Discover why Pumba Private Game Reserve is among the top African safari destinations

Pumba

Pumba Private Game Reserve is renowned as one of the top safari destinations in South Africa. Situated in the Malaria-free Eastern Cape, the Pumba Game Reserve offers exclusivity, great game viewing and excellent hospitality.

Each of the many game lodges around Africa tend to offer something different.  Pumba Game Reserve’s Water Lodge is unique in the Eastern Cape in that it sits on the banks of a large lake.  This ensures plenty of game viewing from the deck, restaurant, lounge and even from each of the private chalets.

The Bush Lodge at Pumba Private Game Reserve is, as the name suggests, all about the bush.  The chalets and lodge are surrounded by glass walls that offer an uninterrupted view of the surrounding fauna and flora.  The chalets are far apart to ensure privacy from other residents and thus ensure that you get as close to nature as possible while still enjoying the five star luxury.

Another special feature of this game reserve is the diversity of the environment.  The dense Valley Bushveld, open grasslands and mountain top Fynbos offer many opportunities to view the wide range of fauna.

Besides top accommodation, dining and entertainment facilities, the reserve is home to the famed Big Five as well as rare white lion and various other animals as well as more than 300 bird species!

Personal Experience

Pumba is owned by the Port Elizabeth Hotel Group, which also owns other properties such as The Beach Hotel, Hacklewood Hill, The Sands in St. Francis as well as Ginger, one of Port Elizabeth’s top restaurants. With this kind of pedigree you can expect top quality service and gourmet cooking.

And this is precisely what we found on a recent visit.  My family and I spent two nights at the Water Lodge where the rooms are spacious, private and each has excellent views over Lake Cariega below.

The bathrooms are huge and include an indoor and an outdoor shower. If you’ve never used a hot outdoor shower then you are missing out on one of life’s great pleasures.

On both nights, we slept deeply and peacefully, a testament to the comfort of the beds and stillness of the bush.

The lodge itself has sprawling lounges, large verandas and an excellent restaurant – all tastefully decorated in ochre and other earthy colours.

Large, comfortable couches, wood burning fireplaces, deep chairs and beautiful reference books ensured that the afternoon we spent at the lodge was most relaxing.

We’re a family that takes pleasure in gourmet cooking and who have an appreciation for fine dining.  With some knowledge, I can say that Pumba’s chef knows his trade.

Each meal, and there are many, is given due consideration.  Just prior to the early morning game drive light snacks and strong coffee are served.  The game drive returns to the lodge between 9.00 and 10.00 at which time breakfast is served.  The buffet has a delicious combination of health and Continental dishes and a hot English breakfast may be ordered too.

Lunches are light and tasty. Dinner, served after the evening game drive, is magnificent with a fusion of African, Eastern and European dishes.

As a family we love to talk around the dinner table and thanks to our excellent game guide we had plenty to discuss.

Our guide imparted his extensive bush knowledge with just the right mix of entertainment and education and encouraged our questions with witty and accurate responses.

The highlight of our stay was having a pride of white lion, with cheeky, playful cubs in tow, pass our game vehicle just a few meters away.

I love hippos and Pumba has these in abundance. Thanks to clear skies, I spent our last evening lying on our private deck marvelling at the brilliance of the Milky Way, while the hippos grunted in the lake below!

Accommodation at Pumba Private Game Reserve

bathroom pumba

At Pumba, accommodation consists of two lodges with amazing views of the Lake Cariega and surrounding landscapes. The Water Lodge is set amongst dense bushveld and features 12 stone-walled, thatched chalets leading off into meandering timber footpaths.

All 12 chalets open onto private game viewing decks with plunge pools and outdoor showers as well as inside bathrooms with tubs and double basins. In each one is an earthenware fireplace for the winter months.

Eight of the chalets – the Impala, are spacious with comfy King-size beds that can be converted to twin beds. Luxury is a common theme in all the rooms – expect attention to detail and quality décor.

The same level of luxury is to be expected in the Gemsbok Chalet – it however has a lounge area where you can relax with a book in hand.

The Kudu Suite is ideal for families or travelling companions. It comes with two bedrooms and a lounge area. Again expect attention to detail and quality décor. The chalet has a wraparound deck with private plunge pool and steam room.

The Msenge Bush Lodge offers 11 luxurious, glass-enclosed thatched chalets. Each one has its own private bush ambience including private timber game-viewing decks plunge pools and outdoor showers that overlook a watering hole on a floodplain and the breath-taking Zuurberg Mountains beyond.

Inside, expect bathrooms with separate shower and bath boasting magnificent views as well as luxury bedrooms with twin or king-size four-poster beds with percale cotton linen, seating areas and roman blinds for additional privacy.

Families or groups can make use of the Msenge 2-bedroom Chalet. This luxurious chalet comes with two private bedrooms with a shared entrance. It offers families the opportunity to experience the wonders of Africa under one roof.

Amenities in all accommodation options include bathrobes, slippers, hairdryers, mini bar fridges, tea and coffee facilities, access to Wi-Fi internet, air-conditioning and heating, ceiling fans, heated towel rails, mosquito nets (it’s still a Malaria-free area), electronic safes and direct-dial telephones.

Make an online booking HERE. See their rates HERE or take advantage of their Specials HERE.

Facilities at Pumba Private Game Reserve

pumba veranda

There are several facilities at Pumba Game Reserve designed to ensure you have a comfortable and memorable stay. Airport transfers to and from the Port Elizabeth airport are provided.

Other facilities include a guest library, bird hide, bush boma, gym, plunge pools with sun decks, health spa, curio and gift shop selling amazing souvenirs.

Dining is an experience at Pumba. From their restaurant, meals can be served in a variety of locations – central dining room or main decks. You can even arrange a private candlelit dinner. There is also a guest lounge, with satellite TV.

From the Bush Bar, you can watch the sun set over the landscape and the animals roam about while enjoying a refreshing cocktail.

Not venturing out? Discover true serenity while soothing your body, mind and spirit in their calming Soul Spa.

Thinking about hosting your conference, year-end or team building in the bush… The Pumba Water Lodge Conference Centre and Msenge Bush Lodge Conference Room have gorgeous surroundings and all the amenities that make successful events. There is also a private business office for delegates needing more privacy.

This lodge also boasts a spa and gym, as well as accommodation for up to 22 delegates sharing luxury chalets, each with their own private plunge pool.

Activities at Pumba Private Game Reserve

If you and your family love the outdoors; you will love Pumba Game Reserve. There is plenty at the reserve to keep you occupied for several days. Activities include Wilderness Walking Trails, Birding Safaris, Nocturnal Game Drives, Stargazing, Pangolin Accredited Photographic Safaris, Bass Fishing, and Archery as well as the Soul Spa & Gym, which were already mentioned above.

Find their daily game drive schedule HERE.

The little ones have not been forgotten. See their Kids on Safari programme.

Pumba Private Game Reserve is located at Highlands Makana Municipality, 6140, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Here is their location on Google Maps. For bookings, call +27 (0)46 603 2000 / +27 (0)41 502 3050; email reservations@pehg.co.za or visit them online at www.pumbagamereserve.co.za. Follow them on Facebook HERE or via YouTube HERE.

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About us

Actually, Home Food and Travel offers a lot more than just reviews of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.  We also visit great destinations, receive advice from interior designers and stop to smell the roses and taste the coffee.

Our team of journalists are seasoned travels and love visiting the myriad of exciting places around South Africa.  Whether it is off the beaten track or in the heart of the top attractions of the country, we’ll be there,

Home Food and Travel advice on finding the right accommodation

So what is the right accommodation?  Well more often than not, it’s your travel budget that dictates the type of accommodation that you choose. 

Expensive is not always better.  Our team at Home Food and Travel will tell you that they have camped in areas with limited ablutions and had a wonderful holiday.  They have also spent a night in a five star hotel only to be disappointed because their expectations exceeded the experience.

The reason for your travels will also affect your choice.  A business trip requires different amenities to a beach holiday. 

Our articles, reviews and experiences can certainly help you make your decision.

Restaurants with a good mix of service, food and ambiance

To my mind a great restaurant offers three things – excellent service, great food and a wonderful ambiance.  Of these, service is the most important. 

No matter that the food is delicious and the setting delightful, poor service can ruin the occasion.  However, great service combined with mediocre meal and a plane jane restaurant can still be a pleasant night out.

We’ve eaten in restaurants that are really dirty but with incredible food and couldn’t help but give a rave review.  We’ve also hardly noticed what we ate because the setting was just amazing.

However, the best restaurants come with the best of service, food and ambiance.

Spas are the ultimate relaxation aid

How do you know when you have had a great spa experience?  The answer, of course, is when you doze off on the treatment table. 

Well that’s our theory anyway.  It also doesn’t take a grand location with enormous facilities for a spa to be really good

A small, personal spa that is owner run can result in the best massage you have ever experienced.  However, the grand spas in five star hotels offer unsurpassed facilities in an environment that just makes the stress in your shoulders and neck melt away before you even finish checking in.

Adventure!

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junky to enjoy an exciting experience.  In fact, what are commonly termed adventure activities usually have incredibly high safety standards and unblemished safety records.

Ziplining, bungy jumping and shark cage diving are all very safe.  It’s just that our mind tells us we are craaazzzzyyyy to be doing this.

On the road to great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities

If you’re driving, be safe and make use of all the wonderful farm stalls that populate South Africa’s open roads.

If you overhear somebody asking a lot of questions or see someone taking photos of empty bedrooms chances are it’s one of our Home Food and Travel team members.

We’re out looking or those great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.

See you on the road!

 

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