Ngala?
 

Hi there - anybody been to Ngala or Ngala Tented - thoughts please. Did you have great game-viewing and were the accommodations luxurious?

Stayed at Ngala a couple of years ago and enjoyed really excellent game viewing of lion.

The accommodation was great although I must admit that I was staying in the only Safari Suite which features a fairly large private pool. I could even add that we had our 'private' elephant too since one elephant would always come and drink from the pool every morning...

The camp is fully open so that animals can be found roaming through the camp. We found ourselves walking to the restaurant facing a huge elephant on the walkway.

We fully enjoyed it.

Hello,

I've stayed at Ngala Tented Camp, and would highly recommmend it over the Safari Lodge -- there are only six suites and it's a much smaller, more intimate experience, as well as being more luxurious. Sleeping under canvas is a completely different experience to being in a lodge, and one I would highly recommend!

The tents are very spacious and are raised up on wooden platforms. They have indoor and outdoor showers as well as a nice deep bathtub and separate WC. Each tent has a porch with comfortable chairs. You can see pictures at www.ccafrica.com

As at all the CCA camps I've stayed at, the food was superb. There were the nice little touches that make a camp special -- one evening I came back from a game drive to find my tub full of warm water and bubbles.

The camp is open and animals often walk through during the night. I didn't see a leopard at Ngala, but I certainly got close to one -- there were tracks next to my tent one morning!

The game-viewing was very good -- there is a wild dog pack which is frequently seen around Ngala and I had the good fortune to see them when I was there. I also had some nice lion sightings, and was able to follow lion on the hunt and hear (though not see due to some bushes in the way) a kill. Night drives included a sighting of an African wild cat with kittens -- the best sighting I've had of this shy little carnivore to date. However, I must admit that I've had better game-viewing (particularly for leopard, which I didn't see at Ngala) in the Sabi Sands.

Cheers,
Julian

I also stayed at Ngala and like most CCAfrica lodges it was very good. The tents were lodge, however since they are tents, you do hear the monkeys climbing on them and the wind sounds are more pronounced if its windy. The food was good and the game viewing was good. I too was very lucky to see the wild dogs as well as lions and leopards. While I would recommend Ngala as a place to go, I have no plans to go back there a second time.

My pictures taken of Ngala wildlife can be see at:

http://www.pbase.com/mytmoss/ngala_south_africa_2004

michael moss

Ngala Tented Camp is amazing. The tents are luxurious with both an indoor tub and outside shower that is really fun to use.
The food is outstanding and very well presented. We were there 3 nights and there was a variety of presentations and one evening meal was very special with lots of candles and a fire by the pool, which I used each afternoon.

Really enjoyed the game especially the pack of wild dogs and other game. Would definitely return to Ngala Tented Camp and not to the Lodge. The staff at Ngala is very friendly as well as competent. I particularly liked having both a ranger and a tracker on the morning and evening game drives.

Sounds like ngala is a good visit when combined with some other place like, maybe Londolozi? I know, i wont be returning to Mala Mala.....

Julian, i do follow the ccafrica postings of their game sightings, and from what i read......Ngala has a lot of cheetah sightings also.....

Ngala looks like an excellent place to visit, as does Kings Camp, which, like Ngala, is also located in Timbavati.

Kings Camp is operated by the same owners as Leopard Hills in the Sabi Sand and Madikwe Hills in Madikwe.

Here is a link:

http://www.seasonsinafrica.com/lodges.htm

Correction...Kings Camp is marketed by the same company as Leopard Hills and Madikwe Hills, but has different ownership.

Looks like a great place, however, and here is just one sample report that got my blood pumping:

www.kingscamp.com/reports/2005_05.htm

I would like nothing more than to see a similar standoff between hyenas and lions!

We stayed at the Ngala Walking Safari Camp this passed summer and really enjoyed it. I wouldn't suggest this as a first safari experience since half the time was spent walking and half the time spent in the truck. You could get bored by the walking experience since all you want to do is see the big animals.

That said, it is CCAfrica and camp was very nice and the meals were amazing. It's alittle more rustic but the tents were still huge and comforable with big beds and furniture.

If your interested in seeing th big 5 I would head down to Sabi Sands.

Is the Ngala Lodge also known as the Main Camp? I have been quoted a decent rate for a combination of the Walking Safari Camp and the Main Camp and am trying to decide. I was quoted for the Main Camp because it is less expensive than the Tented Camp -- which seems to have very good feedback. Thanks :)

Hello,

Yes, Ngala Lodge is also known as Main Camp. It's larger and a bit less luxurious than the Tented Camp, but you will drive the same areas and see the same animals.

Cheers,
Julian