We spent 4 nights in the Tremisana Lodge in August 2024, with transfer to and from Johannesburg included, we were two couples travelling, each with our own room and bathroom. We were very happy with the choice, the lodges were comfortable, great meals and service, we even had some unexpected visits from some animals that came to drink near the lodge. Game drives took place both in the Balule Reserve and in Kruger NP. The experience was wonderful, with lots of encounters with animals, thanks also to our wonderful guides who took turns on the various game drives, in particular Rocky, who accompanied us on two wonderful full days at KNP (with a fantastic rhino sighting!!), Ray and Marc, who took turns on the drives at Balule and the bush walk and gave us all sorts of informations on the animals and the nature around.

I booked the 7 day Tremisana safari and it was awesome. Everything has been arranged perfectly. From the booking procedure and communication to the pick up and the game drives and activities every day of my trip. The food was delicious, the guides were terrific, the garden beautiful, the room clean and the overall experience exeeded my expectations. Getting to meet people from allover the world was an exciting plus! I would love to come back again and I can certainly recommend Viva Safaris 100%

Me and my mum had the pleasure to go on a 5 day safari at Tremisana lodge. The experience with Viva Safaris was truly unforgettable! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by the warm and welcoming staff who made us feel right at home. Their hospitality and attentiveness were second to none and exceeded all my expectations. The lodge was beautiful—comfortable, clean, and perfectly nestled in the natural surroundings. Waking up to the sights and sounds of the African bush was an experience we will cherish forever. The food was another highlight of the trip. Every meal was delicious! Whether it was a hearty breakfast before setting off on a game drive or a delicious BBQ right in the bush, the quality and presentation of the food were consistently excellent. Of course, the safari experience itself was phenomenal. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife, offering fascinating insights into the animals and their habitats. We had the pleasure to go on activities with Nadine, Luke, Smiley and Rocky and they were all awesome! Thanks to their expertise, we were able to witness some incredible wildlife sightings, including the Big Five. Each game drive felt like an adventure, and the guides’ deep understanding of the environment made the experience even more enriching. In summary, Viva Safaris delivered an exceptional experience from start to finish. The combination of lovely staff, amazing food, beautiful lodges, and unforgettable wildlife sightings made this a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I cannot recommend Viva Safaris highly enough—if you are looking for an authentic, well-organized, and magical safari experience, this is the company to choose! Guys, thank you for everything! We had the best time with you and we can´t wait to come back. Maria & Mama

I didn't expect to see so many animals and have so many outings! The tour guides were absolutely great. Every single one of the staff at our lodge were great and I wish I could list all the names (Nadine and Smiley are 2!!). They always wanted to make sure we were happy, letting us be flexible each day based on our preferences. The amount of animals we saw was insane. Couldn't be happier. Even just before we left they took us out for a last minute horrah and we saw a Rhino up close! Breakfast lunch and dinner were all well done - kitchen staff were very friendly and good company. Thank you for a lovely week. The Lodge had excellent rooms and I'd recommend those. We could even see animals from our room and the pool outside.

I can’t speak highly enough of my experience with them. As soon as you get there you hit the ground running. They waste no time and you start with a sunset drive. My two favorite tour guides were Nadine and Smiley by far! You can tell they love their job and are so knowledgeable. They go out of their way to try and make sure you see the big 5! If you don’t, you know it wasn’t for lack of trying. I wish I could give them 5 stars alone! I will definitely book again with Vivas. The smaller drives were better than the full Kruger day. Also the food was AMAZING! Mama D throws down in the kitchen. Everyone was so personable and nice. I have allergies and they made me fresh gluten free bread every morning. 5 stars all around!

Viva Safaris arranged something a little bit bespoke for my family of five, with a pick-up and drop-off at Hoedspruit airport, 2 nights at Tremisana, 2 nights at Mark's Treehouses and a 'mini bush walk' at Mark's Treehouses just for us and the kids. I was really pleased to find Viva Safaris who offer a great South African safari experience, good food and comfortable lodgings without superfluous luxuries that I don't want or need. It was the game drives around Tremisana that we loved the most - we saw hippo, rhino and leopard which I had never seen before in my life, and the scenery itself is beautiful. Just sitting on the stoep of our family suite at Tremisana we could watch a variety of wildlife, including hyena, at a water hole just beyond the fence. The vehicles are great, offering a really good view, and all the guides we had were knowledgeable. We found that the day inside the Kruger National Park, although wonderful - we saw many animals and birds including amazing sightings of crocodile, African fish eagle and lion - was quite a long day sitting in a vehicle. One bit of feedback - I would have appreciated more guidance on tipping - I don't come from the same tipping culture, and although there was some written guidance provided (which I did read) this didn't explain it clearly enough, and I felt quite stressed and uncomfortable a lot of the time because I was so unsure about how much, when and whom I should tip, and feeling I was getting it wrong.

I went on the 6 days Safari (2 days at Tremisana and 4 days in a tree House at Marc's Camp) and it was amazing ! The organization was really good : pick up and drop off at the airport, great activities during the 6 days (2 days in Kruger Park, several drive games in Tremisana, the Maholoholo rehabilitation center and the panoramic road), good food and good accomodations. We had different guides for our activities, which is great because they all have their way for the drive game. All the staff was really nice and attentive. I saw 4 of the big 5 (leopard didn't want to show up) and a lot of beautiful wildlife scenes. This was an amazing experience and Viva Safaris really did a great job.

It was our first time joining a safari trip. Overall we had a very good experience. Especially on the last day of our trip, when we got to see a group of six lions eating a baby giraffe from a very close distance. It was a stunning view. We were also able to see white and black rhinos, a honey badger, spotted hyenas, a lilac-breasted roller and more, both near the lodge and in Kruger national park. The guides of the game drives are generally well trained and can spot animals from such incredible distance and speed. One suggestion that I think could enhance the experience is to give the birds as much attention as the larger mammals. There were quite a few interesting birds that are worth mentioning like secretary birds but they were either missed or it was not highlighted as much as the larger mammals during the Kruger park drive. Additionally, we experienced very cold, windy and rainy weather while at Kruger National Park, which left everyone in the open car shivering. It was difficult to fully enjoy the experience due to the cold. Although I understand this weather does not occur often, a closed car, more blankets and/or recommendation for better clothing would be a better option if that happens again. Overall, the trip was still very nice especially with such nice food served! Butternut soup, beef stew, chicken, breakfast tomatoes and the bush braai… Last but not least, the room was clean and showers are working well. Nothing to complain.

Our experience with viva safaris was amazing! George and Welcome made sure we arrived safely at the Tremisama lodge where we stayed for 4 days. We got to meet the sweetest people there. They were so welcoming, nice and cooked amazing food! Our guides Lucky, Smiley and Victor made sure we got to see more animals than we could ever imagine and taught us a lot about the animals. We’d recommend this to everybody and we’ll definitely come back as soon as possible.

Last week we did the 4 day safari together with Viva Safaris and it was the most amazing trip! I would recommend this one to everyone. The fun of the trip already started with Welcome and George picking us up from Johannesburg and telling us about the culture and stuff. At the reserve itself it was incredible. The communication by Ed was really good and clear. The food was good. And guides Victor, Lucky and Smiley made the trip complete. Everyone was really nice to us and really funny. And on top of that we have seen a lot of animals. We are definitely planning to come back!

We had an amazing experience with Vivasafaris. From the beginning, we appreciated Patti’s availability and reactivity in all communications (emails / WhatsApp) and for tailoring a 4-day tour of great value for our family. Transfer from Johannesburg to Tremisana Lodge was on board of comfortable buses with very helpful drivers. We enjoyed the stays at Tremisana and Katekani luxury lodges with very kind staff. We had very skilled and experienced guides with us in the parks for game drives and bush walks. They were all funny too. (I don’t know if this is part of their training). All big five were seen. We were fortunate to meet a leopard just near the lodge at Tremisana. We saw a cheetah and were very close to a Casper in Kruger. My family and I enjoyed so much this experience. The animals didn’t seem much bothered by visitors and they were kind enough to let us take beautiful pictures ;-) Vivasafaris also helped us organizing visits in Johannesburg with a tour operator, which was very much appreciated, especially for us, traveling to South Africa for our very first time.

The tour is really amazing, the Balule reserve is amazing as well. The viva Safari team are amazing, the guide guy called Rock is so funny. The lodges are perfect, with a lot of animals free. It was the best experience ever

The people of Temisana Lodge went out of their way to make this a wonderfull experiance for my 16 year old daughter and myself. Within 4 days we saw the big 5. Amazing! All the guides are beyond nice, you can tell they really want to give you the best time. They did just that. We will come back.

This was my second Safari experience with Viva safaris. From booking the trip to departure from the lodge to Johannesburg, every detail was executed with thought and care. The drive from Johannesburg to the lodge was long but ample comfort breaks were scheduled aswell as a lovely stop for lunch. The accommodation was very comfortable and spotlessly clean. Food was home cooked, nutritious and delicious. The game drives were beyond expectations. The guides really go above and beyond to make sure you experience as many sightings as possible. Their knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious. Special thanks to Victor and Rocky. Victor did not give up when all of the cats seemed to have disappeared from the Kruger Park. He found our group three lionesses laying in a bush. A beautiful sighting. His smile and rendition of Hakuna Matata are legendary. Rocky found us ‘Casper’ the white lion, a bucket list sighting for me. Then at the end of a long day in the Kruger park he gave us another amazing sighting. Just as we returned to Tremisana he was putting up the sides of the jeep for us to alight when he spotted a leopard very close to camp. He quickly told us all to sit back down, leapt back into the drivers seat and took off at speed. We had the most amazing sighting of the leopard. We were truly grateful as he had done a full day of driving us round and must have been as exhausted as us, but he still made sure we didn’t miss a thing. Viva Safaris deserve ten stars. Highly recommended.

Good times head by all a truly unique experience in the South african bush. Saw the big five always a bonus for sure. Good staff and good times Thx Luke for speeding to the rhinos