park so you feel you get the most of your trip!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 23 Jul 2023
Oh wow wow wow! Your review here is heartwarming and our entire team is greatful! Thank you so much, our main aim to give a WOW experience are accomplished. Please come back soon, and keep on following us on instagram. Regards Karine Umkumbebushlodge team
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Staff were excellent as were the guides and spotters. Room (Impala Lili honeymoon tent) was gorgeous with a visiting leopard. Good location. Meals - evening meals were ordinary at best. Breakfast and lunch were much better food wise except that pre-cooked elements were almost invariably cold or tepid. Induction and room compendium were inadequate. Admittedly we were late arriving but a decent room compendium, with a camp map and room facilities guide, would have covered things missed in the hurried induction. Game drives were pretty good but we were sold on going to a private reserve because we would get much closer to the animals and probably see more. As we had been to two National Parks before Sabie Sand Reserve, I can attest that this is not the case. Disappointed that we paid premium rates and our expectations were not met.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karine Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 19 Aug 2024
Thank you, all reviews matters to us, this way we can give an even more WOW experience. Our main aim is to provide a memorable time and overall we can see you enjoyed it. Remember that being in a private reserve means that all wild animals traverse accross all the private properties, giving some great oppurtunities for close encounters like a leopard mooving past unexpectedly.. but unfort nothing is gaurenteed in the wild. Please keep following us on instagram and keep well Regards Umkumbebushlodge team🐾
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Where do I even start... We had such a warm welcome by the staff. They did everything to make our stay an unforgettable experience. Anika took us on lot's of safari's and she made sure we saw the Big 5, twice!! The food was delicious. The cook came to our table every time to discuss dinner. She made sure all of us enjoyed the food. Often we asked for the recipies. You should really taste their home made bread. We could fire every question we want to. We became one with the Game Reserve. Cap searched track's for us on evening safari's. And one time we even had the chance to have nyala's in the lodge between the tents. The tents aren't even tents. You had airconditioning, a normal shower and toilet,... Twice a day the bed was made by the housekeeping. Congratulations to all the staff for giving us a really pleasant stay.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Umkumbe bush lodge Wilkens, Owner at Umkumbe Bush Lodge - Luxury Tented Camp
Responded 31 Jul 2022
Thank you for taking the time to leave this great review for us. Our main aim is to create a WOW experience💥 and to let our guests leave with great memories. Reviews like these gives our staff great motivation and also helps future guests to book at our tented camp. Thank you for visiting us, please come back again soon! UBL team🐾
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Sabie Park area.
PRICE RANGE
R 12,008 - R 18,756 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaKruger National ParkSabi Sand Game ReserveMala Mala Private Game ReserveSabie Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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