Airport shuttle

Ngalali Retreat

Farm 76 Grietjie Private Nature Reserve, 1390 Grietjie Nature Reserve, South Africa
–Excellent location – show map
+37 photos

Ngalali Retreat

Lock in a great price for Ngalali Retreat – rated 9.8 by recent guests!

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Lock in a great price for Ngalali Retreat – rated 9.8 by recent guests! to get started.
Scored 9.8
9.8
Rated exceptional
Exceptional
160 reviews

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Located in Grietjie Nature Reserve, 16 mi from the Phalaborwa Gate to Kruger National Park, Ngalali Retreat features accommodations with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. Boasting room service, this property also provides guests with a terrace. The air-conditioned rooms provide a garden view and come with a desk and free WiFi. The rooms at the guest house are fitted with a seating area. Rooms come with a private bathroom with a shower, a hairdryer and free toiletries. All rooms have a wardrobe. Ngalali Retreat offers a continental or à la carte breakfast. The nearest airport is Phalaborwa, 18 mi from Ngalali Retreat, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.8 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Most popular amenities

  • Outdoor swimming pool
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Airport shuttle
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Free Wifi
  • Free parking
  • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms
  • Bar
  • Breakfast

Property highlights

Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.7)

Breakfast Info

Continental, Full English/Irish, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free

Free Private Parking Available On Site

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Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

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Room Type
Number of guests
 
2 twin beds
1 twin bed
and
1 queen bed
1 king bed
1 king bed
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Guest reviews

Categories:

Staff
9.9
Facilities
9.6
Cleanliness
9.8
Comfort
9.8
Value for money
9.6
Location
9.7
Free Wifi
8.8

Select topics to read reviews:

Guests who stayed here loved

  • Graham
    Canada Canada
    “We arrived at the Ngalali Retreat after a long drive and Xander and staff helped us feel at home immediately. After a hearty lunch Xander introduced us to our first safari experience of the African bush. Xander is a true naturalist who, over the...”
  • A
    Anonymous
    United States of America United States of America
    “The Ngalali staff was great and made us feel right at home, even better than home with its Uber cool surroundings. we saw giraffe, warthogs, and lions on the private reserve. Helen is an amazing chef who cooked up a storm everyday for breakfast,...”
  • Daan
    Netherlands Netherlands
    “amazing place amidst wildlife. Great hosts who will go out of their way to make your stay as best possible. great food and service!”
  • James
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    “From the moment we arrived we were made to feel very comfortable, treated as guests rather than customers. We enjoyed spending meal times with our host and other guests, and the frequent visitors at the front gate watering hole!”
  • Bart
    Belgium Belgium
    “Great location inside the Grietjie reserve, and wel accesible on the route to Krugerpark or the panorama route. Helpfull staff, great activities ( sunset drive,...) and great breakfast and dinner with possibility to spot wildlife from the terrace...”
  • Tessa
    Netherlands Netherlands
    “Very beautiful and lovely place in the middle of the nature. We stayed in the Lions Cottage and it was great! The staff is great. Xander took us on a extra game drive to see the rhinos! Helen is an amazing cook. We did a evening game drive, boat...”
  • Franzi
    Germany Germany
    “Beautiful place in the „wildness“. Very lovely rooms with a lot of decoration. Amazing breakfast and dinner! The owners are really nice and there are just 4 rooms so it’s very personal. We did a safari with the owner - it was really good. Lots of...”
  • Tamara
    Austria Austria
    “Beautiful resort in the middle of nature with very friendly, helpful and welcoming staff and hosts :) The rooms are super clean, comfy, well equipped with nice furniture and decoration. As there are just a few rooms on the property it’s very...”
  • Mthethwa
    South Africa South Africa
    “Wow what an amazing time we had, thank you the owner's for being so welcoming, the overall experience was amazing the food was delicious especially the breakfast all the staff were so amazing”
  • Oscar
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    “Amazing stay, Xander was a great host. I went with my mate for a few days and the location was exceptional. Being in a private reserve, on arrival at night in our rental car we saw elephants on the first night! The food,staff and trips were all...”

Managed by Lorenza & Xander Hill

Company review score: 9.9Based on 159 reviews from 1 property
1 managed property

Company info

Dear Guest, Welcome to Ngalali Retreat! My husband and I are living on site, I'm Italian and he's South African and we will be pleased to welcome and assist you upon arrival and during your stay at Ngalali Retreat. Our friendly hospitality will enhance your stay at the lodge, providing you delicious homemade Italian inspired meals along with South African wines tasting. We are certified nature/safari guides so you will have the opportunity to book with us guided game drives in our reserve, tours and activities around the surrounding areas of interest like the well renowned Kruger National Park or the Blyde River Canyon. Whatever we do, we do it with passion and love! Looking forward to hearing from you soon, Cheers!

Property info

Ngalali Retreat is a small lodge immersed in the African bush inside the Big 5 Grietjie Private Nature Reserve within the Greater Kruger Conservation area. It is conveniently located 26 km away from the Kruger National Park Phalaborwa gate. There are three en-suite bedrooms, an indoor dining/ lounge area, a communal patio with sitting and dining area overlooking the waterhole. The lodge was refurbished in May 2019 enhancing the African theme decor. It is surrounded by a natural bush garden with a large swimming pool accessible all year around where guests can relax and enjoy the view of the bush and the wild animals passing by. The property is fenced off for safety reasons. Its rustic and natural setting is suitable for those ones who want to experience the bush life, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of city life and relaxing in an informal and peaceful place without renouncing to comforts, delicious meals and free WiFi. There are no TV’s here. The meals, inspired by Italian cuisine, are prepared in our kitchen with fine and fresh locally sourced ingredients. Guided Game drives and bush activities are available from the lodge with private open game viewer vehicle.

Neighborhood info

In this area, the main highlights are the Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon with the Panorama Route, easily accessible from our lodge with day tours. Ngalali Retreat is conveniently located near Phalaborwa Hendrik Van Eck Airport about 30 km away and Hoedspruit Eastgate airport around 60 km away, which are connected daily with flights Johannesburg O.R.Tambo International Airport. As alternative guests can book shuttles connecting Johannesburg Airport to Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa or renting a car and self-driving to here. We do arrange private transfers from/to each airport. No public transport is available.

Languages Spoken

Afrikaans,English,Italian

Area info

Restaurants
1 Restaurant On Site

  • Restaurant #1
    • Cuisine
      Italian • Grill/BBQ • South African
    • Open for
      Breakfast • Brunch • Lunch • Dinner • Cocktail hour
    • Dietary options
      Vegetarian • Vegan • Gluten-free • Dairy-free

Amenities of Ngalali Retreat
Great facilities! Review score, 9.6

Most popular amenities

  • Outdoor swimming pool
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Airport shuttle
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Free Wifi
  • Free parking
  • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms
  • Bar
  • Breakfast

Bathroom

  • Private bathroom
  • Free toiletries
  • Hairdryer
  • Shower

View

  • Garden view

Outdoors

  • Outdoor fireplace
  • Picnic area
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Sun deck
  • Patio
  • Terrace
  • Garden

Activities

  • Cooking class
    Additional charge
  • Tour or class about local culture
    Additional charge
  • Themed dinners
    Additional charge
  • Walking tours
    Additional charge
  • Game drives
    Additional charge

Living Area

  • Sitting area
  • Desk

Food & Drink

  • Wine/Champagne
    Additional charge
  • Kids' meals
    Additional charge
  • Special diet meals (on request)
  • Bar
  • Restaurant
  • Tea/Coffee maker

Internet
Wifi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

Parking
Free private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Accessible parking

Front Desk Services

  • Invoice provided
  • Private check-in/out
  • Tour desk

Entertainment & Family Services

  • Board games/Puzzles

Cleaning Services

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ironing service
    Additional charge
  • Laundry
    Additional charge

Safety & security

  • Fire extinguishers
  • Key access
  • 24-hour security

General

  • Shuttle service
    Additional charge
  • Shared lounge/TV area
  • Designated smoking area
  • Air conditioning
  • Smoke-free property
  • Packed lunches
  • Family rooms
  • Airport shuttle
    Additional charge
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Room service

Outdoor swimming pool
Free!

  • Open all year
  • All ages welcome
  • Pool with view
  • Pool/Beach towels
  • Beach chairs/Loungers
  • Beach umbrellas

Spa

  • Beach umbrellas
  • Beach chairs/Loungers

Languages Spoken

  • Afrikaans
  • English
  • Italian

House rules
Ngalali Retreat takes special requests – add in the next step!

Check-in
From 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
You need to let the property know what time you'll be arriving in advance.
Check-out
From 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Cancellation/ prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Enter your stay dates and check the conditions of your selected option.
Curfew
The entrance to the property is closed between 21:00 and 05:00
Children & Beds

Child policies

Children of all ages are welcome.

To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.

Crib and extra bed policies

Cribs and extra beds aren't available at this property.

No age restriction
There's no age requirement for check-in
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Accepted payment methods
American ExpressVisaMastercardDiners ClubCash
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed.
Parties
Parties/events are not allowed
Quiet hours
Guests need be quiet between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

The fine print
Must-know information for guests at this property

Please inform Ngalali Retreat of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

Payment before arrival by bank transfer is required. The property will contact you after you book to provide instructions.

This property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties.

Quiet hours are between 21:00:00 and 06:00:00.

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property.

In accordance with government guidelines to minimize transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19), this property may request additional documentation from guests to validate identity, travel itinerary, and other relevant info on dates where such guidelines exist.

FAQs about Ngalali Retreat

  • Ngalali Retreat offers the following activities/services (charges may apply):

    • Walking tours
    • Swimming pool
    • Tour or class about local culture
    • Game drives
    • Themed dinners
    • Cooking class

  • Guests staying at Ngalali Retreat can enjoy a highly-rated breakfast during their stay (guest review score: 7.5).

    Breakfast option(s) include:

    • Continental
    • Full English/Irish
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
    • Gluten-free

  • Ngalali Retreat is 1.1 miles from the center of Grietjie Nature Reserve. All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

  • Yes, this hotel has a pool. See details about the pool and other facilities on this page.

  • The prices at Ngalali Retreat may vary depending on your stay (e.g. dates, hotel's policy etc.). To see prices, enter your dates.

  • Check-in at Ngalali Retreat is from 2:00 PM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM.

  • Room options at Ngalali Retreat include:

    • Twin
    • Double

  • Ngalali Retreat has 1 restaurant:

    • Restaurant #1