Jock Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park

Jock Safari Lodge in Kruger National Park is a truly beautiful and memorable retreat. Nestled in the southern part of the park at the confluence of the Mitomeni and Biyamiti rivers, the lodge blends colonial charm inspired by the classic Jock of the Bushveld tale with luxurious thatched suites, private plunge pools, and stunning riverbed views that make wildlife sightings feel effortless and immersive. The setting is breathtaking—lush vegetation, serene landscapes, and excellent Big Five game viewing in a private concession area. What truly stands out, however, is the exceptional staff. They go out of their way to ensure every guest is happy and comfortable, from personalized attention during game drives to thoughtful touches throughout the stay. Their warmth, knowledge, and dedication create a welcoming atmosphere that elevates the entire experience. If you're seeking an authentic, high-end safari with top-notch hospitality in one of Kruger's most historic and scenic spots, Jock Safari Lodge delivers beautifully. Highly recommended!

I just spent some time scouting Jock Safari Lodge and it has such a storybook, romantic vibe. It’s tucked away in this dense riverside vegetation at the confluence of two rivers, so it feels like a total secret hideaway. Unlike some of the more formal lodges, Jock’s feels earthier, softer, and just more soulful. The wildlife was incredible—we tracked a gorgeous leopard through the golden evening light with our guide, Mainard, and even saw a hyena nursing three tiny dark brown cubs right on the road! The rooms are pure magic, too; they are these totally private thatched suites with outdoor showers, plunge pools, and "salas" (outdoor daybeds) that are just perfect for a post-drive nap. But what really stood out was how they handled the vegan side of things. They surprised us with a massive riverside dinner lit by lanterns and a fire, and even though the other guests had a meat-heavy BBQ, the kitchen made us this beautiful spread of warming soup, grilled pumpkin, and a flavorful vegetable curry with jeera rice. And breakfast? They served it on a tiered high-tea stand filled with vegan sausages, pancakes, and savory chickpea fritters. It’s the perfect spot if you want that raw "in the bush" immersion without giving up any of the luxury.

Staying at Jock Safari Lodge was an absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. All of the staff were wonderful, always catering to our every need (and then some!) and we were surprised by how everything was planned to go above and beyond. The food is incredible, from the homemade snacks, breads and cakes, to fresh juices, range of drinks and excellent a la carte and buffet meals. I also can't praise Ike, our guide, highly enough. He truly made the stay unforgettable with his excellent knowledge, skills and warm personality to accompany us for all of our safari drives. You won't regret staying here!

We couldn’t speak highly enough about our experience at Jock and the time we spent with Jan our ranger. Despite the weather conditions and vegetation making it difficult to spot animals this time of year, he helped us see all the Big 5 and more (including rare wild dogs!) We will NEVER forget our sundowners while observing the lions! It was a blast and we loved Jan’s skills & passion. The lodge was incredible too - I think I had the most restful afternoon of my life snoozing on the outdoor day bed between drives. The food was incredible and we appreciated the cooks as well as Albert and the other servers. Highly highly recommend!!

We had a fantastic stay at this beautiful Kruger lodge. The lodge is very well designed, comfortable, and perfectly integrated into the surrounding bush.||||The game drives were excellent. Our ranger was knowledgeable, calm, and professional, making each safari both enjoyable and informative, with great wildlife sightings.||||The staff throughout the lodge were friendly and attentive, and the food was consistently very good. The atmosphere was relaxed and authentic, allowing us to truly enjoy the African bush.||||A great place for a high-quality safari experience — we would happily return.

There is nothing that can be faulted. The accommodation is designed for a stay in the wild with an opportunity to sleep outside. The food and service is excellent. The safari experience was out of this world and our guide, Lazirus was brilliant. Strongly recommend having your safari experience here, you will not be disappointed!

This was our third safari after Kenya and Botswana. We arrived with very high expectations, but also with more knowledge and experience, considering how passionate and familiar we are with the safari concept. I must say that every location is unique and every animal encounter is different — and despite all this, our guide Patrick at Jock Lodge still managed to surprise us.||We spent 5 nights and 6 days there, and every single game drive offered something new. This was by far the place where we saw the greatest variety and number of animals and birds, even with the rainy season approaching and the bush turning green. We saw at least 8 rhinos, 6 leopards, more than 20 hyenas, countless giraffes, elephants, zebras, buffalos, impalas, lions, eagles, owls, and so much more.||The service was exceptional, the food a true 10/10, and the best part of all was gaining a friend for life: our guide Patrick. With his humor and irony he became absolutely contagious, and he truly treated us like two sons.||We will miss the entire team and the unforgettable wildlife!

Recommended Jock by my brother. He did not let me down! Service incredible from every single colleague. Having elephants and impala just hanging out outside your room- Wowser. Room was spot on- everything you could need and well maintained. One of our fellow guests had a snake in their bathroom at one point but it was swiftly caught and removed. Had the opportunity to sleep out but didn't due to heavy rain, might just have to come back to go that as really feel we missed out. Food spot on- loved the rangers breakfast especially and tge riverbed dining. Our ranger was Mayneth. Great knowledge, great humour and really passionate about his home- Kruger. We must have posed him a million questions but he always had an answer. We saw some phenomenal sights including an elephant family mud bath, mating lions, a leopard up a tree with his impala kill whilst hyenas circled the tree. We saw everything we could possibly imagine, except buffalo! Mayneth was most disappointed he couldn't track them down for us but I guess there's another reason to return sometime. Absolutely recommend.