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This place is truly special. It feels like a family home, a luxurious one in the middle of the African bush. The interior is truly African and very tasteful. Everything is spotlessly clean. The food is very good. The service excellent. The safari tours (happening twice a day) are well organised and professional. The ranger can literally answer any questions you might have about flora and fauna. Their expertise makes you feel very safe, and the vehicles are in top shape. All in all it could not have been any better. Recommend a stay of at least 4 nights.

Stayed in March 2024

literally nothing

there is nothing not to like about Makumu. I cannot even put to words how amazing the resort was, as well as the quality of the staff. Kitchen, housekeeping, rangers, spotters, everyone was beyond accomodating and kind. there are 1000 places to stay to do a safari in the Kruger area and we feel SO lucky we found Makumu. It is luxury and quality and you will get an authentic safari experience. we left feeling so sad, as the staff started to feel like family. Truly look no further for a place to stay for incredible views, perfect hospitality, and an authentic safari experience. we will be back!!

Stayed in December 2023

nothing we didn't like

The location is a dream! The lodge is absolutely high end and the view is stunning! Watching animals from the moment you wake up in the morning until it gets dark - an absolte dream! Also, the Team is amazing and makes everyone feel more than welcome. Even though we unfortunatly got sick and couldn't enjoy the food and drinks as much as we would have wanted, it was still an outstanding stay which we 100% reccomend!

Stayed in December 2023

Where to begin! This was the most incredible stay we’ve ever experienced. We were lucky to stay here on our honeymoon and Makumu exceeded expectations on every level. The lodge itself is stunning - pictures don’t do it justice. We could see elephants, giraffes, and so many more wildlife from our room. The candles at night were such a magical and unique experience. The staff is phenomenal. When we were researching lodges, we were looking for reviews that mentioned the staff because you spend so much time on game drives and like so many reviews mention, the safari guides, trackers, and all staff were incredible!! We saw so much every drive and came back to an amazing meal and luxurious accommodations to rest. My husband had been on safari before in Kruger and said this experience didn’t even compare to the first. If you’re like us and are torn between several lodges - look no further. Hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Stayed in November 2023

Nothing!

Everything about this place was great! The staff, accommodation, food….would definitely come back!

Stayed in November 2023

There wasn't anything we didn't like. It was literally perfect.

Me and my partner had the pleasure of staying at Makumu! It was seriously outstanding from start to finish. Here's why we loved it: 1. Unforgettable Experience: Our safari at Makumu was mind-blowing. We got up close with wild animals and learned so much about them. Special mention to our tracker Safari and ranger AD, where you could clearly see his love to the bush and his exceptional talent on understanding the wild animals behaviour and helped us understand the animals better as well as make the experience much better thanks to him. 2. Great Staff: The people at Makumu were incredible. They were not only highly professional but also incredibly warm and friendly. They made us feel like part of their family in just 4 days. We'll never forget our time there, thanks Cherie, Shelley, AD, Ruan, and the rest of the great team. 3. Luxurious Rooms: The lodge itself was like a work of art. The rooms were super comfy and stylish. They created the perfect blend of comfort and immersion in nature. You could tell they put a lot of thought into the design. 4. Culinary Paradise: The food was out of this world! The chef's dishes were tasty and varied, everyday we tried something new. Dining by the fire on the boma under the African stars with animal sounds in the background? Just unforgettable. 5. Top Marks: Seriously, if we could rate everything, it would be a perfect 10. The safaris, the staff, the lodge's vibe, and the food - all exceeded our wildest expectations. Just thanks, we'll be back for sure.

Stayed in October 2023

Makumu team very efficient

Stayed in September 2023

Bed was a bit firmer than I prefer.

Great location. Friendly hosts. Knowledgeable guides. Excellent food.

Stayed in September 2023

Beautiful property with amazing staff and views. Clean, modern and really in the preserve

Stayed in September 2023

The property is lit at night exclusively by candles. While we understand the esthetics of this, it is impractical. It is hard to do somethings in the dark much less while holding a bright Qbeam with the other hand. This alone may prevent us from returning.

Exceptional property managed by. 3 capable, knowledgeable, experienced and professional couples. We saw every animal we wanted to see. The meals were delicious and plentiful. Top shelf staff in every way.

Stayed in July 2023

Just a minor thing but the curio shop didn't have much on offer; I just wanted a nice little memento from my trip.

Exceptional staff and service, excellent rooms, wonderful game drives with great wildlife sightings; all around just fabulous! I also have a few specific food allergies which they accommodated without a fuss and they were able to provide very tasty food without making me feel like I was missing out on the menu everyone else was being served. Loved the outdoor fire (Boma) and appreciated the air con (heating) in the villa on the cold winter mornings just to take the chill out of the air when you get out of bed before the sun is up. Transfer to and from the airport was seamless and easy, and the game vehicles were very comfortable. Drinks and snacks were provided on every game drive.

Stayed in June 2023

Nothing!

Literally everything you could want to make you feel at home, relaxed and able to enjoy the amazing wildlife. All of the staff were amazing.

Stayed in June 2023

Wifi was a bit slow from the room but it was not a real issue for us

The safari was great and could see almost all big 5 there and multiple times. Unforgettable experience. Brunch was served every day at 10 am. Was very diversified and included some typical food from South Africa. Dinner was really good as well. Really appreciated the hospitality of the team. Thank you so much Adrian, Richard, Maggie, Shelly, Ruon, Julia, Thomas and the entire Makumu team!

Stayed in April 2023

comfortable with fabulous service

Stayed in March 2023

nothing

everything was excellent

Stayed in January 2023

No remarks whatsoever.

We had the best time of our lives during the three days at Makumu. The property is stunning, with endless good taste. The concept is very true to the location, so one really experiences being in a natural reserve. It’s smart luxury. The staff is unbelievably pleasant and kind. The food is delicious and plenty (so are the drinks). The Safaris were exciting and adventurous. We were lucky to have experienced a lot and feel that we made the best choice ever.

Stayed in January 2023

Our stay at Makumu was incredible! My family and I spent 4 nights / 5 days at the lodge, and we all had an incredible time thanks to the Makumu team. They handled everything to make our vacation fun and relaxing. We can't thank Cherie, Shelley, Ruan, and AD enough for making our stay so enjoyable! Facilities The whole lodge is beautiful. The rooms were spacious, clean, and functional with incredible views. I was in the Zulu king suite, and just from our room we were able to see giraffes, elephants, baboons, water buck, and impalas. The main lodge communal areas were also well taken care of and beautifully decorated. It is very apparent the Makumu team puts a lot of thought and care into making the place feel comfortable for their guests. This is one of the few places I've stayed where the pictures on the website are accurate and are exactly what you get when you arrive. Activities The twice a day game drives were of course the highlights and exceeded our expectations. Seeing so many animals was exciting (big 5 and then some!) but the absolute treat and bonus was our ranger, Ruan, who taught us SO much on each drive. My whole family was amazed with his keen eye to spot wildlife (he spotted a baby chameleon in the dark while driving!!) and the breadth of knowledge he shared with us. Food All the meals were delicious, and the team was accommodating to my dietary restrictions (no meat). We were given breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack breaks during each game drive, and a snack before the evening game drive. I foolishly had brought snacks thinking I might need them, but I never touched them.

Stayed in December 2022

This is literally my only complaint and the only thing that bothered me at all about the entire lodge and my stay there. All of the doors in our suite were pocket doors, which normally wouldn't be a problem, but none of them opened fully. This was clearly a design choice, as the doors had carvings on them that are still displayed with the doors opened (it also had a small benefit of being easier to open a pocket door with some excess available to grab). The doorway to our closet was wide enough that this was fine, but going to the toilet was actually a big hassle. The doorway to the toilet was so narrow, that with the pocket door unable to open fully, there was only a 17" opening. My shoulders are 19" inches, so this meant I had to turn sideways and shimmy my way into the toilet. However, I am large chested, so even when I turned sideways and shimmied through, my breasts were being scratched on the door frame, or else my but was getting caught on the door. Not ideal when you really have to pee after a long game drive and you have to do yoga to get to the toilet. My husband, a very tall and thin man, also had to turn sideways and shimmy his way through that doorway because of his broad shoulders. If that pocket door could open all the way to the other side of the door frame, like most pocket doors do, no problem. Or even making it a barn door on the other side or anything else would be an improvement.

So many things! 1. The views! I saw a herd of elephants walk by my room while I was in the bathtub. Our suite (Zulu King Suite) looked right at the watering hole, so we saw many animals right from our room. 2. The food was incredible. Every single meal was delicious, and the hospitality was so warm and welcoming. Be prepared for dinner to take at least an hour, though. It's a three course meal every single night. So also, expect to gain a little weight =) 3. The game drives were full of adventure. Even when things were a little quiet, we enjoyed watching Ruan and Sibu working together to find tracks and lead to some game sightings. They make a great team their efforts pay off! I personally also enjoy the little things like seeing the birds and the smaller mammals and just enjoying being out in nature. But, we definitely saw big game and that was of course rewarding and thrilling. 4. Service was top tier. I'm not used to being waited on, or having my bags brought to my room for me or anything like that, it usually makes me a bit uncomfortable. But the staff made it feel okay and like it wasn't a burden for them and they were happy to fetch me a glass of wine or whatever. The owners were in town at the same time as us and they also extended the same hospitality to us, so it felt more intimate and like family rather than "I'm on a luxury vacation".

Stayed in December 2022

I hated leaving.

Thank you, Stefan, Karin, Ruan, Shelly, Richard, Cherie, AD, and the lovely ladies of the Makumu hospitality team. This was one of the best stays of our lives. Hugh and Kasia Poland

Stayed in November 2022

Absolutely nothing

Impossible to tell, truly a once in a lifetime experience. Exceptional service by exceptional people.

Stayed in November 2022

All good. The critical element for most guests is the quantity and types of animals seen. This is my first safari so I am unable to assess that issue on a relative basis against other lodges. in addition, one cannot predict what one will see as it is dependent on numerous factors. Having said that we saw all the so called Big 5 and much more including a leopard. The sighting exceeded my expectations.

Rooms were large. Shower great. The main lodge was big perched high providing a great view of the reserve. Nice indoor and outdoor dining facilities. Access to all beer, wine, alcohol and coffee. Great staff. Very personalized and very knowledgeable ranger.

Stayed in October 2022

Liked everything; perhaps one or two electric lights in the rooms at night would have been good but, on the other hand, the candles and low level solar lighting provided made you feel completely apart from the tech centric world in which we all now live. Good for the soul.

Stunning location - deep in the Bush and unfenced so completely connected to nature; exceptional views; fabulous service to make you feel like part of a family; superb food and simply amazing game drives with close up encounters with lions, leopards, hyaena, wild dogs, elephants and rhinos.

Stayed in October 2022

Everything was just perfect.

This was an amazing stay. Shelley and the staff had taken care of everything we needed and made sure our stay was just perfect. I can't recommend this place enough!

Stayed in October 2022

The van that picked us up from the checkpoint.

What didn't we like - Makumu was amazing from start to finish. The staff is superior, the rooms are clean, beautiful, and everything you could want in a safari lodge. The game drives were exceptional - Ruan is incredibly knowledgeable and went out of his way to make sure we saw all Big 5. We loved our stay so much, that we extended our visit another day.

Stayed in July 2022