Botlierskop The Village Lodge

Our guide Kelvin made the game drives unforgettable. He knew so much about the animals, nature and local history, and was hilarious and engaging while clearly caring about the experience. We weren’t sure about going out in the rain one morning, but Kelvin encouraged us, and it became one of our most memorable safaris, with incredible sightings, animals much closer than we expected and plenty of laughs. Only Kruger National Park could maybe top it. Botlierskop Game Reserve & Village Lodge is breathtaking, and the service set a new bar after the wonderful hospitality we’d already experienced in South Africa. From the welcome drinks to Maggie’s smooth orientation, everything felt premium and made us feel at home. We’re only giving five stars because Google won’t let us give six. If you’re in Cape Town or the Wilderness area, put it at the top of your bucket list. 10/10, we’ll definitely be back.

A fantastic experience all around, and I’ll definitely return. I’ll make sure it’s sooner rather than later so I can go on safari with Richard again. He’s one of the best in the business! Since staying here, we’ve visited other game parks both before and after, and that’s only made us appreciate and miss Richard more.

Our ranger Anja was the best, and the game drives were exciting with great views. There are activities all around, and it’s very child friendly. The food was outstanding, with endless choices at breakfast too.

Lovely setting, friendly staff and an excellent restaurant menu. We saw four of the Big Five. The roads get very muddy when crossing from the village over to the restaurant area.