I am a university professor in the states, and this is my second stay at the lodge, but the first since John purchased the property. We (13 students and myself - all women) could not have had a better experience. The game drive was a success (we saw all the big animals one can expect to see during the day)... More

We stayed in this wonderful lodge for three days and had an amazing time. The staff was taking care of us in a very discreet but also relaxing way, the way that everything run smoothly without us noticing any effort at all. It is something quite rare that I appreciated a lot. John, the owner, has been working for years... More

My fiancee and I spent 3 days in this beautiful lodge, located on the shores of the Rufiji River and we would highly recommend it ! Delicious meals, great staff and a knowledgeable guide named Patrick. The Owner John is very friendly and polite and organized our tour from Dar to Selous and back in a very professional manner, even... More

Fantastic location in the game reserve with great river views. Great meals. One night we came home from safari and had roast duck as good as plenty I've had in NYC. John is a fantastic host. One of my fellow travelers mentioned the first night he liked Captain Morgan. Well, by the time we came home, John had found what... More

We had a fantastic few days at the lodge. The wildlife was stunning and the river safari with its amazing bird life and opportunity to see crocs and hippos at fairly close quarters was out of this world. My son loves wildlife and he would have happily stayed here all summer. Our guide Patrick did an amazing job - we... More

Great place at reasonable price. The management /owner John and his staff were very friendly. Food and service was exellent. The place was beautiful, peaceful and ecological. We enjouyed boat-, car- and walking safaris. Our quide Patrick was fantastic and he knew everything about animals, plants and people living in the villages. We can recommend this place Maarit and Henrik,... More

I have been lucky to find Great Water Lodge on internet by chance, so we decided with a friend of mine that we'll possibly stay there. Already when we had been in contact with John, the new owner of Great Water Lodge, I had a good feeling about the place because he was very friendly, flexible and willing to do... More

Our Swedish family of five (children 10, 10 and 12) had a lovely four day stay over Christmas 2010 at the Big Five lodge. When we arrived we were warmly welcomed by the new owner´s friend Mary, who looked after the place for the actual owner. The location was amazing, facing sunset over the Rufiji river. Our family cottage with... More

I met the owner Micheal in Dar es Salaam. He is a good man with a vision. He created the big 5 lodge and he can be proud of it!! I stayed several days in the lodge and it was a perfect holiday! The area is beautiful with a beautiful river where you can see (and hear) the hippo's. The... More