Doringpoort Safari Lodge

We were told the owners would refund us, but only part of the money came back. The place wasn’t ready on time, the garden was unkempt, and there was nobody at reception. The photos were misleading, and the advertised shop didn’t have basic supplies. There was no standby power, and we felt the owners were lying. A horrible experience. Stay away.

The location and garden are beautiful, though the accommodation feels a bit outdated. We had no electricity from 7am on the day we left. Check-in was impersonal, with no service and only the gardener there to greet us.

It was a great stay, and the room was cleaned every day. The small house had what we needed, including a kitchen and a bathroom with a shower, plus there was a covered fireplace and table nearby for grilling. Some of the furnishings looked old, but everything worked. There wasn’t much room to store our belongings. The lodge is very close to the Crocodile river, just a few minutes away, where we could watch animals coming from the Kruger park to the water.

We stayed in a cozy unit with everything needed for self-catering, and breakfast was included. The lodge is peaceful, out on the outskirts of Marloth, with the Crocodile River a short walk away. We didn’t see many animals, unfortunately, but there were birds and small bucks, and the cutest bush babies visited our stoep in the evenings. Waking to birdsong and distant fish eagles was lovely.