Tingala Lodge
Tingala Lodge descritpion
Tingala Lodge is situated on the Silonque Game Reserve in Phalaborwa, adjacent to the Kruger National Park. It features a patio over looking a swimming pool and the savannah.
Each luxury suite is decorated in earthy tones and opens onto a patio that overlooks the bush. It comes equipped with air-conditioning, tea-and-coffee-making facilities and some of the beds are draped in mosquito nets.
Breakfast at Tingala is served on the shady patio, and guests enjoy the evenings around a log fire under the stars.
Activities available at the lodge include game drives and bush walks in open-game-viewing vehicles in the Kruger Park.
Free WiFi is available at the lodge. The Phalaborwa Airport is an 18-minute drive away and the Hoedspruit Airport is 49.7 miles from the property.
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Facilities of Tingala Lodge
Outdoors ：BBQ Facilities | Outdoor Pool | Grounds
Pets ：Free!Pets are allowed on request. No extra charges.
Activities ：Hiking | Library
Food & Drink ：Breakfast in the Room
Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
Parking ：Free!Free private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).
Services ：Laundry
General ：Safe | Non-smoking Rooms | All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private) | Air Conditioning
Reviews for Tingala Lodge
Review 1：Tom the host was super wonderful, enjoyed his life stories and company. Made us feel welcomed.A very quiet and tranquil place to be.We enjoyed our stay.
Review 2：better to use GPS coordinates to find the lodge, lost in a nice forest - small swimming pool not so easy to use-
Review 3：Tom, one of the owner is very helfpul and kind - very nice welcome- good bed & good bathroom- nice view, quiet location
Review 4：The short drive to the lodge can be a bit of an adventure in the dark, especially if the local wildlife decides to show up, but it's well worth it.
Review 5：Excellent location (private game reserve next to Kruger Park, conveniently close to Phalaborwa gate entrance). Extremely friendly, helpful staff. Luxurious accommodations with a very private feel. Well-equipped kitchen with a dining area overlooking a watering hole.
Review 6：Gravel road up to the gate is doable, but not ideal.
Review 7：Location and view are amazing, just as the lodge itself. The room is very tastfull and clean. Very friendly staff who serve a great breakfast in the morning and light a fire at night to relax by and watch wildlife drink at the waterwhole. And last but not least Tom, the fantastic host: thank you for a lovely stay!
Review 8：Very nice lodge. Beautiful view of Kruger. The sunrises are spectacular! Very remote while sill being close to town. Quiet...a very special place.
Review 9：Het is een kleine lodge en de staf blijft, buiten de safari's, wat op afstand. Als er weinig of geen andere gasten zijn is dat jammer. Verder een aanrader!
Review 10：Locatie, kleine mooie lodge met eigen waterpoel voor dieren. Wij hadden geluk, binnen 1 uur na aankomst stonden er al waterbokken en een olifant te drinken. Safari's met Robert waren super! Hij deed zijn uiterste best om ons zoveel mogelijk te laten zien en stopte meer uren in de safari's dan afgesproken en te verwachten.
Review 11：Be prepared for a rather bumpy "driveway"!
Review 12：The staff is superb. Rob doubles as a tracker/guide...also superb. We saw the Big 5 plus cheetah, wild dog and so much more. They will make dinner for you too and have a nice wine and beer selection available...excellent cooks. They even prepared a traditional braii for us on our last night. The common areas in the Lodge are very cool, and the room was incredible...big, clean, airy...with several outdoor patio areas, a pool, and their own watering hole (outside the fence) that attracted its own set of animals. I would recommend Tingala Lodge to everyone...close to Phalaborwa, Kruger. Superb! A once-in-a-lifetime experience made even more so by the people there.
Review 13：Nothing at all.
Review 14：- relaxing and tranquil. Exactly what you need after a long day of exploring Kruger - the "off the beaten track" aspect to this place adds an extra something to the whole safari experience - lovely camp fire at night giving you a chance to relax - rooms are spacious, very comfortable and clean. Spot on!
Review 15：The location was fantastic, so peaceful and relaxing with the opportunity to view wildlife from you own patio area. The hosts were warm and welcoming and the lasagne for supper and delicious English breakfast was outstanding! Thank you Ali and Craig for a wonderful stay, we hope to visit you again one day.
Review 16：Evening meals expensive for what you get and to be told there is no vegetarian alternative one night when there is no alternative but to travel 10 Km in and 10Km out of Palaborwa when you want to stay home!!
Review 17：Peace and Tranquility
Review 18：The road towards to the lodge ( but we were knew it i advance).
Review 19：Owner is also a ranger in Krugerpark and gave us his personal map of where to find most animals (and we did). Friendliness of owners and staff Beautifull decorated rooms with all facilities. Tastefull decorated in general. Good breakfast
Review 20：Nothing
Review 21：Treated as family from the first handshake. We could never have chosen a better group of folks to teach us about so many of South Africa's treasures. The property's esthetic is a testament to the artistic talent of the original owner.
Review 22：Need a Fridge in the room to keep my Cold drink/Water cold at night.
Review 23：Free Wi-Fi. Excellent,Friendly,Effecient Staff. Room fantastic. Game Drive available on the Farm.Room and Lodge much more upmarket than what you pay.
Review 24：This is not a typically big lodge with a lot of people movement all day. Which we really appreciated as Peace and Quite is hard to come by. Thank you for sharing your wonderful place with us. There are beautiful birds in this area as well.
Review 25：Not one negative comment to mention!
Review 26：What a wonderful place! The lodge was incredible- beautifully decorated, clean, incredible views, the most comfy beds. Breakfast in the morning was better then I've had at 5 star hotels. Craig and Allison took such good care of us- we felt like family, not guests. We loved our experience!
Review 27：My friend and I had adjoining rooms with a large verandah overlooking the shady pool and the bush that surrounds the lodge. Rooms and bathrooms are spacious and attractive. The owners really went out if their way to make us comfortable and were very informative about how best to make our visit to Kruger really worthwhile. Breakfasts was delicious and we watched animals drinking at the waterhole while we ate. There's a wonderful ceramic studio in the grounds as well. While only a short drive to the park, it's a quiet and lovely retreat from which to enjoy the wonders of KNP.
Review 28：There is very little I could write here. I don't think there is much that could be highlighted other than certain amenities (e.g. Television in the room) that one might experience at a traditional hotel, all of which though is fully highlighted and explained when booking and is completely unnecessary when you have real-life National Geographic happening outside your window)
Review 29：I can't begin to say enough about Tingala and the wonderful experience we had here with Craig, Alison, and team. I've highlighted the key points of Tingala's differentiation below - those things that went above and beyond what I've grown to expect for even a five star hotel throughout my travels:1) Customer First - Never have I met owners that genuinely go out of their way to ensure the best experience for the customer. I could drone on forever, but the best example was when Craig & Alison drove and picked us up when our car went out of commission with two flats and changed our tires for us, offering their personal spare to allow us to make our trek the next morning. They even offered to get up at 4:30 the next morning and drive us to the park gates if necessary.2) Top Rate Facilities - The lodge is situated within the owner's private reserve with the perfect balance of comfortable living & wildlife experience. The majority of activities the venue offers (swimming, dining, and firepit) all share the common viewing of the watering hole where we saw elephants and warthogs gathering during our time. The rooms were always clean and tidy, the amenities in the room perfect, and wifi worked extremely well, even within our room.3) Experiencing Kruger - It's nice when your owner is extremely well connected and all the park guides know them by name. Craig & Alison knew all the best ways to experience the park, the guides with the most experience, and were able to make same-day reservations for us at a moments notice. They set us up with two guides, Donovan & David that made our Kruger experience one to never forget. Both brought exceptional knowledge of the bush and balanced a levity of comedic entertainment with the gravity of the bush and treating these amazing animals with respect.4) Marvelous Staff - The team of staff Tingala employs is amazing.
Review 30：The beds were not that comfy but i slept well.
Review 31：Beautiful location at the edge of the kruger park. Great place to stay for a few days. You could see a bunch of animals walking in the park
Review 32：None
Review 33：The owners were very friendly and also passionate about the wildlife. The accomodation has large rooms with nice area to sit outside. The location is in the middle of the bush and surrounded with animals. Food was great. Very good vibe!
Review 34：Nothing to complain at all
Review 35：Tingala Lodge - close to Phalaborwa - can be warmly recommended. Alison & Craig & staff are doing a wunderful job for this cozy lodge. Breakfast and dinner is simply delicious.
Review 36：Good hospitality!!! Great base to explore mid Kruger NP. Nice room, good beds, spotless bathroom. Tastefull breakfast. We would absolutely recommend this place.
Review 37：Excellent location, close to the park gate. At night you can see animals from the balcony. The owners were extremely friendly and helpful planning our trip in the park and gave us great tips.
Review 38：Potholes.
Review 39：Unique decor. Active water hole. Multiple lounge areas. Friendly hosts. Hosts actively engaged in campaign to save the rhino. Good food. Comfortable rooms.
Review 40：- nothing
Review 41：- we loved everything - campfire in the evenings - wonderful people - perfect location - experience to remember - animals close by - delicious breakfast -> we`ll visit again
Review 42：That we only stayed 2 nights
Review 43：Everything was great. Allison and Craig are a wonderful couple that do everything to make the stay the best experience. We really loved the quite location and especially, that it was literally in the bush :) We totally enjoyed driving the dirt road to the lodge and the lodge was also perfect to find with the given description - even in the evening with only the light from car. We took a morning walk and a sunset safari where we saw so many animals (on the morning walk we even discovered the very rare leopard). The lodge itself is very modern, comfortable and has a great design. Best whishes to the hosts, we hope to see you soon again!
Review 44：Room we had was a bit noisy due to inter leading window . Not a problem but could be if other guests were noisy.
Review 45：The service was very good, as was the food. Informal braii in the evenings provided opportunity to meet with other guests. Rooms were comfortable. Good sized pool.
Review 46：The fact that I cannot stay here permanently !!! This could be home for me any day.
Review 47：I was quite surprised to find this beautiful establishment in the bushveld. This is for sure something to experience. Photos don't do justice here, it BETTER in real life !!! Incredible hospitality !!!
Review 48：sorry, an't fill the Minimum 200 charaters because there was nothing I did not like
Review 49：Architecture, Styling of rooms and lobby, very relaxed atmosphere, very friendly owners, good Food,
Review 50：The folks at Tingala were the finest people running an exceptional operation. On our first trip to the African continent, it was like we were old friends for a visit.
Review 51：Nothing, all was great.
Review 52：Alison and Greg are superb hosts! Two great people who make you feel welcome. Food is tasty and of good quality. Both of them are informative and Greg has a lot of knowledge regarding the different species of animals and birds. The room is very spacious and comfortable with a small fridge and coffee making facilities. We will definitely stay there again. Lovely lodge, about 20 minutes from Phalaborwa Gate.
Review 53：Wifi is poor at times but understandable with its location being away from the town
Review 54：The location, service and the friendliness. The decoration of the rooms are well thought of and designed with taste of African's Safari in mind and slight moderanation.
Review 55：Warm personalized reception, safari with Craig, bush location, drinks around fireplace, nice pool and garden, healthy and delicious food. Thank you Alison and Craig for your hospitality!
Review 56：The owners are lovely, both dinner and breakfast were delicious, the fireplace is amazing, the room big... too bad we could not stay longer! Thank you for a lovely stay!
Review 57：nothing... well, it's quite a bumpy road to get there but it's worth the drive!
Review 58：Efforts of owners to make everything perfect. Lovely building and dito rooms. Braai and gamedrives are a great plus when there
Review 59：Tom was amazing, he took us to our rooms and showed us around, even help us around the Lodge as well. I will definitely come back.
Review 60：Craig is the best!
Review 61：The warmth and friendliness - being assured we could make ourselves at home. The setting. Great thank you
Review 62：The gravel road to the lodge.
Review 63：It was a fantastic location and the owners were very warm and welcoming. Saw to our every need and made the whole experience just wonderful.
Review 64：great location, staff very accommodating, delicious food, close to Kruger National Park - any time again!
Review 65：Very comfortable accommodation and friendly staff who went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable.
Review 66：Nice host and owner couple, do a remarkable job and gave tons of good advice!
Review 67：Great owners running an awesome place. Very nice venue with great view.
Review 68：None.
Review 69：Fantastic staff. Spotlessly clean. Good food. Great value. Very pet friendly. Comfortable room. Outstanding safari's. Starry nights.
Review 70：It is a very nice familiary place. The homemade Dinner and the breakfast was very good.
Review 71：The remoteness of the location, rustic setting and obviously wonderful staff
Review 72：Good Location and friendly staff. Really wonderful patio where have breakfast or drink something waiting sunset. Stay in the bush! Thanks guys
Review 73：Beautiful accomodation - breakfast was delicious! Staff are lovely.
Review 74：A very good experience!!!
Review 75：Hospitality, cleanliness
Review 76：Friendliness Food
Review 77：nothing
Review 78：Alison and Greg are very kind and they make you feel like home.
Review 79：Great place, nice views, friendly owners, excellent braai and breakfast! The owners went to buy a cot for our little boy.
Review 80：Fantastic Home Cooked meals! Great Location!
Review 81：Hospitality and a warm welcome with homemade lasagne on the day of our arrival.
Review 82：see 2 above-Alison was a terrific host and nothing was a problem for her-will recommend Tingala Lodge to everyone-can not go wrong
Review 83：Very warm welcome and very friendly host despite our late arrival. The house is very nice and beautiful in the middle of a park, where we had our firt contact with the animals in the kruger. Thanks so much Alison
Review 84：- that we couldn't stay there forever ;-)
Review 85：- the owners, Craig and Alison, are absolutely gorgious, take very personal care of their guests and help with everything they can - the staff, Mimi, Spiwe and Peter are just as helpful and caring - the location is beautiful, the view of the bush is great and the first animal sighting takes place when having breakfast on the terrace overlooking the waterhole - the rooms are not only clean and tidy but also very tastefully furnished - great breakfast - we loved having drinks at the fireplace at night, watch the stars and swap the stories of the day with the owners and other guests - amazing night safari in the Krueger with Alison and Craig - very private atmosphere due to limited number of guestrooms (5) - nice pool - prices for food and drinks are more than fair - all in all: highly recommended
Review 86：Absolutely amazing!!!! Best place to stay if you are planning to visit The Kruger Park. You never know who will show up to wish you good morning, while we were having breakfast 3 elephants came up to the fence of the lodge, there were so close... and i am really sorry but no words can ever describe or explain how i felt it that moment!!!! Try to believe!!! Alison and Craig, the owners, are amazing... they gave us a warm welcome that we felt like at home
Review 87：We enjoyed the serene surrounds. Alison and Craig could not do enough for us. They went out of their way to make sure that we did not want for anything. They did their utmost to accommodate my wife's eating habits who at that time was fasting.
Review 88：There is nothing wrong whatsoever with this place.
Review 89：What an amazing place to stay. The hosts, Craig and Alison made me feel very welcome from the moment I arrived. I had the most wonderful meal and drank the finest wine. The location is safe and beautiful, with excellent views. The rooms are very spacious and spotless. All this for a very reasonable price. I wish I could have stayed longer.
Review 90：Bathroom door did not close(hinge broken, reported it), blinds had a line missing on the front door, so much for privacy. Smell of fresh paint was not kind to my sinusses.
Review 91：The dinner and breakfast was excellent. The prices were also very reasonable. Out in the bush away from any road and traffic. Lots of bird sounds.
Review 92：We only stayed 2 nights. Wish we had one more night there.
Review 93：Craig and Alyson were wonderful. Staying at Tingala is like hanging out with friends. The location is a bit isolated, but for us that was a plus.
Review 94：Great ambiance - we were welcomed with a group braai, enjoyed the evening drive and were a bit surprised to find elephants nearby the lodge in the evening :) great location for your stay near Kruger park
Review 95：Literally nothing negative
Review 96：extremely relaxing atmosphere where you fully have your privacy. no touristy at all. nicely settled in the middle of the nature without having people around. absolutely amazing staff where you feel like home. it is a the perfect get away!!! the food is just the best we had during our stay at the kruger, fresh and presented with love! The owner knows a lot about the region, animals and south africa in general, so really interesting to just have a chat while you are enjoying a glass of wine... we will anytime go back!
Review 97：We felt the management staff were amazing, really made us feel welcomed, made us a home made lasagne that was out of this world.. Made us feel at home
Review 98：Ideally a 4 wheel drive vehicle would have made life easier.
Review 99：The enthusiasm of the owners, the food was excellent. We felt we experienced the African countryside
Review 100：The relatively long distance on gravel road and then on the gravel driveway within the property. We did, however, only rent a small compact car not really suited for non-metalled roads.
Review 101：Loved the warm hospitality and personal attention by the proprietors; also their thorough knowledge of the wildlife and the surrounding attractions. We really enjoyed our stay and hope to return.
Review 102：Nothing to dislike.
Review 103：WOW! Allison and Craig who own the lodge are simply awesome. Friendly, attentive and they make the whole experience amazing. This is probably my favourite place I've stayed for many years. The location is amazing. The people are awesome. The food is great. Stay here! I will long remember nights around the fire, sharing stories with other guests. Wonderful experiences that make vacations truly memorable. Days after my visit, I'm still smiling.
Review 104：We were made to feel at home from the moment we arrived at Tingala Lodge! Alison and Craig welcome us with open arms, have a real passion for animals and the area, and go out of their way to make your stay comformtable and enjoyable. The lodge is also in a spectacular area and the rooms are spacious and beautiful. The hosts are more than you could ask for :) You'd be silly to stay anywhere else :)
Review 105：What an amazing place to stay! The food was incredible, the accommodation was incredible and our host were super incredible!!! The photos do the venue no justice. I look forward to visiting again.
Review 106：The hosts, Alison & Craig were very warm, hospitable and accommodating; always ready to help. The lodge is beautiful with plenty of wildlife around; deers, wild dogs, elephants (if you are lucky)...you get to see them all!
Review 107：Having to leave!
Review 108：Craig is a perfect host,we had the best time here on his night safari inall our 6trips to South Africa .The accomodation is fantastic,breakfastwas excellent and the staff so friendly and attentive.We were lucky tohave 3 elephants join us at the water hole while we sat on theterrace.we would recommend Tingala 100%
Review 109：An excellent place to stay. We would definitely choose this guesthouse again. Very friendly hosts with great tips. Room spacious and very clean. Greetings from Germany TandB
Review 110：Cleanliness could be a little bit better. When we booked the Lodge, the way to the Lodge wasn't described well. Now it's better because it is really hard to find.
Review 111：Really nice staff. Craig is a born safari guide. Unbelievable safari-trip. We saw Buffalo's, Elefants,etc. at the offered morning safari.
The Fine Print
Tingala Lodge's GPS coordinates are 23°53'37.83"South, 31° 7'33.21"EastWhen you arrive in Phalaborwa please call Tingala Lodge for directions to the property.A prepayment deposit by wire transfer is required to secure your reservation. The property will contact you after you book to provide any wire transfer instructions.