Nothing

Wonderful location in Greater Kruger, Xander, Lorenza, Elly, Helen and all other staff were so welcoming and friendly. Organized tours were excellent, Everybody has great knowledge about the area and wildlife, we learned a lot. Also the sundowners were so nice and we had a lot of fun. The rooms were also lovely, every room decorated with love and attention and, very important, equipped with comfortable beds. As one of the few fenced lodgings in the area it was ideal for our 8 year old as she could play in the sand while we were in between the tours without having to watch her all the time, she also had a wonderful time and is still talking about it. Last but not least the food, the wonderful homemade food...I both love Italian food and South African meat/braai and you get it all during your stay, paired with an exceptional breakfast it left just nothing more to wish for. Thank you for providing us with an unforgettable stay.

Stayed in August 2025

Very nice place, nice people, nice food, nice adventures during the game driver and day in the kruger park - definitely recommend this place!

Stayed in June 2025

Our stay at Ngalali Retreat was nothing short of unforgettable. From the very first moment we arrived, we were welcomed with such warmth and kindness by the wonderful owners, Lorenza and Xander, and their amazing staff! You can immediately feel how much love and care they have poured into creating this beautiful place. Lorenza and Xander are not only incredibly hospitable but also so knowledgeable about the surrounding nature and wildlife. Their passion for the environment and the animals truly shines through in everything they do. It was a joy to listen to them share their insights and stories, every conversation felt like a discovery! Even the staff made us feel so at home. Their attentiveness and kindness added a very personal touch to our experience. Nothing was too much; they were always there with a smile! The game drives and bush walk were absolutely spectacular! Thanks to Xander and Lorenza and the way they spot things you’d never see yourself, just wow! And ofcourse Thanks, Ellie (hopefully I’m spelling your name right!) we will always remember your big smile 😄 the knowledge was amazing, and he shared it in such an engaging and fun way. We saw so many beautiful animals and we could watch them close and take our time. Also a highlights of our stay was the Lion’s Cottage where we were lucky enough to stay. The room was huge and spotlessly clean and it felt so luxurious! And let’s talk about the breakfast… Every morning we were treated to fresh fruit, warm baked goods, eggs, and more. You definitely won’t go hungry here, on the contrary, you’ll probably leave very full and very happy! 😄 Mealtimes overall were such a warm and joyful part of the experience. Gathering around the table, sharing stories, laughing, and enjoying phenomenal food. It felt like dining with old friends. The food itself? Every meal was incredible! 😍 We definitely gained a few pounds after our stay 😂no regrets!

Stayed in May 2025

Nothing

We loved everything at Ngalali retreat: the rooms are nice and clean and well decorated. The outside terrace with view on the pond is lovely: you can watch the animals from your seat. The food is delicious and the staff is really friendly. Lorenza and Xander are amazing hosts. We did several game drives with Xander, and he is the most wonderfull guide that you can imagine. He is passionate about the animals and the nature. We stayed 2 nights and wish we would have stayed longer… Thank you for the wonderfull experience!

Stayed in April 2025

The hospitality and food were exceptional! The whole lodge is beautiful and very clean. The waterhole right in front of the lodge was frequently visited by animals, especially elephants, which you can watch while having breakfast. What made our stay really memorable were the people at Ngalali, Xander and Lorenza and all the staff are so warm and welcoming and are absolute experts when it comes to wildlife. We learned a lot from them. I would recommend this Lodge to anyone who wants to have a warm and personal experience.

Stayed in April 2025

Nothing

Beautiful location, both Xander and Elly were great company and shared alot of knowledge about the animals. Helen and the other staff were also very kind and their cooking skills are amazing!

Stayed in February 2025

nothing.

amazing place amidst wildlife. Great hosts who will go out of their way to make your stay as best possible. great food and service!

Stayed in November 2024

From the moment we arrived we were made to feel very comfortable, treated as guests rather than customers. We enjoyed spending meal times with our host and other guests, and the frequent visitors at the front gate watering hole!

Stayed in October 2024

Great location inside the Grietjie reserve, and wel accesible on the route to Krugerpark or the panorama route. Helpfull staff, great activities ( sunset drive,...) and great breakfast and dinner with possibility to spot wildlife from the terrace and pool

Stayed in October 2024

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Very beautiful and lovely place in the middle of the nature. We stayed in the Lions Cottage and it was great! The staff is great. Xander took us on a extra game drive to see the rhinos! Helen is an amazing cook. We did a evening game drive, boat safari and bush walk and it was so nice. With the bush walk you see the spores of the animals and get a explanation about it. We also saw some lions running away. Would recommend this place!

Stayed in October 2024

The room has an open bathroom and toilet, with no door so it’s quite „special“ :D.

Beautiful place in the „wildness“. Very lovely rooms with a lot of decoration. Amazing breakfast and dinner! The owners are really nice and there are just 4 rooms so it’s very personal. We did a safari with the owner - it was really good. Lots of interesting information about the animals and the place.

Stayed in October 2024

Beautiful resort in the middle of nature with very friendly, helpful and welcoming staff and hosts :) The rooms are super clean, comfy, well equipped with nice furniture and decoration. As there are just a few rooms on the property it’s very private and quiet with an relaxing atmosphere. The dinner which you can have together with the other guests and the hosts is a delicious mix of italian and southafrican cuisine. You can book activities like Game Drives etc. that are conducted by the Ngalali Team and because oft that they are very private. Our highlight was the water hole in front of the property where you could see animals stopping by for drinking :)

Stayed in September 2024

Wow what an amazing time we had, thank you the owner's for being so welcoming, the overall experience was amazing the food was delicious especially the breakfast all the staff were so amazing

Stayed in August 2024

Amazing stay, Xander was a great host. I went with my mate for a few days and the location was exceptional. Being in a private reserve, on arrival at night in our rental car we saw elephants on the first night! The food,staff and trips were all really well organised and fabulous. Only staying for a couple days we were so lucky to see so much and can’t thank Xander enough. I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a relaxing but also educational trip as we learnt so much!

Stayed in June 2024

N/A

The location is in the greater Kruger area and the animals can freely roam between Kruger and Grietjie Nature Reserve. The room was very comfortable and entails everything you need. There are four cute dogs, we were immediately best friends with Spotty. Xander is very knowledgeable about the area and animals and in general a great and fun person to talk to. We did the early morning game drive with Xander. Unfortunately it was low on game but we had a tee/ coffee break at a wonderful view point with hippos swimming in the river and get a lot information about the area, vegetation and many pretty birds. The dinner and breakfast were delicious and there was more food than a person can eat. We did our best to finish it but fell short.

Stayed in April 2024

We enjoyed everything about our stay at Ngalali, the lodge itself was beautiful and the area amazing for safari’s and spotting animals. The owners and other staff members are incredibly welcoming and kind, the home cooked meals were delicious and we enjoyed having dinner with everyone at night. The safari’s organized by the lodge are great, Xander and Chris knew so much about nature that even at times when we were’nt seeing animals they would still make it super interesting. Would definitely recommend this place to everyone making a trip to South Africa as we’re already looking forward to going back here sometime.

Stayed in March 2024

Everything! Xander and Lorenza made everything to ensure we get an amazing time at their retreat. The food is really worthwhile as well !!

Stayed in February 2024

We had a very special and beautiful stay at Ngalali Retreat. Xander and Lorenza are very friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed the lovely and tasty diners and good conversations with them. We also did the afternoon drive and half-day drive in the Krugerpark with Xander as guide and saw many animals, which was very exciting and special. In short, we have great and special memories to our stay :)

Stayed in March 2024

N.A.

The Ngalali Retreat is located in a Private Reserve with all Big 5 abundant. Lorenza (the very alive Italian owner) and her partner Xander (extremely knowledgeable about animals and their behavior) were hosting beyond expectations. Both prepared a Valentines Dinner as surprise with Italian cheeses, pickles and a full braai cooked to perfection (South African traditional barbeque) including beef filet, game meat, amazingly spiced sausages, chicken and vegetables. The tables were beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and red chocolate hearts to match the occasion. Lorenza even invited for some special sparkling wine and Xander for the Grappa digestif. The game drives with Xander proved to be exciting and informative. He even finds the camouflaged and well hidden lioness resting deep in the bush. Our room was clean and above average size with ensuite bathroom. On the property is a large swimming pool with comfortable sun lounges. Pool towels are provided. A few meters away is a water hole which was frequented by lions, elephant herds, Egyptian geese, warthogs, antelopes and monkeys, diverse bird species and other wildlife. All animals can be watched safely from the patio of the lodge. We did enjoy the tranquil place very much and left our new friends Lorenza and Xander with a heavy heart. Ngalali Retreat is very special to us and we shall return.

Stayed in February 2024

Nothing.

Xander and Lorenza are the nicest hosts you could ask for. The game drives with Xander were amazing, he is passionate about wildlife and can spot even little animals from a far distance. We had lots of beautiful animal encounters. Lorenza is really warm-hearted and welcoming. In the evening they served us amazing Italian food. We had the best experience at this lodge and will definitely come back.

Stayed in February 2024

Nothing - just perfect.

Wow what a gem of a lodge, a home from home, a proper family run business with a passion for what they do. Xander was so knowledgeable and a fantastic host, he went out of his way to ensure our trip was amazing, which it was; the best big 5 experience we have had! The location is great, only a few guests so game drives are not crowded and lots of opportunity to ask questions about what we were seeing.

Stayed in January 2024

Nothing

Swimming pool lots of animals around decorations were beautiful, beds are comfortable

Stayed in January 2024

Pool needed cleaning but I think it was a temporary issue and Xander was aware of that

This place is special. A home away from home. Xander and his team go out of their way in all areas to give you a wonderful experience., Xander’s knowledge of the land, the wildlife, the birds is incredible and he goes above and beyond to make your game drives exhilarating. We saw so much wildlife-,the big one’s and the small one’s. And Helen and her team of ladies look after you with their cooking… incredible! One of the best places I’ve stayed for an all round experience. Thank you

Stayed in January 2024

Nothing

Very friendly staff. Hellen and her sous chef made delicious food. Very nice ambiance. Great view to the waterhole and nice morning drive. The guide Eugene told a lot about the animals during the morning drive. A lot initiative.

Stayed in December 2023