Reviews of Ngoma Safari Lodge

"The Ngoma Lodge vehicle driven by Sam picked us up from Kasane Airport after we had crossed the border from Namibia and dropped our hired vehicle off.

To get to the lodge we drove through Chobe National Park for about 20 minutes. The lodge vehicle dropped us off at the main building which was open to a fabulous view of the flood plain and across to Namibia. The dining area, bars and seating areas all had the same view and there was always some game to see (although there was also cattle from the Namibian side). There was a small pool just below the bar and a fire-pit area. There was also a water-hole which was well used.

Our room was the furthest from the main building which meant a bit of a walk but as that was pretty much all the exercise we got we didn't mind. It also meant there was a game path from the reserve past our room down to the waterhole which we saw giraffe, kudu and elephant using. Everyone was escorted to and from their rooms after dark but one evening we had to be taken down to dinner by car as elephants had invaded the camp. They had gone by the time we finished but we could see they had been refreshing themselves at our plunge pool.

The room was luxurious with all amenities anyone could need, lots of space, plenty of electric and USB charging points, chilled filtered water, a complimentary bar, kettle, coffee maker, biscuits and small sachets of milk which were replaced by a whole carton of milk when we asked for more...... and the view from the bed was very special. The staff member who took us to our room explained that no-one would ever walk past our windows so we should leave our curtains open all night and enjoy the view from the moment we woke, which we did.

Our plunge pool was on a small terrace which was open to the reserve and had a couple of loungers, a table and chairs and an outdoor shower, which we used as a hide to photograph some of the prolific bird life outside the room.

Food was very good and there was a choice at both lunch and dinner. Lunch was salads or sandwiches and a choice of desserts including milk-shakes which was a nice treat. At dinner, one of the chefs came out to explain the menu choices to each table and then orders were given to the hostess. The first night there was a wildebeest stew which was delicious. Breakfast was a lovely cold buffet on the deck and a menu of imaginative hot dishes cooked to order. Drinks were always available at the bar but if no-one was there to serve, guests were welcome to help themselves.

Game drives were good too and took place in the National Park, a few minutes drive through the Forest Reserve to the gate. We were assigned a guide called MK. One highlight of our first evening drive was a large herd of buffalo which we got very close to. So close that our G&Ts had to be drunk in the vehicle for safety but we didn't mind. After that another guide communicated that a leopard was making it's way through the undergrowth and MK worked out where it would come out and drove there very quickly. Sure enough, it appeared and walked slowly across our field of view. There were other vehicles around but we had the best sighting of it and lovely photos thanks to MK.

The next day we saw the buffalo again during both morning and evening game drives as well as a nice variety of other game. During the evening we had a very good view of a Verraux's Eagle Owl, a first for us and had sundowner drinks accompanied by a family of giraffe.

On our second full day, we did an all day activity - half cruising on the Chobe River and half game drive. The cruise was lovely and relaxed and we saw lots of the 'normal' game with a wide variety of water birds plus a couple of swallows who hitched a ride on our boat. We had lunch at a picnic area in the National Park and it was very good. There were very clean and modern toilets there too but no paper or soap. However, the vehicle carried as standard a kit which could be taken into facilities (including those at the Park gates) and which contained paper, hand-wipes etc. Excellent attention to detail.

On the game drive section we were able to travel further along the banks of the river than we had been before and watched multiple herds of elephant coming down to drink and cross the river. The buffalo also crossed the river at sunset for safety - MK explained that the Namibian side is not a National Park so there are no predators.

On our last morning as we made our way back to Kasane Airport for our pick-up to go to Zimbabwe, our driver Sam spotted a sable bull crossing the road in front of us. We stopped and then realised there was a whole herd of sable milling around at the edge of the woodland. We stopped to watch. There was a mixture of males, females and calves, around 19 animals altogether, including the dominant bull who stayed on the other side of the road, and they grazed for some time before we had to move on but it was a lovely way to end our visit.

We cannot recommend Ngoma Safari Lodge highly enough and would return in a heartbeat." See all these reviews: 19n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe

"Beautiful lodge with the most stunning views over the plains towards Namibia in the distance. Lovely bar and restaurant positioned just above a plunge pool and multi levelled patio deck.

Our room was very comfortable and with the same spectacular views over the plains from the bedroom and its own patio and plunge pool outside. The room was on two levels with a spacious bathroom and shower on the second level. Most welcome with the heat (38 degrees) was the aircon.

The staff were very friendly and attentive. There was a choice on the menu for lunch and dinner and the meals were excellent.

The game drives started by driving on the tar roads to the Chobe Game reserve gate and then a long uncomfortable drive through the forest with little or no sightings, before reaching the river and plains. Plains game were plentiful with many elephants and birdlife. It was not possible to get too close to the animals because of the terrain. Our guide MK was good company and he did in fact find a leopard sighting which was wonderful. Also, we came across 9 lions sleeping in the shade. They were spotted first by a large number of self drive safari vehicles in the area.

We opted to do a full day safari the next day including a boat safari which was very pleasant and then a game drive stopping for a picnic lunch and a drive back to the lodge late afternoon. The day was enjoyable although long and not too many sightings.

Not a safari location or activities we would recommend although the lodge was quite special." See all these reviews: 7n in Namibia; 6n in Botswana

"This was our favorite lodge! The management and staff were top notch. The rooms were amazing - with air conditioning. Loved the outside shower and dipping pools.

The meals were seated with menu options and the chef made sure we had what we needed every meal. The food was all very good and the views while eating were amazing. On Saturday nights, they host a traditional Botswana meal with entertainment by the staff. We also learned a great deal about the history of Botswana from the staff that was willing to join you and answer a million questions!

While the safari experience was a bit different since Chobe is a National Park and the guides are more limited where they can go, the wildlife was abundant. We even found an elusive leopard.

We spent one morning going to a local village meeting some of the locals and having the opportunity to purchase some of their work.

All in all, it was a great experience." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 4n in South Africa; 2n in Zimbabwe

"fantastic view and wonderful guide" See all these reviews: 4n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia

"Excellent service and comfortable rooms. Recommended

Good game viewing - hundreds of elephants in Chobe, very impressive" See all these reviews: 5n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe

"really nice" See all these reviews: 5n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe

"Ngoma Lodge was a wonderful lodge with an outstanding elevated view over the Chobe River and its flood plain --- a view you enjoyed from you room as well as the public and dining areas. The food was superb with probably the best chef of all the lodges we visited. The schedule was quite flexible and the guests interests were the primary concerns. The lodge had a small, cosy feeling.

Being very close to the Western entrance to Chobe NP it was less than 10 minutes to get to the Park. The wild life in Chobe is absolutely abundant --- after a few minutes drive into the Park animals (including large herds of Buffalo, Elephants, Impala, Baboons) appear at almost every turn. The variety of animals and birds in the Park, and especially close to the River, was greater than any other area we visited. It would be the first place to visit for a first time visitor on safari.

Being the least expensive of all five lodges, it is clearly offers the best value and we would rate Ngoma Lodge second only to the much more expensive Sandibe Lodge." See all these reviews: 9n in Botswana; 6n in Zambia

"Our stay was amazing. As this was our first Safari we did not know what to expect but the staff at Ngoma took a lot of care to see that we had a memorable experience.

Wesley and Roxanne were welcoming and made every effort to make us comfortable with the property and activities offered. Our guide Tabi was wonderful. His local knowledge of the animals and local bird life was very impressive. His ability to seek out viewing spots and describe the animal behavior enabled us to see the abundant wildlife living in the Chobe area. He really made every effort to make each day unique and special.

The food offered was amazing with the personal attention to detail that enables one to truly indulge. The staff worked very hard to please and catered to every individual wish. They were proud of what they did and genuinely concerned with the satisfaction of their guests. ." See all these reviews: 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia

"This is a relatively new and very upmarket lodge. Cabins are beautiful & excellently furnished/provided. Indoor & outdoor shower as well as plunge pool. Elephants apparently drank form our plunge pool but sadly we weren't there to see it.

Meals were excellent with multiple choices and cooked to order if any of the menu didn't suit. This included gluten-free options
Expansive views across the river valley with herds of buffalo, zebra & wildebeest visible. Also animals come to the distant waterhole.

Again the guides here were excellent & patient so we had many sightings & were able to spend quiet time just observing.

A positive is that the lodge has a boat and you can spend much of a day on the river & see crocs, hippos & many water birds that can't be seen elsewhere.

A minor negative is that the river valley is quite long so generally game drives include quite a long distance "in transit".

This park has a very large elephant population and sightings are frequent, up-close and with very large herds. SO if you are an elephant lover this is the place.

It is also a relatively short distance from Kasane airport (quite new & modern) with paved road all the way." See all these reviews: 4n in Botswana; 4n in Zimbabwe

"We entered back into Botswana from the Caprivi Strip at Ngoma, once again without difficulty. One tip however is that as Botswana is particularly keen not to let foot and mouth disease into the country, there are regulations that EVERY pair of shoes you have must be dipped in a disinfectant bath on entry. Have them easily accessible and it will avoid having to unpack your luggage to find them.

We found this spectacularly located lodge very much to our taste. High quality, friendly, informal and very efficiently run by Judy, who we understand was the relief manager - a lovely lady! As with all the places we stayed, Ngoma catered for our preference for an individual table for meals outside without any problem at all and this was appreciated.

It is outside the Chobe National Park but there is a gate within 15 minutes drive. We were there at the peak of the dry season and so the reality was that all roads lead to the river's edge as the animals all congregate there for grazing and water. Makes for good sightings of mixed game.We particularly enjoyed the all-day safari. Drive for an hour to Kasane and board the lodge's boat for a couple of hours game viewing on the Chobe river. Then travel through the park - stopping for a picnic lunch - during the afternoon back to the lodge. Recommended." See all these reviews: 10n in Zimbabwe; 6n in Botswana; 4n in Namibia