We absolutely loved our stay at Imagine Africa. The lodge staff were extremely helpful and welcoming. The guides and game drives were excellent. Hendrik, Sydwell and Gary were extremely knowledgeable. In addition, we appreciated all the attention to detail, including; lovely sheets and towels, comfy bed, wonderful shower, g&ts for sundowners, beautiful room and lodge. Oh and the food was delicious! Thanks Imagine Africa team, we hope to return one day.

Stayed in July 2023

Nothing !

Everything ! First of all, the lodge itself which is beautiful, the tents are incredible, everything is very new, very clean, and very well thought out! The location is very nice and easy to find ! We really liked the concept, everyone eats together morning, noon and evening (guide included!), which gives a very friendly and family atmosphere to the stay! All the staff are absolutely amazing and caring! Special mention to Hermann and Oliver for having found the 5 rare pearls and for having done everything possible to make sure that we were amazed! Do not hesitate, book as soon as possible! Marj & Chris

Stayed in February 2023

This accommodation has surpassed all our expectations! very pleasant staff, top service, wonderful lodges in an exceptional surrounding, the game drives -I could continue going on like this -just brilliant! We have had one of the most amazing stay here. The whole concept is designed to be a dream vacation. We want to stress two exceptional "thank yous": One big thank you to Henrik -we will never forget the unique experiences at the game drives and we wish you that you stay as you are and continue doing this job with such a passion! The other big thank you is to the cook: Thank you for this delicious food!

Stayed in January 2023

The food was Good, but the lunch was too small for us.

Imagine África was perfect! The experience we had there was Unique! The room, the people, The environment .. everything amazing. Also, the game driver was Very Nice and it was an unforgetable ride.

Stayed in January 2023

Just perfect! We had a look at many different lodges and did not know which one to choose. We like luxury but not too stiff accommodations. This lodge offers everything you need from a nice welcome drink, awesome food, experienced guides, lovely rooms and attentive /mindful staff. The place has five tents which makes the stay relaxed and peaceful without masses of tourists. The rooms and the whole accommodation is very clean and with with love for details. Our game drives were amazing with sundowners and many animals in a beautiful area. We would always come back and highly recommend it.

Stayed in December 2022

Can’t think of anything.

We had the most amazing stay in the camp. From the minute we arrived we felt so welcome and at home. The camp is at a beautiful and peacefull sight with a view of the mountains in the back and a waterhole in front. There we saw elephants/buffalo/hyena drinking/relaxing while having one of the chefs fantastic meals. It doesn’t get more Idyllic than that! The tent feel very safe and the interior is beautiful. We participated in all the game drives and saw the big 5! The rangers are professional and gave us many nice sightings. We definitly come back to this place!

Stayed in November 2022

Nothing

The lodge is new and cozy, and they take effort for whatever that goes around the place. The tents are spacious and very well equipped. There is a water hole right in front of the lodge and we were lucky to spot couple of elephants there. We did 4 game drives and each one of them was different. You might get lucky and see most of the big 5 on single drive (like we did). The guides give their 110% on each drive for you to get the best experience. Unlike a few reserves this game reserve is connected to Kruger so the animals are free to move. Highly recommend.

Stayed in September 2022

Nothing.

Understated Luxury in a Big Five Game Reserve. This is glamping! Tastefully decorated with lots of thoughtful details in the 'tents'. Excellent food and game drives. Friendly and attentive staff. Great value for this level of luxury. Saw all the big five. Will definitely return. Highly recommended!

Stayed in July 2022

The private tours with excellent guides (Chris/Victor)

Stayed in July 2022

nothing

Great game drives, great food and drinks. They made sure we had everything we needed. The room was amazing.

Stayed in July 2022

Location fantastic being 30 minutes from Hoedspruit town. Staff and guides excellent. Food fantastic. Amazing room and the best "tent" I've ever stayed in. Drives great. Exceptional property.

Stayed in August 2022

20/10 😊 This place is amazing! We loved every minute of our stay here. The staff was friendly and welcoming, food was delicious, the tents are decorated perfectly and the overall atmosphere is very relaxing. Then there are the game drives that were so much better that we hoped for. So a big thank you to everyone.

Stayed in July 2022

That we only stayed 2 nights…

The perfect safari-spot! The whole team was so nice and friendly, everything felt very personal, the lodge and its location are beautiful and the food was delicious. Even though the weather wasn’t so good, the guides still managed to find so many awesome animals for us.

Stayed in June 2022

Everything was absolutely perfect!

Perfect Stay! After researching weeks for the perfect place to stay, me and my family decided to go for Imagine Africa. Trust me when I say this lodge excede our expectations. Beds/rooms are a 20/10, staff is 20/10 and the food was amazing! On our second day we already had seen the Big Five. Couldn’t recommend this hotel more!

Stayed in June 2022

We stayed 3 nights and we can say that our expectations have been exceeded. Richard and Amanda just opened the lodge about a year ago and you can see that they put a lot of effort in every single detail. The tents were bigger and even more beautiful then we thought and also the main area of the hotel is so amazing and invites you to relax and chat to the other guests or someone from the team. Everything is very clean - even the outdoor bathtub still looks like it was brand new. The tents have an indoor and an outdoor shower, a seperate toilet, two washbasins and a very big and comfortable double bed. Everyone of the staff is really nice and the service was outstanding. The atmosphere was very welcoming and like visiting friends. The food was also great. After the morning drive you get fresh fruits, joghurt, musli, home-made bread/ croissants and an egg dish. Lunch (1 course) and dinner (3 course) change every day and it was always very good (and a lot). Drinks are charged separately but with very fair prices (not comparable to restaurant prices). The game drives were great. Gary and Victor will do their best to show you the big 5 but also highlight other very interesting things. On 6 game drives we saw: *10 different lions *2 different leopards (one of them we saw twice) *2 rhinos *hippos *chameleon *buffalos and a lot of elefants, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, … The lodge is one of the first once when you enter the Balule national park. Therefore, it is quite easy to get there (40 min from Hoedspruit airport). In the beginning we were not sure if we should book the hotel as it is very new and doesn‘t have many recommendations. But in the end we were so happy that we did it. It was probably the best value for money we have ever seen for a South African game lodge.

Stayed in June 2022

Nothing everything was perfect

How great everyone treated us, and the food made by the inhouse chef was amazing.

Stayed in May 2022

- there is nothing to complain

- room (with a view) - the waterhole where you can enjoy your breakfast or lunch with elephants or hyenas or all other kind of wildlife - pool with a view - hospitality - Game drives (saw almost the big 5, missed the leopard) and the game drive area! - my favorite sight: hyenas and lots of wild dogs - close to nature - food - perfect for solo travels as well

Stayed in March 2022

Nothing to dislike.

Rarely do you come across a lodge where everything is perfect! From the moment we arrived to sadly having to say goodbye, Gary, JD and all the staff at Imagine Africa were ever present and attentive. Gary and Ridwell make a great guide/tracker team and we were lucky enough to see 2 separate lion sightings, hyena cubs, black rhino, elephant, and of-course zebra, giraffe, kudu and impala. The camp owners, Richard and Amanda, joined the guests for dinner on Saturday night which was a nice touch. They are wonderful folks and make you feel like part of the family. The luxury tents are beyond any other safari tents I have ever seen! They are amazing and the bathrooms are 5 star!

Stayed in February 2022

Imagine Africa's motto is "Guided by Excellence.....Driven by Passion". It was really gratifying to have the reality of our experience match the motto. Richard and Amanda set the tone, emulated by the whole team. We really enojyed having Gary, our guide/driver and Sydwell, our tracker, get as excited as we did when we came across cheetahs (twice!), black rhino, lion, buffalo, hyena, leopard, baby elephant etc! Gary has a wealth of knowledge - of fauna and flora - which he was very happy to share. Thus you too can find out how flies literally end up flying around in a Wildebeest's head, and where the Xhoi-san get their poison from for their arrows, and how to treat a person who has been 'shot' in the eye by a spitting cobra. Our stomachs were well-looked after, with each meal having its own special theme - in essence simple and traditional South African dishes which were extremely well cooked and well presented by Lukas, our charming Chef. Fellow guests Tracey and Mark, from overseas and also in the hospitality industry, were similarly impressed. The tents, airconditioned and with much-needed inside/ outside showers, were in immaculate condition and with all the privacy you need. Most importantly Richard and his team have gone for authenticity and simplicity in their approach, and this permeated all aspects of our stay. All staff were friendly but unobtrusive, yet on hand to assist with any queries. Richard is also a raconteur of note, and if your passion is enjoying a few drinks and yarns around the bar late into the night, you will need to have your wits about you ........Richard has the constitution, the energy and many campfire stories to outlast most who take up the challenge...........and Gary will be there the next morning - at 05:00 sharp - to drag you from your slumber in seriously comfy beds for the morning drive, even if it's pouring with rain minutes after you start! Kudos to all.

Stayed in January 2022

Nothing. Everything was beyond my expectations.

The friendly staff, from the front desk staff, kitchen and game drive. The food was delicious and the owner and his family were also friendly. The room was beautiful and comfortable. Had the best stay and the best Christmas.

Stayed in December 2021

Roads are gravel as soon as you enter the first gate, then about 5 kms to Imagine. Good animal sighting even en-route once on conservancy. Saw over 10 elephant on return while leaving.

Passionate staff going the extra mile in every way. Very knowledgeable about animals and birdlife. Learnt a lot even though just on one night short stay. Recently built on a big 5 conservancy area, only 10 rooms, overlooking a waterhole. Personal touch to everything. Tastefully decorated and excellent use of copper piping to create rustic effect, even with light fittings. Two showers and bath tub in each unit. Tented camp, with air-conditioning and fans. Great food, and catered for halal. We saw buffalo, rhino, elephant, hyena, wild dog, many antelope, giraffe, and a killing of a hare by a black mamba. Lions and cheetah were elusive, though were sighted in the area earlier in week.

Stayed in December 2021

Tranquil place with a lot of space and amenities. Game drives two times a day left nothing to be desired. Staff is very attentive and take great care for their guests.

Stayed in October 2021

Nothing really

Bush and private

Stayed in October 2021

Some suggestions but no criticism - We felt that the evening game drive could be slightly shorter and then supper could've been slightly earlier as well. We only ended up eating after 20:00/20:30 every evening - but it was really a small thing. We also had some strong winds one evening which was very noisy on the tent roof

We loved everything! We didn't see as much game as one would in the Kruger Park but what we did see was truly special; a hyena with her babies, lion cubs, wild dogs, running hippos. Solly - our ranger was great and shared lots of interesting tidbits about every animal. The lodge itself was beautifully decorated and our room stunning with an awesome outside bath. The staff very friendly and attentive. The food was also top notch, very tasty, pretty big portions and perfectly prepared. All-in-all a fantastic experience and I would definitely recommend the lodge to anyone.

Stayed in August 2021