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Tala Game Reserve

3.0 star property
Nature lovers find their haven at this rural game reserve where wildlife drives, mountain biking trails, poolside relaxation, and two welcoming bars await

Choose dates to view prices

Tala Collection Game Reserve by Dream Resorts offers a peaceful rural retreat. Visitors can mountain bike, practice archery, or savor fusion dishes at two restaurants. Families appreciate the outdoor pool, dry cleaning service, and babysitting.

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning
  • Business services
The current price is AED 288
AED 336 total
includes taxes & fees
20 Mar - 21 Mar

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 6 of 6 rooms

View all photos for Deluxe Cottage, 1 Double or 2 Twin Beds (Leadwood)

Deluxe Cottage, 1 Double or 2 Twin Beds (Leadwood) | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Deluxe Cottage, 1 Double or 2 Twin Beds (Leadwood)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Electric kettle
In-room safe
Wardrobe or closet
Daily housekeeping
  • Garden view
  • 14 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed OR 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Paperbark Room

Paperbark Room | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Paperbark Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Electric kettle
In-room safe
Wardrobe or closet
Daily housekeeping
  • Garden view
  • 14 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for FigTree Room

FigTree Room | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

FigTree Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
5 bathrooms
Private bathroom
Electric kettle
In-room safe
Wardrobe or closet
Daily housekeeping
  • Garden view
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Family Room

Family Room | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Family Room

Highlights

Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
LED TV
Sofa bed - double
2 bathrooms
Electric kettle
Satellite channels
  • Garden view
  • 14 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Room

In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Deluxe Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Electric kettle
Laptop workspace
In-room safe
Desk
Daily housekeeping
  • Mountain view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Presidential Room

In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Presidential Room

Highlights

Furnished balcony or patio
Separate sitting area
Air conditioning
Deep soaking bathtub
2 bathrooms
Separate bathtub and shower
Private bathroom
Electric kettle
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

About the neighborhood

Located in Camperdown, Tala Game Reserve is in a rural area and in a regional park. The Old Prison and Macrorie House Museum are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Krantzkloof Nature Reserve and Phezulu Safari Park. Epic Karting and National Botanical Gardens are also worth visiting. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails nearby. Visit our Camperdown travel guide
View more Lodges in Camperdown
Map
R603 Umbuvbula Road, Greater Midlands Meander, Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, 3202

What's nearby

  • Phezulu Safari Park
    43 min drive - 36.8 km
  • Giba Gorge Mountain Bike Park
    47 min drive - 47.5 km
  • Kearsney College
    47 min drive - 45.0 km
  • Golden Horse Casino
    48 min drive - 47.5 km
  • Pietermaritzburg City Hall
    50 min drive - 50.4 km

Getting around

  • Pietermaritzburg (PZB)
    29 min drive

Restaurants

  • KFC
    26 min drive
  • Magaba Lounge
    27 min drive
  • La Tala Resturant
    9 min walk
  • Wynnifreds
    14 min drive
  • Fishaways
    26 min drive

About this property

Tala Game Reserve

Lodge in a rural location
Game and wildlife viewing, a terrace, and a garden are just a few of the amenities provided at Tala Game Reserve. Adventurous travelers may like the hiking/biking and archery at this lodge. Be sure to enjoy Fusion cuisine and more at the two on-site restaurants. Free in-room WiFi is available to all guests, along with dry cleaning/laundry services and 2 bars.
You'll also find perks like:
  • An outdoor pool
  • Free self parking
  • Free bicycle rentals, a safari, and a roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Babysitting (surcharge), meeting rooms, and game drive on site
Room features
All guestrooms at Tala Game Reserve have perks such as air conditioning, as well as amenities like free WiFi and safes.
Other amenities include:
  • Free tea bags/instant coffee and electric kettles
  • Wardrobes/closets and daily housekeeping

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  • Kids pool
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
8.6 out of 10, Excellent, 214 reviews
The price is AED 391
AED 453 total
includes taxes & fees
23 Mar - 24 Mar
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free secured self parking on site

Food and drink

  • 2 bars/lounges
  • 2 restaurants

Restaurants on site

  • La Tala Restaurant
  • Paperbark Restaurant

Things to do

  • Archery
  • Free bicycle rentals
  • Game drive
  • Game viewing
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Mountain biking
  • Outdoor pool
  • Safari

Family friendly

  • Babysitting (surcharge)
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk

Guest services

  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Conference center
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • In a regional park
  • Picnic area
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • 1 floor
  • Banquet hall
  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Tea bags/instant coffee

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 5 PM
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 5 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Service fee: ZAR 10 per person, per night

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Tala Collection Lodge Camperdown
Three Cities Tala Private Game Reserve Eston
Three Cities Tala Private Game Reserve Lodge
Three Cities Tala Private Game Reserve Lodge Eston
Tala Collection Lodge
Tala Collection Camperdown
Tala Collection Private Game Reserve Lodge Camperdown
Tala Collection Private Game Reserve Camperdown
Tala Game Reserve Lodge
Tala Game Reserve Camperdown
Tala Collection Game Reserve
Tala Game Reserve Lodge Camperdown
Tala Collection Private Game Reserve
Tala Collection Game Reserve by Dream Resorts

Frequently asked questions

Does Tala Game Reserve have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at Tala Game Reserve?

As of 6 March 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Tala Game Reserve on 20 March 2026 start from AED 288, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is Tala Game Reserve pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Tala Game Reserve?

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 5 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Tala Game Reserve?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Does Tala Game Reserve provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle.

Where is Tala Game Reserve located?

Situated in a regional park, this lodge is within 20 mi (32 km) of iDube Raceway, Epic Karting, and Scottsville Racecourse. Golden Horse Casino and Comrades Marathon House are also within 25 mi (40 km).

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Tala Game Reserve Reviews

8.2

Very Good

7.8

Cleanliness

7.6

Location

8.0

Staff & service

7.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 15 out of 35 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 11 out of 35 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 35 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 35 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 35 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Abundance of wildlife found close your lodge…
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer

Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
everything was more than expected. Seista was absolutely great. He took care of every knee we had.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

janice

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Tala Getaway

Leadwood cottages at Tala are fantastic. The cottages are huge with an incredible open plan design leading directly into nature. They are also extremely private. Everything was clean and well presented. The wildlife sightings were amazing, with minimal effort.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

6/10 Okay

ailsa

Disliked: Cleanliness

A disappointing stay but great animal sightings.

The location is beautiful, having not been there for a few years it was not as good as it had been. Paperbark, where we stayed had amazing staff and the food was great. The accomodation could do with a good clean and paint. Looking out of the bedroom window and seeing animals right there was wonderful.Checking in and out was quite difficult. One incident involved a manager arguing with american quests about the advertised web site price and the other with guests complaining about the food in the picnic basket that cost R 600 being still frozen. Not sure if we would return. The animal sightings were great. Generally the place needs maintenance.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful scenery, peaceful and a great experience
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fab staff, towels are not provided for the rock pools.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jason, Iowa, US

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This was our first time staying at Tala and we had a wonderful time. Since we were traveling for work and this was a two day getaway, we did not have a car. The staff was quite accommodating, picking us up so we could meet a friend for dinner at the Aloe Restaurant even though we were staying on the other side of the reserve (thank you, Maxwell!), arranging car pickup for our return to the airport, and picking us up to return to reception for check out. The food was wonderful and the staff, particularly Teresa at Paperbark, were exceptional. The front desk was quite kind and helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018

8/10 Good

Atul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great service, unique experience

The location and rooms were amazing. The staff were very friendly, the only issue was the lack of access to facilities and a missing TV in the room
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Monica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful Tala

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The staff are friendly and very helpful. We stayed in Leadwood Cottages and were impressed by the accommodation. Unfortunately, we did have some bad weather and our cottage leaked a little but the staff were quick to assist.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Wim, Houston TX

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great service and great people, in restaurant,reception and all others who helped us
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018

2/10 Terrible

Barney

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed at Leadwood 3... beautiful setting and room. Although the finer detail and small touches have been missed. Being in the hotel industry I know that these are by biggest crowd pleasers. Advertised is turndown service which was not done at all.. Wifi is advertised your the room also had no internet. It is also advertised with a minibar. The only part of the mini bar we could locate we those and 5 drop milk triangles, other than that there was no fresh water or anything to drink. Biggest disgust is that soon chech I is the we were seated waiting for our key and other genetaleman walks I to check in...3 ladies facing our direction while watching a PC screen completely ignore the fact that there are paying customers needing something, when I tried to flag them down and call them out, the door was simply slid closed. Won't be back and would not recommend. I have been in the luxury hospitality industry for years no and my no means the beat but if never treated my guests in that manner.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018

8/10 Good

NOMBUSO

Overnight getaway

It was really nice and quiet however the Wi-Fi was bad,staff very aloof and unwelcoming.The duty manager was out of reach and there were creepy crawlers in room and spider con webs in the bathroom. The breakfast was substandard, I suppose because it's free.The cappuccino machine was not working and the waitresses acted as if they were doing you a favour.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

8/10 Good

PASCAL

Liked: Staff & service

days in Tala game reserve.

Beautiful game reserve, you can watch a lot of different animals ! But the buildings are quite old and not very well maintained. The employees are very helpful. Pascal
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2017

8/10 Good

nqobile

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Hidden beauty

Beautiful game reserve with plenty of animals to see, friendly staff. Our room was neat and tidy, we had specifically asked for this room as it was close to the pool but to our disappointment the pool was unkept. Buffet breakfast was tasty, too bad they don't make cupaccinos. Overall we had a lovely stay.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017

6/10 Okay

Claudette, Durban

Liked: Cleanliness

Tala

Overall stay was good. Food was average. Breakfast was good however we did not enjoy all the food for dinner. For the prices of the dinners I expected far superior food. We ordered steak which was over cooked and not medium as requested and the lamb shank was the smallest lamb shank i have ever seen. The General Manager was present all the time in the dininigroom talking to guests. Would have loved to have comfortable chairs in the room we stayed in which was Paperback number 1. Unfortunately there is a factory not far from where we were and made a terrrible noise early in the morning even on the Sunday. Great rock pool and picnic area and we did a self drive around the reserve and this was fantastic.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic stay,a must to do. Lots to see, and the restaurant and staff are very nice

10/10 Excellent

Rinal, Durban

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Looking forward to another stay at Tala :)

On the first night our fireplace was not even lit and it was so cold. Unfortunately the electrical fire place was tricky to put on. The second night we called from around 18h30 to get the fireplace put on and only after two phone calls and way after 20h00 someone had come to start the fire. Other than that it was an amazing experience. The hotel was great with a absolutely stunning views. The staff were so friendly and always had a smile on their face. The food was so delicious. We enjoyed holiday our looking forward to plan our next one at Tala. Well done guys

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Short but so sweet. We spotted 5 rhinos and 8 Gira

We stayed in the FigTree Lodge - it was so spacious and comfortable. Restaurant food was good and the staff most helpful and understanding.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Dont expect too much and you will enjoy it

Great game drive. Very informative guide - Milton. Air con didn't work in the room we stayed in and bath towels were very old and tatty. Sliding / Door coming out of restaurant onto verandah needs repair or replacing. Evening meal was satisfactory, but service in restaurant was average. There seemed to be a shortage of staff on duty. Both in reception and in restaurant?

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
An overall beautiful stay. However there is much needed to improve this venue. 1. A refurbishment of certain areas 2. I would expect to be met at my room by someone with some explanation of the venue. 3. Little or nothing to do once been on the game drive. (Perhaps a television in the room) An entertainment area perhaps. Pool Table, Table Tennis maybe. Staff are friendly, breakfast and dinner were good. Game Drive was superb.

8/10 Good

Kamani, Verulam

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Tala Game Reserve

Game drive was the highlight of the stay, guide was really knowledgeable. Tala needs to have TV's in their rooms, its a must as there is very little you can do with regard to activities. We stayed in Leadwood two and it was neat and comfortable. Staff were friendly and welcoming. will recommend Leadwood one as it was on the lake.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Disappointed @ Tala

Attended a conference. Aircon in a room of 50 people didn't work. I stayed over and albeit that the room was fairly clean at face value, all the furniture, curtains, carpets etc need a serious upgrade. There were no hangers in the room and I had to ask for a 2-point plug for their hairdryer. The gardens are untidy. The service in the restaurant is slow. No filter coffee, only instant. I think the staff do their best they can with what they have but I will definitely not stay here again or recommend it to anyone else.

10/10 Excellent

Nessah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Time of my life

Tala Private Game Reserve far exceeded my expectations. Our room in the Leadwood cottages was a dream come true. We saw rhino, hippo, giraffe and other game. i would highly recommend it for a quick get away or a longer stay. Thank you so much. Vanessa, Pennington

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

lost reservation

Good finish to a rocky start. When I arrived to check in, my confirmed reservation was nowhere to be found and the rooms were all booked out due to a wedding on the property. The original front desk person was not overly helpful, however she did get some assistance and they were eventually able to get me into a room. A little stressful, as the entire area was booked solid due to the Comrades marathon, which I was running as well. Other than the lost reservation, the place was great.

10/10 Excellent

Diane Brown

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Parents loved it!

My husband and i spent a couple of days at tala in the beginning of our relationship and had a great time. We live in Australia now and it's expensive to send presents all the time so i thought I would Get my parents a weekend away as a combined Mother's Day / birthday present! My parents absolutely loved it and could not stop raving about it! They said everything was amazing and would recommend it :)