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claireemmamorris
Oakville, Canada

beautiful intimate place

Review of Puku Ridge
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed Jan 4, 2017
I loved the attention to detail at Puku Ridge and the special dinners and drinks events that we received as surprises while staying there. The staff are so friendly and helpful and the food, thanks to chef William, is amazing! There is a marvellous view over the flood plain where animals are constantly appearing to graze. The camp is very isolated, and not signposted, which is great for giving that feel of truly being away from it all. The tents are equipped with everything you might need and the morning wake-up tea/coffee was a welcome touch. I hope to go back again someday!
Date of stay: December 2016
Trip type: Traveled with family
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
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      Reviews (167)
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      77 - 82 of 167 reviews
      Reviewed December 29, 2016

      The location is spectacular. You overlook a flood plain graced by Puku (obviously), elephants, and other fantastic creatures. The camp feels quite remote which gives it a bit more of an adventurous feeling than other accommodations we have stayed at while on safari.

      The customer service is really second to none. The staff go above and beyond at every opportunity. At times it feels a bit contrived (i.e. when they greet you coming back from a game drive), but the effort is truly commendable. Levies and his team do a great job.

      The game drives are phenomenal. We have had great guides in other parks like Chobe, but I would say Lameck is the best we have ever had. He had a depth of knowledge of the park and animals, but is not in any way overbearing or cheesy.

      You will be incredibly well fed with your various meals and tea breaks. The vegetarian meals were fantastic, even if the variety is a bit wanting. Breakfasts were also a bit on the plain side.

      The accommodations, though rustic, are still quite luxurious given the location. It is critical that you know what you are looking for in the experience. If you want a refined, hotel-like experience, this might not be your best option. That being said, the tents are ridiculously well furnished. For bathing you have the option of a bathtub, indoor shower, and outdoor shower -- that in of itself should qualify as luxury in my book.

      Also keep in mind the time of year you are visiting. We visited in December during the rainy season which coincided with a large number of insects. This inevitably resulted in a large number of insects getting into the tents despite the staff's best efforts. I doubt this is a problem during the dry season, and certainly did not ruin our experience. It does give you a very slight taste of what the early explorers endured. But ultimately it does keep this from achieving a 5/5 rating in my opinion.

      If you are looking for a bit of adventure with a giant safety net of luxury, then Puku will not disappoint.

      Date of stay: December 2016
      • Trip type: Traveled with friends
        • Rooms
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      2  Thank Harrifur
      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 December 27, 2016

      Staying at Puku Ridge was my first experience ever at a safari park and it didn't disappoint! Right from the get go we saw so many animals just driving into the park from the airport and we weren't even trying! Plus since it was baby season, we got to see tons of them! Our guide, Lamek, was phenomenal and very respectful of the animals, along with very knowledgable. The staff at the lodge were great too and I loved all of the tea times and siesta!

      Date of stay: December 2016
      • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
        • Sleep Quality
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      2  Thank bmchappi
      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 December 9, 2016

      This was edgy, raw and exhilarating - a truly memorable experience.

      The Lodge is very isolated - a two hour trip from Mfuwe airport on rough unsealed roads - in the depths of an amazing park. We were surrounded by hippos, impalas, baboons among others walking through and around the lodge.

      The game drives were a highlight - particularly the evening and night drives - with sightings of lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, zebras, giraffes - the lot. Over our three days the weather changed from intense heat to torrential rain and with it an extraordinary transformation of the park. So even though we seemed to visit the same spots on a number of drives there was a huge amount to see.

      The staff were a great community of largely locals passionately committed to the lodge, the park and to looking after us - particularly our guide Elias.

      The lodge is about as luxurious as you can get relying on tents and on fans. The staff, the food and the wine make up for any shortcomings. Also, don't be put off when you arrive by the fact there are no signs and a really rough, rock strewn path from the main road. It adds to the edginess and the whole wonderful experience.

      Date of stay: December 2016
      • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
        • Location
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      1  Thank Steven B
      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 November 2, 2016

      We were treated like kings and queens. Food, service, attitude, tented room facility, outside shower, wooden deck, drinks and location are perfect, top notch! We went in October (very hot) and saw lots of game. We were allowed to visit other lodges in the park to go swimming and massage treatments. Evidence and his staff were very friendly and always helpful! I would recommend the lodge to invest in more/bigger fridges/refrigerators in order to always have ice cold drinks, ice, wine, ice cream etc. available. Also the tents have fans, but the warm air gets trapped in the tent. Perhaps air conditioning or a fan spraying water drops would be very handy. Also, Puku Ridge should invest in a swimming pool!

      Room tip: Perhaps ask for the closest to the reception area, as the walk to the tents are full of loose stones/pebbles.
      Date of stay: October 2016
      • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
        • Sleep Quality
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      Thank Camdebo
      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 October 12, 2016 via mobile

      Nice surrounding with an excellent view over the plane where you'll always can see animals. Place somehow 'used', needs some refurbishing. Team very friendly. Very good cuisine with a goid variety of food.

      Date of stay: September 2016
      Trip type: Traveled with family
      Thank pilot1953
      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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