"Quiet and peaceful."

We were kindly received and checked in with little effort. Our cottage was well equipped with everything you need for a weekend away. We really enjoyed the hiking trails and were lucky to see a few goats every day. The cleaning staff is super friendly and fast, an asset for sure. We were a bit caught off guard with the 4-hour long power outages every day (at least during the day).

"Bambelela and their people are doing a wonderful job. A big well done."

Was a lovely break. Peaceful surroundings and the nature is beautiful.

"Delicious."

Lovely stay, excellent service.

"You all there are awesome. Had a great time with you."

Bambelela Wildlife Rehab NPC and Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Center is a very cute and peaceful place. We enjoyed it very much. What they do there is very good work and very hard work. You all there are awesome xoxox.

"Relaxing and quiet."

Relaxing and quiet with amazing views of the mountains.

"Very nice and little one enjoyed it a lot."

The service was very good.

"Very still."

The tour of the blue monkey rehabilitation facility had been excellent.

"Had a really good weekend."

The location is in the bush and mountains, the staff are friendly and the tour and information given about what they do is amazing. They really do good work and they need all the help they can get to keep on doing what they do.

"Stay was satisfactory especially the tour through the monkey cages."

Just the loadshedding was a bit disappointing and no DStv was available.

"A close friendly encounter."

A rare opportunity to handle baby monkeys under close supervision and understand more about them.

"Very nice with all the monkeys."

Very nice and good laughs for all the monkeys. Bed is terribly hard and your own pillow is a must, because those pillows feel like bricks.

"Great rest in a beautiful environment with the best service."

Really enjoyed the monkeys, warthogs and zebras. Wonderful hiking trails. Will definitely go again.

"Very peaceful natural environment."

Enjoyed the rest and information.

"Loved every bit of staying there."

I loved the peace and tranquility of Bambelela the staff is polite and so professional. So secure and l would definitely come back there.

"Very hospitable."

Helpful with DStv and when it didn't work they gave us WiF to make up for it My daughter now wants to do volunteer work! Place is very safe and quiet.

"Educational, interesting, calm."

Very peaceful getaway, if you just want to rest. The 1.5 hour educational session about the blue monkeys was very well presented. The interaction session with the blue monkeys was done by Eric and was also fantastic. The rest hour was the crown for the day. The lady at the little shop was unfortunately not available 95% of the time, and what we needed was not available either. It is a long drive to Bela Bela or Modimolle, about 10 km of which is on an extremely poor dirt road. Luckily we just wanted to rest and so it met our requirements. The staff stays in a camp across the 3 chalets. The last night their music blared all night, none of us could sleep.

"Very nice environment."

I really enjoyed the environment. The place itself is getting old and needs a facelift, or redo. People should be told to take mosquito repellent with them. If walking routes or something else is also offered it will also help. Remove the information on the website that is no longer relevant. Didn't get any wine or braai wood.

"Lovely, relaxing!"

Great location, wonderful staff, excellent experience.

"Quite and restful, away from all the city noises."

The staff was very friendly and helpful. Bambela gave us a new perspective about monkeys we have learned a lot, the Kids enjoyed the monkeys roaming around freely. Will definitely be visiting again.

"Pefect, accommodating, clean and comfortable."

The host was accommodating, the place was clean and comfortable plus we got to see some monkeys and giraffes.

"A wonderful bushveld break."

The tour of the Monkey Sanctuary was very informative and the enthusiasm of the volunteers for the care of their charges was wonderful to see. A bonus was finding the ruins of Beau Valley just a short walk from Bambelela.

"Fantastic!"

Very informative and calm. Friendly staff. Thank you very much.

"Informative, peaceful and quiet among the cliffs."

We stayed in the Ho Thabela unit, the house was tidy and the kitchen was equipped with all the necessary equipment. The staff is very friendly and there were a lot of different animals. We really enjoyed it!

"Calm and informative."

Nice getaway, peaceful and blissful.

"Experience we will never forget!"

Our visit to Bambelela was really so valuable! We have two children (1 and 5) who really enjoyed the interaction with the baby monkeys, the tour is just as informative and interesting. The break from the city's rush is amazing, it is so quiet and peaceful with you. We were with you for 3 nights over the Easter weekend. We rested a lot, walked a lot, swam a lot, ate a lot. We feel fresh and rested again, although we would like to stay another day or two. A little more "entertainment" for small children such as trampolines and climbing frames would be an added bonus as there isn't much for them to do otherwise (just a recommendation). Leo and Cleo, the two rottweilers are so friendly and even once went for a long walk with us. The 3 wild boars are terribly cute, and love to be tickled on the stomach. You must really love animals to appreciate this place, because there are monkeys who want to come and steal your food when you sit on the porch. We really enjoyed them, they made us laugh. Bambelela, keep up the amazing work you do, we love you!

"Unique experience!"

For a special experience, feel free to visit them, I personally wasn't crazy about monkeys but now I'm a big fan. The place is a gem!

"Peaceful, relaxing weekend."

Myself and my 2 sons, 20 and 11, travelled to Bambelela for a weekend getaway. We had a really peaceful and relaxing weekend being in the bush. The onsite tour and education around the Vervet Monkeys was really informative. The staff was accommodating and friendly and always ready to assist. Keep up the fantastic work.

"Very nice, peaceful, relaxing"

Something else. Maybe a little more entertainment for the kids. In general, a very nice break for a weekend and very interesting with all the animals.

"Holiday 2020"

We booked 10 days at Bambalela in the Ho Thabelo chalet. The place is neat and ideal for a break from the mad rush of the city in peaceful nature. The service is friendly and everyone is very helpful. We really enjoyed our time there and can definitely recommend the place. The income of Bambalela is dependent on day visitors who go on the tour and income from the 3 chalets. Bambalela receives no funding from the government. With their limited income, they perform miracles. The work they do to rehabilitate the monkeys is remarkable. There is minor maintenance work required with the chalets which they are already addressing. With the Covid-19 lockdown, this is understandable, as they had no income. Truly a remarkable place, with remarkable people, located among the most beautiful mountains. We went home with heavy hearts and look forward to going again.

"Had an amazing experience at Bambelela on a group trip with friends."

I would recommend this place to anyone wanting to get away from the city and relax.

"Beautiful place"

Friendly people.

"Good customer service but not recommended for family with children."

If you really like the outdoors and don't mind baboons walking past you every now and then, rottweilers (apparently friendly, I'm not used to big dogs and they didn't really bother us) and zebras terrorizing you , is the place for you. The customer service was good and the place was neat. Bambelela has a very noble purpose and is doing a lot of good. The customer service was excellent, but there was a bobcat walking around between the chalets. My children are 6 and 8 and we felt unsafe. The owners gave us a walkie talkie if we felt unsafe so we could let them know immediately. They also assured us that the baboon wouldn't attack anyone (I don't believe it for a second). It's a big baboon. Later they also had someone sit outside our chalet to chase the baboon away if necessary. There was also a zebra that bumped us and wanted to bite the workers. A zebra has rather large teeth. So now we were afraid of a baboon walking around and a zebra appearing out of the blue and harassing us. By the time we packed to go home I was too scared to walk from my chalet to my car (25m) to put the bags in the car. My companion stood and sprayed the zebra with water every time I walked to the car or back to the chalet. The above made me drive a day earlier and that I was too scared to walk to the pool alone with the kids. We did swim a few times. The little monkeys are very cute but I went with the intention of having a holiday and relaxing and after the weekend I was upset. Also there is no game drive, website needs to be updated. There was a tour to all the monkeys' cages etc. It was very interesting.

"Educational, relaxed, refreshing."

Staff was very friendly and helpful. Bambela gave us new perspective about monkeys we have learned a lot, but will really appreciate if their DStv could be accessible to their guests. It was fun though.

"Lovely experience. "

They have a great passion for the wildlife. More cleanliness and upkeep on the accommodation would bring in more guests. We enjoyed our stay. The guided tour around the sanctuary was incredible. Nix was so knowledgeable and kind. The wildlife was amazing, so lovely to see the animals roaming around freely. The tuck shop was very limited. They should consider expanding their range of items. They should have a sign pointing to the reception/tuck shop, as when you arrive you are not sure where to go. The accommodation was neat, however very dusty and lots of spiderwebs. The crockery and cutlery is mix matched and not all of it was clean. The mosquito net was filthy and the sleeper couch was okay for our son, as he is only 3. However an adult would not have been able to sleep on it, as the end of it dips down. Otherwise a lovely peaceful experience. I think if they improve on the above pointers then they will definitely attract more guests.

"Pleasantly surprised. Peaceful, educational and beautiful! Friendly staff with amazing service."

It was a spontaneous decision and we arrived just before 7 pm. The gentleman at the gate was friendly, directions were great and the host was friendly, helpful and awesome. Went on the educational tour about the monkeys the next day and it was so informative, have a whole new outlook on the Monkeys and so do my children. Took my dog with and she loved it, the kids also had an amazing time! Will definitely go again!

"Excellent!"

Very nice place for a quick getaway. Enjoyed it very much!

"Always a treat to visit Bambelela and the monkey-buns!"

A wonderful little place to get away from it all. All ages enjoy the monkey interactions!

"It was too wild and scary."

I didn't enjoy it at all. It was too wild and l wouldn't go back.

"Very nice and relaxed away from any city noise."

If you are looking for a break away from the city, this is the getaway for you. Very friendly, helpful staff. The monkey interaction and tour makes you look at nature in a different way. If you love cats, monkeys and baboons, feel free to stop by.

"A great getaway from the city's rush!"

The accommodation exceeded my expectations. The Bushveld silence welcomed us and gave us the opportunity to completely forget about the rush of the city. There is no cellphone reception which provides you with a definite break in technology. The staff are friendly and helpful. The guided tour between the rehabilitated monkeys was interesting while the interaction with the "toddlers" was fun and provided a lot of entertainment. Thank you to the staff and management of the center we received, which was exactly what we needed.

"Had a very relaxing weekend."

We all really enjoyed the weekend. The staff were friendly and helpful. Was really an experience to be between the animals all living in harmony. The tour/interaction of the Vervet Monkeys was very interesting and enjoyable. The accommodation was clean, comfortable and well equipped. We will definitely go back.

"Quiet, educational, experience."

The accommodation is very neatly and comfortably furnished. The hostess, Sue, very friendly and helpful. We found the tour with the monkeys very informative and "nappy hour" was so cute. Bambelela is very peaceful and great for just relaxing. Activities in the winter are a bit limited as you can only swim, but we took day trips and explored the area. The experience of living in harmony with a troop of wild monkeys and even wild baboons around you without being a threat was something we will never forget.

"Awesomeness."

Informative, interesting, fun and relaxing. Would go there anytime again. Kids actually want to visit during the next school holiday. That's how much they enjoyed, learnt and relaxed.

"Restful."

Quiet beautiful surroundings. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Excellent destination to rest!

"Very informative to learn about the animals and also a nice peaceful stay."

It was very interesting to learn about the animals. The accommodation was nice and quiet and tidy.

"Become aware of nature again!"

Bambelela cares for blue monkeys who have been orphaned or injured in some way or have been rejected by their owners. The farm is in a lovely gorge with a beautiful view and silence for the soul. The interaction with the monkeys and the work done by the workers and volunteers on the farm is a highlight. A lot is done to care for these animals and they are very dependent on volunteers and donations which I strongly recommend: that we South Africans get involved and help. (The largest amount of volunteers working there are from overseas which made me feel ashamed of our South Africans' lack of involvement in real care of animals being rehabilitated.) Make an effort and visit this beautiful place - no one will return untouched. The accommodation facility is spacious and all the necessary equipment is there. (There is no supermarket on the farm and therefore it is necessary that food be bought on Bela-Bela or brought with you. There is a small shop with souvenirs on the farm.) The workers are warm, friendly, helpful people! During the time we were there on holiday it was my birthday and I received a beautiful present. I would recommend this destination anytime and for a family holiday it is ideal. There are other wild animals such as Zebras, warthogs and then also some monkeys on the farm and it is especially very amusing to watch the monkeys' antics. Feel free to go! I would only recommend that all the double beds be replaced with two three-quarter beds each.

"Very nice stay."

We had a wonderful stay at Bambelela's. It's something special that the wildlife is so tame that it's almost part of your little house. The tour of the monkeys and baboons is also very interesting and provides a lot of entertainment. It's also nice to know that, by staying there, you helped with the care of baby monkeys, etc.

"Friendly reception, friendly staff!"

Learned an awful lot about the blue monkeys and the time together during the interaction in the "nursery" was indescribable! Cottage was neat and adequately equipped, although the mosquito net in the rooms was a negative, it was full of dust, would recommend that it be taken down and guests provided with mosquito repellent.

"Thanks Sue, you made our stay!"

Wonderfully peaceful and the ideal place away from the city noise. Interaction with monkeys fantastic and happy hour something special!

"Relax in the beautiful scenery."

Will definitely come back again. However, it will be a bonus if the pool is ready, especially in the summer months when you would like to cool off from the heat. Thank you very much.

"Unforgettable experience. A MUST for any nature lover"

The dedication and knowledge of the staff and volunteers at the rehabilitation center was impressive and they do a wonderful job rehabilitating blue monkeys. 'Nappy hour' was very special and even excited my teenage son :-) . Their love for animals is inspiring. Bambelela is a non-profit organization and lack of funds means that the chalets are a little neglected, but the chalets are very comfortable and spacious, very well equipped and clean. It was lovely to sit on the patio and look at the mountains, or go for a walk. We will definitely go back to Bambelela and this time we will stay longer

"Very nice and quiet."

Very nice and well located. We were able to rest well, and the guest farm is also good.

"Decent"

Nice place, but I feel it needs some work on amenities to make it an attractive accommodation destination.

"We had a very nice weekend at Bambelela."

Bambelela is a lovely getaway for a weekend. It's very peaceful, but with enough to do on the farm not to be bored. The exposure to the animals is handled very well by the staff and you learn a lot.

"Interesting. The people are doing a good job."

It was very interesting. The staff were very friendly, especially Minette who made us feel very much at home.

"Good"

Felt very safe here, good value for money.

"What a lovely weekend break"

We had a very peaceful and interesting weekend. The staff at Bambelela are amazingly dedicated people with a great love for animals. Overall, we had a very nice time.

"A wonderful experience"

Beautiful, clean chalet in a very safe location. The staff were very friendly.

"Excellent vacation and excellent service!"

My wife and I chose Bambelela as the destination for our 5th Anniversary and we were pleasantly surprised by the warm hospitality we had received. We would definitely go back again!

"Enjoyable stay, great getaway from city life"

Very relaxing and peaceful, beautiful views, great bird watching and plenty of wildlife.

"An awesomely different experience!"

Whilst not luxurious, the chalets are comfortable, clean and well equipped. The best thing about them, of course, is the fact that they are right by the rehab center, allowing optimum interaction with the animals. Silke and her team do amazing work with the wildlife, especially the Vervet monkeys; it was heartbreaking to understand what humans do to these little guys. Fortunately for them somebody cares - and so will you, after spending a few days at Bambelela! It is especially recommended if you have a child that dreams of working with animals - the hard realities as well as the gratification will be well understood! Take at least 2 sets of old clothes per day if you plan on working with the monkeys, leave the jewellery and fancy bits at home, and just enjoy the absolute base pleasure to be found in getting closer to the animals! We WILL be back - in fact, our next trip for November is already booked!

"Fantastic"

What a wonderful experience to be among the wildlife!

"Absolutely brilliant"

It was the best weekend ever! So relaxing, calming, safe, no words can describe it better! If you love animals, you'll love this place.

"Bambalela brings people closer to mother nature."

Bambelela is a warm and comfortable place to stay at as a family. We enjoyed our stay. The hospitality is great, with smiling faces always there to assist.

"It's a stunning, tranquil place if you just need to get away from the city and pollution."

It's a friendly, stunning tranquil guest farm if you just need to get out of the city. the staff are friendly, from the owner to the cleaning staff. the accommodation is great, the whole set-up is great. I don't have a bad word to say about Bambelela. We'll be going back in the summer.

"I loved it, "

Great weekend and will be visiting again soon. I have many overseas friends and they just love the pics, especially of the babies - but I would have loved more time interacting with the Vervets ..

"A really enjoyable and unique experience!!"

This is not your average holiday experience, but it is definitely a very special and unique one. Being able to interact so closely with vervet monkeys was incredible. The staff and volunteers were very kind, and extremely knowledgeable- we really learnt a lot, and we now view vervets in a whole new light. Our chalet was really well furnished and had everything we needed, it was also extremely clean (serviced twice a day) and lovely and private. We will definitely be going back.

"It was a FANTASTIC stay."

Everyone was so kind and friendly and we learnt alot and WILL be back! I cannot recommend this place enough. It's Fantastic! We had an experience of a life time and are hoping to be back again soon.