Lodges in Welgevonden Game Reserve

Everything was absolutely incredible from the hotel itself, to the staff, to the food, to the drives and guide. This was our first safari and was an incredible experience as we saw so many animals. Will definitely be back!

Such a beautiful lodge and a once in a lifetime experience. The staff was amazing, welcoming, caring and professional. We were so well taken care of, it felt like being over at granny’s. We even got ponchos, raincoats, water bottles, wake up calls. The rooms were always ready - curtains opened in the morning, closed at night, bed ready, a most friendly welcome note. We really just had to lay back. The rangers went above and beyond to find the big 5. We saw 4/5 (we only stayed for 1 safari day, the other guest saw 5/5 with the next morning ride). Really informative and pleasant safari rides, breakfast in the middle of the reserve included. The rooms / villas offered an incredible view with the all glass walls, they were huge and head everything from bathtub to fireplace. Food was amazing. What can I say - just experience it yourselves !!

everything was absolutely perfect - far better than we ever imagined. from the pick-up at the main gate by our amazing guide. through incredible food prepared by the cook, and staff that were attentive to every little detail and amazingly friendly - what more can we say other than we will be back.

Everything! What a perfect stay!

Wonderfully friendly and attentive staff. Our game ranger, Byron, was fantastic. You could really tell that he's passionate about what he does and was determined to ensure we got to experience the best the bush had to offer. Obviously there's a good amount of luck involved, but thanks to Byron's skill and determination, we boxed off the big 5 in our first two days and got to witness some very rare sightings, such as a leopard and her cub feeding at night and a one week old baby rhino. Another real bonus is that Makweti is permitted to operate two game vehicles for only 10 guests, meaning there is only max 6 persons in your vehicle. Often me and my partner had the vehicle to ourselves - while some other lodges were cramming 14 into a single car! Our room was cleaned immaculately every day. The complimentary decanter of port was a nice feature (I think it was complimentary?!). The main lodge had stunning views of the bush and cozy fireplaces for the chilly days. The staff really went the extra mile wherever they could, with hot water bottles, fleece ponchos, blankets and handwarmers for the cold weather game drives. Hot towels and ceremonial drums to welcome you back to the lodge. The food was a real highlight and something to really look forward to after each drive. On first impression, it would seem like the portions were a little too small (I'm a big eater), but I actually never felt hungry at all while I was there. I would recommend Makweti to any travelers looking to experience all the wildlife of the bush in comfort and luxury.

This lodge is AMAZING! Both common room and private rooms are so lovely. It’s very open and with a lot of windows so you can enjoy the beautiful view at all time. All the staff did so much effort to make our stay as nice as possible. The food was also sooo good. We enjoyed the game drives a lot and even managed to see the full big 5 during our 2 nights at this lodge.

Privacy of our unit and friendliness of the owners and staff

Everything. The place was just out of this world

Beautiful location on a river with hippos and views of a large number of animals on other side of river.

The staff at the Lodge were so friendly and welcoming, and really made our stay 10/10. All of the food made for us was delicious. The chef even prepared me a special gluten free option each meal, including snacks, which was much appreciated! I have done one safari before but the wildlife we saw was out of this world. A heard of 20 Elephants came to the lodge one evening and we're drinking out of our plunge pools. It was a once in a lifetime experience that we will treasure.