Makweti Safari Lodge

My goodness I simply can not put into words! We will be forever grateful to everyone at Makweti for providing us with memories to last a lifetime! Everything and i mean everything was just perfection! The food was out of this world, huge kudos to the chef and team the effort that goes into to absolutely everything they serve is incredible. Rion providing us with lots of knowledge about the area and pairing some stunning wines with our meals - he never got it wrong! Our welcome home & dinner drummers, cleaning staff, management, guides i mean every single person you pass is simply incredible. The lookout was absolutely fantastic and we would get lost for hours up there just watching out and wondering what the next animal to pass would be! Last but certainly not least Byron our guide! Just wow and thank you! You were knowledgeable, friendly, had fun with us, got to know us and made us feel so very very welcome! You are a jewel in the Makweti crown and they are very lucky to have you and we were very lucky yo have you as our guide! Say hi to Jacks for us ;-) I am so very sad its over but you've opened our eyes to the bush and how wonderful it is and we hope to one day be back! Don't ever think should i if you are coming here just DO IT! You will not be disappointed. We were told we were at home and we truly felt that! Thank you Team Makweti from the bottom of our hearts.

Makweti blew our expectations out of the water! Their service, attention to detail, and ambiance was more than we could have ever dreamed of. Even though we stayed during the shoulder season, the staff went above and beyond to ensure our honeymoon was magical. A special thanks to our guide, Byron, who was an encyclopedia of knowledge and a great liaison for our first time in the bush. To Zabawe and the rest of the crew, thank you for making us feel welcomed into your home. We’d rate Makweti a 12/10 if possible. Hope to see you all again soon.

Outstanding Safari experience. From the very first welcome to the farewell we felt at home. The lodge itself overlooks a staggeringly beautiful wooded valley with abundant wildlife all around. The food choice, presentation and service is excellent. The lodge we stayed in was stunning, with everything perfectly in keeping with the surrounding landscape. The daily game drives were utterly brilliant! The Welgevonden reserve is perfect to learn about fauna and flora. We were fascinated by everything from the largest elephants to the smallest bugs. Sun riser and sun downer safaris each day revealed new and interesting things. Sad to leave this wonderful place and the wonderful people who make it so special. 🇿🇦

Wow, what a special place. I truly don’t believe pictures do this place justice. It is an incredibly stunning safari lodge set in beautiful Welgevonden Private Game Reserve. My family and I only stayed two nights but it felt like we’d been there a week by the time we left. Because it’s such an intimate lodge - they only take a maximum of 10 guests at a time - you really get to know the staff, who are incredibly welcoming and friendly from the moment you arrive. Our tour guide, Joseph, was a fount of knowledge and taught us soo much in the short time we were there. I also have to call out the INCREDIBLE food. The food was Michelin star-level food for every single meal. Truly every single meal. Menu items like slow-cooked beef short rib, smoked salmon mousse with Zulu bread, peri peri prawns, and the endless array of perfectly made desserts. I can honestly say every meal was perfection. Overall, I would highly recommend this lodge to others and hope to be able to return to Makweti one day in the near future.

We stayed 3 nights at Makweti and had a great time. Our very knowledgeable guide Joseph went out of his way to look after us and ensure we had a good time. Trying his hardest to track down the elusive leopards so we could tick off the big 5 ! The staff at the lodge were always smiling. The lodge is small only catering for 10 guests which made the whole experience feel personal and relaxing , the food was wonderful, we ate too much ! We loved watching the animals from the deck at the waterhole. Thank you to the team for a wonderful stay.

Service was excellent and caring. Bush guide was extremely knowledgeable. Food was fantastic.

Perfection! Fabulous animal and birdlife, flora and fauna, tracked and explained by Makweti's fun, ranger/guide. HE KNEW EVERYTHING! If you've been yearning to get out in the bush on safari…he's the guy and this is the place! We saw everything! I'm not sure what's more thrilling…the animals or returning from each sunrise or sunset game drive to Makweti's "camp"! THE FOOD!!!!, the ambience, the art, THE STAFF!!!, even the frogs and little 'hunters' croaking out their 'music of the night' while we dined at exquisite, candle lit dinners. They need to make a cookbook!!! Every detail anticipated for our pleasure and comfort….especially the sleeping huts/cabins,chalets? I wish I could have brought the bed home…or the soaking tub…or the private deck…Go, you'll know what I mean. Tucked into hundreds of thousands of untouched private conservation acres, this preserve and Makweti have created heaven on earth for us and the animals.

What an experience! Having never been on a safari before, we really didn’t know what to expect. Neil, Jess and the team were all fantastic. There are only 5 lodges which gives you a lovely sense of privacy, but at the same time, gives you the opportunity to get acquainted to the other guests with a more personal touch. Special thanks to Byron, our guide, who did his best to make sure we saw the whole beauty of the reserve and of course ‘the big 5’. Unfortunately the leopard eluded us, not to Byron’s best efforts. But our very close experience,with a friendly bull elephant, was a complete once in a life time moment that I will never forget! Another special mention to Zabiwe, the happiest lady I have ever met, and her wonderful team in the kitchen. They created some very special meals, which was just what was called for after a busy drive! The only slight moan, was that on arrival, and not until our last day, our plunge pool was not clean. I appreciate, we are below trees, that will have leaves falling into the water & when the filtration system is started, it is noisy. But the pool looked far more inviting on the last few hours we were able to use it. But please do not let this deter you from going to this amazing place! 5 stars 🌟

Fantastic all round experience from luxurious accommodation to excellent food and service but the outstanding feature had to be the game drives led by our guide Neil whose knowledge, passion and respect for the animals and the land resulted in the best safari drives that all five of us have experienced in our lives. With appreciation for Makweti's dedication to conservation. Thank you to all at Makweti.