Koffylaagte Game Lodge

About Koffylaagte Game Lodge

Koffylaagte Game Lodge is a private game reserve situated just 130km from Port Elizabeth that offers a variety of accommodation including four star Luxury Safari Tents, a Self-catering Farm House, Upmarket Lodge Rooms and an Eco-Bush Cottage.

Koffylaagte Game Lodge has received Lilizela Hospitality Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015 with 2014 being the most successful where the Lodge was awarded, in the Eastern Cape Provincial Category; Best Four Star Lodge, Best Cultural Experience, Best Value for Money and Best Wildlife Encounters.

Accommodation

Luxury Safari Tents There are five of these tents within walking distance of the Lodge and each private from one another. Of the five units, two can accommodate four people and three are for couples. Guests booking this accommodation receive full-board (breakfast, brunch, high tea and dinner) as well as a game drive each day.

Upmarket Lodge Rooms There are three of these rooms located in the Lodge itself, just off the restaurant area. Guests booking this accommodation receive full-board (breakfast, brunch, high tea and dinner) as well as a game drive each day.

Self-catering Farm House There are two options, one sleeping four people and the other two. The units are semi-detached and both units can be booked for large families or groups. The units are fully equipped for self-catering. The farm house is adjacent to the lodge and is ideally suited to families who want to make use of the swimming pool and the games room with the option of eating in the restaurant when they want to relax.
Eco-friendly, Solar-powered Bush Cottage Located in the bush some distance from the Lodge, this self-catering cottage has hot water and clean ablutions as well as a gas stove and fridge. The accommodation is rustic and guests are free to roam the surroundings. On arrival at the Lodge, the guest luggage is transferred to a Lodge 4x4 and guests are transported to the cottage. Guests are issued with a two way radio to connect them to the Lodge for any assistance or transport they may require.

Services and Facilities

The restaurant at Koffylaagte Game Lodge serves an early bird Breakfast of yogurt, cereal, fruit, toast and preserves from 7 am. A sumptuous brunch is served from 9am onwards. Lunch or high tea, depending on how active you are, includes light meals and dinner involves three delicious courses. Venison is almost always on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

There is a well-stocked bar in the restaurant area.

In the gardens of the lodge is a swimming pool with shallows for kids and the lodge itself has a games room with a pool table and a variety of board games. DSTV is available in the restaurant and bar area as well as in the games room.

Game drives are scheduled for people staying in the Luxury Tented Accommodation and the Upmarket Lodge Rooms. Self-catering guest may accompany these drives or book their own. Night drives are also available for booking as are guided horseback rides and guided walks.

There are archery sets available to hire for target practice at the Lodge.

Game Viewing and SceneryHome to three of the big five, namely the breeding pairs and groups of rhino and buffalo as well as visits from travelling leopards, Koffylaagte Game Lodge also has a wide variety of antelope, small predators and fantastic bird life.

Koffylaagte Game Lodge is situated in the foothills of the Great Winterhoek Mountains and has three distinct biomes, namely Fynbos on top of the mountains, Valley Bushveld on the slopes of the mountains and Karoo Noorseveld on the plains.

There are 22 species of antelope as well as zebra, giraffe, monkeys, baboons, warthogs, bushpig, black-backed jackals, bat-eared fox, ant bear, porcupine, civet cats, meerkat and mongoose amongst others.
The area also boasts a wide variety of raptors, water fowl, game birds and LBJs. Ostrich, black eagles, martial eagles and kori bustards are some of the larger birds seen on the reserve.

Conservation

Cem Kumral, the owner of Koffylaagte is well aware that he could generate bigger revenues from industrious farming activities with domestic animals than he can with a private game reserve. However, Cem takes pride and pleasure from making his 1800 hectares a pristine conservation area.

Koffylaagte Game Lodge currently has breeding programmes for disease free Cape Buffalo, and White Rhino, Giraffe, some elusive antelope species such as Nyala and Waterbuck , as well as endangered plants including cycads and elephant foot yam, which are found in their natural state on the reserve.

As there are no large predators on the reserve, the game population is managed carefully in a sustainable way to preserve the natural habitat, fauna and flora in a healthy balance. The lodge also utilizes game meat for selling biltong and divine venison dishes that the chef serves guests in the restaurant.