Jock Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park

I spent too much time reviewing the optimal safari place for our safari vacation. I found Jock's recommended through Frommers. The pictures and descriptions don't do it justice. We traveled with a six year old, so we got the private safari vehicle. Our guide, Mayneth, was exceptional. We spent 6 game drives together and each one was exceptional - forget the animals (there were plenty), but we learnt more than we could have ever hoped for. He catered well to our young daughter. Although there were no planned activities for her in between the safari, we never got bored. The pool is heated - and we swam several days. All the staff was lovely, including the general manager who was present. The massage was highly enjoyable and the gift shop offered everything we wanted before flying back home. My only regret was that they didn't have the Jock Safari long-sleeved shirt in my size, so I left without one. Also on a note re: sustainability: there's a lot of efforts around proper environmental management, but also small touches, such as supplying us with personalized reusable water bottles for our daily use.

Everything at Jock Safari Lodge exceeded our expectations. Our room was beautiful and comfortable and totally immersed us into the safari experience. The whole vibe of the lodge was luxurious and relaxing. ||The staff at Jock truly made the experience special. Every single person we interacted with was warm, welcoming, and attentive. The food was delicious, beautifully presented, and we ate at a different location every single night- and we stayed for 5 nights!||A very special shout out to our amazing game driver, Dawid. He really went above and beyond to make our drives unforgettable. Thanks to him, we had some truly once-in-a-lifetime moments that we will never forget. He made our experience so special. ||Jock Safari Lodge is a magical place that I would recommend to anyone. I can’t wait to return one day!

We spent two incredible days at Jock Safari Lodge. The game drives were exceptional, with knowledgeable and passionate guides who made every moment unforgettable. We saw an amazing variety of wildlife.||- The setting is stunning. Peaceful, remote, and truly immersive. |- The service was flawless, warm, and attentive throughout our stay.|- The food was excellent. Delicious, beautifully presented, and with plenty of choice.||Our suite was gorgeous, with spacious outdoor areas to relax and even the option to sleep outside, though it was a bit too chilly for that in August :)

We stayed at Jocks in late July 2025. We have stayed n many private lodges as well as SANPARKS camps over many years. This one rates as an absolute find. Inside Kruger with a big own concession area to traverse as well as access to Kruger roads if needed. Accommodation is first class in well spaced chalets and each one has a daybed that is fully netted around so one can sleep there if you wish. Food also first class. Wonderful game sightings and knowledgeable guides. Not extravagantly luxurious but has a great feel about the place. Highly recommended.

Jock has a huge private concession which means you are on safari in Krueger with 12 other rooms. Your safari car will have max of six people (unless you have a bigger party), so everyone gets a window seat. The only time you see the other Jock cars is if there is a big sighting (like the four leopards we saw lounging by a water hole). We were fortunate in our four days there to see the big five, but there are so many more animals to see and learn about. Our guide Ike had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything from the birds to animal track identification. You are partnered with the same guide and car for your entire stay, and ours felt like a family by the time we left. The accommodations were private, comfortable and well appointed. The food was a mix of familiar favorites and local treats. The staff was unfailingly kind, helpful and available. Everything is included in the price, but you will definitely want to add tips for the staff and your safari guide.

Jocks Lodge was a wonderful place to stay and experience the African bush and wildlife. The service and people was A1 and so was the food and accommodation. The luxurious apartments were very comfortable and inviting.|The history made the place very special but the care and consideration of the staff was above and beyond. Our guide made sure we tracked all the animals so we saw a wide variety.

A True luxury hospitality experience in this homely lodge. The staff are really lovely, you can expect a warm, inviting atmosphere, with delicious hearty food. Our game viewing experience was exceptional, there was a mother leopard and her two older cubs right outside the lodge entrance fence, which we saw on two occasions. Wild dog pups denning nearby, great hyena sightings, elephants, etc. A real treat and so easily accessible from both Skukuza Airport or Nelspruit Kruger Mpumalanga airport.

For my wife and I, to say this experience was something completely out of this world wouldn't even begin to describe the perspective and appreciation we had for our time in South Africa. We booked our stay for 5 nights total, and that included 10 game drives as you do two a day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Jock Safari was recommended to us by an old coworker, in which we saw her pictures and videos and had to know more of where she stayed, and that's when she told us of Jock. My wife had a mission trip in Kenya the week prior, so we made this a trip to Africa in which we both could enjoy for a week safari the week following her mission. From someone who loves wildlife, I can't even begin to describe to you the interactions that we had with the animals during our time at Kruger. We had no expectations coming into this trip, or what we would experience, and with that being said, the animals and beautiful scenery we were exposed to were something from another world. Our ranger, Jan, was a HUGE reason of what made our experience so special, as his passion for the park and the wildlife within was palpable, and spread to all of those within his vicinity. Jan provided an experience my wife and I will truly never forget, and we couldn't recommend him higher when it comes to someone to show you the beauty of this amazing country. We couldn't speak higher praises to someone who whole heartedly deserves it. The Lodge itself was incredible, as you truly feel if you are living within the African bush, but in a luxurious setting. The rooms were spacious, comfortable, clean, and the staff took amazing care of ensuring you had everything you could ever need. They would clean your rooms while you were on the game runs, and you'd always come back to anything extra you requested in a timely manner. The food and drink was an experience all in itself, as it was gourmet treatment and food selection, but you still got the feel of African meat and other traditional foods that they eat, so you felt like you were able to try things you would never have the opportunity to do elsewhere. The way that the days were organized was a perfect balance, with a game drive early in the morning to see the world wake up with the sunrise and wake up the wildlife, with a morning break and breakfast to follow. In the afternoon, you would have a few hours to relax on your own, and then it was time to eat lunch and head out for an evening game drive to experience the sunset and to see the beautiful scenery of the landscape. As someone who has never done safari before, I figured with 5 days of safari and 10 game drives, there may be a point where I was ready to be done, but I couldn't express more of how wrong I was. Every, single, drive was its own experience, and that was one of the most amazing aspects of the trip. You may see the same animals, even within the same areas, but each experience with them was completely different, which made us so excited to get out and see what the world had to offer that day. NEVER skip a drive! You can eat, sleep, and do all of those things at any other time, but I promise you, take advantage of what you can see out there, because it is truly once in a lifetime experience. As this is already lengthy, I cannot express our gratitude and appreciation for the staff, the rangers, the housekeepers, the chefs, and EVERYONE that was an intricate part of an unforgettable experience for my wife and I, and made for an anniversary we will never be able to top. If you're looking for a new adventure, a glimpse into a world you didn't know existed, or a perspective that will change you forever, look no further than a week at Jock Safari. I promise you, you'll never forget it.