Reviews of Umlani Bushcamp 3 stars

Comfortable hut with connected warm outdoor bathroom, delicious meals, wonderful staff (in camp and on game drives and bush walks), nyala wandering through camp (and elephant at night), buffalo, etc. visible in river bed overlooked by bar. Good value and high standards while feeling more authentic than butlered camps.

One game drive included a bit more close-up detail than I desired but that sometimes happens. Sundowner drink stop afterwards at least helped.

A very nice Camp with a personal touch. Good Game drives with interesting sightings of animals.

- to be very close to the animals; we watched 15 lions including their babies eating two buffalos from a distance of less than 10m - awesome - highly motivated staff and guides - familar atmosphere - live in harmony with the nature

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Umlani means place of rest. It was peaceful, the team were fabulous, food was great, facilities fantastic. We saw so many amazing animals and got to sit silently alongside them. We learnt so much from the guides about the interplay between the animals. So much to observe, learn and appreciate.

All staff were super friendly, and the camp was run like clockwork. Our guide Elvis was fantastic and had a brilliant sense of humour. Whilst they can’t guarantee which animals you will see, they managed to spot everything we wanted to see! The food was excellent, varied and the drinks are all inclusive. We found the stay to be very good value and thoroughly enjoyed our honeymoon stay. Thankyou!

First of all- fantastic game drives. In our first one we saw 4 out of the big 5, and much more. Optional bush walk- a different kind of experience. The food was excellent, the staff members were friendly, the atmosphere was cozy and special. Price was not cheap as in all private reserves, but also not expensive in comparison to other lodges. Very recommended!

We loved Umlani - brilliant staff, amazing location and a relaxed atmosphere.

Everything surpassed all expectations, our welcome, care from the staff, quality and variety of food, comfort of huts, amazing safaris.

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Had a fantastic two nights at Umlani Camp. Everything was fantastic. The accommodation was very comfortable and clean. The food was amazing. We did four Jeep drives and saw all the animals we had hoped to see. We also did a bush walk, which was very interesting too. Met some lovely people on camp which made our stay even more special. It was a very relaxing camp, without any formalities like having to get dressed for dinner etc. Congratulations to Michaela and all her team for creating such a wonderful environment. I would highly recommend.

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Every single person at Umlani was warm and welcoming! We felt well cared for the entire time we were there!! The game drivers and trackers are so knowledgeable and engaging; and we were taken out on very small group game drives even though the lodge was not completely booked up and the vehicles could have held more people. The food was first class—every meal!! The grounds are beautiful! We could see elephants right from the lunch area! The highlight of our time was definitely the treehouse where we able to spend not only an overnight but also an afternoon so we could see all the animals during the day!! I wish we could’ve stayed longer and hope to return one day!!!

It definitely gets hot in the rooms so keep all the windows open.

Wow what an awesome family feel to this place. The food was excellent, the staff were amazing and the animals on safari were just excellent. You can watch elephants whilst in pool. Loved the afternoon at the treehouse. Loved EVERYTHING about our stay. Thankyou

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Great location nest the airport .

True Bushcamp experience.

A beautiful, authentic bush stay. The staff are amazing, as is the food. I loved how they had enough food for all but not excessive to avoid wastage. A real thought to eco living and sustainability. The game drives were amazing - a huge thanks to Elvis and Opa as driver and tracker respectively. We saw absolutely everything. A magical experience. Thanks to Mikela and all her staff. A place I’ll remember forever.

It was all great. The pool could be cleaned a bit more often but don’t let that put you off. It’s truly an amazing stay.

The game drives, the hut, the staff. The photos don't do justice to the beautiful place that Umlani is.

I didn't like that I didn't book for a longer stay :)

great service , great lodge, great gamedrives, excellent quality price point !!

the food for lunch is quite light

This a place is simply magical!

The food was delicious. Also, the game drives were very well organized and we managed to see all big 5. In addition, there is a tree house one can visit and see a lot of animals.

All good!

One of the last remaining bush camps in Timbavati who have stayed through to their ethos of delivering a great bush experience and homely comfort without whistles and bells.

The ranger we were assigned to was clearly very knowledgeable and experienced but his communication and social skills were really below par. He didn’t connect (nor did he want to connect) with the guests sitting in his vehicle except with the lady sitting next to him. When a question was asked his reactions were blunt and rude and most of the time the question was answered by a story with beared little relevance. The ranger is such a big part of your expirerende at a game lodge that we left feeling unsatisfied without stay whilst everyone else at the lodge was so welcoming and friendly.

If you are looking for a luxury lodge you should check twice. If you are looking for a bush camp it is the place to be. max. 17 guests in beautyful bush-houses - they are like family - clean, super food, very nice people - wonderful game drives - we won`t forget

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We have just returned from a fantastic week long stay at Umlani. The game drives, lead by our ranger JD and tracker Lucky exceeded our expectations. We saw all of the big 5, plus lots more! However the highlight of our game drives were our conversations with our ranger and tracker, who shared so much knowledge with us regarding both the wildlife and local culture. They were so cheerful and kept us smiling throughout! This warm service extended to the camp, where we felt extremely comfortable and well cared for. During our trip we celebrated an engagement and my fiancés 30th birthday! All of the staff at Umlani made these occasions very special for us, organising a special treehouse stay, balloons, a special dinner and even a homemade birthday cake. We were genuinely sad to leave and feel like we have made lifelong friends. We cannot wait to return and can’t recommend Umlani highly enough.

Great location, staff and food. Rangers were amazing and gave us great game drives. We’d also recommend to book a stay at the treehouse for some extra viewing of the wildlife

Wi-Fi only cover some areas, but I was too busy enjoying nature to care

The location was fantastic for game viewing and nothing was too much trouble for the staff. Elvis and Atriel made sure that we saw as many animals as possible.

I can't fault the place at all