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Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge

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Traveler (1130)
Room & Suite (251)
Dining (42)
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About

#2 of 7 lodges in Kenton-on-Sea
Location
4.8
Cleanliness
4.7
Service
4.8
Value
4.6
Travelers' Choice
Kariega Game Reserve is a 10,000 hectare Big 5 malaria-free private game reserve in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. The safari experience combines close up Big 5 game viewing, an expansive variety of fauna, flora & birdlife, a landscape spanning 5 eco-systems and dramatic views and vistas. Kariega has five safari lodges. Main Lodge consists of 24 separate log chalets, each with en-suite bathrooms, lounge & private balcony; River Lodge has 10 suites and is located on the Bushman's River; Ukhozi Lodge has 10 spacious suites, each with private pools and great views; Settlers Drift has 9 modern but intimate suites surrounded by natural bush and overlooking the Bushman's River wilderness area and lastly the Homestead private lodge is perfectly suited for families or groups of friends of up to 14 people. Rates include accommodation, meals, morning and evening game drives with an experienced guide, guided bush walks and a river cruise. Fishing & canoeing can also be arranged.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Free breakfast
Boating
Canoeing
Airport transportation
Secured parking
Public wifi
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary welcome drink
Kid-friendly buffet
Outdoor dining area
Special diet menus
Hiking
Walking tours
Spa
Massage
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Shops
Sun terrace
Private check-in / check-out
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Interconnected rooms available
Private balcony
Coffee / tea maker
Refrigerator
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Seating area
Telephone
Clothes rack
Private bathrooms
Wake-up service / alarm clock
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Room types
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
4.0 of 5 stars
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans

Location

R343, Kenton-on-Sea 6191 South Africa
Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles2,722 reviews
Reviews Summary
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge is celebrated for its immaculate cleanliness and stunning location, which brings guests up close with wildlife. The spacious rooms, often noted for their breathtaking views and optional private pools, are a big hit. Guests have called out the cozy atmosphere and the exceptional, attentive service that elevates their stay. With its luxurious amenities and professional staff, the lodge is popular for providing an excellent value, including sumptuous meals and well-priced drinks.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Professional
Amenities
Top-notch
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2,722Reviews41Q+A100Room tips
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John_selfobe wrote a review Yesterday
London, United Kingdom3 contributions1 helpful vote
A brilliant and magical experience at this friendly game reserve. Our previous visit was 16 years ago in 2008 and the reserve has developed wonderfully. Our ranger, Richard was very knowledgeable and achieved getting us close to many animals.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
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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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Fearless232484 wrote a review Mar 17
Aarau, Switzerland1 contribution
Honeymoon in South africa with the highlight in the Kariega game reserve. We spend 2 Nights in the Settlers Drift and our experience was amating. Our expections were exeeded and we have a lot of positive experiences to share with our friends! All was perfect organized and the staff was friendly all time. Best Experience ever!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
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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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Mark B wrote a review Mar 17
Berkhamsted, United Kingdom17 contributions15 helpful votes
Highly recommend this private game reserve at River Lodge. Lovely riverside setting with individual rustic lodges. Fantastic guides who make sure they find all the animals across a large area. Overall great experience for 3 days
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
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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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antonywhitehouse wrote a review Mar 15
1 contribution
Kariega ticks all the boxes for a great safari experience, perfect for first timers. Lots to see in terms of scenary and animals as well as great food and wine, with charming staff. They even baked a cake and sung for my wife's birthday.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2024
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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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Response from Kariega Marketing, Marketing at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
Responded yesterday
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are delighted that you enjoyed a great safari experience and that you were so well looked after by our staff. So pleased that your wife enjoyed her birthday. With warm regards from the Kariega Team.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Elaine T wrote a review Mar 13
London, England, United Kingdom47 contributions18 helpful votes
We stayed in settlers drift for a couple of nights. (recommend 3nights). The lodges are beautifully furnished with incredible views. Huge stunning bathrooms with total privacy and with doors opening up giving the feel of an outdoor experience. Our driver Richard was full of knowledge not just with the animals but also with the surrounding flora. We look forward to visiting again in the near future.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
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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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Ang wrote a review Mar 12
London, United Kingdom6 contributions11 helpful votes
Friendly and attentive staff, meals were good and nice spa treatments. The safari itself was amazing. My only issue was the rooms, whilst clean there were loads of spiders on arrival, which soon returned after a second clean. In comparison to other much cheaper safari lodges which didn’t have the same issue, this was disappointing and we left early
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2024
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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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Response from Kariega Marketing, Marketing at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
Responded yesterday
Thank you so much for your review and for your comments. We are naturally very sorry that you encountered the issue with the spiders, however our management/housekeeping team have managed to get this under control. We do appreciate your comments as we take guest feedback very seriously to ensure we are delivering an exceptional safari experience. With warm regards from the Kariega Team.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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flemming153 wrote a review Mar 10
1 contribution
We enjoy the game and the lodge very much, it was great And we will recommend it Had all kinds of weather, sunny, thunderstorms and rain But we still had a great safari tour We enjoyed the pool also And the lovely food
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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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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Response from Kariega Marketing, Marketing at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
Responded yesterday
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are delighted that you enjoyed the lodge and your safari experience. With warm regards from the Kariega Team.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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hschmidt2024 wrote a review Mar 8
Wuppertal, Germany1 contribution
The Main Lodge is offering nice little houses for accommodation. Very rich buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the main restaurant, with an outside barbecue once during our stay. The game drives are excellent, we saw male lions, female lions with their cubs, elephants, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, buffaloes, cheetahs, many types of antelopes and more. Only leopards were missing.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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.
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Response from Kariega Marketing, Marketing at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
Responded yesterday
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are delighted that you had an excellent safari experience. With warm regards from the Kariega Team.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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kevinD4880JH wrote a review Mar 7
1 contribution
A fantastic stay from start to finish. Everything was faultless, from accommodation to food and beverage to safari drives. Our safari guide was Richard, super friendly and knowledgeable. We had wonderful game sightings enhanced by his insights. Seeing the Milky Way after sundowners was an added bonus.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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.
Helpful
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Response from Kariega Marketing, Marketing at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
Responded yesterday
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are delighted that you had a fantastic stay and that your were so well looked after by your Guide, Richard. With warm regards from the Kariega Team.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Louise0100 wrote a review Mar 6
Worthing, United Kingdom43 contributions19 helpful votes
+1
We have just left after staying for 3 nights, which is the perfect amount of time. We stayed in Chalet 7, which was lovely and came well equipped. Our Ranger Hein was the best, and his vast knowledge of the animals and his ability to track them down was amazing! He certainly made our stay the most fantastic experience. We got to see the big 5 and more besides, absolutely incredible. The food was very nice with a good choice. We also used the spa facility, and our treatments were lovely and so reasonable. The only suggestion I would make is for umbrellas to be provided in chalets as it rained when we were there, and it was quite a long walk to dinner. Also, a torch would be a welcome addition as the walk at night is quite dark. However, I used the torch on my phone. This is the perfect place to unwind and have the most incredible experience. Thanks, Hein, for everything and for making our visit one that we will remember forever! ☺️
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Bring a hoodie & jacket as it is quite chilly on the morning drive and again for the late...
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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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Response from Kariega Marketing, Marketing at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
Responded yesterday
WOW! What a wonderful review. Thank you so much. We are delighted that you had an amazing experience and that you were so well looked after by our staff and your Ranger, Hein. Thank you for your feedback regarding umbrellas and torches, we will raise this with our management team. With warm regards from the Kariega Team.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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PRICE RANGE
$749 - $778 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
kariega game reserve hotel kenton-on-sea, kariega lodge
LOCATION
South AfricaEastern CapeGreater AddoKenton-on-Sea
NUMBER OF ROOMS
24
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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KARIEGA GAME RESERVE - MAIN LODGE - Updated 2024 Prices & Reviews (Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa)

Frequently Asked Questions about Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a view of a nearby landmark.
What food & drink options are available at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness center during their stay.
Does Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge have airport transportation?
Yes, Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Afrikaans.
Does Kariega Game Reserve - Main Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.