Bukela Game Lodge

Jay Cowman

Our stay at Bukela Lodge was absolutely unforgettable. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel incredibly welcome with their warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail. Every member of the team went out of their way to ensure we were comfortable and well looked after. The accommodation was outstanding — beautifully designed, spacious, spotless, and perfectly blended into the natural surroundings. It was the ideal combination of luxury and relaxation. The food was exceptional throughout our stay. Every meal was beautifully prepared, full of flavour, and presented to perfection. Dining at the lodge became a highlight in itself, and the chefs truly deserve special recognition for the quality and variety of the cuisine. The game drives were a true highlight of the trip. Our ranger Stan was knowledgeable, passionate, and had an amazing ability to spot wildlife while making every drive exciting and informative. Their enthusiasm for the bush and the animals made the experience even more special. Thank you to everyone at Bukela Lodge for creating such wonderful memories. We cannot wait to return and would highly recommend this incredible lodge to anyone looking for an exceptional safari experience.

Steph Goodson

My husband and I stayed for 2 nights at Bukela. We were able to do 4 game drives (it's worth taking the early check in literally so you can sort yourself out before the 4pm game drive). We saw cheetah, male and female lion, buffalo, zebra, elephant, giraffe, hippo white and black rhino, many bok and more. We particularly appreciated that the rangers felt respectful of the wildlife as this is not the case everywhere. We were informed they had rules about the number of vehicles that can be 'on' an animal. Our guide Brian did everything to get us great shots and views, which he definitely acheived, but it wasn't at the expense of the animals. Also we had different groups with us for the first 2 and second 2 drives. Brian managed this really well and prioritised seeing animals we hadn't seen on our last 2 drives as he knew he had several more drives with that second group. 2 nights was a good number for us - there is a small communal pool and the lounge area is lovely, which other than your tent is where you can spend the day. There are a couple of activities you can do during the day like archery (all extra cost) but it seemed a bit limited. We may have stayed longer if there was more to do. Don't forget to bring long layers as driving fast early and late gets cold and we saw many people make this mistake! They did provide ponchos. The food was pretty good, though maybe not 5* exactly, the service was great - very helpful and attentive. Our tent was lovely and well stocked.

Simrun Sohal

Couldn’t fault this place at all!! Staff have all been soooo friendly and attentive (Zandi, Leah, S.G, Phani, Kia, Nomakhaya, Abi)- nothing was too much for them from getting rid of spiders for us to lighting our fire for when we got back from game drives! Food was absolutely incredible and the game drives and driver Lakhy was amazing! He knew so much about the animals and we got to see all of the major animals here. Would definitely recommend this beautiful place and would definitely come back!!

Graham Naylor

We had 4 nights between the 17th - 21st May, in this 5* Game Lodge. We had a thatched suit number 4. Our first impression was that it looked a bit tired and in need of a lick of paint and the two easy chairs were grubby, certainly not 5 Star. Throughout our stay we had problems getting any hot water. This was a major inconvenience despite daily attempts to resolve and continued up to departure! Our dining experience was very disappointing, breakfast ok but but evening meals were very poor quality, not the memorable dining experience we had expected and experienced throughout our stay in other parts of South Africa. Both my wife and I departed with food poisoning! So overall very disappointing and I would not recommend. Can't believe they have so many good reviews as this was not our experience. On a positive the staff were very friendly. Graham N

Meghan Roberts

Wow—this was truly one of the most magical stays and experiences of my life. From start to finish, everything exceeded expectations. This was my first Safari and I don’t know how I’ll top it. Our guide, Munde, was absolutely exceptional—knowledgeable, attentive, and always making sure we were in the heart of the action on every game drive. We saw incredible wildlife and had unforgettable experiences thanks to him. The rooms were beautiful, the food was next level, and every single staff member was warm, kind, and genuinely hospitable. I honestly felt like I was living in a dream for five nights. I can’t wait to return and would recommend this experience to anyone without hesitation.