Was Hippo Lakes Worth It? An Honest Review of My First Safari Lodge
How I chose my first safari lodge in South Africa — and whether I'd send my clients there.
Your first safari lodge is a real decision. Not just logistically, but emotionally — because you've probably been thinking about this trip for a long time, and you want to get it right.
Mine was Hippo Lakes in South Africa. Here's why I chose it, what it was actually like, and whether I'd go back.
Why Hippo Lakes
A travel advisor I trust had stayed there multiple times and kept recommending it without hesitation. That matters more to me than any review site. But beyond the referral, the logistics made sense for a first safari: South Africa requires no vaccines, no bush planes, no intimidating multi-leg transfers into the middle of nowhere. For someone who wanted an immersive experience without the complexity of a more remote destination, it felt like the right entry point.
The stay runs on a structured rhythm — arrivals on Sunday, departures on Saturday — which means no packing up and relocating mid-trip. You unpack once and settle in. And for a chronic overpacker, the fact that I could actually check a bag without stressing over weight limits was a legitimate selling point.
It also didn't cost a small fortune. My clients and I tend to gravitate toward boutique, intimate, locally-rooted experiences over the kind of ultra-luxury lodges where you're paying four figures a night to feel like you're in an Architectural Digest shoot. Hippo Lakes sits squarely in that sweet spot.
What It Was Actually Like
This isn't a Big 5 reserve. No lions. But what it has is something harder to manufacture: a genuine sense of care for the animals, the land, and conservation. It doesn't feel like a resort that happens to have animals nearby. It feels like a place built around a real relationship with the bush.
The rhythm of the stay — early morning game drives, communal meals, evenings sitting outside listening to hippos in the dark — became the thing I didn't know I needed. It's the kind of pace that forces you to slow down and actually pay attention. I left with a much clearer understanding of what lodge life feels like, what to expect from game drives, and what I'd want more of next time.
Would I Go Back?
Yes — but probably to a different region for my own next safari. I want to keep exploring. But when I take my family? This is where we're starting. I'd feel completely comfortable bringing my kids here, likely when they're in high school, before adding a few days in a more remote reserve to deepen the experience.
For anyone dreaming about their first safari and not sure where to begin, Hippo Lakes is the answer I keep coming back to. Accessible without being watered down. Immersive without being overwhelming. The perfect launch point.
If Africa is on your list and you want to talk through what a safari actually looks like for your family, [let's get on a call]. This is one of my favorite trips to plan.