Pumba Private Game Reserve Reviews

I had always wanted to do a safari but didn’t want to go where there was a risk of malaria. After looking at many game reserves in the Eastern Cape decided on Pumba after seeing their videos on YouTube. The reserve didn’t disappoint.
From arrival to departure we were made to feel special by all the staff. We stayed at the water lodge where all the rooms have views over the lake. Luxurious accommodation in such a beautiful wild setting with the noises of Hippos in the water & monkeys running over the roof just added to the ambience.
The game drives never failed to impress with sightings of lions, including their cubs, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, impalas, buffalo, baboons, and cheetahs. A huge thanks must go to our rangers Cam and Q who made the game drives interesting and fun sharing their knowledge of the wildlife and never failing to find animals of interest. On making a special request on our final game drive to see if we could find the cheetahs again, they searched them out and found them feeding after making a kill - amazing.
The breakfasts and lunches were excellent. However there was the odd evening meal which wasn’t quite up to 5 star standard which is a shame as everything else about Pumba is top notch.
That said I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Pumba for a safari as the staff make this place special, always there to make sure you are having a good time and have everything you need. And of course there are the animals 😊

We loved absolutely everything about our stay!
It far exceeded our expectations - location, room, food, game drives, staff professionalism and friendliness were all absolutely outstanding.
The fact that we are already booking another stay with our daughters and partners in December says it all!
We couldn't make any higher recommendation - you have to experience Pumba!

We stayed at The Water Lodge for a couple of nights at the end of February. Our whole experience at Pumba was just fabulous. The accommodation was beautiful, with a terrace overlooking the lake, just stunning. The staff were so friendly and efficient and we have to give a special mention to our ranger Mzi who was exceptional and made our game drive experiences so memorable with his knowledge, charm and love for the animals.
We would definitely recommend!

I’ve just returned from my fourth time staying at Pumba Water Lodge and as usual it never fails to impress. Thomas our ranger was superb and I cannot praise him enough for his tracking and information of animals, birdlife and flora. Dining is a delight with an excellent choice on the menus each day. I also cannot praise the staff running this lodge enough, they’re so helpful and always happy and friendly. I’m already planning my next visit.

We had a great time at this reserve. It was our first time on safari, everything was well managed, we felt totally relaxed and taken care of. We didn’t manage to see all of the big 5 but appreciated that they limit the amount of animals in a responsible way. We would definitely recommend this reserve, especially as a first time safari. The lodges are stunning and the service excellent.

We stayed in a Lake lodge which was beautiful and spacious. The dining areas & food is excellent. The staff are amazing and attentive. And Q!! our safari guide was just THE BEST. He is new to Pumba and we were his first guests. He did a fabulous job and made our safari experience just perfect. He’s super knowledgeable, good fun and a true gentleman. We couldn’t believe his knowledge! We will always remember our interesting chats, laughs, and of course morning coffee and sunset drinks! Thank you Q and to all Pumba staff for making our stay such an amazing memory we will always treasure. Helen & Kenny from no.5 xxx

We stayed for 3 nights & experienced 5 game drives with our brilliant guide Mbuti. The Chalet accommodation was gorgeous with an awesome view of the lake, everything was wonderful, the staff were all kind,helpful,polite and happy to look after us. I would not hesitate in returning.

Excellent service, clean and comfortable accommodation, Thomas our Ranger was absolutely amazing! He ensured we our comfort at all times that we would see as many animals as possible. His knowledge was endless. Absolutely loved our time there. Would thoroughly recommend it

We had a wonderful experience at pumba.The warm welcome on arrival and tour of the lodge was excellent and staff were so friendly and accommodating The reserve has lots of different animals, fauna and floral . Our guide was excellent and extremely knowledgeable and was happy to answer all the questions us and the children had. Our children age 10 and 12 thoroughly enjoyed their game drives and learnt so much from it.

Our Msenge Lodge was excellent,clean and comfortable - the bathroom was huge and the views from the lodge and plunge pool area were stunning - we frequently saw warthogs and zebras . The food was good with plenty of choice and an extensive wine list. The staff were highly attentive and service was excellent nothing was too much trouble. The little extras of welcome drinks, snacks and goodnight treats were lovely . There is a pool and gym and spa on site as well as a range of other activities to do. Pumba is a great game reserve for children and adults with plenty of space and children are well catered for. Pumba truly is a 5 star experience

Fantastic experience from as soon as you arrive. Very high levels of customer service and attention to detail in rooms. Excellent food throughout our stay. Staff couldn't do enough to make your time at Pumba special. Fun and informative game drives twice per day. Our ranger was so passionate about all nature and extremely knowledgable. Really peaceful snd restful environment..being woken by hippos outside the room in the mornings was just great! We loved this place! Special mention and thanks to our ranger Philip, archery with Thomas and super helpful Ryan, thanks guys