Hot blankets would have been good as it was very cold

Nice place to relax with very good food.

Stayed in July 2025

I like everything about property and the experience. Just for those who are not enjoying driving, might be worth to consider to have pick up and drop off.

The scenery and how private it is and the immersive experience to witness magical elephants comes for their breakfast a while we are enjoying our breakfast, that was magical.

Stayed in July 2025

The access road is horrific - you actually need a serious 4 x 4. It is not recommended for normal cars at all.

Stayed in May 2025

Food

Stayed in May 2025

We had a 4x4 so the 25km drive in wasn’t too bad. But if you have a small car - please beware it’s very rough. It’s also far from the main Addo entrance, there are some animals in the lodge but not too many. Oh and spiders spiders spiders…but you’re in the bush so expect it!

It so beautiful! The room was amazing and we loved the out door tub! It was really hot when we visited and the pool was refreshing. It’s a really great escape. We also had the most amazing elephant walk with the 3 gentle giants on the lodge, absolutely incredible, our 2 year old loved it.

Stayed in March 2025

Access is quite long from the main road, but can't see how this could be changed.

Breakfast was excellent, rooms were comfortable and well equipped for such a remote location. Walking with the elephants was a humbling and exhilarating experience.

Stayed in March 2025

Nothing

Quietness

Stayed in March 2025

We did not have a great view from our chalet. The reclining chairs were ill placed and the front porch too narrow to use comfortably. Getting to the property is one difficult trip unless you come in a 4x4. It rained on our trip so we slipped and slid and almost got stuck in the mud. It was stressful drive out of the property on our checkout day. It would be great to have a shuttle service of some sort with roads like those, where we may leave our car at a property closer to the highway.

The lounging area was beautiful. Games are available to help yourself to. Our room was alright. We had a spa bath outside on the patio with and outdoor shower, however we could not use it due the weather. That was a nice touch to the accommodation.

Stayed in February 2025

Luxurious, charming ‘safari feel’ location and accomodation with cordial staff: Olivia, Kendra, George, Moffat, the chef/kitchen staff, elephant handlers and others made our stay (including elephant encounter and game drive) unforgettable. Thanks you all!

Stayed in February 2025

The road both in & out is very bad, high clearance vehicle needed. It took us 2 nearly hours from Addo Main Gate in our Toyato Cruiser. Paterson Road was also poor.

Chalets are well appointed & very private , essentially they are a fixed canvas tent with added roof & deck but they work. We booked on the day & for R3,400 dinner , bed & breakfast was good value . Great to see so Many international guests.

Stayed in January 2025

No AC in the bedrooms

The elephant walk and staff were amazing

Stayed in January 2025

The road to the lodge, specifically the last 10kms to the lodge need work, it is definitely not for a small car.

The accommodation was as in the pictures,the staff were great.

Stayed in January 2025

our room had an electrical issue, staff sorted it out the next day.

location , very tranquil

Stayed in November 2024

The 45 minutes drive on sand/rocky road to the camp from the main road..

The hospitality and scenic views

Stayed in November 2024

A few nights we had some bat friends wanting to say hi and even a mouse making a surprise appearance. But hey, we were in the middle of a reserve in South Africa! It’s all part of the adventure. Honestly, I’m just happy the lions didn’t decide to join the party! 🦁😅

My partner and I recently had the immense pleasure of staying at Barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge from the 21st to the 31st to celebrate both our wedding and my birthday. Spoiler alert: it was absolutely amazing! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warmth and genuine hospitality. A special shout-out to the chef who welcomed us with a dining experience that could make Gordon Ramsay blush. Each meal was a culinary masterpiece, and I’m pretty sure I gained a few happy pounds. Worth it! The staff at Barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge are the loveliest people you could ever hope to meet. Their friendliness and dedication to making our stay special were evident in every interaction. A heartfelt thank you to all the staff for their exceptional service and genuine care. The elephant keepers deserve a special shout-out for their incredible knowledge and the friendly, lovely manner in which they shared it with us. Their passion for these magnificent creatures was truly inspiring and added a unique and enriching dimension to our stay. Plus, who knew elephants had such great personalities? I’m convinced they could start their own reality TV show. Our bush and bird game walk was another highlight of our trip. Although I can't recall her name, the young woman who guided us was fantastic. Her expertise and enthusiasm made the experience both educational and exhilarating. It was like a nature documentary, but with way more laughs and fewer commercial breaks. In summary, our stay at Barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge was nothing short of magical. The people-facing role employees were wonderful, ensuring that every aspect of our stay was perfect. We left with hearts full of joy and memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge, for making our special celebrations even more extraordinary. We can't wait to return!

Stayed in August 2024

Not all services advertised were available such as Spa and electric bikes. Also our room is far from main area so if you need anything in terms of cooldrink you need to take a walk. Jacuzzi also linked to main geyser...so if you use Jacuzzi you can't shower after as geyser takes long to fill up. Not ideal in winter.

The staff were super friendly and helpful. Food was amazing..from the salads to the lamb shank and desserts !

Stayed in August 2024

Nothing much…the place was amazing.

Everything was spot on. Beautiful place and stuff. Amazing food by amazing chefs. It’s the little things that the stuff did to make us comfortable and enjoy our stay.

Stayed in March 2024

A few drinks in the fridge would have been good.

Beautiful location, great service, good food, delightful little spa, peace and quiet. Elephant encounter was awesome!

Stayed in March 2024

The approach road via Addo over the pass was somewhat tricky terrain, especially in a small hire car. More choice on the evening menu and a better selection of wines as we quite often asked for drinks on the menu that then weren't available .Some of the paths to the villas are steep and in places could do with a handrail due to the steepness and the paths cleared regularly..

The lounge restaurant area is lovely, the staff were very friendly and helpful. The elephant encounter was incredible well worth it. The evening food was good. The views from the lodges were fantastic.

Stayed in February 2024

We love that the cabins are remote from the main building but be careful if you have mobility problems as it is an uneven, gravelly hike up to them. Kids running in flip flops fell over a lot but this didn’t dampen our fun. We liked the adventure! If they weren’t where they were we wouldn’t have woken up to giraffe walking right past our veranda twice! Other guests said game drives on the property were not up to expectations, so we would suggest just the elephant walk (which was epic) then go to Addo elephant park for a day (1.5hrs away) which was amazing.

We loved the cabins- fun to be out on our own With view of the elephants (they stay in an enclosure at night and this is visible from most of the cabins). Food was great, especially breakfast with fresh fruit, yoghurt, muffins and hot choices if you like. Child-friendly options but children can eat the full adult meal (three courses) if they wish. Happy to alter things for taste (eg. No dressing on prawns). Swimming pool small but clean and fresh towels ready for us on loungers. Outdoor shower on veranda was amazing- can shower and look at wildlife at the same time. Tea and coffee in rooms and a good sized fridge with UHT milk. Staff friendly and helpful. Walking with the elephants was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and will never be forgotten. So glad we did that.

Stayed in February 2024

Access road took well over an hour to drive. It’s therefore too far to self-drive to Addo and back in a day (a 4-hour round trip) and still have much time to see the animals. The chalet was quite tired looking and could do with some updating.

Staff were fabulous, particularly Moffat. Elephant walk was a fantastic experience. Scenery was spectacular, especially the night skies. Food was very good.

Stayed in February 2024

It is really difficult to get to the lodge. We travelled from Addo elephant park and travelled through the Zuurberg Mountain pass. It was very challenging.

The accommodation is fantastic. You can just relax and soak up the beautiful Zuurberg Mountains. It is really something special and unique. The staff are excellent. They really go out of their way to make sure that your stay is pleasant.

Stayed in December 2023

Be aware that the location is via 25km of dirt road - we were able to do it in a saloon car but it took over an hour to do but worth the effort.

Fantastic facilities and design. Very relaxing and very good food. Loved the hot tub on the balcony and seeing the wildlife from the veranda. We even saw giraffe’s whilst having breakfast in the main lodge.

Stayed in January 2024

The dinner was "chicken casserole" - when it arrived, it was 2 chicken thighs, no sauce, rice and a small mixed plain stirfry - a bit disappointing. And also no milk/milk sachets in our room for coffee. But enjoyed the turn down service and welcoming fire when we returned to our room was a lovely surprise.

Game drive and our host was amazing.

Stayed in August 2023