Makalali Main Lodge

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Pricing

pp/night sharing

normal price: R5 740 (save: 45%)

Superior Room

1 May - 30 Sep '25

R 3143

Excludes public holidays and long weekends

Family Room

1 May - 30 Sep '25

R 9428

Per unit per night (2 adults & 2 children under 12 years) (excludes long weekends and holidays)

Includes:

Accommodation
All meals daily
Two game drives daily

Our Verdict

Excellent value for money a serious draw-card at this 30-room "bush hotel" style lodge - the contemporary styling of the main public areas with attractive pool area are the highlights

Lodge Gallery

Our Ratings

7.0

Overall

7.0

Luxury & style

7.0

Setting

7.5

Game Viewing

6.5

Romance

Our Ratings

7.0

Overall

7.0

Luxury & style

7.0

Setting

7.5

Game Viewing

6.5

Romance

What's Hot

Excellent value for money – Makalali Main Lodge consistently boasts some of the most competitive rates of all the private game reserves in the Greater Kruger area
Clean and contemporary styling of the public areas where the prominent steel frame structure is combined with reeds to create an attractive shelter that is open, light and airy
The most attractive part of the lodge has to be the rim flow swimming pool surrounded by a large deck on multiple levels – the perfect place to find a spare lounger where you can soak up some sun between game drives with a long, cold drink to hand!
After your evening game drive head for dinner under the stars at the sandy floored boma and afterwards chat to your fellow guests around the open firepit

What's Not

Lovers of smaller and traditionally styled game lodges are unlikely to warm to the larger “bush hotel” nature of Makalali Main Lodge – the 30 rooms have more of a city hotel décor style and feel and are located in large double storey blocks as opposed to the stand alone rooms of most game lodges
The game viewing at Makalali doesn’t generally reach the same heights as at other more prestigious private reserves in the lowveld – then again the prices here are a small fraction of the more prestigious reserves!

Makalali Main Lodge the overall aesthetic is again modern and contemporary with prominent use of steel frame elements softened by the use of reeds to provide both shade and visual interest

Lodge Profile

Excellent value for money a serious draw-card at this 30-room "bush hotel" style lodge - the contemporary styling of the main public areas with attractive pool area are the highlights

Quick Overview

Location

Makalali

Drive Time

5 hours drive from Johannesburg

Malaria

Yes

Setting

Overlooking bush

Rooms

30 Superior Rooms

Aircon

Yes

Pool

Yes

Spa

Camp Fenced

Tracker

Yes - ranger and tracker

Off Road

Yes

Child Policy

All ages

With siblings in most families there is usually some degree of family resemblance, but every now and again you’ll see a couple of sisters (for example) where they are so different that it’s difficult to believe that they’re even related. That’s what springs to mind when looking at the 2 sister Makalali lodges – the original Makalali River Lodge and now the new Makalali Main Lodge – as they are so completely different in just about every possible way.

Whilst the River Lodge actually consists of 3 small and intimate satellite camps of 6 rooms each which exhibit exotically ethnic styling, Makalali Main Lodge is both much larger (30 rooms in total) as well as being much more modern and contemporary in style. Perhaps the biggest difference ultimately though, is that Main Lodge moves away from the traditional game lodge norm of individual, free-standing rooms and is instead what we would refer to as a “bush hotel” – the rooms here are laid out in 3 double-storeyed blocks, each consisting of 5 rooms upstairs and 5 downstairs.

The “bush hotel” feel continues in the interior of the rooms themselves which lack any of the traditional game lodge styling elements like thatch roofs or canvas – instead they have very much a contemporary hotel room aesthetic which wouldn’t feel out of place in the city or even in a beach resort. Whilst the rooms lack any strong styling character or individuality, they are nonetheless very comfortable and well equipped with all the mod-cons you would expect like air-conditioning, ceiling fan and are quite light and airy courtesy of the sliding aluminium door and windows which open out on to your patio – perhaps the most “game-lodgey” element is that there is also an outdoor shower in addition to the inside one. Making things family-friendly is that inter-leading rooms are available.

Whilst we would admit to finding the rooms a bit bland and “meh”, the public areas of the lodge are to our eyes much more interesting and attractive. The overall aesthetic is again modern and contemporary with prominent use of steel frame elements softened by the use of reeds to provide both shade and visual interest. Whilst very different from the traditional game lodge styling and therefore obviously not to everyone’s taste, the lounging spaces are pleasingly open, light and airy. They also flow down neatly to the lodge’s most attractive feature – the large pool deck and infinity pool. With loungers arranged on the deck’s multiple levels, there’s space to relax in the sun between game drives, along with a cold drink and a pair of binoculars to keep an eye on the birds flittering about in the surrounding bush.

Undoubtedly the part of the lodge most like a traditional game lodge is the attractive outdoor boma with its sand floor where guests can enjoy their dinner under the stars and afterwards chat to fellow guests around the open firepit. Talking of meals, the lodge was previously catering largely to international tour groups and was very much orientated around buffets, so it will be interesting to see how this evolves post Covid-19.

Of course, the primary reason why you’re here in the first place is for the game viewing and the Makalali reserve delivers a reliable lowveld safari without ever reaching the heights of more illustrious (and more expensive) reserves like the Sabi Sands or Timbavati. Like so many of the lowveld reserves, Makalali, which means “place of rest”, was an old cattle farm before becoming a wildlife conservancy back in the early 90’s when a major game re-introduction was carried out including such icon species as lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, and rhino and more lately disease-free buffalo have also been released. Since those early days the game numbers have increased dramatically and the 22 000 hectares of lowveld Acacia bush and open savannah grass land now boasts very good game viewing. And the best news of all of staying at Makalali Main Lodge is that you’re seeing the exact same game as the other lodges on the reserve, but paying a fair amount less courtesy of the excellent rates that are available here at Makalali Main Lodge!

Pricing

pp/night sharing

More Information

Booking Notes

Unless otherwise stated, all rates listed are based on a minimum 2 night stay. Surcharges may apply for a 1 night booking
Rates quoted are only applicable to South African Residents. Special discounted rates for International Residents are available on request
Rates exclude a Conservation Levy of R240 per person per night (including children), which will be added to the invoice for the accommodation at the time of booking (subject to change)

Child Policy

Children of all ages allowed
Children under 6 years of age are not permitted on game drives

Useful Links

Lodge Website

Visit the official lodge site.

Trip Advisor

Read guest reviews for this lodge.

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