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#1 of 1 limited service property in Welgevonden Game Reserve
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Inzalo Safari Lodge is a tented luxury in the spectacular Welgevonden Game Reserve, a 34 000 ha ‘Big Five’, malaria-free protected wilderness within a UNESCO Biosphere. Each of the lodge’s five custom-designed tented safari suites have been positioned to provide maximum privacy and breath-taking views. Join us for spectacular sightings of the iconic African big five.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Location
Site 36 Welgevonden Reserve Vaalwater, Welgevonden Game Reserve 0530 South Africa
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Inzalo Safari Lodge is hailed as a pristine sanctuary by guests, who appreciate its cleanliness and the serene atmosphere crafted through meticulous attention to detail. The intimate setting is complemented by the lodge's friendly staff, known for their exceptional service that enhances the experience.
Luxurious amenities, including private, well-appointed rooms with breathtaking views, are often highlighted, alongside quality meals and unforgettable game drives. Reviewers frequently regard the lodge as offering excellent value, comparable to Michelin star establishments, for a romantic or relaxing retreat.
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Well-designed
Value
Exceptional
Cleanliness
Pristine
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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What a fantastic experience to stay at Inzalo over the weekend of 28th July. The lodge is superbly appointed with hands-on attention from great hosts and owners Dave and Henriette. The lodge is intimate with 5 tented, very spacious rooms, spotlessly clean and sophisticatedly decorated. Although there is a plunge pool, we weren't brave enough to venture into it in the middle of winter and a particularly cold snap! Nevertheless, it would be very welcoming in hotter weather. The tent is very private with a tremendous view with regular Ellie visits to the overlooking Sterkstroom River. The room's own fireplace was lit each night which was very appreciated! The food prepared by Chefs, Sparks and Warren, was really awesome and delicious, from the different daily breakfast options to the great dinners options. Beverages are very well priced, and sitting around the bar with the hosts and Game Ranger in the evening felt like a small family chat ahead of dinner. Our Ranger, Zaan, is very knowledgeable, engaging offering some terrific game stories and is very passionate about her job! A real amazing character who we enjoyed getting to know a little bit better. We loved the experience which is proof of dedication of the entire team lead by Dave and his wife. Will be back!!!
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Date of stay: July 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.
Response from Zaan du Plessis, General Manager at Inzalo Safari Lodge
Responded 21 Nov 2023
Thank you so much Paul! We greatly appreciated it!
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The room was even more beautiful in real life, and had all the luxury and comfort we could dream of. The lodge feels intimate without feeling crowded, and we found the location along the river really special. We thoroughly enjoyed the daily game drives, but also felt we had enough time in the day to relax and rest.
The Inzalo team are fantastic. Our game ranger Wiseman was incredibly knowledgeable and patient. Chef Sparks’ food was unbelievable - I still dream of some of the things he cooked for us. The team also accommodated my request to do something special for my partners birthday and they organised a cake, a choir and a private dinner.
I’ve been singing Inzalo’s praises and have no hesitation recommending it as an unforgettable spot.
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Date of stay: January 2025
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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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Our 3rd visit to this very small lodge in a very diverse Game reserve: hills, valleys, savannah and large grasslands can all be found in the Welgevonden Game reserve. This also means that it sometimes hard to view the wild life; the landscape makes up for that.
The lodge is small and guests are welcomed warmly; service is friendly and personal. Meals are well proportioned and lovingly prepared; the suites are nice, including a private deck with plunge pool, overlooking the Snel rivier and its valley. The rangers are professional and know the wildlife and the area.
We truly enjoyed our stay here and we will certainly return when planning a trip in the J’burg area.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:It is a 3 hour drive from J’burg airport; the Game Reserve also has several air strips if you...
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 Dave Rieger, Owner at Inzalo Safari Lodge
Responded 1 week ago
Thanks for feedback, we truly value our return guests and hope to see you again in future.
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Truly an unforgettable lodge, would HIGHLY recommend ! The lovely owners, Dave and Henriette , and the Rangers ( Hi Wiseman!) are so clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the reserve and animals that it made the sightings and overall experience even more special. We were able to see lions, elephants , rynos, zebras, giraffes, hippos and more during our stay. The lodge is beautifully designed and the rooms are so romantic and private with lush views of nature and mountains. We even came back from dinner with our bathtub prepared for us and fireplace and candles lit. Most attentive and kind staff <3 Last but not least, the food: every single meal was unbelievably delicious. I dare say Michelin star rating. Really can’t say enough good things, can’t wait to be back!!
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Date of stay: May 2024
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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 Zaan du Plessis, General Manager at Inzalo Safari Lodge
Responded 09 May 2024
Dear Erika Thank you kindly for your feedback it's much appreciated. We are looking forward to your next visit. Have a lovely day.
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Inzalo Lodge is relatively new (built approximately 3 1/2 years ago) and everything is in pristine condition. It is in a beautiful position overlooking a river and rocky crag. The camp has the most beautiful trees and plants that are obviously lovingly cared for. Each tent is totally private and spacious. We had plenty of time to enjoy the loungers around our personal pools and chilling on the deck.
Inzalo Lodge has the happiest staff I have ever encountered. The staff all work together as a cohesive team and are always willing to go the extra mile. Zaan is an exceptional leader of her team. We felt totally pampered. Sparky, the head chef, makes the most delicious venison pies, profiteroles and muesli.
Greg, our ranger, also went the extra mile tracking game and making sure we had numerous sightings of all the special game he could find. We thoroughly enjoyed all our game drives.
Thank you everyone for a fabulous holiday.
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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.
Response from Zaan du Plessis, General Manager at Inzalo Safari Lodge
Responded 25 Jan 2024
Thank you so much for your feedback Caroline. It was such a pleasure having you all here at Inzalo. Enjoyed your company!!
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The Inzalo Lodge consists of 5 luxury tents set in a beautiful landscape. The tent is beautifully decorated, with attention to detail. There is a veranda with sunbeds and umbrella. The "restaurant" or rather, the dining room is in typical African style and the tables are arranged and decorated differently every day. Due to the small number of guests you feel like a VIP at all times. The food/menu is of very high quality and is personally presented by the chef every day. The staff and service are very attentive and courteous. It was nice when after dinner the fireplace was heated and the bathtub was recessed. The game drives are great organized, very insightful, there is a lot to see, even if the wildlife does not always show up in full diversity (no zoo). We really enjoyed our 3 nights, the Inzalo Lodge is of a very high standard. PS: It would be nice if the sundowner drinks were included in the price (not necessarily for the money, but it is so touted).
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Date of stay: August 2024
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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.
An absolute must stay, amazing place, we have just returned after 5 nights at Inzalo safari lodges, we had 3 of the 5 rooms and all were identical, although slightly different bed configuration. Beautiful decor, large comfortable beds and everything you need really for a holiday. Plunge pool was very cold though so only went in for seconds really.
From the minute you arrive the whole lodge wraps you in a feeling of love, warmth, excitement and a feeling of being part of the family washes over you. (Only Africa can do this).
All the staff from Chefs (Marvis, sparks and others) are so happy to help and cater to your every need. Food is plentiful and delicious.
Game drives with Zaan, and Wiseman was like a trip to education and a feeling of pride in what they do. Very happy to stop whenever you want or point out animals in the bush. Really made drives fun and exciting and a real treat for the kids. We saw some amazing sights and 4 out of the big 5. Mr leopard was just too tough to find this time.
Lodges were very clean and comfortable and the staff behind the scenes are like ghost, never seen but you know they are there.
Overall a massive thanks to all the team it was the kids (21,18,15) first safari and they absolutely love it.
So thanks again for making it special and we will return again definitely. The Pitlovits 🤩🦒🦓🦏🐆🦁🦛🐘🐃🐊❤️
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip 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.
We spent a few nights at Inzalo Lodge and everything about the stay was superb. The guide Gerhard had a wealth of knowledge about the bush and really made it special by not just rushing on the game drives for the Big Five, but taking some time to explain the abundant bird and plant species in the reserve. This added an additional dimension that we really appreciated.
The attention to detail and customer service really stood out for us. The food was excellent and abundant and we especially appreciated the adherence to Covid-19 protocols, with sanitisers in the common areas and rooms and the requirement to wear masks on the game drive. This really made us feel like our safety was a top priority for the lodge, which was in stark contrast to many of the other game drive vehicles we passed in the reserve, with absolutely no social distancing or mask-wearing.
The lodge is one of the smaller in the reserve, with a great location overlooking the river. The owners were also on-site and accommodated us with a short walk along the river, explaining the bird and insect life, as well as vegetation in the area.
This was an incredibly memorable experience and we will definitely be back. Highly recommended.
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip 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.
We had an amazing luxurious 2-night stay. It was the best stay we have ever had at a game lodge. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome and special. The service is excellent provided by staff who are wonderfully warm and friendly, nothing is too much trouble. The game drives with Wiseman our guide delivered new and exciting experiences including multiple sightings of the big five. Delicious food at every meal and gorgeous views from stunning private rooms deliver on a quality luxury experience. We will definitely visit again. Highly recommended.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Location
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 Zaan du Plessis, General Manager at Inzalo Safari Lodge
Responded 03 Jul 2024
Thank you for your visit. Was lovely hosting you. We hope to see you seen.
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I have been to many game lodges in various game reserves and conservancies. Very few made it to my "return list" and Inzalo is such a place. I must say I had my concerns, as one always has, when booking a new destination. But when the clear travel directions arrived, I realized that this place was top class. I was impressed from the moment we arrived to the day we sadly had to leave. The setting is beautiful, the food great and the game drives top notch. The very private rooms set on the river bank, are beautifully appointed and very special. Being a keen birder, it was great to have a knowledgeable and very friendly guide, who did not mind stopping for birds. So many times at these lodges, you find that the guides race after the big five and miss the little things that make the bush so special. Not at this lodge! Wiseman, our guide, was great, very entertaining and never rushing thus adding to the peaceful atmosphere. I also have to mention the other staff, who were extremely professional and very friendly. I cannot wait to return to this beautiful place!!
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
Response from Zaan du Plessis, General Manager at Inzalo Safari Lodge
Responded 24 Feb 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to give us such great feedback. It's much appreciated. We enjoyed hosting you !! Looking forward to your next visit.
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There are more places to choose from in the Welgevonden Game Reserve area.
PRICE RANGE
R 10,759 - R 11,275 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaLimpopo ProvinceWaterbergWelgevonden 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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