Reviews & Comments

Showing 26 reviews (ordered by date of stay, most recent appearing first).

Verified reviewexcellent

I have just spent an amazing christmas at LeoLapa! My trip was made by a herd of over 200 elephants walking down in front of the house to the river to drink. I have been to the bush many times and have never witnessed such an amazing site. We all sat in the pool with our drinks in hand and watched as the elephants came in thier hundreds. The house itself is stunning and I couldnt have asked for a better place to spend my chrismas!

December 2017

Kirsty (Sandton)

Verified reviewexcellent

Lions hunting and a cheetah If you are reading all the other reviews and thinking "Can this place really be so great" - let me tell you, it is. And its now got wi fi too. We saw from the deck elephants, buffalo, hippos, rhinos, crocs, impala, monkeys, warthogs etc. On the game drives we saw even more including lions hunting and a cheetah with its very fresh kill. The house is enormous, it's facilities are first class (3 guest toilets, 5 outdoor showers to complement the 5 en suite bathrooms, pool, pool table etc), the staff look after it well and the views are just great. Amazing!

October 2015

Family B (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Where luxury and the bush meet. We enjoyed our stay immensely. The accommodation was superb. It included the ultimate in luxury coupled with the best the bush has to offer. Highly recommended.

April 2015

Rachel Port (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Amazing My husband and I took 8 friends to LeoLapa in August 2014 to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was a week none of us will never forget. It is situated right on the river so you can view game from the luxury of the Lodge. The staff are fantastic and the accommodation is first class. We hope to visit again really soon.

January 2015

Terry Roodt (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Staying at Leo Lapa and Buffalo Brook 19 very good girlfriends and we are having such an amazing time. So much laughter. The view from both houses is outstanding. As I write this 2 giraffe on Kruger side a family of water buck right in front of me. Hippos playing in the river, birds chirping, Had Ellies crossing river yesterday and on our game drive last night 5 lions chasing buffalo and then the buffalo got seriously cross and chased the lions. wow

August 2014

Sue Rice (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Best place in the World. Seen Leopard kill and Lions hunting buffalo opposite the house on the other side of the river. Seen Cheetah and fantastic bird sightings. Watched lion hunting buffalo earlier this year and now understand how they go about it. We had Elephant eating 3 meters from the fence Fantastic place to really relax and Leo Lapa is fantastic accomodation in the Kruger Park. 6 stars

May 2014

Clive Rice (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Leolapa is a beautiful place. We got married this time last year and Sascha was ever so helpful. The staff was on to clean and in general do whatever extra things we needed. It was so peaceful there and we loved being so close to the river. On our wedding day we had a heard of elephants dropping by which was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. One day we hope to go back!

June 2013

Sue (International)

Verified reviewexcellent

Unbeatable location and superbly equipped and set up. Worked fabulously well for our multi-generational group. Fantastic array of animals viewed from the deck every day.

June 2013

Liam Ratcliff (USA)

Verified reviewexcellent

I have just spent an amazing christmas at Leo Lapa! My trip was made by a herd of over 200 elephants walk down in front of the house to the river to drink. I have been to the bush many times and have never witnessed such an amazing site. We all sat in the pool with our drinks in hand,and watched as the elephants came in thier hundreds. The house itself is stunning and I couldnt have asked for a better place to spend my chrismas!

December 2012

Kirsty Sidwell (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

We spent the most wonderful week in Leolapa at the beginning of October. What a beautiful, spacious and luxurious lodge it is. It is really "over the top" quality and living at its very best. Everything was there that you could wish for. We made good use of the bar and the braai and of course enjoyed watching the rugby. The only regret was of course that the Springboks did not make it. We loved it on the patio, relaxing and chilling out, enjoying the fantastic views and we saw quite a lot of game come down to the River - elephants, buffalo, all sorts of buck and of course the hippos were there to stay. One night elephants came up to feed on the bushes by the fence just a few feet away from the patio. Awesome! We really have unforgettable memories of our time at Leolapa and we all intend to return again one day and enjoy the South African bush, staying in one of the most stylish and upmarket lodges on the Crocodile River. Thanks Sascha, Yanka, Heinz and Este for everything.

October 2012

Bernice Himmler (Switzerland)

Verified reviewexcellent

Had an absolutely amazing stay at Leo Lapa. Couldn't ask for a more beautiful setting with a more luxurious home. Everything we could have dreamed, big five sightings right from the pool, fantastic air conditioned rooms, gorgeous kitchen and entertainment area. The lodge Ranger, Bianka was a star and kept us entertained for hours! We will definitely be returning SOON!!!

September 2012

Jade du Toit (Northcliff)

Verified reviewexcellent

The perfect breakaway for anyone! Luxurious accommodation with the most wonderful atmosphere and stunning views of the river for everyone to enjoy. Super game drives with lots of animals to see...but the most wonderful part is waking up in the morning...and majestic animals like the rhino & elephant are feeding at the river, only a couple of hundred metres away from where you can comfortably enjoy your first cup of coffee.. Definitely a must see...

June 2012

Liana Boyd (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

We've had the absolute fortune to stay at LeoLapa twice now and it's heaven in its own right! What's better than having an ice cold drink from the luxury of the swimming pool overlooking the Crocodile River and spotting the Big 5 from where you stand! Leo Lapa is AWESOME! Thank you SO much!!!

May 2012

Lisa H (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Loved my visit to LeoLapa. A beautifully appointed house with incredible views. Animal sightings were plentiful.

May 2012

Theresa Garden (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, it has world class status. Extremely well designed luxurious Kruger Park experience. The self contained private suites are wonderfull as well as the patio and entertainment area and views incredible. Well done allround it is a fantastic destination!!

May 2012

Pauline Thorne (Joburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

We stayed at Leolapa in November this year. To say that we lived like millionaires would be a lie, staying at LeoLapa was like living the life of a multi-millionaire. Everything about our stay was absolutlely amazing. The accomodation was awesome. Sascha was amazing and made our stay so very special, thank you so much Sascha. We went on 3 safaris and saw four of the big five. Cant wait for our next visit.

November 2011

Marie West (Joburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

Mike and I spent the first three days of our trip on our own and I must say the house really lends itself to either two people or a full house and we were very happy on our own. The fact that the majority of the rooms are behind you (if you choose a room close to the lounge) means that you don't feel that you are rattling around. We loved just lazing on the patio, reading our books with binoc's and bird books close at hand. Our first day we chose to stay at home. On waking, from my bedroom window, I saw a Cardinal Woodpecker that stayed around all day. Going onto the patio to identify it, I also saw a Goliath Heron fishing at the Hippo Pool. The tree in front of the house is a constant ‘bird party' and kept me entertained all day. A gazillion lbj's (little brown jobs) led to much discussion and the bird book got lots of use. We settled under our umbrella's and had a constant stream of game coming down to drink. Every time I looked up from my book another ‘rock' got my attention and up went the binoc's. The hippos kept us entertained when the bush had gone quiet. A bush buck is living in the bushes directly across from the swimming pool. Two enormous crocs visited the sand bank in the middle of the river. We had lots and lots of Ellies come down all along the river throughout the day and the buffalos came down to the river bend away to the right. On the opposite river bank, we saw impala, warthogs, kudu, monkeys, giraffe. Two Rhino came down to the river to the left. The second morning as I came through to the lounge to make a cup of tea, there were two big male waterbuck directly outside the kitchen window (on the empty plot). After making eye contact with me through the window, they moved down to the fence and from a standing start, simply jumped the electric fence. I was amazed. What a lovely way to start the day. We went into the Kruger for the better part of the day and apart from some lions didn't see much more than we had seen from the patio. So on the third day, the patio won and we were forced to spend the whole day on our loungers again – it was hell being in Africa! We were joined by a house full of people that evening and we took them on a game drive to show them the reserve. We drove down to the dam and had sun-downers being entertained by Ellies swimming and irritating the hippos. The reserve didn't disappoint and aside from the normal suspects, we saw a huge herd of buffalo, at least 200 strong, probably more. We ID'd from the patio - Chinspot Batis, Paradise Flycatchers, Goliath Heron, Saddlebill Stork, African Spoonbill, Egyptian Goose, Grey Heron, Fish Eagle, Red Wing Starling, Cape Glossy Starling, White Bellied Sunbird, Crested Barbet, Southern Yellow Billed Hornbill, Green Wood Hoopoe, Pied Kingfisher, Grey Lourie, Fork Tailed Dronga, Arrow Marked Babbler, African Red-eyed Bulbul, Great (White) Egret, Hadeda ibis. Over and above these we saw a beautiful Marshall Eagle in the reserve itself. We seemed to go from one magical moment to another, and all in all, another wonderful couple of days.

October 2011

Wendy and Mike Sidwell (Bryanston)

Verified reviewexcellent

Our stay at Leolapa was incredible. A first time for us in South Africa and what an experience. What wasn't there to like? You are in the Kruger park surrounded by all of these amazing animals - most of which I'd never seen before - in a stunning house overlooking the river that frequently attracted elephants and hippos to bathe and drink. Leolapa was five star all the way, so spacious and beautifully finished and furnished with a feeling of being at home as soon as you arrived. Let's not forget the Leolapa bar which catered for our every need, and a magnificant outdoor bbq area that is just perfect for socailising in large groups. Add to this the swimming pool that looks onto the river and I think you have the picture. Should you got to South Africa? Definitely! Should you go to the Kruger Park? Without a shadow of a doubt (apart from my friend's wedding the Kruger was by far the highlight of my trip) Should you stay at Leolapa???????? GOD YEAH!!!!! I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else. Enjoy your stay - I am already jealous.

August 2011

Julia (England)

Verified reviewexcellent

Leo Lapa is such a wonderful place and great to see Bianka has the staff totally committed, makes a huge difference. My daughter and her friend had a wonderful time, especially the Lion's, Wild Dog and Hyena visit arranged by Bianka. I would suggest the mattresses are turned on a more frequent basis to avoid sagging.

July 2011

Brian Meacher (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

We had a wonderful visit last month, with excellent facilities, wonderful company and good sightings. We can only wish you all the best in running the lodge in the future

July 2011

Moira and George Adelaine (Joburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

We had a wonderful stay and our guests loved every minute of it. What a treat to be able to spoil friends and family in such a beautiful setting. The house and the service is 7-star.

July 2011

Wendy Sidwell (Bryanston)

Verified reviewexcellent

After a fantastic game drive around `our` farm where we had close up views with two lots of lions, excellent sightings of Rhino, Elephant and Giraffe mixed with a nice selection of bird life which included Purple Crested Rollers, Lilac Rollers and Eagle Owls we returned to the house only to arrive as about 300 Buffalo were about to cross over to `our` side further up the river. It was fascinating to watch the herd make its way across in one long line but when about 80 had crossed many started to turn around and go back. Sporadic groups would then attempt to cross only to turn around and retreat to the other side. In one of these attempts we saw a mother with a fairly small calf start to cross in the middle of group of 30, something spooked them and some raced across whilst the others turned back. The mother and her calf were separated from the others only by about 10 meters and were now in the middle, we saw why they began to panic, a very large croc was swimming towards them. The calf desperately tried to hide behind its mother to no avail as the croc lunged in and grabbed the calf. The calf was bellowing loudly as the mother frantically thrashed at the croc with its hooves to try and get the croc to release her calf. There was not a chance that the croc would release its prized meal and with lots more thrashing by both animals the croc slowly retreated into deeper water with the calf held firmly by it back leg until it eventually disappeared under the water. The mother spent a few more minutes bellowing and walking around in circles until it decided to leave the water and join all the remaining buffaloes on the two banks. Not one buffalo made any further attempt to cross and eventually all disappeared into the bush leaving us saddened but excited we had been so lucky to witness such an event. We did not take any pictures as we were not carrying our cameras so this event is etched only in our memories of a wonderful weekend spent at Leo Lapa.

July 2011

David Bailey (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

I had the most fabulous stay at Leolapa. Even though the animals were in hiding and it was cold nothing could take away from this wonderful experience. The accomodation is beautiful, the staff were so friendly and helpful but most of all the view from the veranda is awesome. Who needs more!!!

June 2011

Carol Rundle (Johannesburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

I can safely say from the entire Morrison Family a big Thank you. We had a wonderful time at Leolapa the experience will be one very fondly remembered. There are very many positives from our stay which included the spacious open plan living room, dining room and bar. The great outdoor area with a fantastic pool, in which the kids swam and swam and swam. The cleaning service by the two ladies was exceptional and it was a pleasure to have them around, even when we all went out for a days drive into the Kruger we missed nothing. My wife Natalie I know summed up the week, it was like staying in a top billing house - unbelievable!!!!

January 2011

Rogan Morrison (Joburg)

Verified reviewexcellent

The best game lodge we have ever stayed at!!! Spent 6 nights at Leolapa to close our South African adventure, and what an end it was - Big 5 viewed by breakfast time the first day!!! The House is majestic and seems to draw attention to beautiful animals, we sat on the huge terrance often and ate cakes and sipped tea as elephants, rhinos, hippos gazed back at us from the river beds, memories of the sundowners in the pool at the end of a day in Kruger will last with me forever. . . . we will be back LeoLapa, we will be back!!!

December 2010

Gordon Rodger (Oman)

Verified reviewexcellent

Leo Lapa was the final part of our South African Adventure. We started in Cape Town and we both thought mmm, this can't get much better, then we got to Leo Lapa and we soon realised that we had walked into the icing on our South African cake. From the minute we walked in the front door of the lavish LeoLapa we instantly relaxed and wound down into 'LeoLapa' time zone. We were so lucky we viewed the 'Big 5' in under 24 hours, we ate the most amazing food, we slept in the most comfortable beds, we watched the Wallabies give the Springboks a good hiding, we saw more varieties of birds that we had seen in our whole lives, we ate more Biltong than any South African had eaten ever and we did it all with some of greatest friends. It was an amazing trip in an amazing location. Only trouble was didn't stay long enough! Loved it!

November 2010

Matthew Renolds (Australia)

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