Jock Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park

We spent 3 nights at Jock at the end of April and it was such a unique and exceptional experience! From the moment we were picked up from Skukuza airport, the staff at Jock took such great care of us. The food, drinks, room and spa at the lodge are all incredible on their own, but the effort the staff put in make each of these spectacular. Our Braai night on the riverbed under the stars, our guided nature walk from the lodge and our lunchtime cocktails were a few highlights while we were at the lodge, but it was our twice daily game drives with our guide Philip that really made this trip unforgettable. The knowledge he had, from plants and animals to the technology to fight poachers, as well as his ability to spot animals on our drives was truly amazing. We enjoyed how small the lodge is (maximum 24 people), which allowed us to get to know some of the other guests. We were the youngest there by quite a bit, but everyone was happy to chat and get to know each other, and even play a board game or 2 together!

I cannot imagine a better safari & wildlife conservation experience in the Kruger than Jock Safari Lodge. With so much private land far from the entrance gate, you seemingly have the Kruger to yourself and fellow guests of the lodge. Expertly guided game drives brought us close to virtually every animal imaginable except the wild dogs, but the close encounters with all the Big Five plus hyena, giraffe, wildebeest, warthog, baboon, monkeys, and exotic birds were beyond amazing. The lodge, rooms and property are top notch and the staff is super friendly and attentive. The big braai on the riverside beach one night was an awesome experience. Finally, I was particularly impressed with the great work Jock does in support of protecting the endangered rhino population with their anti-poaching initiatives. Bravo, Jock Safari Lodge!!

We saw the Big Five in a day and a half - and twice! Without a doubt, absolutely exceptional service! They have a schedule of what you do every day, complete with early morning and late afternoon game drives. The food was delicious (especially the soup! Surprising, I know) and in a different setting every night. Patrick our guide is amazing and so knowledgeable and funny and we exchanged stories about our respective cultures and the conversations and memories will stick with me forever and changed my perspective on the world! Facilities are very nice and lovely especially given you’re in the literal middle of nowhere! Everybody should stay here if they’re deciding on a safari lodge.

This was our second time at Jock Lodge (and over a dozen times for me, more than two dozen for my South African husband), and we can't wait to go back! We've been coming to Kruger for years and found Jock as we were driving around the park, and we are so glad we did! The entire staff, management, and rangers at Jock Lodge are incredible and provide such a great experience, from the food, which is first class, to the lodging, which is quiet luxury in each of the sleeping rooms, to the rangers, who are so knowledgeable! We were lucky enough to have two of the best, Lazarus and more recently Dawid, they made our game drives so unique and unbelievable with the animals we saw - even better since they have a private concession that no one else can use, so you get the best of both worlds, private viewing with access to the entire park too. You must go, you won't regret it!

Our trip was sensational. Seeing the animals in their element (yes, the big 5) was a highlight of my life, Luxury accommodations, delicious food, amazing people/staff and worth every second! Extra high props to our Ranger Mayneth. This brilliant man knew every answer to every question…and there were lots. We knew how to read all of the animals body language, kept us safe and showed us the time of our lives. I would go back in a heart beat!

Ike our ranger was very knowledgeable and apart from lions we saw all the rest of the Big 5. Precious in the dining room was always happy. Rooms had lots of space. Outdoor shower and bed plus plunge pool were an added bonus.

We stayed for two nights and were treated to excellent hospitality and unforgettable experiences on our game drives. We were extremely fortunate to see all of the big five and our drives and sightings were enhanced by the consideration and knowledge of our guide. Highly recommended.

This was our first safari and absolutely won't be our last. We selected Jock Safari as we loved the "traditional" look of Jock, and we liked the idea of Jock having their own concession, so we didn't have to compete with crowds of safari vehicles. We also wanted to play golf at Leopard Creek and Jock is one of the lodges that is associated with the club and have access to make a booking. ||We spent four nights at Jock Safari and loved it. Our ranger (Jacob) was amazing. We enjoyed spending time with him (he's a very funny guy!). We were three couples travelling together, so Jacob was our ranger for each safari. On the first safari we saw 4 out of the big 5, and our second safari completed it by seeing a leopard. I don't know how he does it, but Jacob can spot animals at an amazing distance. He is so knowledgable and clearly loves and respects the wild animals. The lion cubs on the Jock concession were such a treat and so special to witness then playing together. We were really hoping to see wild dogs and Jacob delivered on that too. I know it's down to luck too, but we were very fortunate to see so many animals on each safari thanks to Jacob. ||Every morning the spa ladies would come to the breakfast room and take bookings for that day. The massages and the facials were lovely. The spa is really worth visiting.||There is room for improvement in the food at Jocks. We never had lunch as we were either at the spa, or were not hungry. The breakfasts were fantastic (try the eggs benedict with mince or the venison patty!). The ala-carte dinners were very nice and we enjoyed these (2 out of 4 nights), but we didn't enjoy the buffets dinners on the other nights. We would have much preferred ala-carte each night and it felt more in keeping with the price we were paying each night.||A big thank you to all of the staff, but a special thank you to Jacob, TK and Busi. Also lovely to meet Lazarus the GM who checked on us daily to see how we were.||If you are after high end luxurious accommodation this may not be for you, but if you want something styled in elegant colonial safari style with genuine caring friendly staff, you'll love it. I highly recommend Jocks.