Imbali Safari Lodge

“Would highly recommend”

Everything was great, though I wish there were more animals around. The lodge and the staff were excellent.

Richard·منذ شهر

“A Mixed Bag that could be Exceptional!”

We spotted game on the way to Imbali and during the drives. The staff were incredible—friendly, remembered our names, and delivered excellent service. Imbali pays attention to detail and adds little touches that make the whole experience awesome. The food was very high standard, and special thanks to the chef and staff who stood out: Winston, a legend with 24 years; Archie, a real character; Morgan, relaxed and personable; Jan, friendly and a good leader; Golden, not a bother; and our knowledgeable guide Hayden, who made the drives interesting and comfortable with great coffee, rusks, and other morning treats. Communication from central reservations was poor, and the welcome was not well done, but the staff made up for a rather ordinary start.

Richard·منذ شهرين

Chambre exceptionnelle, personnel attentionné, repas de qualité. Une longue piste non goudronnée pour y arriver et repartir. Il faut savoir que lorsqu'il fait noir on ne plus sortir, dommage de ne pas profiter de la terrasse avec piscine privée.

Valerie·منذ شهرين

The location was great and the staff amazing. It would be nice to have warm water in the private pool in the room.

Paulo·منذ شهرين

“Great ranger, but money stolen from our room and management did nothing”

This was our first time staying in a lodge like this, so I don't have much to compare it to. I want to start with the things we genuinely enjoyed before addressing a very serious issue. Our ranger was absolutely outstanding. He was passionate, knowledgeable, and went out of his way to find the animals we were most interested in. His enthusiasm was infectious, and he truly made our holiday special. The restaurant staff also deserve recognition – they were always polite, joked around with us, and made a charming effort to remember our names (which are quite unusual for them). As for the food, it was somewhere between decent and good. Some might find the portions small or a particular dish not to their taste, but overall, we were satisfied with the meals. Unfortunately, that is where the positives end, and the main reason I am writing this review begins. The safe in our room was broken. This was my own foolishness and oversight – I should have insisted it be fixed immediately. Because it wasn't working, I kept my cash in my bag inside the cupboard. When it came time to pay for our transfer, I decided to use my remaining South African Rand and U.S. Dollars, as I wouldn't need them anymore. That is when I discovered that a portion of both currencies had gone missing. I am 100% certain the money disappeared from this lodge, as I counted exactly what I had left when we checked into the room. I reported this to the general manager. She listened and assured me she would conduct an investigation and that the police would definitely be called. She specifically told me officers would meet me at the airport the following day (our departure date) to take a formal statement. None of this happened. No one even came to our room to check the broken safe, not even for appearances' sake. I did not see the general manager again after our conversation. Of course, no police officers ever showed up at the airport. To me, this means only one of two things: the management is either covering for a thief, or they are simply incapable of handling serious issues. I did not expect them to reimburse the stolen money. However, some visible expression of regret, or perhaps a gesture like a discount on a future stay, would have been the decent thing to do. I understand I will never return here. The feeling of being robbed in a small lodge, in a place where you almost feel like you're among 'family', is not just the act of one employee. It feels like the lodge itself stole from me – not only my money, but my trust and my sense of safety in a place like this

Dmitry·منذ شهرين