andBeyond Phinda Rock Lodge

Phinda in general is such a great reserve. There is a Phinda spirit that is seen throughout this massive territory and from every single member of the team. Welcoming, happy and experienced in all their many different roles. ||To Rock Lodge - we stayed for 2 nights in a beautiful room with a fantastic view looking at Leopard rock across the ravine. The most special thing about this lovely room was our little infinity plunge pool. When we went in it lots of the local birds and even a bat used it for their drinking water. A small lodge, lovely food. ||None of that though is why we were there. The wildlife was varied and prolific. Our guide was exceptional - Lucky by name, lucky by nature (or I suspect just very experienced). We saw everything! We came around a corner on our first drive to see a leopard dragging off an impala, which she had stolen off a cheetah (with 3 little cubs). We found the cheetah later and she and the cubs had full bellies, so all good all round. We also saw white and a black rhino, lots of antelope, elephants, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles, kingfishers and beautiful weaver birds. ||Go to Phinda, go to Rock Lodge.

This was a smaller lodge than Forest Lodge. Although the service was good Forest has set a very high bar for anyone to follow. ||The staff were very friendly and welcoming and the guide and tracker had amazing vision for spotting animals. There were so many times we thought how did they spot that or those. ||There are only about 8 lodges at Rock and all very nice. There is also a plunge pool at each lodge which would be more useful when the temperature is higher. ||We saw some amazing wildlife and also a lioness making a kill of a warthog for her and her four older cubs. That was unbelievable and it makes you realise the delicate balance of nature and survival. ||Again definitely recommend it and I would go here before then going to Forest.

We spent 6 days at the Phinda Rock Lodge. ||Lodge: The service at the lodge from the staff is beyond 5 star. It is a very different designed lodge. It's small and intimate and the rooms are huge. You walk in and there is a small entry area with a couple and a huge bar with all different named brand liquors, wine, beer and soft drinks and snacks. The bedroom is huge with a door that leads out to your own pool and lounge chairs and beautiful view of the mountain. The bathroom is lovely with a large sunk in tub, a lot of amenities, a separate shower, and large two sink area. There are robes, slippers, and a ton of lotions and salts if you want a nice soak. If you are looking for a traditional "African designed" lodge this is probably not a design you would like as it is a little like being in your own cave, but we thought the size and comfort of the room was top shelf and the bed was very large and plenty of storage space. I would request rooms at the bottom of the lodge (there are only 6) as one of the guests had elephants come and drink out of her pool. The common areas are lovely. Very comfortable couches, the option to eat your meals outside on the deck that is covered with an amazing view, or inside in a lovely dining area. They also surprised us with dinner on the roof top so we could see the stars. The food is plentiful and they cater to what you like. The chef came over to us every day to make sure the meals being prepared were what we'd like to eat. ||Game drives: We had our own private vehicle and we left every morning at 6:00 AM and saw a lot of amazing animals. The morning usually ended around 10:30 when we'd head back for a refreshing drink and breakfast. The afternoon game drive started at 3:00 and we usually were back at the lodge around 6:30. It was plenty of time to see rhinos, elephants, lions, crocs, giraffes, zebra, cheetah, etc. We saw one leopard from a distance with its cub. The guides are very knowledgeable and the spotters work together to find what you want to see. It's not by any means a guarantee but we did see a lot of animals in those 6 days. ||In all, this lodge is great for people who want to come and see a wide range of animals and have a very private experience and stay away from the crowds. ||I would just say to those who are very much into photography, that the guides we met are really not well versed in the challenges of taking photographers out. We had to offer a lot of suggestions on where to park the vehicle for the best angles, etc. ||Overall, I would highly recommend this lodge. &Beyond takes good care of all its guests as this is our 2nd trip with them.

Loved this lodge and saw the most fantastic array of animals led by our ranger Nick who was just brilliant. Probably the best consistent cat sightings we have had coupled with wild dogs and many other beautiful animals in a stunning location. Back at the lodge service and food/drinks were great with seven different points in the day when some sort of yummy food and drinks were served. Thanks to everyone at Rock lodge for four memorable nights.

Wow! We very much enjoyed our visit. Our butler was Justice and he went above and beyond. What a pleasure. The house manager Siza was an absolute professional. Both made our visit so accommodating. We forgot an item at another lodge and Siza fetched it for us. Surprised we were. The entire staff was very friendly. We enjoyed delicious meals and of course the safaris were mind blowing. Here is my best “insider” tip. Try to spend time in North Phinda at one of the north lodges. We are partial to Vlei lodge as it was more our speed and size. Plus Cheyenne the house manager there was very professional as well. And then stay in South Phinda, the mountain region. Phinda is absolutely magically - but it does have various forest, grasslands, sandlands, and of course mountains- visiting both locations is tops!!! Highly recommend.

In just 30 mins, within a 2km radius from the lodge, we saw the big 5! Our ranger Lucky, with our guide Melusi, were exceptional in finding all these magical creatures. A hippopotamus out at night, star gazing, African Rock Python, black Mamba, the most colourful birds, crocodiles, and the cherry on top was an actual live cheetah kill right in front of us. Lucky then went on to take us on this majestic walk through the most magical sand forest, felt unreal to witness nature's absolute beauty. To say this experience was magical is an understatement. Chef Cebi had the perfectly crusted the most scrumptious menu, I still dream of that pomegranate Impala chops. The most delectable cakes at high tea (high tea is every afternoon) and the most crunchy Choc chip and vanilla cookies at breakfast. All they do is feed you with the most delectable treats, savoury and sweet. Thank you for making our stay so special. Definitely coming back again.

This was a trip of a lifetime. Everything from the safari guides to the accommodations was exceptional! The staff made us feel like family, the food and lodge were 5 star quality, but nothing beats seeing the animals up close in their natural habitats and learning so much about how they live. Zulu village tour was a great additional experience!! We will definitely be back!

We stayed at the Rock Lodge and it was a 10/10 experience! The staff were all extremely attentive and kind! I have never had service like that before. Both managers were a sweet couple that made our stay magical! I highly recommend staying here if you are looking for a luxury safari experience! If you get Lucky as your ranger, you are very lucky! ;)