Sarili Private Villa – Shamwari

Amidst the stresses of COVID, we decided to go away for a much needed family break and chose Sarili Lodge at Shamwari due to it being an exclusive use lodge - perfect for our size of family. As I leave this magical place…I feel compelled to write a review about the wonderful time my extended family and I had… Sarili lodge is a 5-star lodge within the Shamwari Natire Reserve. It consists of 5 luxury suites and due to it being an exclusive use lodge (you have to book the entire lodge for your stay), you have sole use of a lounge area, dining area, pool and expansive deck with views over a watering hole and reserve. You also have you own personal chef, game rangers, and house/lodge manager - everything you could possibly need for the most pampered stay. Whilst all the above speaks to luxury - what makes this lodge truly special, are the people who truly take care of you. Firstly, I want to mention Mino and Tim who are fantastic game rangers with a real warmth and hospitality that made us feel so at home. Mino has an incredible understanding of the reserve and it’s animals…he was able to track and show us all the special sightings - a lion kill, the birth of a giraffe, and the highlight was seeing all the Big 5 in one game drive! He is the most skilled and most passionate game ranger I have had the pleasure of meeting. He has a genuine love for his job and for nature. What was amazing is how he would tell us exactly what the animals would do - before they would do it - it should his understanding of their behaviour. Mino also went out of his way to do special things for us - from sundowners in the most magical spot - to a picnic in the bush for lunch. From the moment we met him - he went out of his way to ensure we had the most memorable trip - Mino - if your are reading this - you truly left us with the most special memories - I thank you. Tim was absolutely welcoming to the kids and adults. His energy and eagerness to please were so welcomed and appreciated by us all. He entertained us all - from playing with the little kids, to lovely chats with the adults. His knowledge of the bush and animals kept us all enthralled. And we all thoroughly enjoyed his game drives. He would stop along the way during the game drives and take time to explain to the kids and adults about the animals we were seeing. It added value to our game drives every time. Our lodge manager Mondi and his assistant manager Bianca were the most fantastic hosts. They tended to our needs (and sometimes our random requests) with such professionalism - but most especially with such warmth - it was like nothing was too much trouble. We were taken care off like royalty - and it made our stay absolutely special. They were always around to assist us with anything we required, and even spent time just talking to us and sharing their wildlife stories with us. Mondi shared so many stories of Shamwari and it’s animals. The food was consistently delicious and decadent - the quality of the dishes, the flavour and the variety were such a spoil. Our dietary requirements were met with ease, and any special requests were speedily met. It was a culinary delight! Shamwari is a magical place to experience nature in all her glory - we learnt so much and saw so many beautiful sights. I could go on and on about the unbelievable experience we had…but I will end my review by saying that this is a special place, with even more special people - and if you are looking for an everlasting memory - you will surely create one here.