Great opportunity has just arisen and need to make a quick decision.
 

Need to know which 3 of these lodges are the best. Can anyone help?? Zulu Nyala game reserve; mabula game lodge; kwafubesi tented safari camp; madikwe safari lodge;ivory tree game lodge; impodimo game lodge; ngala game lodge; phinda mountain lodge; phinda rock lodge; phinda vlei lodge; phinda forest lodge; kapama river lodge; kapama lodge; kapama tented buffalo camp; thornybush; kirkmans kamp; tinga (legends & Narina); lion sands river lodge; sabi sabi bush lodge; chobe and victoria falls

oops, never mind

reason?

div

My husband and I have a chance to go to any of these lodges and never have been on a safari or to SA. Want to see the most we can. Any input to any of these places would be greatly appreciated.

Are you attempting to stay at three or simply reduce your choice down to three.

Here's my selection based on:
A. Game experience, which is a combination of the quality of game density and variety, guiding, serviceability of the vehicles and condition of the roads, the latter equates to comfort on safari.

B. Quality of the hospitality (food and cheer of the general staff) and amenities on offer in the rooms at no extra charge.

Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge.
Phinda Forest Lodge. (but would include their other properties too)
Ivory Tree.

I have given you a what I believe to be the better options of each area that you have identified, purposefully, as each is in a somewhat different geography, which will give you a diverse game experience should you combine the three.

If you were just going to visit a lodge for a couple of nights, then budget will dictate the lodge you choose and I believe access and availability will have some influence as well. I do however suggest that for the best game experience of all these choices that you hone in on any of the Sabi Sand properties, where game does abound pretty much uniformly across the reserve.

Happy planning

sabi sabi bush lodge for the game especially leopards and lion population
any of the phinda lodges for cheetah and rhino, landscape and big game
madikwe safari lodge for the landscape and the big 5 plus cheetah and wilddogs.
just my choice

to me a vital question hasn't been answered which might have a great impact: how long are you intending to travel means being in the destination without travel days?

i would not opt for 3 lodges if i had just a week. than i would stay at SS bush and one of the phinda lodges.
10 - 14 days i would divide and opt for the three mentioned above.

div

We need to make 3 choices, but will only be chosen for one. We will only be at the lodge for 3 days due to other touring.

neitzel
you mean you have 3 nights in each lodge?
that sounds operfect for first time safari!

frankly - your posts are a bit puzzling.........but that's just a personal impression ;-)

anyway - i would love to be offered such a choice.

div

Hmm, sounds like a game - you pick 3 lodges out of the list, and then somebody else will pick one out of those 3 and send you there for 3 days.

If that's the case, be aware that a number of these lodges are in the same reserve. For example, all of the Phinda lodges are in the same reserve. The lodges differ in size, amenities, and relative location; but the game viewing shouldn't be significantly different. It looks like the same is true for the Kapama lodges.

So, you can game the system a bit. You could choose 3 Phinda lodges, for example, and would be guaranteed of going to Phinda. Or, you might want to avoid that situation, and choose the 3 best reserves and hope to get your first choice.

For the Phinda group, I would suggest Vlei or Rock. Forest and Mountain are larger, and I personally prefer the smaller lodges. I was at Mountain Lodge a few weeks back, and I had successive tour groups of 25-30 people come through. They tend to take things over.

Any insight on landscape differences?