Emdoneni Lodge

This was an amazing experience!! Everyone from the ground staff, cleaners, waitrons, kitchen staff to Pieter, Jerry and most of all Stiaan were happy and accommodating. Nothing was too much trouble. The hiking trails were wonderful the atmosphere was GREAT. Night time fires and guest interactions were excellent. Meeting the cats was on my bucket list and I achieved a huge cheetah purr...... heart warming and beautiful. THANK YOU to everyone involved ..... loved every minute.

We spent our honeymoon at Emdoneni & loved everything about the place. From the time we arrived we were made to feel so special by the friendly & helpful staff. Our room was perfect & so cosy. Being so close to the Cheetahs was amazing & walking through the lodge grounds amongst the zebras & other wild animals was amazing. The food was divine & they catered to all our needs. Thank you for making our honeymoon that little more extra special. We will definetely be visiting again & recommend it to everyone looking to be close to nature but yet feel at home. Selvan & Eilane Moodley

What an amazing weekend spent at Emdoneni! My chalet was immaculate, with wonderful soft yet crisp linen. Exceptionally friendly staff. Excellent breakfast spread, and delightful dinners. The interation with the cheetahs was the best ever. Thank You all at Emdoneni, you will definately be seeing a lot more of me.

This review is about the twice daily interaction programme which is worth every penny . Lifelong memories assured . Tour times are 10h30 - 11h30 and 16h30-17h30. The cost per person is R180.00. The afternoon tour involves feeding the cats ; all the residents are up and about . Very busy time for the cats and amazing interaction for the guests . So the afternoon tour is preferable . A word of caution - we were there mid September and there was just enough light for photography . In peak winters / overcast days , the morning show might be better . The coffee shop is nice and moderately priced . Perfect for a cup while waiting for the tour .

I really loved Emdoneni and would recommend to any animal lover. The lodge is extremely comfortable with modern facilities and spacious rooms. The bed was among the most comfortable I have found in a hotel, nice and firm with lovely quality linen. We were welcomed with a delicious juice drink and mini tour of the lodge, before being left to ourselves. We went on a cat tour on the evening we arrived and although it was raining and rather busy (around 30 people) the warmth and humour of the guide as well as the awe-inspiring cats themselves made it an hour well spent. He brought out the personalities of the animals he introduced us to, filling us in on their individual stories and circumstances and letting us understand how they live in the wild and the challenges they face. He was very concerned for safety, but equally so for the well being of the animals themselves. Dinner was delicious, we were slightly disappointed there was no vegetarian main course as we had rung in advance to check this would be available, but there was such a range on offer it really did not prove an issue. As it was a buffet we were able to have exactly what we wanted. The wine list was good and contained lots of helpful guidance. We took another cat tour the next day and this is the one i would recommend more - for hotel guests only. This was a much smaller group and we were able to spend more time with the cheetahs and other cats. You aren't meant to take both tours but we were permitted to do so on the basis that the previous one had been rather busy: we saw this as another sign of the hotel's commitment to giving visitors a really special experience. We were really sad to leave these magnificent creatures and lovely staff behind and continue with our adventures elsewhere in Hluhuwe. Thank you all for making our stay so memorable and I hope to see you again one day.

Staying here was one of the best experiences I had in South Africa. The grounds are beautiful and so are the rooms. I loved the idea of the cheetah rescue project, and seeing them (and other beautiful cats) was a highlight of my stay. The hotel staff was wonderful too -- both professional and friendly. I hope I can stay here again one day.

Excellent place to rewind, tranquil environment, good food and exceptional service. The best 2 nights of my entire trip, wish it was longer. This accommodations offers everything you would need to relax, no outside disturbance like TV, phone and radio, just the peaceful sounds of nature. What else could you ask for or need.

From the first contact when booking our stay, we have had fantastic and friendly service. Our room was pure luxury (stayed in Mbali), with everything we could possibly need. The food was of exceptional quality and we loved dinner in both the garden and the boma. Breakfast catered for every taste and was delicious. The staff were so friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble. It felt like we were part of the Emdoneni family. The activities we loved were the Cat project, the elephant encounter and the early morning game drive. Emdoneni is a must see when in Zululand!