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.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway weekend, a family adventure or an indulgent spa day, Gwahumbe Game & Spa is the ideal KZN game reserve destination where you can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the bushveld. Stay the day, stay the weekend, stay the whole week; you’ll feel right at home at our close-enough — yet away-from-it-all — bush escape. Gwahumbe is a private game reserve situated just an hour’s drive from Durban and a 45-minute drive from Pietermaritzburg. Our relatively small reserve is easy to navigate, with a network of 4×4 roads to enjoy. This means a weekend day trip or a safari getaway is possible in equal measure. The reserve has diverse and sometimes dramatic views to inspire awe in any nature-lover.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TGCSA - Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
Visiting from the UK, Gwahumbe was the perfect place for us to regroup between two organised tours in Africa.
We spent 5 nights with Ali, Peter and their team, enjoying everything this wonderful game farm, lodge and spa, set amongst the colourful sugarcane plantations, had to offer. What we particularly loved was that we could walk around freely, there are interesting hikes all around the property (and nothing to eat you!)
The newly renovated accommodation had such attention to detail, wonderful linens, huge beds, a gorgeous bathtub with views over the valley, even a little carafe of port to warm us on the chillier evenings.
We enjoyed two very different game drives as the farm is so huge. As well as being home to hippo, giraffe and zebra, the farm will soon host a pair of rhino along with it's multitude of different antelope.
The bed, breakfast and dinner option was great for us, such interesting 3 course menus with 3 different choices each evening, catering for all tastes. The wine and cocktail list was huge and the staff so welcoming and efficient. We can't recommend highly enough.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip 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 Shanon Mackenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 29 Sept 2024
Thank you Heather. We are delighted that you created happy Gwahumbe memories.
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Absolutely blown away by the incredible Gwahumbe Game & Spa. I was more than happy to stay there forever.
I fell in love with the incredible architecture and gorgeous decor throughout the lodge - the architect and interior design team have truly created a masterpiece.
I stayed at the spacious and beautiful River Bend and enjoyed a spectacular views from the wrap around veranda and every gorgeously decorated room. I did not have time this trip to take advantage of River Bend’s private plunge pool and hot tub and boma. No need to leave your personal slice of heaven within River Bend (other than to go on a game drive or go to the spa or if you choose rather to eat at the lodge)
The chef and his team served delicious food at dinner and breakfast at the main lodge. The friendly barista, Mondli, made sure I had piping hot (and yummy) cappuccinos whilst I watched the giraffes and zebras enjoying their early morning grazing in the lodge gardens.
The personal service from every staff member was really appreciated.
The last time I was at the lodge was before the wild fire and I was absolutely blown away by the incredible transformation. Congratulations to the team.
If you have not been to Gwahumbe, you are missing a magical place within a breathtaking game reserve that is so close to Durban & Pietermaritzburg and an easy drive off the N3.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Stay more than one day!
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 Shanon MacKenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 19 Aug 2024
Thanks for your great review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us.
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The setting of this Lodge is just idyllic, offering the most incredible views and varying trails for 4x4 enthusiasts, hikers, walkers and mountain bikers. Ally the host, was super accommodating, and we found the recently refurbished self-catering accommodation unit, River Bend, to be of the highest quality with immaculate finishings. The dinner that was served was just delicious and the staff are ever friendly, and service orientated. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there and would have no hesitation in recommending this as a top-class getaway destination.
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Date of stay: February 2023
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Room Tip:Immaculate views, quiet and a top destination to regroup and rejuvenate.
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 Shanon MacKenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 26 Feb 2023
Hi Roger. Thank you very much for your awesome review. We are thrilled you loved your stay. We look forward to welcoming you back to our new lodge soon.
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We stayed for a friends wedding. We paid for a room in Eagles Nest Lodge and it was poor considering what we paid. GwaHumbe is a four star property but Eagles Nest Lodge is not - but you still pay four star prices. The Lodge is in need of renovations, the bathrooms especially. When I took a shower on the first night I was shocked to find that the cold tap came off completely when I tried to open it and the shower leaks. The stairs to the upstairs loft are incredibly steep, one could easily slip and fall when trying to use them. The lodge where we stayed was shared accommodation for the wedding, but none of the bedrooms had doors that locked which was uncomfortable as we had to leave valuables in our rooms. The path between the main area and the lodge is also poorly lit. When we arrived on the first day there was a smell of sewage, the smell remained for the wedding day as well. The woman at the reception desk was helpful but incredibly unfriendly. When we first arrived she told us that our rooms were not ready and that we had to hang around the main restaurant till they were ready, this wait was about 4 hours considering we arrived an hour after the time our rooms were supposed to be ready. During the canapae's at the wedding she sought me out to speak to me about an allergy, she aggressively asked me if I was the one who had the allergy and the proceeded to tell me not to eat the bread. Not the best way to handle that. She also presided over the dinner service and once again aggressively asked for each persons name at the table we were sitting at and then gave half the table their meals before moving onto the next table. We had to call her back to get the rest of the table their food. The staff that helped us set up the reception hall on the first day we were there were friendly and helpful. Some staff even going above and beyond to help up set up the hall which was appreciated.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2024
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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 Shanon Mackenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 30 Sept 2024
Hi Di Thank you for taking the time to review Gwahumbe. The Eagles Nest lodge is scheduled for revamp in April next year. We apologise for the smell and the tap issues. These are definitely not the norm. Our normal check in time is 2pm and considering that check out time is 10am, we need to turn around all rooms in this window. This is more complex when guests arrive for a wedding well before 2pm. I have chatted to Ali who was most upset by your review. Ali treats this business as her own and takes great pride in ensuring all guests are happy. She apologises for making you feel uncomfortable. Thank you for bringing these issues to my attention.
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The main lodge was recently reopened following a fire in 2020. Everything is beautiful with lovely soft furnishings and interiors of natural wood and glass. The room was a bit older but very spacious and comfortable with peaceful balcony. We had dinner which was very nice and a great breakfast the next day. Service was good too, We are 2 females and wanted 2 single beds so the king bed was very quickly changed for us. We saw some buck, zebra and ostrich on the game drive but no giraffe unfortunately. Lodge is in a beautiful location though so scenery was nice. Buck coming past our room was great to see. If you are looking for a game lodge experience at a reasonable price and not too worried about seeing big 5 then this location is for you. I was wishing we had one extra night to try the Spa. Some kms on a gravel road but I had a sedan and was ok.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2023
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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 Shanon MacKenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 12 Oct 2023
Thank you for your great review. We are thrilled that you created happy Gwahumbe memories. We hope to see you soon.
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Our 3rd year wedding anniversary celebrations ❤️ Reconnecting, loving & unwinding with my Husband 🥰 We came back to where our wedding venue was going to be Gwahumbe Game & Spa 😍 As many know COVID hit and then the devastating fire happened burning down parts of the venue. 3 years later and they have managed to rebuild the reception area and are still working on some of the rooms. We've had such an amazing stay away here 🥰
Highly recommend coming, especially for the couples night package ... Includes: Room, 3 course dinner, choice between massage or game drive & breakfast. Our Dinner was set up separetly from the restuarant - in the spa area where a bubble bath by candle light was beautifull arranged.
The staff are all very friendly and attentive.
Could not recommend coming to Gwahumbe more.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2023
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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 Shanon MacKenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 29 Aug 2023
Thank you for your positive feedback. We are thrilled that you created very happy Gwahumbe memories. See you soon.
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We were very pleased with our overnight stay at Gwahumbe. We stayed in one of the 2-sleeper rooms, which are designed beautifully with lovely views. The rooms are right next to each other though so there is little privacy, especially when sitting on the verandah as your neighbours can hear every word you say and vice versa. We really oved having our dinner and breakfast on the verandah and appreciate the extremely friendly staff. We were lucky enough to have a couples massage and highly recommend it.
The location is close enough to Durban, but we were definitely grateful to be in a 4x4 Bakkie as the roads are quite bad in places.
We loved exploring parts of the reserve using the 2x4 tracks, and can't wait to come back for a picnic by the river.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2023
Value
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Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
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 Shanon MacKenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 13 Feb 2023
Thank you for your review. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
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I had booked accommodation at this Lodge, paid in full and to my surprise while I was almost half way there, the general Manager Ali emailed me to say they had to cancel my accommodation due to the ceiling that had fallen in the room I was going to stay in. This Lodge could not accommodate me in any way and neither were they helpful in arranging alternate accommodation at a near by lodge. Shocking!!! This lodge has a 4 star rating, a cancellation policy of 100% cancellation fee less then 7days and 50% deposit by 12 the next day if you are booking. You cancelled on me as a guest less then 6hours prior to me arriving.
What room was I going to get in the first place if the roof was unstable. I will not recommend this lodge. Disappointing!
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Date of stay: March 2022
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 Shanon MacKenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 24 Mar 2022
Dear Terusha, We apologise profusely for this unprecedented accident. Burst geysers are unfortunately beyond our control and I can assure you the very last thing that Ali needed on the start of a long weekend. Our lodge was fully booked so we could not move you to another room. Ali spent over 2 hours on the phone trying to find you alternate accommodation in the Midlands. Space was limited due to the long weekend and the Hilton Matric Dance. Ali secured you accommodation at the Cutty Sark Hotel and offered to cover the full cost of this and reimburse you your deposit 100%. I do understand that this was disappointing but Ali went out of her way to ensure that you had an alternative. I trust that this assists to clarify the reason for cancellation on our behalf.
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My friends and I had ourselves a TIME at your beautiful establishment! The Riverbend was just perfect for us as it effortlessly combines the beauty of nature, design and location, amazing really!
We had so much fun, and the fact that we did not have to worry about disturbing other guests at the lodge made it an 11/10🤗.
The staff was so helpful and kind, THANK YOU!
Shout out to Ali for being a Rockstar ranger and for her thoughtful gesture on my friends birthday‼️
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2024
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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 Shanon Mackenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 02 Jan 2025
Wander46088083823 thanks for the great review. We are delighted that you created happy Gwahumbe memories. See you soon.
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My stay was awesome. We went for a Mini Luxury Package which included a Game Drive, Spa and Two course Lunch which was fantastic. The service and people from the Gwahumbe Game and Spa were so helpful and kind.
I would advise the package to start with the Game Drive before the Spa and Lunch since the drive has bumpy roads which makes it a bit uncomfortable. After the drive then people can have their Spa, relax their bodies and get ready for Lunch.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2025
Value
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Service
Sleep Quality
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 Shanon Mackenzie, Owner at Gwahumbe Game & Spa
Responded 3 weeks ago
Inspire39811304232 Thank you for your review. We are delighted that you had a good time. Thank you for the suggestion too.
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There are more places to choose from in the Mid Illovo area.
PRICE RANGE
R 4,085 - R 6,966 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaKwaZulu-NatalMid Illovo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
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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