I can't say enough great things about Toro Yaka and their staff. We felt welcome immediately, the food was amazing, and our room was very comfortable. But the best part was the game drives. Stephan and Chet were extremely knowledgeable, and worked hard to find the animals. I would highly recommend Toro Yaka!!
Toro Yaka is simply amazing. From the incredibly knowledgeable guides (Sarina + Steve!) and tracker (Chat - still amazed he saw the chameleon @ night moving at 15 km/hr!) to the lodge staff that always made us feel welcome and at home. And the food! The best we had during our entire trip.
This was my second trip to Toro Yaka and I hope to visit again next year.
Wow, what an amazing place. Great game drives that included discussions about animals, birds, reptiles, insects, flowers, trees, astrology and more, super-informative bush walks, amazing food, cute and comfortable rooms (and well equipped to deal with South Africa’s load shedding) with lovely outdoor shower and verandahs with views of the bush and/or waterhole, caring and involved owners, knowledgeable guides and trackers, friendly and efficient lodge staff, and peaceful afternoons by the pool spent watching animals visit the waterhole only a few dozen yards away. Just wow! Owner Nicole was super amazing helping us not only plan our stay, but with transfers and day trips as well. If you are looking for an authentic safari experience away from the crowds and enjoy spending time immersed in nature and learning about the ecosystem, I cannot recommend Toro Yaka enough! Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions.
We had the most incredible honeymoon at Toro Yaka in early May and it was better than we ever imagined! We left teary-eyed because we not only had an unbelievable experience with the safari game drives, but we really got to connect with the owners and staff over our 5 days/4 nights. The staff was incredible - from Nicole and Steve running the lodge, to our guides for the week Stefan and Chatt, to the rest of the staff that prepared the meals, accommodations, drinks/service. The food was unbelievably good!! I've never eaten so well on a vacation in my life, the variety of food was amazing, quality was speculator and it was so well-plated that you'd think you were at an upscale restaurant. The safari game drives themselves were obviously the best part - two drives per day and we couldn't get enough! They really made sure to give us the best experience possible. We got to see the Big 5! As well as so many other animals, including baby lion cubs, baby elephants, baby zebra's etc. Elephants came up to the watering hole in front of the lodge pool multiple days to hang out! We are so glad that somebody else had recommended Toro Yaka to us, it was unforgettable in every aspect and we can't wait to go back someday!
As the previous reviews have stated, Steve and Nicole have created a really lovely safari experience with their lodge and the guides they hire (two game drives a day). My wife and I heartily agree with all the positives mentioned in the previous reviews. Not mentioned is that this great experience compares very well on price as the total cost is less expensive then all the other options we looked at. I will be recommending this lodge to all my friends and understand why the person who recommended this place to me has returned on multiple occasions.
If you are new to safaris know that Hoedspruit is about 40 minutes away from this lodge and transport can easily be arranged by Nicole if you fly into this airport as many do. If you have questions about the lodge before you book I encourage you to email the lodge directly as they are very helpful. What I most loved about being at Toro Yaka is that although you are in a game park (where you know there will be animals) doing game drives, the entire experience felt exotic and otherworldly and we know the special atmosphere we felt was due to the efforts of the Nicole, Steve, the entire staff and the guides who worked with us. Stephan, our guide, was very knowledgeable and his enthusiasm for the animals and their habits and habitats was really excellent, and he is a great communicator; Chat was a good tracker - we really saw so much more than we expected! Toro Yaka was a wonderful experience.
