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It’s a vast, wild place where the lions roam at Shumbalala Game Lodge, deep in the Thornybush GameReserve, one of the country’s great tracts of untamed game-viewing.Set as it is in a dry, singeing savanna of Mopane, Acacias and Umbrella thorns, quartered by easterly-flowing rivers densely shrouded in giant figs, fever trees and phoenix palms, the land is an ancient tapestry of natural wonder.Over-head the Loeries call their sharp warning while horn-bills swoop in an ungainly ballet between trees whilst vultures elevate on thermals portending an electric storm.As you push on through the bush it is the serendipity of nature that amazes most as your vehicle skirts art deco zebra, dozy giraffe, bright eyed bush babies, wildebeest (made, it is said, by the committee of left-over parts) and the rest Africa has to offer.It is even more of an adventure when you stumble upon a leopard lazing in the V of a Jackalberry tree or; a hyena giving you a lazy yellow eye in the gathering dusk; a majestic bull elephant crashing its way through the riverine thicket in search of sweet reeds or; a surprise sunrise encounter with a lion pride on the prowl.This is the world of Shumbalala.
We've just spent a fabulous 4 nights at this wonderful game lodge. The safaris guided by Nick and Sam were everything one could hope for. They found the animals and while up close one still felt safe in their hands. The stops for snacks and sundowners were another delight. The food was great and how they managed to provide such a variety of dishes for a limited number of guests, I do not know. If we needed something different it was always obligingly provided. The accommodation was lovely and housekeeping constantly on hand. It was delightful to see the more docile animals on our terrace many a time. Many thanks to Daniella and her team, including her capable new recruit, Laura for a wonderful holiday.
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Date of stay: February 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Shumbalal thinks of it alll!
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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.
Fabulous accommodations, meals, and Safari drives. Wonderful people. A once in a lifetime experience. And now I must pad this review with another 105 characters??? Why? Pack my bag with 5 dozen liquor jugs. Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
We went to three different safari lodges and Shumbalala was by far the best experience. The field guide and tracker made the game drives the most exciting and fun. The service and food was next to none. I cannot recommend this place enough. Everyone involved made it a very special and unforgettable experience. If you book, request Bryce to be your Field Guide. He is a rockstar
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Date of stay: January 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 23 Jan 2024
Dear Mschred Thank you for your amazing review - we truly appreciate this feedback!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I can't express my gratitude enough for the absolute gem that is Shumbalala - a place that has created memories that will never be forgotten. From the start, the staff welcomed us with an openness and friendliness that made our time there feel like a warm embrace. Our bush drives were nothing short of enchanting, thanks to the skill of our extraordinary tracker, Peter, and the exceptional knowledge of our guide, Kings. The thrill of encountering the Big Five and countless other fascinating creatures left us breathless and made it seem as if the heart of the wild was within our reach. The culinary experience was also exceptional. As someone on a plant-based diet, I often expect challenges, but at Shumbalala every meal was delicious and seamlessly tailored to my preferences. This holiday was beyond words - it was a dream come true and my family and I can't wait to return.…
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Date of stay: January 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 23 Jan 2024
Dear Vivienne, Thank you for your valued feedback! We hope to welcome you back soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Having done a lot of research, we were confident that Shumbalala would deliver. However, they totally exceeded our high expectations. From the moment we got there and the following 5 days we were made to feel totally at home… Danielle and her team were fantastic, and nothing was to much trouble. The food was varied and all delicious, with lovely staff. The house wines (included) were absolutely fine, although there were many wine options available if you wanted to purchase from their fantastic cellar. Our suite was fantastic – very comfortable and luxurious with great views of the dry river bed & waterhole and all the vast amount of animal traffic going past. With the amount time of you spend in the vehicles on the morning and evening drives, I realised the guide makes or breaks your experience, as you spend so much time with them. Our guide Bryce was 10/10, fantastically knowledgeable - sharing about the animals (big & small), theirs tracks and their behaviours - we learnt so much. Also delivered with a great sense of humour and had a magical ability to ensure nothing was more then 20 mins away. And then the wildlife… wow, wow & wow. We saw more then we imagined we would - elephants, rhinos, hippos, leopards, giraffes, a lion pride with fresh kill, as well as hyena pups… plus much more. The Shumbalala Land Cruiser we did our game drives in had 2 seats per row with a big storage box in the middle and tons of space to put stuff in – this made a big difference to the comfort of the game drives, as we saw other Lodge vehicles with rows of 3 passengers, looking less comfortable. Can’t recommend this place high enough and having experienced it, thinks it’s also good value for the money.…
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Date of stay: November 2023
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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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 23 Jan 2024
Dear Jonny Thank you for your detailed review! So happy you enjoyed your stay - please come back soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Shumbalala Game Lodge is simply magical! My fiancée and I were very fortunate to have stayed here and everything aspect of our 5 night experience went above and beyond all of our expectations. From the moment we arrived, the team’s warm welcome and hospitality continued through to when we had to say goodbye. The rooms are a very generous size and to an exceptionally high standard. The food is freshly produced everyday and was delicious. The setting of the lodge, over looking a watering hole, provides fantastic photo opportunities whilst relaxing and enjoying a refreshing drink. On top of all of this, the game drives were amazing and our experiences will be very hard to beat! We have done many safaris however, Shumbalala remains our firm favourite and our point of reference. We were both very sad to have to leave the lodge and the memories created at Shumbalala, and with the team, will be with us forever. A massive thank you to Karie, Bryce, Benny and the wider team for making our stay very personal and one that we will treasure forever. We will definitely be back but as a three rather than two!…
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:If you are considering booking here - stop thinking and reserve!
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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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 24 Jan 2024
Hi Gareth and Joanne Thank you very much for your kind response. Creating memories together and touching each other's lives is what makes what we do so special. We hope to see you back again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our trip would not have been the same without Kings, Evans, Lani, and Irene!!! The staff was incredible and really made the trip special. Kings was our game driver and if you are lucky to have him, it will make your whole trip and experience! He is so knowledgeable, excellent at finding all the animals and teaching you all about them, as well as tracking them. He also took us on a game walk and we had such a great time and learned so much from him. We thought a safari was a once in a lifetime trip, but now we would love to go on more and hopefully have Kings as our guide again! Truly such a special trip and we cannot thank Kings and the staff enough.
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Date of stay: October 2023
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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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 24 Jan 2024
Hi Lauren Thank you for your great review. We are really happy that Kingsley and the team made your stay magical - it is about the people in the end! We looking forward to your return visit.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shumbalala was amazing and our trip was absolutely magical! I can't stress enough how much it exceeded our expectations. I only wish we could have stayed longer. Special HUGE appreciation for our safari guide, Kings, who was so fun, funny, and knowledgeable. We got to watch as he and our awesome tracker Evans personally located a leopard and a rhino. It's a crazy skill set to witness in person (and so cool to be the first group to get to see something before everyone else in the game reserve!) They also took us on a bush walk where we got to see the animal tracks up close and personal as well as some poison trees and skulls and such. I admit I held my breath when the hippos disappeared under water and reappeared 20 ft closer to us in a matter of seconds. The bush is no joke, but Kings always made us feel safe. Shout out to Irene and Lani for making us feel SO welcome and also making us the best drinks. They were so sweet and the service was impeccable. Shumbalala is a beautiful place, due in most part to the awesome staff, and also because elephants literally come drink out of the pool when you're in it. 11/10 - no notes, loved it so much and can't wait to go back to Africa.…
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Date of stay: October 2023
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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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 24 Jan 2024
Thank you very much for your beautiful response. It is a privilege to experience the African bush and we are happy to share it with you. We hope to see you back soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Luxury accommodations and food with superb service. Each room has a view of a watering hole that provides an ongoing show of the local wildlife. The guides were very knowledgeable and flexible. Thornybush Preserve provided an array of animal and plant life that could have kept us there for weeks (we had only four days). Our thanks to the staff and management. Peter, Benny, Kings, Polite, Irene, Danielle, Lilian, ...
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Date of stay: September 2023
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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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 24 Jan 2024
Thank you very much for your great feedback We value it highly and it is our pleasure to serve
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My recent stay at Shumbalala Lodge was defined by the warm staff and spacious accommodations. We tried to manage our hopes of seeing the Big Five, but Kings (our knowledgeable field guide) and Peter (our tracker with 18 years of experience in the bush!), far exceeded our expectations. We saw two lion kills, two leopard kills, the famed Maphoza lion up close, rhinos, elephants, and so much more both on land and in the sky thanks to them and they kept us laughing and entertained throughout it all, including dinner which we invited them to join us on our last night. After each game drive/bush walk, we were greeted by a smiling Lani (along with a welcome drink.) The dining experience was equally as enjoyable due to Irene, our waitress, who took such good care of us (adapting to our needs, joking with us and more), while serving the delicious food prepared by the chefs. The accommodations at Shumbalala Lodge were comfy and spacious. We were lucky to witness elephants coming to drink from the pool and baboons visiting us on our deck. One minor suggestion would be to allow guests close to the main lodge (like us) to be able to walk to our rooms without an escort (though I understand the need to be cautious for rooms farther away.) Overall, it was a lovely, unique experience at Shumbalala and I hope to be back one day.…
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
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Response from Jeandra Swan, General Manager at Shumbalala Game Lodge
Responded 24 Jan 2024
Thank you very much for the wonderful feedback The gameviewing on the Thornybush Reserve is indeed of extremely high quality! With regards to walking you to your rooms - we are required to do so for safety reasons - the camp is only fenced for elephant but all predators can still enter the camp - we value your safety! :)
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
R 25,658 - R 31,525 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
shumbalala game hotel thornybush private game reserve
LOCATION
South AfricaKruger National ParkThornybush Private Game Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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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