Tshukudu Bush Lodge

I stayed at the lodge with my wife recently. We were absolutely blown away by the location, facilities and expert guide JR. The location really makes you feel like you have the entire park to yourself and it is breathtaking to see the wildlife appear below your balcony. The staff could not do more to help and even though there are several steps, we were always met at the top with a drink and warm welcome. The game drives were outstanding, with expert guidance, stories and lovely touches such as hot water bottles and blankets (definitely needed in the cold weather). The food was outstanding and we were really surprised and impressed to see the menu vary so much each day. We can’t wait to come back!

We stayed at Tshukudu Lodge in November 2024 for our honeymoon. We stayed for 3 nights before moving to Mauritius. Drives You’re offered a game drive in the morning and a drive in the evening. In a morning, we had to be ready for approximately 4:30am for coffee before setting off roughly at 4:45/5am. We’d then go out on the drive before coming back to the lodge for about 8:45am ish before we’d then have breakfast. On an afternoon / evening, you’d have a late lunch before heading out for the next drive. You’d then come back at around 8pm before having the evening meal at 9pm. We had JR as our guide who was absolutely fantastic. His passion for the animals was infectious; he was so knowledgable but also did not go ‘chasing’ the sightings like some other guides with other companies did. We had an unfortunate incident where lions were sighted and lots of different tour companies were chasing them and our entire group felt uncomfortable. JR did not engage in any of this which was really reassuring. We managed to see so many animals; we saw buffalo, elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes and so many more. It was truly magical. Lodges The lodges were really well equipped; they had a fridge, a coffee machine, plugs with electricity and a very comfy bed. Towels and an assortment of different toiletries were provided. The rooms were cleaned too. Food The food was incredible. Breakfast was either a selection of ‘full English’ type ingredients, fruits, and other items. The late lunch varied but while there, we had some chicken satay sticks with a salad for example. Another day we had a chicken pie which was the best I’ve ever eaten! On an evening, it was largely a 5 course meal which consisted of a soup course, a starter, a main which was usually meat or fish with vegetables and potatoes, a pudding, and a cheese course. The quality of the food was incredible and the service was brilliant every night. We could not recommend Tshukudu more; this is a real, ‘one in a lifetime’ place to visit. We’re desperate to come back. If we were to come back, we’d probably extend our stay from 3 nights to 4/5 nights. While it does get tiring with being up so early, you have all the late morning / afternoon to relax. I usually spent this napping! The lodges have verandas which look out onto the watering hole so even when we were relaxing, we were able to spot lots of different animals which was amazing! What to pack The lodge provides a bag with binoculars in for the drives so don’t worry about bringing those. There’s also snacks in the lodge if you do get hungry. It could get chilly on some of the drives - while there’s blankets provided in the trucks, I bought an over shirt and then a jacket with me. For footwear, I wore sandals / trainers were fine. If you want to do the walking tour, then you’d need closed shoes. If you’re contemplating booking here, please do it! The staff, the location, the lodges, the guides and more importantly, the abundance of an

This will forever go down as one of the best weeks of our lives. Before I go any further I just wanted to encourage you to not base coming here or not on the 1 star review left on the 5th February. Having been guests at the same time, it is safe to say that there is always two sides to a story. Now, where to even start with this place. The location, the food (they catered for me being gluten free too!), the environment and the staff, nothing could really have been better. From Elvis to Thabiso to Simon and many others the staff on hand went above and beyond to make your stay the best it could be. As for our guide JR, he made the week we experienced there beyond memorable. He ensured that we saw the big 5, he was a fountain of knowledge and made the early wake up calls easy. Contrary to the 1 star review, you are allowed to walk around the lodge as you wish but of course cannot leave the lodge unaccompanied (on account of the wild animals…). Sure there may be a few stairs to climb, there is not air conditioning in the purest sense (although the fans are more than enough), the cell service/internet are spotty and the gym isn’t close but if that is what you are after why are you coming on a safari.. Tshukudu offers an immersive, personal and bespoke safari experience that will genuinely change your life. It is hard to think of a place that will give you better memories. Our week was made by the people we shared drives with (you know who you are), the kindness of our guide JR, the general attitude of the staff and the setting of this lodge. If we never get to return to Tshukudu again we will be very sad. It is a unique place filled with the most unforgettable experiences and people. Yes, it might be on the expensive side but if you can afford it, it will be the best experience of your life. Having already recommended it to every person we have spoken to since leaving, I suggest you book asap and go and have the best week of your life. Thank you Tshukudu, you have been amazing!

My husband and I have just returned from a 6 night stay at Tshuduku Bush Lodge. The only accommodation that is inside the park. The whole experience was something to behold as it exceeded our expectations by a long way. The staff always greet you with a smile and cannot do enough for you. The food is plentiful and delicious, the menus for breakfast and dinner are varied and different every day. Dinner is 5 courses from 7:30 with all guests seated together, it was a lovely way to end the day and share all the sightings and experiences with people who were on other jeeps. We stayed in a standard lodge (no plunge pool) which was spacious, they provided toiletries, robes, slippers, coffee machine with pods, kettle and a selection of tea, plus a fridge stocked with water. You are able to ask for whatever your drink choice is to be brought to your room but we just went up to the reception area and sat with drinks up in the beautiful seating area. All lodges face the park with stunning views. There are 132 steps (I read that but didn’t count) to be mindful of that you need to climb up from where you are dropped off on arrival and then if you do 2 drives per day then it’s up and down twice more. There are lodges half way up so if you aren’t good with steps then I would advise those, but you still have to climb up the rest for breakfast and dinner. If you’re relatively able then it’s fine, there is a bench halfway to have a breather if needed. The reward at the top is the beautiful reception area with a bar and seating area. In the evenings they light the firepit for you to sit around for a pre-dinner drink. The game drives are at 6am (5:30am from 1 Sept) and 3:30pm and last around 3-3.5 hours each. The first part of morning drives and last part of the evening drives can be cool so make sure you have plenty of layers, they provide a blanket to keep you warm. Each lodge gets its own rucksack with a pair of binoculars to use which is very handy. There is also a tablet with some preloaded apps to identify birds and other animals which were useful. We had Jann-Rick as our park guide and he was outstanding. His knowledge of everything in the park is incredible, we were so taken with his empathy for all creatures which made the whole park come alive for us. He talked with kindness and admiration for everything and had some lovely personal stories to tell about some of the incredible animals in the park, past & present. Highly recommend!

I'm a UK travel agent (also specialising in safari's) and after visiting almost 20 different lodges across Africa this one will always be one of my favourites, mainly down to our guide Jann-Rick. The beautiful rustic lodge is peaceful and quiet, with amazing views of the landscape. The rooms are wonderful and have everything you need for the stay. The food is out of this world, very talented chefs indeed who deliver a taste explosion at every meal. All staff throughout are friendly and welcoming and will help with anything you need. But, the standout for this place is field guide... Jann Rick. He is one of a kind, and his passion and knowledge for the wildlife is mesmerising, you cant help being in awe of all he knows. The sightings we've had with JR are some of the best, often being the only car there to witness a special moment. I've been to Tshukudu 4 times now, and already plan another visit for next year. I've sent various guests and will continue to send them to this gem of a place, but mainly to experience guiding at its best from Jann Rick.