Dulini Private Game Reserve

Life Changing

My experience at Dulini was amazing!! We spent 4 days there and our group was incredibly lucky to see many babies- including but not limited to baby giraffes, rhinos, hippos, elephants, cheetah cubs (super rare!), and adolescent lions. We were also able to see numerous hunts/kills including but not limited to a pride of lions practicing hunting techniques on a group of african buffalos, hyenas hunting, and cheetahs dragging their kill up a tree. It definitely brought a whole new meaning to the phrase "the circle of life" to me.

The scenery was expected. We went in Late August when the bushes were still kind of dead to avoid bugs and avoid the rainy seasons. Once the bushes blossom, there will be more bugs and our group was very bug-phobic. So it was perfect for us.

The accommodations were amazing. The only time I was worried was when I woke up in the lodge to see an elephant looking straight at me through a window trying to bump his tusks at the window trying to get through. I quickly ducked somewhere he couldnt see and after awhile he went went away! But besides that one worry about the window holding up against an elephant, everything else was 5 stars for sure.

If it wasnt for the 18hr flight required to get to south africa from california, I would definitely try to go again. The 18hr flight is definitely a killer. Next time I'll probably plan cut up flying to 2 parts and pit stop at another country for a day or two first.

Oh, did I mention our jeep rides, our group was chased by 3 elephants for a good 3 minutes? haha... Every single experience was pretty amazing there.

Some of my trip videos can be found on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/changm55)

River Lodge - Amazing!!

The River Lodge was our first stop on our honeymoon to South Africa. We went to the River Lodge for 2 nights and then the Dulini Lodge for another 2 nights.

First, when you arrive to the camp you are greeted by first name by Patricia - the nicest woman you'll meet! You are given freshly made lemonade (that tastes like heaven!) and you sign some paperwork and go over the details of your stay. You are then escorted to your room (which is gorgeous by the way) and are told of your afternoon drive - we arrived in time to get the afternoon drive but missed the morning drive.

Every person you meet at the lodge, whether it is your butler (don't worry, they like being called a butler), another person's butler, your ranger, another ranger, anyone on staff - everyone is SO nice. They also know you by first name which is that personal touch that makes you feel like you're visiting old friends (by the end of the trip, you feel like you're leaving a best friend).

The game drives were amazing. Dulini rangers and spotters are the best at what they do. They know basically everything about south african wildlife and were available to answer any questions we had. Our Ranger (Mark) was always a step ahead of the game - putting us in the best positions to see the animals. It was a surreal experience.

The food at the reserve was great - almost too great. I left every meal feeling as if I had just gorged myself. I am lactose intolerant and they made every accommodation to stick to my dietary needs. Again, they went above and beyond every single day.

I can't say enough about the River Lodge. If I could go back and visit everyone and see all the wonderful wildlife again, I would 100% go back to the River Lodge.

Being in the Sabi Sands, Dulini enjoys all the advantages of this well preserved game area.