Our stay at Garden Route Safari Camp was absolutely unforgettable! From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel more than welcome – we felt instantly at home. Their warmth, friendliness, and attention to detail were truly exceptional.The food was very good, exceeding all our expectations with every meal. It’s clear they put a lot of thought and care into the dining experience. Our safari guide was amazing – knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about the wildlife. They took the time to explain everything in detail, making each drive an enriching and fascinating experience. It was heartwarming to see how well the animals are treated and respected here. We honestly could have stayed much longer. The camp is a gem, and we can’t wait to return for another adventure. We hope that when they will also start with Day visits, this experience will not change for the ones who stay over night!

Room was incredible, so luxurious and a real treat it was such an authentic place for safari. Food was incredible, some of the best we’ve ever had All of the staff so attentive and friendly, genuinely show so much care to every single person staying with them And finally Siviwe our safari guide. The safaris themselves were so much fun, we spent only 6 hours with him across 2 safaris but it felt like we’d been friends for life. A wonderful man and tour guide, so informative about the animals and plantlife, and so interested in us and our background.

Only challenge was trying to get into the camp! Very stony roads, we only had a small hire car so took us a bit of time to get there without risking a puncture!

Our stay was amazing -we‘ve been to a number of safari lodges all over Southern Africa in the past but none of them provided the experience we got here. The staff were absolutely overwhelming and we felt welcome from the first until the very last minute. The tent accomodation is wonderful, spacious, great bathroom and terrace and numerous little things that just made us love it. The dinners were extremely good and the game drives and walks were a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As stated on the website the reserve does not currently have the big five but they have such an amazing vision about what they want to achieve and the wildlife they want to add in the next years! Great wildlife conservation story!! All the guides we absolutely exceptional both in their friendliness as well as in their knowledge and their willingness to share it with us - absolutely never experienced anything like this before! We loved every wildlife minute we got to share with our guide Ion - what a great young man with amazing social skills!! And this applies to the entire camp staff - they feel like one big family.. - we sure hope to be back some time to see how the camp and reserve develop - they have recently introduced hippos and are planning to add buffalos as well as elephants (which requires purchasing more land) in the short term. The work they are doing with their 3 lions which were rescued from bad treatment and are not yet free roaming is extremely interesting and I hope they will succeed with their efforts to release them into the reserve as planned! Overall, an exceptional experience which made us feel like being amongst family.

Nothing I can think of - loved every second of our stay

Everything! From the greeting on arrival to our farewell the experience was unforgettable. This is five-star in all categories - accommodation, food, activities and the friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff, who are mostly family. We learned so much on our two safari drives with Josh - we recommend doing both the evening and morning drives. We were the only guests on both drives so were able to ask lots of questions. This place is highly recommended for anyone (like us) who has never been on a safari before. We wish the Garden Route Safari Camp all the best with their plans to increase the size of their property in a manageable and sustainable way so that guests can enjoy seeing and learning about more these beautiful African animals.

Nothing.

Everything! The place is beautiful and the rooms have everything you could need and more, cute little personalised touches such as welcome cookies etc just made it feel like home, it is clean and specious and the food was amazing. The safari with Eon were the best Safari we experienced, his love and passion and unlimited knowledge about the animals and nature are just amazing and we learnt so much! Also recommend the horse Safari with Simone who does an amazing job and made this a special experience, she is so knowledgeable and friendly! This is a place not just run for profit but to truly create a paradise for nature, animals and humans.

Nothing!

Staff - everyone extremely friendly and personable, from guides, to hosts, right through to restaurant staff etc. Very “family” & “homely” feel throughout experience. We were welcomed back from trips out with drinks and smiles, the host family ensured our safe passage through the reserve on arrival and even carried our bags etc. Cannot praise them enough for their kindness and hospitality. Room - stayed on Nyala terrace. Nice and private, luxurious bedding/room/bathroom etc. Lovely turn down service and everything you could possibly need in the room. Game drives - friendly, knowledgeable, polite guides. Josh had only worked there a month but his driving skills and understanding of the animals/their environment suggested otherwise. He felt like family by the end of our 2 night stay. Animals!!! - obviously the best part and truly a life-changing experience. We went on a couple of game drives and a guided walk. Would fully recommend doing both to see and breathe the environment fully.

Must bear in mind the camp is completely isolated (which we loved) and therefore suggest bringing in drinks/snacks/?lunch if you don’t want to be limited to using the restaurant. The food was excellent and all home-made (we cannot rate this enough) but would eventually tot up if you were exclusively eating/drinking there (especially if larger group or had children etc). Breakfast included in price and fully recommended, and we were happy to visit the restaurant for dinners (and pay for this in addition to the room cost) - just something to keep in mind if watching the budget.

Family run safari camp with hands on owners who love conservation and take great pride in the excellence of their guides. The guides were very knowledgeable and a special shout out to Abram who is wise beyond his years. We saw great wildlife up close and personal whilst still feeling totally safe. We did both a driven safari and a walking guided safari - both were excellent and memorable. The lodge was very special and Mare, a hand reared antelope, hangs out near the lodge, which is delightful.

Getting to the safari camp is possible with a normal car but a 4WD would be very beneficial for the final stretch of shale road. Our rental car, which wasn't 4WD, just made it by taking great care and visitors might prefer a better choice of car than we made. The food was generally of high quality and they care deeply about special dietary requirements but thr desserts were a little below the standard of the mains and starters.

If you are in South Africa, please book a stay at the Garden Route Safari Camp. It is incredibly beautiful and you can see lots of animals on the safari. Our guide Mark told us a lot about the animals and plants. He is also very charismatic and funny, so he made the safari a real adventure for us. :) We really enjoyed our 3 safaris (morning, sundowner and riding) with him. The owners and the staff are incredibly lovely. The service is customised and very attentive. In my case they cooked extra vegan food for me. The tent is very luxurious and was extremely clean. In the night you can hear the lions roaring. We felt incredibly comfortable here and were a little sad to be travelling on. The 3 days flew by. Thank you for the great time in your wonderful camp. We will come back and recommend a stay to everyone. Keep up your mission to protect these wonderful animals.

NOTHING, everything was just perfect!

Food was very good, decent choice and staff always very friendly. The staff we interacted with the most were Unelle and Stefan who were awesome. They took a genuine interest in catering to our every need. The "Hideaway" where we stayed is spectacular! We were greeted with Giraffes when we awoke on our first morning and that evening Eland were waiting to say goodnight!

Nothing to say, everyone went well out of their way to satisfy us.

The Garden Route Safari Camp was the highlight of our holiday. The place is an absolute gem on the Garden Route. It feels secluded and yet it is very close to the coast - very easy to get to and around. The staff are by far the friendliest of anywhere we've stayed. They have a genuine care for their guests and making their experience individually special. A highlight for me was a horseback safari which was once in a lifetime. Their knowledge of the environment is incredible and they are so enthusiastic to share with you and teach you amazing facts about the animals and the plants surrounding you. The rooms were beautiful, peaceful and yet you can hear the sound of lions! There is a delicious 3 course meal on offer every night and lovely wine. Thank you for such a fantastic experience!

Nothing.