Absolutely the best game reserve I’ve ever been to. The staff, lodging, food and game viewing were outstanding. Our guide Werner made our stay one we will never forget. We saw the big five due to our tracker Duncan having the eyes of an eagle and Werner spotting tracks along the way.
Our family of 9 spent 5 nights at Tulela and we had the best safari experience! Werner and Rika are outstanding hostess who think of every possible detail to make the experience unique to the group. The lodge is beautiful, the pictures don’t do it justice, the rooms are impeccable and are equipped with everything you might need and many more. The beds are very comfortable, the linens are soft and every bed has an electric blanket which was great in the cold nights. My teenage kids liked the paint kit and animal check list which we took on every game drive. It was a big plus to have the whole camp to ourselves! The common area has an open plan that leads to an ample deck with a pool overlooking the riverbed and waterhole. Big herds of elephant and other animals visit the waterhole daily making it an attraction of its own. Other amenities include a well equipped gym which we used almost daily. They also have binoculars, hats, and bags available to use in case you need them. Werner and Caswell were our guide and tracker for every game drive. Werner is very knowledgeable and has a love for the bush and for what he does that you don’t see often; you can hear it in every story and can see it on every nature encounter. The game viewing started slow but we ended up having some of the best encounters we’ve ever had including wild dogs eating a fresh kill, lions at night, huge herd of buffalo, hyenas and elephants passing us by very closely. Every afternoon we had sundowners at a different spot with drinks and snacks to enjoy. In the morning drives we would stop for coffee and rusks too. Every meal was well planned and cater to the group’s requests and dietary restrictions, some of the dinners included fillet, fish, chicken curry and a traditional braai always followed by a delicious dessert. Every table was beautifully presented, and Bernard and Florence always made sure we had everything we needed. The kitchen was well stocked with cookies, snacks and all kind of drinks, coffee and teas. The wine cellar had a good number of choices and we enjoyed some very good wines. Some of the highlights included a bush breakfast which was presented as a surprise and a night at the “tree house” under the stars. The weather wasn’t the best for the outdoor night but we still enjoyed it. Tulela catered to my 4 year old niece and 18 moth nephew beautifully; from the packed meals they prepared for the game drives to the child care they arranged for when they were tired and didn’t join in the drives, Rika and the staff accommodated them in every possible way making this a great travel experience. At the moment South Africa is dealing with loadshedding which basically means that every household/business has power outages of up to 8 hours a day. Tulela was equipped with a big generator that started immediately after the power would go off so this should not be a concern at all. We will definitely be back, we loved it in every possible way and created memories we will cherish forever. Thanks Tulela for making it happen!…
The warm welcome by all the staff at Tulela set the tone for our entire stay! We recently spent 4 days at Tulela to celebrate a family reunion and there are not sufficient words to describe the wonderful time that we had. Werner and Rika are exceptional hosts - they are kind, caring and absolutely genuinely will go out of their way to make your stay an unforgettable one. We enjoyed and appreciated Florence and Bernard's efforts to make us comfortable and the special effort that they made to make sure that my mom of 90 years was comfortable. The food is excellent and they graciously cater for all dietary requirements. The rooms are beautiful, with everything that you may need and they all have wonderful views of the riverbed and bush. There were so many highlights during our 4 day stay, but the bush breakfast, the sleep out under the stars and the 90th birthday celebration will be memories that we will cherish forever! Tulela is indeed a place of peace and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Thank you to all at Tulela for making our family reunion extra special!!…
Spent four nights recently. All four days were exceptional with respect to accommodation, respect and treatment from staff and game drives and other activities such as sleeping out one night on the platform under a large Jackal berry tree and walk through the bush. I have much experience of working in the African continent for work purposes but I wanted my family to experience the African bush setting themselves. Werner and Caswell our driver and tracker were very experiences and knowledgeable. The cooking and cleaning staff all clearly take much pride in their jobs and do their best for you. Always friendly smiles and let you feel welcome and know they are there to make your visit more than five stars. Well worth every penny spent.
This was probably the best safari ever. The staff is extremely welcoming from beginning to end making you feel like family, we had around 3 different birthdays that were all incredible, the entire staff would come out sing amazing songs, lots of dancing and just smiles all around. The food is also to perfection, every single day is a new type of meal and they are extremely lenient, so if your a Vegetarian or vegan just tell them in advance and you’ll have your own menu fully based around your diet. Finally the game drives were always fun, our guide Werner would always have a smile and full of knowledge about every single thing from animal, tracks, plants, and even the terrain. The animal sightings were always fun with a new area and amazing views.
Werner, Rika, and the staff surpassed all expectations! The game drives were eventful, the food was fit for royalty, and there were surprises around every corner. The staff felt like family after just a few days and we left on our last day saying, "see you later"! We will return at our first opportunity! -Megan & Aaron
Tulela’s lodge and accommodation is out of this world. Their food is absolutely incredible, definitely the best food I have received from any game lodge (coming from a picky eater.) The staff were so kind, friendly and heartwarming always making sure we felt at home. We saw the big five with a fabulous close up elephant siting during our bush breakfast. My family has booked again later this year and I am so excited to return to one of my favorite places !
We went to Tulela with a group of family and friends to celebrate a birthday. The hospitality and professionalism greets you at the door and follows you the entire weekend. Werner our guide was informed and knowledgable, always ready with a joke. Rieka, always on top of her game ready to assist in any way she can. Florence serving us with the broadest smile morning moon and night. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome in their luxury facilities. From the pool to the outdoor shower and incredibly comfortable beds. The staff even help celebrate with a little concert. This was definately a stay that we’ll never forget, and hope to repeat!
Our extended family stayed here for 4 nights in March and it was a fantastic experience. The location is amazing on the dry river bed, perfect to spend relaxing afternoons. The staff were super attentive and we could not ask for higher standards. Food was amazing at every meal, the selection, variety and presentation was so good. The lodge itself is beautiful, the rooms are IG worthy in every sense! Thanks so much to our Hosts Rika and Werner and to all the staff. Highly recommend. Julian
We stayed at Tulela safari lodge from March 8 thru 12, the property is amazing and the service that we received from Werner, Rika the managers and safari guide and all the staff was excellent, they make you feel like royalty, this is one of our best experience ever, the game rides were outstanding, we saw 4 out of the big 5 wild animals and many other animals. We strongly recommend this experience. To all the Tulela's staff thank you for your hospitality we had a great time.
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