Ngalali Retreat

–Excellent location – show map
+79 photos
Scored 9.7
Rated exceptional

Staff

9.9

Property highlights

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About this property

Located in Grietjie Nature Reserve, 16 mi from the Phalaborwa Gate to Kruger National Park, Ngalali Retreat features accommodations with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. Boasting room service, this property also provides guests with a terrace. The air-conditioned rooms provide a garden view and come with a desk and free WiFi. The rooms at the guest house are fitted with a seating area. Rooms come with a private bathroom with a shower, a hairdryer and free toiletries. All rooms have a wardrobe. Ngalali Retreat offers a continental or à la carte breakfast. The nearest airport is Phalaborwa, 18 mi from Ngalali Retreat, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.7 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Most popular amenities

  • Outdoor swimming pool
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Airport shuttle
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Free Wifi
  • Free parking
  • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms
  • Bar
  • Breakfast

Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.7)

Breakfast Info

Continental, Full English/Irish, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free

  • Free Private Parking Available On Site

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Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

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Room Type
Number of guests
 
2 twin beds
1 twin bed
and
1 queen bed
1 king bed
1 king bed
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Guest reviews

Categories:

Staff
Facilities
Cleanliness
Comfort
Value for money
Location
Free Wifi

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Guests who stayed here loved

Paul
Netherlands Netherlands
“Wonderful location in Greater Kruger, Xander, Lorenza, Elly, Helen and all other staff were so welcoming and friendly. Organized tours were excellent, Everybody has great knowledge about the area and wildlife, we learned a lot. Also the...”
Graham
Canada Canada
“We arrived at the Ngalali Retreat after a long drive and Xander and staff helped us feel at home immediately. After a hearty lunch Xander introduced us to our first safari experience of the African bush. Xander is a true naturalist who, over the...”
Anonymous
United States United States
“The Ngalali staff was great and made us feel right at home, even better than home with its Uber cool surroundings. we saw giraffe, warthogs, and lions on the private reserve. Helen is an amazing chef who cooked up a storm everyday for breakfast,...”
Sofie
Germany Germany
“We had a really nice stay at Xanders. The food is amazing. Everybody was super nice - we especially loved our guide Elli.”
Hans
Netherlands Netherlands
“A great lodge in Grietjie Reserve and not to far from Kruger Park. Excellent food, outdoors eating, amazing staff, great hospitality from Alexander and his staff. The drives we did with Elly and Alex perfect. Lunch packs in the park amazing. Room...”
Sylvia
Germany Germany
“A real JEWEL next to Kruger Park surrounded by great wildlife, it feels like family to be a guest there. Thanks for offering such a cozy home :-)”
Manuel
Germany Germany
“Very nice place, nice people, nice food, nice adventures during the game driver and day in the kruger park - definitely recommend this place!”
Veerle
Belgium Belgium
“We loved everything at Ngalali retreat: the rooms are nice and clean and well decorated. The outside terrace with view on the pond is lovely: you can watch the animals from your seat. The food is delicious and the staff is really friendly. Lorenza...”
Stefan
Germany Germany
“The hospitality and food were exceptional! The whole lodge is beautiful and very clean. The waterhole right in front of the lodge was frequently visited by animals, especially elephants, which you can watch while having breakfast. What made our...”
Juri
Netherlands Netherlands
“Beautiful location, both Xander and Elly were great company and shared alot of knowledge about the animals. Helen and the other staff were also very kind and their cooking skills are amazing!”

Managed by Lycaon safaris (PTY) Ltd

Company review score: 9.9Based on 160 reviews from 1 property
1 managed property

Company info

Dear Guest, Welcome to Ngalali Retreat! My husband and I are living on site, I'm Italian and he's South African and we will be pleased to welcome and assist you upon arrival and during your stay at Ngalali Retreat. Our friendly hospitality will enhance your stay at the lodge, providing you delicious homemade Italian inspired meals along with South African wines tasting. We are certified nature/safari guides so you will have the opportunity to book with us guided game drives in our reserve, tours and activities around the surrounding areas of interest like the well renowned Kruger National Park or the Blyde River Canyon. Whatever we do, we do it with passion and love! Looking forward to hearing from you soon, Cheers!

Property info

Ngalali Retreat is a small lodge immersed in the African bush inside the Big 5 Grietjie Private Nature Reserve within the Greater Kruger Conservation area. It is conveniently located 26 km away from the Kruger National Park Phalaborwa gate. There are three en-suite bedrooms, an indoor dining/ lounge area, a communal patio with sitting and dining area overlooking the waterhole. The lodge was refurbished in May 2019 enhancing the African theme decor. It is surrounded by a natural bush garden with a large swimming pool accessible all year around where guests can relax and enjoy the view of the bush and the wild animals passing by. The property is fenced off for safety reasons. Its rustic and natural setting is suitable for those ones who want to experience the bush life, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of city life and relaxing in an informal and peaceful place without renouncing to comforts, delicious meals and free WiFi. There are no TV’s here. The meals, inspired by Italian cuisine, are prepared in our kitchen with fine and fresh locally sourced ingredients. Guided Game drives and bush activities are available from the lodge with private open game viewer vehicle.

Neighborhood info

In this area, the main highlights are the Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon with the Panorama Route, easily accessible from our lodge with day tours. Ngalali Retreat is conveniently located near Phalaborwa Hendrik Van Eck Airport about 30 km away and Hoedspruit Eastgate airport around 60 km away, which are connected daily with flights Johannesburg O.R.Tambo International Airport. As alternative guests can book shuttles connecting Johannesburg Airport to Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa or renting a car and self-driving to here. We do arrange private transfers from/to each airport. No public transport is available.

Languages Spoken

Afrikaans,English,Italian

Area info

Restaurants

1 Restaurant On Site
Restaurant #1
  • Cuisine
    Italian • Grill/BBQ • South African
  • Open for
    Breakfast • Brunch • Lunch • Dinner • Cocktail hour
  • Dietary options
    Vegetarian • Vegan • Gluten-free • Dairy-free

Amenities of Ngalali Retreat

Great facilities! Review score, 9.7

Most popular amenities

  • Outdoor swimming pool
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Airport shuttle
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Free Wifi
  • Free parking
  • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms
  • Bar
  • Breakfast

House rules

Ngalali Retreat takes special requests – add in the next step!
Check-in
From 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
You need to let the property know what time you'll be arriving in advance.
Check-out
From 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Cancellation/ prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Enter your stay dates and check the conditions of your selected option.
Curfew
The entrance to the property is closed between 21:00 and 05:00
Children & Beds

Child policies

Children of all ages are welcome.

To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.

Crib and extra bed policies

Cribs and extra beds aren't available at this property.

No age restriction
There's no age requirement for check-in
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Cards accepted at this property
American ExpressVisaMastercard Cash is not accepted
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed.
Parties
Parties/events are not allowed
Quiet hours
Guests need be quiet between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

The fine print

Must-know information for guests at this property

Please inform Ngalali Retreat of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

Payment before arrival by bank transfer is required. The property will contact you after you book to provide instructions.

This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.

Quiet hours are between 21:00:00 and 06:00:00.

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property.

In accordance with government guidelines to minimize transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19), this property may request additional documentation from guests to validate identity, travel itinerary, and other relevant info on dates where such guidelines exist.