Tshukudu Bush Lodge

We stayed at Tshukudu Lodge in November 2024 for our honeymoon. We stayed for 3 nights before moving to Mauritius. Drives You’re offered a game drive in the morning and a drive in the evening. In a morning, we had to be ready for approximately 4:30am for coffee before setting off roughly at 4:45/5am. We’d then go out on the drive before coming back to the lodge for about 8:45am ish before we’d then have breakfast. On an afternoon / evening, you’d have a late lunch before heading out for the next drive. You’d then come back at around 8pm before having the evening meal at 9pm. We had JR as our guide who was absolutely fantastic. His passion for the animals was infectious; he was so knowledgable but also did not go ‘chasing’ the sightings like some other guides with other companies did. We had an unfortunate incident where lions were sighted and lots of different tour companies were chasing them and our entire group felt uncomfortable. JR did not engage in any of this which was really reassuring. We managed to see so many animals; we saw buffalo, elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes and so many more. It was truly magical. Lodges The lodges were really well equipped; they had a fridge, a coffee machine, plugs with electricity and a very comfy bed. Towels and an assortment of different toiletries were provided. The rooms were cleaned too. Food The food was incredible. Breakfast was either a selection of ‘full English’ type ingredients, fruits, and other items. The late lunch varied but while there, we had some chicken satay sticks with a salad for example. Another day we had a chicken pie which was the best I’ve ever eaten! On an evening, it was largely a 5 course meal which consisted of a soup course, a starter, a main which was usually meat or fish with vegetables and potatoes, a pudding, and a cheese course. The quality of the food was incredible and the service was brilliant every night. We could not recommend Tshukudu more; this is a real, ‘one in a lifetime’ place to visit. We’re desperate to come back. If we were to come back, we’d probably extend our stay from 3 nights to 4/5 nights. While it does get tiring with being up so early, you have all the late morning / afternoon to relax. I usually spent this napping! The lodges have verandas which look out onto the watering hole so even when we were relaxing, we were able to spot lots of different animals which was amazing! What to pack The lodge provides a bag with binoculars in for the drives so don’t worry about bringing those. There’s also snacks in the lodge if you do get hungry. It could get chilly on some of the drives - while there’s blankets provided in the trucks, I bought an over shirt and then a jacket with me. For footwear, I wore sandals / trainers were fine. If you want to do the walking tour, then you’d need closed shoes. If you’re contemplating booking here, please do it! The staff, the location, the lodges, the guides and more importantly, the abundance of an

This will forever go down as one of the best weeks of our lives. Before I go any further I just wanted to encourage you to not base coming here or not on the 1 star review left on the 5th February. Having been guests at the same time, it is safe to say that there is always two sides to a story. Now, where to even start with this place. The location, the food (they catered for me being gluten free too!), the environment and the staff, nothing could really have been better. From Elvis to Thabiso to Simon and many others the staff on hand went above and beyond to make your stay the best it could be. As for our guide JR, he made the week we experienced there beyond memorable. He ensured that we saw the big 5, he was a fountain of knowledge and made the early wake up calls easy. Contrary to the 1 star review, you are allowed to walk around the lodge as you wish but of course cannot leave the lodge unaccompanied (on account of the wild animals…). Sure there may be a few stairs to climb, there is not air conditioning in the purest sense (although the fans are more than enough), the cell service/internet are spotty and the gym isn’t close but if that is what you are after why are you coming on a safari.. Tshukudu offers an immersive, personal and bespoke safari experience that will genuinely change your life. It is hard to think of a place that will give you better memories. Our week was made by the people we shared drives with (you know who you are), the kindness of our guide JR, the general attitude of the staff and the setting of this lodge. If we never get to return to Tshukudu again we will be very sad. It is a unique place filled with the most unforgettable experiences and people. Yes, it might be on the expensive side but if you can afford it, it will be the best experience of your life. Having already recommended it to every person we have spoken to since leaving, I suggest you book asap and go and have the best week of your life. Thank you Tshukudu, you have been amazing!

We've just returned from a fabulous stay at Tshkudu - went on the recommendation of friends who are return visitors. We met several people who are return visitors - it's definitely a favourite, particularly for people who have experienced other lodges in the area The stairs are a challenge, but you only need to climb them a couple of times each day. The food was lovely, although I found dinner to be a bit over facing (6courses Inc cheese), particularly when you need to go to bed soon after to prepare for a 4am wake up call for the morning drive... I left a lot of food which I felt was wasteful - I would rather have had more food at High Tea and a bit less at dinner. Having said that, the lodge caters for most dietary requirements and did a good job both when there are only two guests and even there are 12! The staff can't do enough for you and are alert to individual needs. I was a bit under the weather during my stay and even the lady cleaning my room said she was sorry to hear I wasn't well. There is a small pool to relax beside. Bush walks can be organised although this needs to be requested when booking. Our Guide JR was fantastic - explained lots to us about the various wildlife, flora and fauna and did what he could to get us sightings. It's worth remembering that this time of year is not the best time for sightings because water is readily available for the animals. We did see the Big 5 though - and we had never seen a leopard before so that was a highlight. The lodge provides you with binoculars and a backpack in which you can carry your essentials for the day. All you need is a stout pair of shoes, suncream & bug spray (and your clothes of course), but there is no necessity to dress for dinner for example. We hadn't brought warm clothing, but actually we're only a little chilly on one morning and there are blankets in the truck should they be needed. They also have some very good quality ponchos in case of rain. The rooms are spacious and have everything you need (including a coffee maker, kettle and mini fridge - which they will happily stock with whatever you request). The beds are very comfortable - we coped perfectly with the overhead fan but it was not excessively hot during our stay.

We stayed for 10 days at the lodge as we wanted a full on Safari experience and it didn’t disappoint.We were greeted by all the staff who were friendly and welcoming after a 12 hour flight.The 132 steps up to the top weren’t as bad as we thought although we were out of breathe but recovered quickly.Our cases were delivered to our room which was lovely,clean and full of little touchs.We arrived around 2.30pm and a high tea was served at three,so quick freshen up lovely high tea (loads of food and choice)and plenty choice of drinks then off we went on our 1st game drive.Our guide Jafari asked us our expectations and we were happy to just see the animals (Animals will do what they want to do) over the 10 days we got to know Jafari and he was an excellent guide,patient and respectful to the magnificent animals.He looked after us throughout our stay on all the game drives and joined us for dinner.we had Sundowner drinks in the evening and nibbles and Coffee with Amarulla in the morning there was also plenty of choice of teas,coffee,hot chocolate and muffins.The 5 course meal in evening beat us and we requested it to be reduced to three which they accommodated for us.The chefs Johnny,Elvis and Sam gave us great food.Our room was perfect overlooking the waterhole and by the time we got back from the game drive in the morning housekeeping had been.This lodge is in a perfect location,so quiet and peaceful.As we went in May the morning drives were cold,not so much the temperature but more the wind factor so would recommend taking thermal ,hats and gloves.We would highly recommend this lodge as it has everything to offer and it exceeded our expectations.

My wife and i have been on numerous safaris in Southern Africa and this lodge and experience is hard to beat. Rated as four stars but accommodation and service were definitely five star. The only lodge actually in the national park and as you approach it the accommodation looks spectacular on a rocky hill top. There are over a hundred steps to the lodge but the exercise is made worthwhile by the stunning view out over a plain that stretches for miles. Upgrading to an executive room was well worth the small extra cost as it boasts a sizeable decking and a plunge pool where you can spend your time catching the sun and spotting game from your lounger. With only 12 rooms this is a quiet lodge and all the staff were wonderful. The game rangers are knowledgeable and make each drive an experience. The only slight downside is that being a national park in which the public can drive their own vehicles there can be an occasional short traffic jam when one of the big five is spotted. We highly recommend this lodge. It is a comfortable three hour drive from Johannesburg and only twenty minutes, but a million miles in class, from Sun City. Andre and his team are magnificent and helped create some magical memories.

Our time there was completely amazing. Our guide was JR, an excelent profesional totally in love with his job. He made us feel very comfortable all the time and managed to show us all every possible animal in the park. Thank U, see U again soon!