Motswari Private Game Reserve

Rebecca Stiffell

We stayed at Motswari for 3 nights and it was by far the best place/experience we have ever had!! Magic and Eden our guide and tracker were superb and made the game drives we did very special. They really made the experience for us. With 2 game drives a day we had lots of opportunities to see wildlife and we were lucky enough to see the big 5. We never had more than 6 people in our truck so it felt like a really intimate experience. The food at Motswari is amazing. So much choice and plenty of it! The staff and service were exceptional. It has a very friendly family vibe and we really enjoyed seeing all the staff throughout the day. Our room was beautiful and clean and felt very quiet and private. Easy to get to from Hoedspruit airport - we drove in and directions were clear.

Tam Tam

We are Hongkongers who stayed 3 nights at Motswari, and we loved every moment of it. We had an excellent experience here. The Motswari staff were very welcoming and enthusiastic. The environment is great, and the food was delicious – especially the omelette at breakfast. This trip was perfect, even though we saw only 4 of the Big 5 (buffalo eluded us). A huge thank you to our guide Owen and tracker Henry – they were professional, nice, and very knowledgeable. During our bush drives, we saw: Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra, Mongoose, Waterbuck, Impala, Kudu, Warthog, Wildebeest, and many birds. We also saw monkeys right in Motswari! We truly love the bush break, especially bush coffee with Amarula. On our last night, we were so surprised and delighted by a campfire party with BBQ food and drinks. We saw the whole night sky filled with stars and the galaxy. Just a remarkable journey. We truly love Motswari. Thank you for everything.

Neil Bevan

A truly fabulous place to stay for a Safari. This was an amazing African experience all round. The surrounding scenery was stunning, peaceful and clean. The lunch times were a special treat with several local men and women singing traditional songs while providing your food. The Safari's were 'first class,' with the Ranger's knowledge and experience along with a friendly social rapport made it all that more enjoyable. The lodge evenings were superb with a good variety of food and drink set in a fabulous outdoor dining experience.

Christopher Evans

We just stayed 2 nights at Motswari. Eric & Difference along with the staff were amazing. We saw loads of animals thanks to Difference's sharp eye, foot print tracking and ability to read the animals body language. Eric kept us on the track with his skillful driving and we're well engaged with his knowledge about the animals and funny jokes 😂 The huge game reserve backs onto Kruger National Park and there was a big variety of different drives to go on. The food and staff were great, gving us a glimpse into African culture. If we're to visit Africa again, Motswari will be at the top of the list!

Back Off

Our family of four — two parents and our 12- and 18-year-old sons — had an absolutely unforgettable stay at Motswari Private Game Lodge (early May 2026). From the moment we arrived, everything exceeded our expectations. Our rooms (Cheetah and Rhino) were spotless, comfortable, and the perfect place to relax between meals and game drives. The hospitality throughout the lodge was exceptional. The front desk, kitchen, and dining staff were warm, attentive, and genuinely caring, with special thanks to Moffat, Noah, Craven, and Ofentse for making us feel so welcome. The food was fantastic; everything was plentiful, fresh, and delicious at every meal. Great homemade lemonade! The game drives with David and Noel were a true highlight of the trip. It was nice that the vehicles only sat at most 9 people; our vehicle had our family with two other visitors. David and Noel were knowledgeable, funny, and passionate about the bush, and taught us so much about wildlife behaviour, tracking, and the local environment. Thanks to their expertise, we saw the Big Five — lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo — multiple times. Some especially unforgettable moments included watching a male lion with lionesses and cubs, and seeing a leopard in a tree enjoying an impala meal. We especially want to express our gratitude for the incredible support received during an unexpected medical incident with our son. Our 12-year-old experienced an allergic reaction which required the use of an EpiPen. The staff (particularly Patswari and Ofentse) remained calm, reassuring, and highly professional throughout, helping coordinate support with the nearest hospital as well as Africa SAFE-T – Safari & Adventure Focused Emergency Team. Their care and quick action meant everything to us, and thankfully everything turned out well. Motswari gave us an extraordinary safari experience and memories our family will never forget. We would return in a heartbeat.