Saturday, December 15, 2012

Festive Season Greetings from River Bend Lodge



We have had to put the “No Room at the Inn” sign up at River Bend Lodge over the Festive Season…..and we look forward to welcoming everyone who has booked to spend some time with us over this special period and, indeed, the rest of the Season.

Jayne and her team have gone to great lengths to create a Festive atmosphere and we hope everyone has a wonderful time. Bookings for the Summer and into Autumn have exceeded our expectations…and one of the most gratifying aspects is the number of returning Guests, which is surely a sign of satisfied customers….and this shows in some of the reviews we have received lately!!




“River Bend was the crown of my trip at South Africa. The staff was very kindly, we spent some times just talking about Africa with Mrs Stephanie and a lot of times in games drives with Mr Steve. He had a special way to play with kids, looking for the animals and talking about it and it's food, sleeping time, babies, etc. And the lodge had little courses of taking pictures and wines to spend some time. The space in the middle of the rooms was very beautiful, with little trees, a swimming pool, library.” (Guilherme C – Sao Paulo)

The River Bend Lodge is one of the most perfect destinations in the South African Bush. this is really where one needs to arrive at to really appreciate the wildlife in this country. We were keen to stay away from the crowds and commercial aspects of the more popular parks like Kruger and chose the Addo Park instead for which River Bend was the ultimate gateway. This lodge has the advantage to allow its guests to exclusive access to areas of the National Park which are not available to others...the advantage being that the game drives one partakes allows the wildlife experience to be unparalleled in every way possible, The rangers at the lodge along with the private and practical vehicles allow the guests a thorough insight into the flora and fauna in the local areas of the Eastern Cape in South Africa.
Besides the wildlife experience supervised by a trained and very friendly group of rangers we also were spoiled by a very talented and friendly staff at the lodge itself. The Rooms were very comfortable and provided all the modern conveniences one would expect at this kind of property. Service levels in all areas especially in the Food and Beverage area was exemplary as was the quality of the food and its presentation.
In conclusion it may be worthy to note that if traveling as a family, this is a truly friendly loge viz. children who are made to feel very special (our kids just did'nt want to leave and really enjoyed animal sightings and wildlife experiences thanks to our ranger Darlington) ...

We visited River Bend after a 2 day stay at the nearby ********** game Reserve and all I can say is that had our experience at River Bend been prior to********,we really wouldnt have enjoyed the ********* experience at all...this (River Bend) is a place we would return to time and again..truly special and surreal.” (farzanasarup – Bombay)

“ I have just returned home from a third visit to River Bend Lodge and I have to admit I feel homesick. I want to go back. I will go back.
River Bend lodge has it all. It is situated in a beautiful part of Addo Elephant Park with the most amazing vistas you can possibly imagine. It has great wildlife to admire for those who enjoy a game drive and the excitement of truly trying to track animals that are hiding in the thicket. It has the Addo Elephants, gentle giants that peacefully walk by, leaving their visitors in awe as they go their way.
But on top of all that, It is a marvellous place, a gem amongst the game lodges, with a staff that is absolutely GREAT!
Cuisine is super! It was a pleasure to eat at River Bend lodge on our previous trips there, but the new chef has raised the bar considerably. Great place for Vegetarians too - River Bend Lodge offered a superb, varied vegetarian choice. (Rudi S; Mol; Belgium)

We spent 3 nights at the River Bend Lodge in Addo and had a most wonderful time. Everything about the lodge is 1st class. We had a lovely, spacious room with spectacular views. The food was excellent and served with great style. The staff was attentive and friendly. The game drives were awesome with our terrific guide, Mike. We had a coffee break during the morning drive, wine & snacks during the afternoon/evening drive, and hot chocolate handed to us as we stepped out of our vehicle after the evening drive. Trust me, At River Bend, you will be spoiled!

River Bend is located within Addo Elephant National Park and the scenery is stunning. We saw elephants, lions, antelopes, monkeys, Cape Buffalo, giraffes, wart hogs, zebras and so much more. We had truly amazing, up close experiences with the elephants! Mike, our guide, was very knowledgeable and used his tracking skills to the max in order to ensure we saw all the animals at the park. The drives were so much fun and each afternoon drive extended into night drives because we spent time simply sitting and watching the animals in their beautiful environment. I tell you, watching two young elephants playing in the water is something you just don't tire of doing - we were mesmerized and didn't want to leave!

My husband and I really appreciated the fact that we could take the time to sit quietly, each with our own sense of awe and wonder, and simply "be" with the animals. Being so close to wild, free animals, watching them do their thing in their natural home as it was meant to be, all while enjoying a glass of wine? Well, it just doesn't get much better than that!

The accommodations at the lodge are top-notch. Free wi-fi is available at the lodge. The outdoor shower was a fun amenity and showering in the great outdoors watching a herd of antelopes in the distance is a memory I will enjoy for a long time.

We did the "walk with Giraffes" that is offered by the lodge. You don't actually walk "with" them. Once they are spotted, you do get out of your vehicle and walk towards them and then if they move, which they do when they spot you, you follow them. We had an earlier experience at our first photo safari at Zulu Nyala in KwaZulu Natal where we had a more intense and close encounter with giraffes, so this wasn't as "thrilling" but it was still fun to watch these beautiful animals - and to watch them watch us!!

If your trip includes a drive along the Garden Route, which it probably will, and you want to spend some time in luxury and give yourself a treat, while at the same time experiencing some wonderful game drives, I highly recommend spending 2 to 3 nights at the River Bend Lodge at Addo - you won't regret it!

Room Tip: I think all rooms are equally good - you can't go wrong.” (angelika 711; Reno; Nevada Nov 18 2012)










(To view a larger version of the Images just Click on an Image. All photographs the property of River Bend Lodge and may not be used without consent)


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