Ngalali Retreat

Our stay with Xander and Lorenza was simply unforgettable – we wish we could give more than five stars! They are wonderful hosts who made us feel at home from the very first moment. The lodge stands out for its tastefully decorated rooms, plenty of space for short walks, and a spacious pool. A real highlight is the waterhole right in front of the lodge, which regularly attracts wildlife. Another highlight was the incredibly delicious breakfast and dinner served daily, leaving nothing to be desired. We booked activities like game drives and a boat cruise at the lodge. Elli is a great guide and he explained us everything from the ants to elephants. We’d love to come back!

Our stay at Ngalali Retreat was absolutely wonderful! It was an experience of a lifetime made all the better by the extremely knowledgeable Xander and his friendly and informative guide Elli. The day tours were amazing, so much on offer. The food was AMAZING and the rooms were absolutely immaculate. We spent four days at the retreat, having travelled around Capetown, Jo'berg and Klerksdorp. Ngalali was by far out favourite. Just sitting having breakfast in the morning was heavenly. The animals that wandered by were a treat. I'll definitely be back. Big thank you to Xander, Elli and all the staff.

There’s a reason Ngalali has all 5 stars! What an amazing place. Lorena and Xander have really created a special place and experience for all their guests. The beds are comfortable and the rooms have everything you could need. The breakfasts were also perfect (especially the omelette!) and we also really enjoyed all the dinners, especially the mix between Italian and South African cuisine. We enjoyed the homey feel at the dinners and all of our conversations with Xander and Lorena. They really made us feel like home! On to the game drives… Xander is so incredibly knowledgeable, we learned so much and this was the highlight of our few weeks in South Africa. Another bonus is his knowledge of birds, which makes this a great stay for birders. Rhinos, elephants, lions, watching giraffes from the pool… was out of this world. We also really enjoyed the sundowners with Xander, and the bush walk with Jan! Would definitely recommend this activity as well. We would love to be back at some point, and have already been raving about the experience to our friends and family (one of our friends already booked a stay later this year after they heard our experience) Thank you so much!! - Anna and Kevin