We are just back from our first (but certainly not the last) stay at Kapama Karula and I felt I had no choice, but to post my first ever review of a lodge/resort/hotel (despite having been in quite a number in various countries over the years). Our stay of 3 nights in the Karula lodge was simply unforgetable. We flew up from Cape Town to Hoedspruit (2.5 hours) and from the moment that we were collected at Hoedspruit airport it was clear that service at Kapama Karula is on a different level. Nothing was too much trouble and the words "no problem" was pretty much our ranger, Declan's, response to any and every request.
Every member of staff went out of their way to make the experience as enjoyable as possible and although we never felt crowded there was certainly a strong personal touch in the service, most notably from Declan who would take time every evening during dinner to pop around to the tables of the guests under his charge, sharing some interesting and enjoyable stories and determining whether there is anything specific that you would like to look for on the following day's drives. With a shoot for the stars attitude we said; leopard and cheetah.
What did we see on our 6 drives over the 3 days? - 11 lions, 1 cheetah, 1 leopard, 10 rhino and too many elephants and buffalo to count. Here I have to mention Sollie, our tracker. This man ("madoda", if I got it right) was a miracle worker and there is no doubt in my mind that we would not have seen half as much as we did was it not for the team work of Sollie and Declan in tracking (especially the cats) and often anticipating animal movement.
The meals and the lodge itself were certainly also an experience and on our flight back to Cape Town the only topic of discussion was when we could fit a return trip into our diaries and would they allow you to request a specifc ranger and tracker?

What an amazing experience. From the staff, to the food to the suites, everything in Karula was over the top. We stayed for 3 nights and our only complaint was we wished we had booked longer. Don our game driver and Tully our tracker made our drives memorable (even when it rained) while the chef Adrian and our server Solomon were incredibly attentive and made sure we had a great experience. And don't forget about the suites, outdoor/indoor shower, tub over looking the river, our own pvt deck and beautiful room, we will be coming back!

We are quite critial as travelers, for the first time though, we have absolutely no hesitation to consistently give top marks throughout a survey (with the exception of the reservation service, where we experienced a minor hick-up during the process). This is, because our four nights at Kapama Karula were quite simply the best hospitality experience we have ever had the fortune to make. While the facilities are excellent and the location stunning, it really is the staff that makes the place so special. We have never before experienced such an overwhelming friendliness and helpfulness across the board - from management to waiters, from housekeeping to our ranger and tracker. Quite simply amazing. A special note of thanks to the assistant manager, our ranger and tracker who have made every effort imaginable to make our stay such a unique experience and who have continuously gone out of their way to accomodate our needs or wishes. It is thanks to both our game ranger and tracker that we have not only had an amazing time in the bush with spectacular wildlife sightings but have also taken home a lot of insights about flora and fauna as well as some local history. Most imporantly though, our game ranger's enthusiasm has instilled in us an interest in understanding better what goes on in nature around us.
It is hard to sum up our experiences or describe the essence of our stay at Karula, but we are extremely happy that we have made this trip and will cherish the memories for a long, long time to come.

We stayed at Kapama Karula for 3 nights as part of our honeymoon. We booked the luxury suite which includes an amazing private pool on a very large deck. The room was amazing with every luxury you could think of! We had a outdoor and indoor shower, comfortable king bed, fireplace and the decor is very boutique modern African style. I enjoyed my daily baths with the sliding doors open while looking at the African landscape. The staff were EXCELLENT including the Assistant Manager Andreas and our ranger Omega. We saw so many animals and the vehicles are very comfortable. During the evening drives I enjoyed the break for sundowner drinks which was at a different location every evening. The food could use a little work however Christmas dinner was so delicious. We had a special welcome treat of champagne in our room and also a private romantic dinner in the library. We LOVED our stay at Karula and I was so sad to leave. The property is pure luxury and worth every penny! We will be back!