In 2004, a small lodge on a small crest of a hill, overlooking a shallow valley was built. In August 2009, the visionaries behind Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience took ownership of this little lodge that held such great potential. And, after a 6-month upgrade, the lodge on the hill was converted into a 5-star safari destination. Finally, Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience was born.
The first of many guests arrived in February 2010 to experience one of South Africa’s greatest luxury safari lodge experiences…
We catch up with the visionaries – and owners – to learn a little more about what makes Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience so singular and such a success:
How would you describe the overall look and feel of the lodge?
“Nambiti Hills is your 5-star luxury home away home. We pride ourselves on having thought through every detail so that you don’t have to. We want you to arrive with an excited butterfly in your tummy at your upcoming safari experience and all that it might entail, and leave feeling pampered, refreshed, part of the Nambiti Hills family and ready to phone your family and friends to book your next safari experience back at Nambiti Hills! We strive to effortlessly provide you with every comfort you expect in your own beautifully appointed home and provide a service where your every need is taken care of before you even realise you needed it. “
What is unique about Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience?
If I told you then everyone would cotton on and we wouldn’t be unique anymore! But in all seriousness, Nambiti Hills has 3 factors which we pride ourselves in excelling at.
THE FIRST IS OUR FOOD OFFERING. We offer a 5-star dining experience in the middle of the bush that most top restaurants around the world would be envious of. Our chefs are constantly pushing the envelope in terms of their menu creation and plating and we welcome their creativity and flare.
THE SECOND IS OUR SAFARI EXPERIENCE. We are conscious that while guests might have a checklist of animals they wish to see, there is so much more to the safari experience than just ticking animals off a list. Our guides offer guests a wholistic experience, imparting their knowledge on everything from how different animal species behave, to how the complex ecosystem of the bush fits together, to the fauna and flora that you see on safari and everything in-between, from the mighty elephant to the tiny dung beetle!
AND THE THIRD IS OUR FRIENDLY STAFF. It’s impossible not to smile when they smile! Our staff are the heartbeat of Nambiti Hills and the reason so many of our guests return. Nothing is too much for them and they go about their daily duties with an infectious smile on their faces.
What are you most proud of about Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience?
That we, together with our incredible team of dedicated staff, have built an all-inclusive, luxurious, wholistic safari experience where guests want to return, and we can attest to this on a daily basis as we welcome guests back to Nambiti Hills. Nothing fills our hearts with as much joy as hearing from a guest who has previously stayed with us and wants to return.
What’s your philosophy?
Over deliver. From the moment you first hear about us, from a Google search, word of mouth, an advert you might see, etc., you are on a journey with us. The journey continues as you go through the reservations process, it continues as you pack your bags to go on your safari adventure and most importantly it continues as you build up in your head your expectations of all that your safari experience will provide you. Our philosophy is to take all that and over deliver. From the second your friendly guide greets you to the time we drop you back at your vehicle after your safari experience is complete, we strive to exceed all your expectations.
Tell us something we may not know about the Nambiti Hills story?
When my brother and I bought Nambiti Hills we actually thought it would be a great project for our newly retired parents. They could assist with managing the staff, ensure the guests were happy and basically spend their day submersed in nature, chatting to guests and on holiday! Little did we know our city slicker parents wouldn’t last a week without a Woolworths nearby!
Name one thing that every guest must do when visiting Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience?
Take a moment. Nambiti Hills provides every guests with the perfect opportunity to catch their breath, be it on the back of an open air safari vehicle with the wind whistling past you and the sun on your face, or stopped at a sighting admiring Mother Nature’s ability to have everything so perfectly thought through, or gazing at the endless rolling hills from the pool deck with a cocktail in hand, or submersed deep in your luxurious private bath tub overlooking the vista, every guest will have a moment when everything feels right in the world. Take it. Take your moment.
What do you think is Nambiti Hills’s legacy?
Our legacy is to quite simply continue providing you, the guest, with the ultimate 5-star safari experience.
Since those first arrivals in February 2010, we have hosted many, many guests over years, from all walks of life and from every corner of the world, who have joined us in relaxing, unwinding and discovering the majestic beauty of Nambiti Hills Private Game Experience, and we look forward to welcoming many more!
