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The_Slapster
United Kingdom
87
Dont delay - go today
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 26 Feb 2011
I always try to be objective in these things so that if the owners read them, there are some constructive comments to assist in improvements. In this case, I am sorry Bernie, but I cant think of a single negative thing to say!!!!
We went there to get married in the first 5 days of a three centre tour of South Africa.
From the moment we arrived and were warmly greeted from the bus by the Owner (Bernie), and the General Manager (Nicole), we knew that his was something special.
"We try to make it feel like a home from home" said Bernie, indicating towards the cocktail/drinks/bar area where you just help yourself to what you want!!
The tents (if you can call them that!!) are made in the style of mud huts to give the feeling of being back to nature - but without the mud!! They all boast an outside shower (sounds weird, but really is good in the hot, humid conditions), viewing decks, hammocks.... the list just goes on.
The food is ALL locally prepared, and mostly home grown, by the chef's who obviously take pride in producing such wonderful fare.
I could go on and on for ages extolling every virtue of this wonderful accommodation, but it is probably easier for you to visit their website, multiply the accolades by 5 and your just about there....
What you really come for though, is the game drives, of which there are two a day - one at 6AM (sounds bad but don't be off put as the gentle awakening starts with homemade biscuits and fresh coffee before you leave). The other drive leaves at about 4. Each lasts about 3 hours, but be assured, if you are on the trail of something exciting, you almost have to insist to the guide/tracker that you go for breakfast/tea, as such is their commitment, they are quite adept at pushing the boundaries to get you what you want!!
I must say that our guide, Josiah, was a gem of a man - funny, knowledgeable, and very, very informative with an innate ability to spot things that no person has the right to be able to see!!! We were all very impressed by him, as it was he that enabled us to see so much more than we expected - Thanks Josiah (I know he reads these - LOL)
The wedding we actually went for was a magical experience for us both. We went on our own and were expecting to struggle with arrangements, etc - NOT SO!!! Bernie and Nicole took charge and sorted everything, from the preacher (a great character called George!!) to the cake, the transport, in fact everything. My beautiful bride was greatly assisted by the incredibly friendly Spa and Housekeeping Manager - Geraldine - who just breezed in, did whatever was needed, and then slid into the background with a smile - fantastic lady.
This is already too long, and quite honestly, i could write double this amount, such are the number of little "extras" and surprises that you receive, and all as part of the Garonga Experience.
We owe such a debt to ALL at the camp.
Certainly we will be returning - its just a matter of how fast we can save up, not a matter of "if"!!!
Date of stay: February 2011
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
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Reviewed 3 January 2011

Stayed for 4 nights in No 1 Jackets Hill tent. Superb accommodation, 4 poster, double shower inside & also outdoor shower, front decking with hammock overlooking dry river bed (unless it rains). Breakfast cooked to order (excellent), lunch very good and evening meal even better (even tried Kudo one night). Laundry service available free of charge. Had picnic lunch up the Jackalberry tree near our tent which was excellent (once the elephants had moved on). Did the sleepout which was the highlight of my stay - on a platform 20 minutes from camp with full dinner and drinks prepared for us. Beware of the noise from the nearby waterhole, insects, birds, etc. We had 8 safari drives, mainly on our own due to it being very quiet - big thank you to our driver Josiah and guide Rebel - only downside was that when tracking rhino one day and lions another we were unable to follow because of them going onto someone else's land. (We understand this may be resolved in the near future). Can not say anything negative about this place or the staff.

Date of stay: December 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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4  Thank nivek3333
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.
Reviewed 28 November 2010

We have been using Tripadvisor for years and while it is always useful we often find the same hotel can have widely

varying reviews. In this case Garonga seems to get near-univeral praise and it really is as good as they say.

We visited for a week in November as part of our honeymoon. The camp is set up so you can do as much or as little

as you like, but even if you try to do everything there is always time to relax in your hammock.

While all the tents are a short walk to the communal lodge area, they are far enough apart to give total privacy.

We stayed in 'tent' number one which had great views over the watering hole. One evening we came back from dinner

to find two elehpants standing outside the room.

We found every member of the Garonga team to be friendly and welcoming. Zele made sure every guest had whatever

they needed and seemed genuinely interested in everybody. Our guide and tracker, Josia and Lion, were fantastic

with a great sense of humour.

Denille offers an excellent massage and a selection of treatments in a picturesque secluded hut with views of the

reserve. Very relaxing.

The food was great, freshly made on site each day and with a wide variety so we had something exciting everyday.

We could have stayed on the camp itself for a week, but the game drives make the experience unforgettable. We couldn't believe how close we could get to the animals and what fun it is trying to find them.

Brilliant. We are missing it already.

Date of stay: November 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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2  Thank David U
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.
Reviewed 25 November 2010

Myself and my wife went to Garonga for the first part of our honeymoon and I can't explain just how brilliant it was, you really have to go there to experience it yourself. From the amazing welcome with home made lemonade and champagne in your room to the incredible food and amazing staff it's a little piece of heaven from start to finish. Our guides were Jesiah and Brian and they were superb. Zele, the manager, is fantastic, knows who you are straight away and makes you feel at home instantly (she even knows what you drink during the day by the pool!).

With only 6 "tents" (I could happily live in a tent permenantly if it was like that!) and a maximum of 12 people it feels so exclusive and guarantees you 3 seats per couple in the jeep, which is great - especially when you see others crowded into jeeps. Everything is also done for you, a great examples is with the colder nights in August getting into bed to a that is pre-warmed with the electric blanket is heaven. The bush bath is a superb experience and watching elephants drink from the water hole whilst you eat a gorgeous breakfast is also amazing. We saw all the animals we wanted to see and had some simply incredible experiences at Garonga that neither of us will ever forget.

The area itself is beautiful and we could both happily lie in our hammock and watch the world go by between game drives - you can also look at the scenery from your own outdoor shower!

To be honest as I've said above I can't really describe how superb Garonga is - the small gestures, the grand gestures, the relaxing atmospheres...I could go on - and if you're thinking about it just go ahead and book, you won't regret it.

Date of stay: August 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Thank clipper1981
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.
Reviewed 17 November 2010

My girlfriend and I stayed at Garonga Safari Camp for 3 nights in late October 2010. I have to say that this was definitely one of the best stays we have ever experienced in all our travels worldwide. The service was outstanding and attention to detail was at an exceptional standard.

The owner (Bernie) made us feel very welcome and relaxed, and our safari guides (Obe and Jessiah) made the whole Garonga experience a very memorable event.

Although a bit more expensive than some others at face value, it is no doubt worth the money.

We can't wait to return and would definitely recommend to anyone!

Date of stay: October 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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1  Thank Daniel_83_London
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.
Reviewed 10 November 2010

This camp is probably one of the best safari camps I have ever been. We travel quite often and we know many camps in Southafrica, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya.
Garonga is one of those lovely places where you want to come back.
The accomodation is in a nice location on a dry river bed. They keep some water pools there in which animals come to drink. The Camp has beautiful tents and the rooms are very nice and elegant. Garonga is member of the Classic Safaris Camp and it delivers to your expectations. The food is excellent, the service very fiendly and the management professional and accomodating. The owner Bernie is an excellent host.
The clients are mainly couples, especially honeymooners. There are many romantic activities for couples an the lodge provides a lot of privacy. I was on my own and I have enjoyed the privacy I had, not having always to share meals with unknown people or doing small talk. I have enjoyed my stay and I will for sure come back one day.

Date of stay: October 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled solo
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1  Thank travelBerlin
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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