Tulela Safari Lodge

If you have a group of 10 or less, STAY HERE!!! This was literally a heaven on earth experience! This is a private safari lodge with only 5 private “hut” rooms. The rooms are spotless and have a semi rustic but also luxurious feel. The outdoor shower was the best! Each room backs right up to a dried riverbed so you can sit on the deck and watch wildlife literally feet away! The lodge is beautiful and cozy. Again since it’s a private lodge it is only your group in the lodge. The lodge has a nice interior with a beautiful fireplace but the deck makes it. There is a huge deck with a fire pit, dining area, and a pool with a sunbathing area. Again overlooking the same riverbed as well as a watering hole. At the watering hole we saw a heard of elephants (who also came right up to the pool where we were sitting and drank from it, such an incredible experience), water buffalo, a heard of impala, a warthog family, a hyena and a Lilac Breasted Roller (the most photographed bird in Africa and when you see its beautiful colors you know why). They take you on two safaris a day, an early morning and evening. Don’t skip the morning, that’s where we saw most of the action. You will have Amarula and coffee out in the bush and a happy hour in the bush for the evening trip. We had Jordan as our safari guide and Tiyani as our tracker and you couldn’t have asked for a better team. We saw four of the big five in just one drive, and the fifth the next day. We absolutely loved that Jordan would do some off roading with us to get up close to the animals. We even got to see a kill with four lionesses taking down a 200lb warthog! However our most magical moment was on our night drive. We came across a heard of elephants, Jordan positioned the truck so they would pass right by us and as they did he turned the truck and the headlights off and we sat in silence listening to them eat, watching only their silhouettes against the starry night!!! Incredible!!!!! I will add a photo of everything we saw in only a few short days. Finally the staff, they were top notch! They catered to us like we were celebrities. They greeted us with cool damp towels after every drive, they anticipated our needs, had our drinks ready and the food was outstanding!! Chef even made a birthday cake on very short notice for one of us. I ran out of contact solution and the next time they went into town (about an hour or more away) got me a bottle. Everyone was so friendly we literally all cried leaving there. Tulela will leave a mark on your heart forever!!!

Private. Exceptional. Exclusive. The privacy of having an entire lodge exclusively for family, or a group of friends, is incredible. The amazing team—guides, hosts, housekeeping—have such a good measure in their warmth but also discretion. The seclusion of the bush, with so few vehicles in sight, made us feel like we had the wilderness all to ourselves. Two flexible accommodation options, catered or self-catering, were ideal for our group. Tulela is a finely tuned balance of exclusivity, comfort, and raw, untamed nature. That's the bush at its best. Highly recommended!

We enjoyed our stay at Tulela and can recommend anyone to stay there. Professional and friendly staff. Rooms are extremely neat and you feel part of the bush. We had amazing sightings. Anyone will enjoy a visit at this fantastic.

Tulela was the most incredible experience. Jordan our guide and Duncan our tracker were phenomenal. My family is leaving with memories we will never forget. We want to plan our next trip back to Tulela ASAP! Thank you to all of the staff, Florence, Bernard, Angie, Laura and the rest of the staff for an outstanding experience. We hope to be back soon.

It was such a magical place. The staff, ranger and spotter were amazing. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. The knowledge that Troy had and shared with our families was incredible. The lodge is gorgeously done and the rooms are beautiful. There is so much attention today detail from the decoration to how the table is set every day. They were super sweet, patient and entertaining with the kids. They make sure to make it one of the most memorable trips for both adults and kids.

It was clearly beyond my expectations. This place is unique in South Africa ! You feel like at home while you stay there. We had wonderful sightings : lions, elephants... Thank you to all the team : Brett, Miranda, Guy and Duncan. You make a great work ! Hope to come back very soon. Thibaud

Everything about this lodge was 5☆, especially the staff. Over the years we have visited numerous game reserves, but the sightings at Tulela were truely breathtaking. I know that does involve a bit of luck, but it made our stay really memorable.

My time at Tulela was the most magical experience of my life. Everything was perfection. The accommodations and grounds were stunning and immaculate. Rika, Werner, and the entire staff were wonderful and so friendly and the food was incredible. The safaris with Werner and Caswell were truly unforgettable. It is amazing how many animals we were able to see thanks to their tracking talent! Werner’s knowledge of all fauna and flora was beyond impressive. I would give Tulela 10 out of 5 stars if I could!