Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

I cannot say enough good things about Ivory Wilderness! Every single part went above and beyond my expectations!! The grounds are extremely well kept and gorgeous! It was so nice to look out by the river and watch animals right from camp! The hospitality was above and beyond every single day! Prudence and Andrew made sure we had everything we needed and were always so kind! The chef cooked amazing food, we never went hungry, there was always something delicious waiting for us! The game drives were so surreal, Ian did a phenomenal job of showing us everything the area had to offer and was constantly explaining the animals and their mannerisms while also always being respectful of their habitat! I would recommend Ivory Wilderness to everyone and anyone! We hope to be back someday!

Stayed for 2 nights and everything about the stay was great! It was a long drive from the airport, but we'll worth it. The staff was so friendly and the room was clean and had everything we needed. Craig was our guide, he was so knowledgeable and ensured we had a great time. The food was great! I would recommend this place to others!

We had a truly wondrous stay at the River Rock Lodge. And this was in large part due to the fantastic staff which I will write more about below. The lodge itself is beautifully located on the bank of the Klaserie River which runs all year round currently. This allowed for beautiful nature and animal watching while relaxing on the deck. For those who want a luxury accommodation this is not the place. They do not have a gym, a spa or extensive indoor facilities. But it is a warm, intimate and comfortable lodge, with guests staying in rondalets, traditional local dwellings, circular with all necessities on both sides of and behind the bed. Quite a lovely and unusual setting and very comfortable. The delicious and plentiful meals (they catered very well to the vegetarians among us) were all taken outdoors, with a covered area should it rain, which it did not during our stay. As I mentioned, the staff was wonderful, warm, kind, helpful and without fail trying to assist us in any way. A special thanks to Maloumi, Andrew and Danelle. I unfortunately do not know the name of the other staff but they too were great. But a special thanks and gratitude to Craig, the "Klaserie Whisperer" and our guide for the three days we spend there. His love for the land, the fauna and flora was infectious. His knowledge of every aspect of the wilderness reserve where he had grown up was remarkable and so added to our enjoyment. He constantly pointed out things to see, important facts, and did it all with utter respect for the animals. Contrary to other reserves, these drives were done quietly, with soft voices, never approaching the animals too closely or too aggressively. The wildlife here is not as habituated to humans as in other reserves, and must thus be approached far more cautiously and respectfully. Craig would even avoid fresh dung for fear of killing the dung beetles and other insects that would have already moved in to their food source. What a truly remarkable guide. We did subsequently move to another large but without Craig's teaching and guidance this second visit would not have been as enjoyable. The Klaserie not have the density of animals that other private reserves do, it also has less open spaces, but here the fun is in the search, the tracking and the finding. For those who do not just want to sit back and watch animals go by but rather want to learn, this is the place for you. We were here as a family and truly hold the entire staff in immense respect, and we are grateful for the time we spent there. This is a highly recommended, enjoyable and in many ways thrilling place.

3 nights and 6 safari trip , including one boat trip made these days amazing! Our guide Danell had a lot of humor that we loved and really good knowledge about the animal and also the environment. Even if we not had the best weather , rain for 2 days but the trip was so worth it. Even the long fly time from Sweden. And of course we saw a lot of animals ,Big 5 and also the wild dogs upfront. My favorite the giraffes .

Where to start? This was truly a 15/10 experience. The staff were amazing. From Wienaand and Danelle (Rangers) to Piet (chef) and Prudence (general staff) and all the others. The accommodation was clean and comfortable and the game drives were excellent. If you are planning a game reserve holiday, this is definitely the way to go.

Wow!! We have just returned from an amazing stay at Ivory Wilderness. Wienan our guide , was so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and ensured we gained the best from every trip out with him. We saw numerous animals, and the most amazing sun rise and sun sets. At times we were left speech less and overwhelmed. Danell and her team couldn’t spoil us enough and we were fortunate to have had the lodge to ourselves whilst we were there. Food was plentiful and of the highest quality. It is well worth the long drive out .Thank you for making our family trip one we will never forget.

Very nice lodge in the middle of nowhere. We appreciated every minute. Individualism and privacy are part of the concept. The enthusiasm and the experience of our guide Warren, gave us the confirmation that we did chose the right lodge for our game drives/ safari!

This is a simple camp. Rooms are not large but are very comfortable with good A/C. Food was excellent and the staff was exceptionally friendly and took great care of us. Nice views near the river. Game viewing was solid with several wild dog sightings and numerous lions. Overall, game viewing was a little more challenging than in some of the better known Kruger areas like Timbavati and Sabi Sands due to the thicker vegetation here. Very good value however!

We stayed here in between Christmas and NY with our family and friends. The lodge is beautiful, small and personal just what we wanted. The accommodation was wonderful , clean and comfortable. Front of house Andrew and Victoria were incredibly attentive to us and friendly, nothing was too much. The food was fantastic, plentiful and again adapted to our needs if required. We had an incredible safari guide Elvis, so knowledgeable and kind. I really couldn’t fault any part of our stay. We went with our children (13 & 15) they also loved it! Everything worked out perfectly from the moment we arrived at the airport, transfers etc. I would highly recommend to anyone thinking of visiting.