The Last Word Kitara

“First class, very special private game reserve, offering both peace and adventure”

If you are looking for a special experience, which is far more than driving around trying to find 'The Big Five', this place is for you! Kitara Last Word is based just outside the Kruger National Park, in a private game reserve called Claserie. The beauty of this is that there are only three lodges… Mais

If you are looking for a special experience, which is far more than driving around trying to find 'The Big Five', this place is for you! Kitara Last Word is based just outside the Kruger National Park, in a private game reserve called Claserie. The beauty of this is that there are only three lodges in the Claserie reserve, so there is not queuing alongside other vehicles when animals are spotted, and it very much feels like a private experience as you rarely see other vehicles. In Claserie the vehicles are open topped which makes for a more close up experience with the animals! Very exciting! We spent a wonderful couple of days here. There are very few rooms so it is a very personal service that you receive. We were made to feel extremely welcome by all the staff. The food, and the choice of food was all fresh and first class, considering it is far from civilisation. The catering staff provided for all our dietary needs. Hosts Susan, Pierre, and Matthew went the extra mile in making our stay feel very special. The location was absolutely stunning by a river - very calm and peaceful and we were able to still see animals coming to the river when not on safari too! The bedrooms were luxurious and beautifully kitted out in a safari theme. The whole lodge was exquisitely designed with sumptuous decor Connor was an outstanding ranger who, together with Jomo, his tracker made the safari experience (2 a day) very exciting, entertaining and hugely educational. We were very lucky to see so much wildlife, birds, and insects and we also learnt about the importance of every natural species contributing to the 'circle of life' in the game reserve. We will hopefully be back!

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“Gorgeous Lodge - Excellent Customer Service - Good Wildlife Viewing”

The customer service provided by Susan, Pierre, Nathan, the chef, and rest of the team was far-beyond expectations. I have stayed at several high-end safari lodges and the service provided was as good as any of them. Perhaps the highlight of customer service was the extraordinary effort made to ret… Mais

The customer service provided by Susan, Pierre, Nathan, the chef, and rest of the team was far-beyond expectations. I have stayed at several high-end safari lodges and the service provided was as good as any of them. Perhaps the highlight of customer service was the extraordinary effort made to return a purse to one of our group members that left it behind in her room – to include getting it to a hotel in Johannesburg – and no money was missing or taken! The lodge overlooks the Klaserie River and we watched waterbuck, buffalo, elephant, zebra, and giraffe from our room and viewing deck at the main lodge. Rooms were spacious and very comfortable with a well-stocked fridge and easily operated room-safe. There were plenty of outlets for charging batteries and phones. We were given a metal water bottle (to keep) and drinking water was provided in carafes and bottles within the room as well as a larger container of chilled water in the lodge that you could refill your water bottle. The descriptions of the rooms described by other reviews is accurate, in my opinion. We visited at the end of a very heavy rainy season (over 2x their usual rainfall), and the bush was thick with minimal visibility and difficult driving conditions due to washed out roads. However, with the help of trackers we saw a great selection of wildlife; to include wild dogs, leopard, lion, elephant, hyena, and several antelope species. The sunset/golden-hour sighting of three male lions was a highlight for me (see photos). The biggest challenge was getting to the lodge; because of the condition of the dirt and gravel roads, it took 90+ minutes to get there from the Hoedspruit (in a minibus with a trailer). As the roads are improved, this will surely be a shorter drive.

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“Book here immediately - amazing game drives abound!”

Hands down the BEST hotel, atmosphere and people we've ever encountered in our 30 years of travel -- this was the most outstanding safari lodge that we've been to in the whole world ** (and we've been to the Masai Mara / Kruger / & the Dubai desert before)! ** It's a small, intimate, and beautifu… Mais

Hands down the BEST hotel, atmosphere and people we've ever encountered in our 30 years of travel -- this was the most outstanding safari lodge that we've been to in the whole world ** (and we've been to the Masai Mara / Kruger / & the Dubai desert before)! ** It's a small, intimate, and beautifully decorated lodge with only 6 guest rooms and the best food we've ever had between the phenomenal game drives! A huge shoutout to Chef Sibu who is friendly, accommodating, and talented. The staff here truly go above and beyond in all they do (Susan, Marla, Rejane, Pierre, Nathan, Matt, & Connor) and the drinks they make are delicious as well. They are so passionate & kind - very respectful and warm to each other and every guest - you will immediately feel like family! Kitara really goes out of their way for every little detail including fresh flora and fauna after servicing your room plus delightful bath salts and bubbles to relax. The outdoor shower is a nice touch, and an extra bonus: you get bedtime stories at night! During our 4 night stay at Kitara, we were able to see all of the Big Five as well as a truly unforgettable lion kill. We also went in the season of dung beetles rolling their ball too! From the big to the small, every living thing here is truly valued by your game driver. We had Connor & learned so much about the Bush from the termites to the trees to the birds! He made a great team with our amazing tracker Vusi - we were so lucky to end up with both of them. Also, this lodge sits on a private reserve so our stellar team was able to go off road / trail which is not possible in Kruger nor the Masai Mara. You will not regret choosing the Last Word Kitara for your next trip!

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“An exceptional safari experience, truly the best value for money!”

We paired our stays at The Last Word Long Beach and Kitara, and could not have been happier with the decision. We’ve stayed at lodges priced three times higher, and we can confidently say that Last Word Kitara delivers a safari experience every bit as memorable, with impeccable service to match — … Mais

We paired our stays at The Last Word Long Beach and Kitara, and could not have been happier with the decision. We’ve stayed at lodges priced three times higher, and we can confidently say that Last Word Kitara delivers a safari experience every bit as memorable, with impeccable service to match — all at a third of the price. Amazing value for money for the quality of game driver and overall lodge experience! It is worth highlighting that Kitara sits within a private nature reserve, which made the game drives exceptionally exclusive — more often than not, it was just our vehicle and the wildlife. Over our 4D3N stay, we were fortunate enough to spot all of the Big Five, a truly unforgettable achievement. Adding to the magic was the breathtaking helicopter flight over Blyde Canyon, thoughtfully arranged by Kitara. In a moment that felt almost cinematic, we spotted the final member of the Big Five — the rhino — from the air. An extraordinary experience, executed flawlessly from start to finish. With only six suites, the atmosphere is wonderfully quiet, intimate, and attentive. The food is generous and beautifully prepared, adding to the sense of comfort and care. Overall, we feel incredibly fortunate to have discovered this gem. A remarkable stay in every way.

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