Name: Ecca Lodge
Address: R67 Fort Brown, Grahamstown, Grahamstown, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa
Rating: 10

Smoke-free property

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Ecca Lodge

Grahamstown

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For our 1st family safari we selected the beautiful Ecca Lodge and we were not disappointed.

Doc and Thabang were the best guide and tracker, we had an amazing 3 days with them seeing all the big 5 plus many, many more. The refreshments and sundowners while out on the game drives were so good too.

The lodge was beautiful and we felt thoroughly spoilt throughout our time there. Who can complain when you wake to a herd of elephant in your backyard!

The service, food and drinks were all wonderful and our laundry was also done each day, which was so much appreciated.

I honestly would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone wishing to safari in the Eastern Cape.

Exceeded all expectations

The fact that we returned to Kwandwe for the third time is testament to the quality of the experience you will have when you visit. I did not think it possible, but Kwandwe has gone up another 2 notches! 

From arranging the booking, to friendly faces on our arrival, to the seamless transfer to Ecca Lodge, the team’s service could not be faulted, and no request was ever too much trouble. 

When you visit Kwandwe, you feel that you become part of a larger family of people who genuinely care about the wellbeing of not only their guests, but also of the environment and their fellow Kwandwe family members.

The game drives were tailored to us and our wish lists and done at a pace that suited us. No major sighting ever had more than one vehicle at a time, and rangers always had safety as their number one priority. Doc and Tabhang were encylopedias of information, and their passion for what Kwandwe has done, and continues to do, was very evident. 

The rooms at EccaLodge are huge with their own pool and mini bar and serviced discreetly multiple times during the day. 

Food is bountiful and tasteful, and presented beautifully. The staff the lodge know you by name and remember all your preferences - especially Sunshine who is literally a ray of just that. I highly recommend Kwandwe publishing a cookbook as I needed many of the recipes. 

Each guest is supplied with a refillable water bottle with their name on it, and a Kwandwe cap - a great touch. 

Kwandwe is very committed to conserving the rhino and this comes out in multiple things they do. They are leaders in many of their initiatives. 

Another amazing stay. Back home now to save for our next trip - we will be back!

Our third visit - Exceptional!

Our visit to Kwandwe was truly remarkable.  Rooms and service are spectacular.  We saw the big five and more.  Our guides Tristan and Silo were very knowledgeable and so much fun.  Harry, Travis and the whole staff are wonderful! We stayed in the Fish River Lodge—amazing room with an outdoor shower and plunge pool. A couple of mice visited us in our room on our last day but what can one expect in the bush? :)

We came away with a new appreciation for the rhino struggle.  We even got to see a mother rhino nursing her baby.  Conservation efforts  are making  huge difference. But devastating numbers of rhino are still killed each day due to poaching.  Glad there are places like Kwandwe to give this amazing species a fighting chance.  
Highly recommend Kwandwe!

A special place

From start to finish, an absolutely incredible experience.   Driving down the long gravel road, not really sure what we'd find at the end of it..  through the gates and into the reserve, more gravel road..  and some giraffes!! Warm smiles and waves as we arrived at the reception.  And the warmth, friendly-professionalism and the abundance of wildlife didn't stop till the very last minute of our stay (quite literally... the elusive cheetah made an appearance about 300m from the reception building as we were heading to check out and collect our car!).  ALL the staff at Kwandwe are amazing, welcoming, kind, professional.  The hospitality is abundant. The wilderness is just stunning, peaceful and absorbing.  The animals are incredible.  The lodges are beautiful, huge and so so comfortable.  Highly recommend.  

Outstanding safari experience 

We originally targeted to stay at Great Fish River Lodge, but due to renovation activities, which were communicated proactively, we decided to switch to Ecca Lodge.
I have no doubt, that whatever lodge you to decide to stay at at Kwandwe, will reward you in so many ways.
The premises and suites are stunning and the staff ensures you feel welcome and appreciated at any time.
From the first Hello at the reception, we had an amazing time and it felt so hard to say Goodbye after three nights at this outstanding game reserve. We visited others in the region and I would not waste a second again, thinking about going anywhere else than Kwandwe in the Eastern Cape.
The landscape is beyond beautiful, very diverse and we saw the Big 5 and so many other animals several times.
I would call myself very picky (and demanding) when it comes to  expectations around safaris. You will rarely find so much dedication, respect to nature and real interest in showing you what Southern Africa can offer!
Jason and Siya certainly did an outstanding job, I wish other safari experiences would have been just close to that. Thank you so much everybody for this wonderful experience, we will be back!!!

W-O-W

There are not enough words to explain how amazing this place was. From the people who work there who made our stay with their ready smiles and excellent service to the lodge itself which was beautiful. We were expecting a lot but this went far beyond that. The safaris were out of this world, our tracker and guide so knowledgeable and friendly and the food and drink was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble, the suite at Ecca lodge was enormous and spotlessly clean. Nothing can describe the sounds or the smells of this wonderful place and we are already planning a return trip. It is such a special place and we did not want to leave.  Special thanks to Courtney, Vuyani and Stacey who made our holiday so special. We dream of our morning coffee break watching the amazing animals from a spectacular vantage point and chatting to such lovely people. The night skies and the sounds of the lions are something we will never forget,  Would highly recommend.

Beyond amazing

A truly special place, vast majestic landscape with luxury accommodation and service. We had a family suite, huge double bedroom for us with a  large deck and a small infinity pool and our two children in single beds in what would normally be the living room. Worked perfectly for two nights. We didn't have great weather (it was April, you take your chances) which was unfortunate as I would've loved to spend our time between game drives on our deck and enjoying the pool and views but it was cold and raining. Our drive truck was uncovered but Kwandwe supplied fleece-lined hooded ponchos, hot water bottles, blankets, hot drinks...It felt like you were driving around in bed! Despite the conditions we had some amazing sightings (leopard, giraffe, cheetah, hippo, elephant, rhino to name but a few) and learnt a lot from our very knowledgeable, entertaining and tolerant guide Chris.  Kwandwe was by far and away the closest we've come to a genuine experience of viewing animals in the wild and at peace and we absolutely loved it.  The restaurant staff also deserve special mention - I don't know how they produce the food they do when the nearest shop is two hours away, the standard was excellent and they were unfailingly smiley and helpful, even after my son (various food issues) rejected his second re-made pizza (so sorry).  I'm extremely fussy and sensitive to my environment and I couldn't fault it. Top marks. Thank you for a visit that will stay with me forever. Magnificent.

The real deal

This was our family’s first time on safari. We chose Ecca Lodge because we were told it was kid friendly (our boys are 5 and 7) yet a high end experience. In short, it did not disappoint. 

The highlights, of course, are the game drives and all the animals you end up seeing. Each day and each drive was different. The top experiences were finding a mother cheetah making a kill and bringing it back to her babies, having a black Rhino come within just a few meters of our truck, and watching two leopards mating! These were all breathtaking and incredible experiences.

We were lucky to have Niko as our ranger and Ivan as our tracker. They are so knowledgeable and patient and great with kids. Niko taught our kids games he played as a kid in the bush. And one morning while my wife and I got massages, he took the kids out fishing. The kids loved them both and still talk about them and pretend to be Ivan or Niko when we go on hikes. 

The staff overall and great and very accommodating. They are super flexible to our needs and make anything seem possible. You also never have the opportunity to be hungry, as you can be fed up to seven times a day! We particularly enjoyed the surprise stops in the bush for either morning coffee/hot chocolate and snacks or the evening cocktails and snacks. 

The rooms are huge, so nicely equipped and very private. And the staff seemed to make it up almost 3 times a day.  

As this was our first safari, we have no benchmark for comparison. But we loved everything about Ecca lodge. The only opportunity for improvement I could suggest is to have more organized kids programs. Child minding was free but they didn’t seem to have a whole lot of activities organized. It didn’t detract from our experience - but could be an opportunity for an even better one. 

Incredible first time safari experience 

Our family had the most amazing experience here.  The accommodation and food were fantastic.  The staff, our Ranger and tracker were so great.  We saw the most amazing animals.  It is so hard to put this into words.  You just have to go there

Incredible place

We saw so many incredible cats here and the driver and tracker were amazing when it came to tracking down the animals.  Our 2.5 year old also came over in the afternoon drives and the babysitting and laundry service was free.  Food was brilliant as well.  The room was a L shape so allowed space for both us and our daughter, giving us privacy but knowing she was safe.

Ecca Lodge

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