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Kwandwe Ecca Lodge

Our rating

8/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Located in Kwandwe Game reserve
- Great 'kids' activities
- Big Game Walking Safaris
- Luxurious accommodation

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Overview

Ecca Lodge is located in the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. It is surrounded by 22 000 hectares of exclusive, malaria-free wilderness that features 30 km of privately owned river frontage along the Great Fish River. The Kwandwe area is home to the endangered 'Kwandwe' or blue crane, South Africa's national bird, among various other game.

Ecca Lodge is the most recent addition to the Kwandwe family of safari lodges. It consists of six suites, each with its own private plunge pool, covered verandahs, large en-suite bathrooms and separate lounge areas. The suites are decorated in a unique modern-chic style with vibrant colours, Warhol-like prints, funky bean bags and retro light fittings. Large glass doors and wraparound wooden decks maximise the indoor-outdoor flow with the surrounding acacia, spekboom and aloe-covered valley. There is an open interactive kitchen, a lap pool, and an interpretive library in the main lodge. It is a 15-minute drive away from the well-stocked Safari Shop.

Run together with its sister lodges, the safari experience includes daily morning and afternoon/evening game drives for sightings of the big five along with other unusual species such as the porcupine, aardwolf, or aardvark. The award-winning guiding team also offer nature walks for a more thorough exploration of the native bush, and 'up close and personal' experiences with wildlife. The Big Game Walking Safari offers the thrill of tracking rhinos, elephants, and buffalo on foot with an armed ranger and trackers. Other activities (with advance booking) include fishing and volunteering activities at the Mgcamabele Community Centre. For additional cost, there are options to go on a 'Save the Rhino' drive, a Rhino Conservation safari or a photographic safari, including photography workshops. To relax from the excitement of game tracking, in-room massage treatments are available.

Ecca Lodge is a great place for families. Children of all ages are welcome, with a maximum of two children aged 16 years and younger allowed with parents. Children are given a welcome pack, there is a kid's play centre, and a children's menu is available. Although children under 5 cannot participate in organised game drives, and children aged six to 11 may only do so at the lodge's discretion, a private-use vehicle can be hired to accommodate children. Alternatively, babysitting can be arranged at no additional cost, and there are many other activities for children, including a daily ‘Stripes & Hooves’ adventure — a one-hour morning game drive to view ‘non-aggressive’ game, a ‘Bugs & Bones’ walk, fishing trips, sand art, face painting, baking, Plaster of Paris and chocolate fun, storytelling, eco-educational board games, movies, and so on. Families can also participate in Kwandwe’s voluntourism activities, including gardening, crafts and knitting activities.

What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 534 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • Thank you, we had an absolute wonderful time, and everything was well-planned and as described. Carla was crying on the day of our departure from Ants Nest, she didn’t want to go home and for it all to end, and when I asked how much longer she would want to stay, she responded “four weeks”

    MissingLars B reviewing Best of South Africa for Families on 01 March 2024

  • It was certainly a holiday of a lifetime for us and we loved every minute!! The standard and location of each accommodation was excellent, as was the variety of each different accommodation type. Our schedule was perfect and we managed to achieve everything on our to-do task list. Your documents were also really helpful, as were the driving directions. We all thank you for making this such a wonderful holiday. Happy to leave a review publicly if you point me the right way. Best Steve

    MissingStephen H reviewing Classic Garden Route & Eastern Cape Safari on 01 September 2023

  • Hi Lisa, We had a fabulous time thank you. The accommodation and other ideation were all terrific - that’s so much for your help. The apartment in Cape Town was particularly good - we would never have found that: Boschendal was great as well and game lodge was superb. Thanks again, Alistair

    MissingAlistair A reviewing Cape Town, Garden Route and Kruger on 28 April 2023

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