What a paradise! We loved every minute at Maninghi Lodge. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like kings and queens by Paul, Victoria, and the wonderful staff. We felt our stress just melted away. It is truly a beautiful setting. The river, the breeze, the animals .... everything is magical. We saw lots of animals right in front of the lodge - hippos, monkeys, waterboks, warhogs, elephants.... The game drives are also amazing. Paul is an extremely experienced safari guide. We particularly loved the sundown drinks with all the animals roaming around us. The food was so delicious. From breakfast to dinner, every meal was prepared with care. We loved the traditional potjie dinner and the wonderful open fire BBQ. Paul and Victoria went out of their way to make sure that our every needs were satisfied.

Nothing really. The road to the lodge can be a bit bumpy, but it is the price to pay to be truly out in the wild.

We stayed here for only three nights, but that was too short! We had never been to SA before and didn't know what to expect. From the moment we arrived here, we were blown away. Located on the banks of the Olifant Rivier you have an almost 360 degree view over SA wildlife. We had our breakfasts and lunches near the water, whilst vervet monkeys, impala's, waterbucks, nyala's, hippo's and girafs passed by. Also countless kinds of birds. Incredible! Even an elephant passed by we could almost touch and meanwhile a crocodile was lying in the water. Victoria, Paul and their staff do a great job running this all. Paul was our driver and guide during the safari's and gave everyone a great time and had al the right information. This is a place you don't want to leave.

The fantastic placement on the Olifants River bank surely cannot be bettered; with a complete unbroken view both directions there are also inherent opportunities for in-close wildlife sightings which includes on the rolling-to-river lawn. Plop down at one of the tables on the lawn and simply marvel at all around. Add all around excellent rustic-cum modern lodging, a well stocked bar, strong wifi (with multiple tables set-up for online work as needed) and far better than expected and varied meals. Dinner time proved nightly to offer up one wonderful surprise after another while breakfasts are large. I arrived Hoedspruit minus vehicle with this no constraint with transfer to/ from availed. I suggest using this lodge as base for multiple in-area day sorties, as I did. Vicky, Mariska and the team spoiled across the many excursions available which I advantaged including multiple in-reserve game drives (some super dramatic), a Kruger day trip, Panorama day trip, the HESC visit and other including arranging a massage on the property at riverbank. Vicky and Paul are people-people with no detail missed and oversee an intimate and fantastic place. My stay was exceptional!

The property is beautiful and in the perfect location. In our 3 night say we had visits by Elephants,Bush Buck,Kudu, Hippo,Giraffe, were woken each morning by a family of Baboons and saw Crocodile in the river and Wild Dogs on the other bank. Absolutely fantastic The hosts are amazing and the food was perfect.

The road through the reserve to the property is rough and would be tricky without a 4wd. But it’s like a game drive itself.

Chef-kok Riri made the best food! From breakfast to dinner: 10/10. Even when we went out they prepacked a lunch for us which was yummy! The hosts Victoria and Paul were very kind, flexible and helpful and provided us with everything we needed. The location was so perfect and so peaceful with a beautiful garden. Just loved it. Also the room was very nice (with airconditioning yes!)

The drive up to the lodge is a rocky road (but very fun if you’re a bit adventerous) rent a good car ;)

What a great stay! We were really satisfied by our stay. Absolutely highlights were the amazing location and the super friendly staff. The Lodge is located next to the river, which gives the opportunity to see a lot of animals. We saw for example some; crocodiles, hippos, babboons and elephants next to the river. Regarding the staff: super friendly, good organized and you feel directly welcome! Not unimportant, the lodge is clean and all needed facilities are there! We would definitely recommend to go here and will go back when we are in the surrounding.

Our stay was awesome! Maninghi is right by the river Olifant. As we were dining at night, we saw 2 hippos. Victoria is such a breath of fresh air…very friendly and warm. The idea of having everyone at the table for dinner was such a good idea. It was nice chatting to people from other countries. Then we saw a lion leap for an impala. That was just epic! We saw 2 males lying by the road and as we were leaving, one lion was standing on the road facing us. My friend was scared and didn’t want me to stop. We had an awesome time. Thank you to everyone at Maninghi

Before arriving me and my girlfriend were looking for the lodge and 3 min before we found it Paul came looking for us and showed us the way. He and Victoria made sure we were well looked after our whole stay. The chef was great! The place was clean and the location is amazing. Highly recommend the game drive + game walk. The quad tour was also nice. This place & people (& animals) made our trip memorable. Thank you for having us. RECOMMENDED 110%.

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In the middle of the private game reserve between the animals, this beautiful lodge with amazing view is situated. The hosts were lovely, welcoming and above all: passionate about wildlife. We enjoyed every minute.

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Super location in the Balule game reserve with amazing hosts and cool activities! Hippo's and crocs in the river nearby were a real plus!