Guest reviews Settlers Drift

by Saendy1810 Zurich, Switzerland

The highlight of our holidays!

We will never forget the 3 days we had at settlers drift! After driving to the jetty we had a boat trip to the lodge, where we were warmly welcomed. The rooms are great and very private. We had game drives twice a day (early morning and afternoon). Breakfast, afternoon snacks and dinner were fantastic! Mo and the others from the staff were so nice and took care of us very well. The absolute highlight of our stay was the game drives and the bush walk with our ranger JC. The first two days we were a group of 7 people, on the last drive and the walk we were only 4 people. We really liked that the game drives were done in such small groups. Also, there were never more than 2 other vehicles close to the animals. JC knew the answers to all questions, we felt very safe and the game drives were always lots of fun. The pure nature of the reserve is just stunning and it is so fascinating to watch wild animals so closely. One of the highlights was the sunrise on top of a hill on our last day. Thank you so much! We will definitely come back!

by RayandHelen Bude, United Kingdom

Amazing

We stayed for two nights. Wow, what an amazing place and people. We were greeted by Jo, the manager, and Wayne who was our ranger for the duration of our stay. We were made to feel welcome and at home straight away. Our luggage was whisked away to our room whilst we checked in with Jo. She then showed us to our tent (although, it’s not like a tent I have ever stayed in) and is something to behold. We had a wood burning stove (thankfully we didn’t need it) an electric blanket, amazing view of the planes, superb bathroom, etc., etc. We were a group of just 7 on the drives, so small and personal. Wayne our guide was amazing. Very knowledgeable and passionate about the animals and area. He was determined that we should see as much as possible. We got up very close to the lions and could have touched the elephants when they walked by the Land Rover, they were that close. I would definitely recommend Settlers Drift if you want to do a small but intimate safari and stay in beautiful accommodation.

by MFMD Denver, Colorado

Safari in South Africa

Wonderful lodge and wonderful staff! Thank you Stephanie for being such a great ranger! We saw all of the animals during our stay! It was very windy and our tent was a bit noisy at night but otherwise fantastic and beautiful lodge, definitely 5 star

by Sian789 Cardiff

Superb safari experience

We stayed at Settlers Drift for 3 nights. It started with a drink on the jetty and a boat trip up the river to our accommodation. The accommodation is amazing as are the facilities and service in Settlers Drift. All the staff are friendly and incredibly helpful.The food is incredibly good and very generous. Our guide was JC who took us on all our game drives and exceeded our expectations. He extended our game drives to ensure that we had a good opportunity to see all the animals up close but we also felt incredibly safe as he was very professional and knowledgeable about animal behaviour. It was my husband birthday and Settlers Drift ensured that it was very special- culminating in a surprise birthday cake and all the staff coming out to sing Happy Birthday! I cannot rate the whole experience highly enough- the icing on a wonderful cake which was South Africa.

by NBGoldby Birmingham, United Kingdom

Honeymoon in the wild

My new wife and I stayed for four nights in early November 2019 at the sumptuous Settler’s Drift in Kariega Game Reserve. The experience was exceptional from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. Words can’t do justice to just how luxurious the “tented” accommodation is. Enormous rooms with walk in wardrobes, a vast and incredibly comfortable bed, his and hers sinks, a free standing tub, a shower that opens out into the bush (if you’re feeling brave) and all the usual five star amenities (wide selection of hot and cold drinks, air con etc). The staff in the main lodge are warm and welcoming and there is a seemingly endless supply of high end food and booze on tap. Aurelie is a charming host and nothing is too much trouble for the staff. The game drives were out of this world. Our guide Wayne was a fountain of knowledge and was friendly and enthusiastic throughout - he really brought the bush experience to life. The reserve features a wide variety of species and the guides have spent years building trust with the animals so that you can get almost close enough to touch (although that’s obviously not on!). There are all sorts of extra treats and flourishes along the way and having been on safari before I can honestly say this was a totally different and unique experience. Five star luxury and a once in a lifetime trip - make sure you come here!!