Makanyi Private Game Lodge | Luxury Safari South Africa

Makanyi is such a special place! My family and I enjoyed every minute of our stay here. Each member of the staff contributed to it being such a wonderful experience. The rooms and grounds are beautiful with a watering hole in view of each room and the public spaces, so you often get to see a wide variety of animals making their way through. The game drives were all such incredible experiences. We saw everything we hoped we would and more without disrupting the animals or their environment. Our guide and tracker, Carl and Rondy, are absolute gems. They are very good at what they do and great company. We were also never disappointed coming back from our game drives to see Cecelia’s smiling face and positive energy. Hats off to Chef Amos as well. The food he and his team prepared was delicious. I looked forward to every meal. Amanda was also so great behind the bar and went above and beyond taking care of all of us. There were so many others working hard behind the scenes contributing to our experience being so positive that we were so grateful to as well. Makanyi felt like home and the people are what make it so special. I wouldn’t think twice about recommending it and I hope to make my way back one day as it was a tough place to say goodbye to!

We stayed here 3 nights at Makanyi. What a great experience. The rooms were outstanding, spacious, and clean. The chef makes great food and you feel full all day long. The entire staff starting with Lillian goes out of their way to welcome you and looking after you. You feel as part of their family. But we came for the safari and it exceed our expectations. Our guide Saki snd tracker Robert were amazing. We can’t believe the amount of animals we saw and in different environments. We can’t say enough nice things about them or the enter team at Makanyi Private Game Lodge. One a scale of 1 to 10, we gave them a 15.

Our stay at Makanyi was spectacular. The small, beautifully decorated lodge felt like home after only a few days. Each staff member greeted us by name during each interaction and were unfailingly kind and welcoming. The rooms and properties were luxurious and relaxing. From the pool, we were able to watch a herd of elephants take a bath at the watering hole, a hyena stalk through the grass, warthogs visit the fence, and many more animals take a stroll along the plain. Even from our room we had monkeys and kudu visit just outside our window. The game drivers were full of adventure with our tracker and guide, and we saw all of the big 7! Our driver and guide always found awesome places to stop and watch the sunsets. There were times when we went hours without seeing another vehicle, and we had plenty of time to observe animals with only our group present. The food and drinks were outstanding. Be prepared to be fed every two hours! We had muffins and yogurt in the morning before our first game drive, coffee and snacks during the morning drive, a full breakfast upon return, lunch in the afternoon, afternoon tea just before the evening game drive, cocktail hour with snacks during the evening drive, and a full dinner upon our return. On our last night, we had the privilege of experiencing a Boma for our final meal. The food was PHENOMENAL. We were astounded by the variety of food that was prepared to perfection by the chef- vegetarian options were thoughtful and varied. There are only eight rooms on property, which offered us the wonderful opportunity to connect with the other guests and get to know the staff. I cannot recommend this property enough!

Where to begin. Our stay at Makanyi was life changing. We felt welcomed from the moment we stepped onto the property, like we were part of the family. The accommodations were FANTASTIC. Our room was beautiful and we were able to look out onto the land and see animals wandering on the property from almost every angle. The rooms were very private which added an additional level of comfort. The room was full of natural light that added joy to every moment in the room. Housekeeping was amazing, and ensured a clean and well stocked room at all times. We loved returning from game drives to a fresh room, clean linens, and clean laundry thanks to the fantastic laundry service that was included in our stay. The schedule for the day at Makanyi was one of our favorite parts, even the early morning wake up time for game drives! We felt like we always had stuff to do throughout the day, while also having time to relax, nap, read and spend quality time together. We really appreciated the opportunity to spend time with fellow guests and the staff of Makanyi, while also having time just the two of us. The set up of the lodge and schedule of events allowed for each individual to get the experience tailored to what they preferred. We enjoyed spending meal times and cocktail hour with the group, allowing for added connections and fun. We did see some other guests take meals back to their room, so it was nice to see how the lodge accommodated all requests. Speaking of meal times, the food was unbelievable. Amos is a fantastic chef that seems passionate about his craft every time he told us our meal options. His passion and skill lead to the best food we have ever had. The lodge felt very safe. We were escorted to and from our rooms when it was dark, and staff always pointed out steps to ensure safety. There was fencing around the property to ensure we were safe from certain wildlife. While on game drives we were all educated on proper etiquette, respect for animals and safety which ensured safe game drives for everyone. Sakkie and Robert made us feel safe every moment of each game drive, even when off the vehicle for drinks. Sakkie, our guide, and Robert, our tracker made a fantastic team. They were so knowledgable, always happy to answer our questions but also giving us the space to quietly enjoy all that the Timbavati Reserve had to offer. They had such respect for the wildlife and the land, which is something we will carry with us forever. Helping us spot wildlife on our game drives was a priority for Sakkie and Robert. They see these animals regularly, but still seemed to get so excited when an animal was spotted. One night they extended the time of our drive just to have us see a leopard that was spotted by another team. We managed to see every animal we came for, a including the Big 5, a black Rhino and a wild dog! They ensured comfortable, fun, and educational game drives each and every ride. We will never forget Sakkie and Robert and how they had such a positive impact on our stay. We felt so connected to all of the staff at Makanyi, and truly felt like part of the family when we left. Lillian was so fun and full of joy with each interaction we had, and ensured a seamless trip throughout our travels to and from the lodge in addition to throughout the duration of the stay. Lyborn, Amanda and Distance provided amazing service for all of our meals and time spent in the lodge. Every request we made was immediately accommodated, and with a smile. We both cried leaving the lodge on our final day as staff waved goodbye to us. We know it wasn’t a goodbye but rather a see you soon. We cannot wait until our next trip to Makanyi.

My family and I stayed at Makayni last week, and it was by far the best experience we've had with any lodging experience. The staff really are something special and make you feel like family. Cecilia is an absolute gem (and immediately fell into step with our sarcastic humor), Amos' food was incredible, Amanda made the best cocktails and served up SO many wines to taste while having the best smile/attitude, Carl and Rondy were the best guide/tracker duo who made every morning and evening game drive so much fun. The property is absolutely stunning - they pay such close attention to detail - and the service absolutely matches the price point. We were devastated to move on to our next location, and I can't wait to go back!

This is an absolutely spectacular place! The property is not to be believed. The entire experience was incredible! From the attentive staff members like Lillian to the awesome Trackers and Guides like Rodney and Karl, the place leaves no detail out. The animal viewing is beyond belief as are the accommodations. What a beautiful experience

We spent three incredible days at this very special property, and the service and facilities were excellent. Every employee was helpful, kind, and one step ahead of us for any need or request. Our safari ranger, Alfred and tracker Temba were incredibly knowledgeable and enabled us to see an incredible variety of animals during our time. They also shared stories of the animals, their backgrounds, and their living habitats, which made the experience incredibly enjoyable.||In addition, the food variety and quality were 5-star during our entire visit.

Don’t know where to begin this review of this extraordinary place. Makanyi exceeded all expectations in every respect. Not only are the lodge and the accommodations beautiful beyond words, the feeling of warmth and welcome is felt profoundly in everything everyday. It is hard not to fall in love with the people who make your stay memorable. You begin with a greeting from Lillian who made check in easy. You will meet the excellent chef who will feed you delicious meals throughout your stay. Can not say enough about our guide, Saki and tracker, Robert who gave us a safari experience beyond what we could have imagined. We saw sightings of the big five plus so much more including the rarely found wild dogs. Because Makanyi is a private reserve, our vehicle was able to go off road and get a very close view of whichever animal or animals Saki and Robert spotted. Saki shared his vast knowledge of not only the animals we saw but the ecosystem in which they live. One of the most fascinating things we saw was the termite mounds. Saki explained the importance of these in all aspects of bush life. As if all of this wasn’t enough, we stopped for breakfast in the bush on some morning drives. We highly recommend coffee with Amarula. On the evening drives, we were treated to a “sundowner” to watch the magnificent sunset. One evening we were joined by an elephant family having their drink at a nearby watering hole. | In between the game drives, we recommend getting a massage and/ or facial from Lucia, the spa director. She is lovely through and through and you will feel even more relaxed after she works her magic on you.| Our time at Makanyi was extraordinary in every way and a dream come true experience. Can’t recommend Makanyi more highly. |Nancy and Paul Buscemi|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||. ||||||||||||||||||||Amarula. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||. ||||||||||||||||||It’s piping hot and delicious. During the evening drives, we stopped for a “sundowner” while the sun was setting. Hard to put that sight into words especially if we were there when an elephant family arrived for a drink of water at the same time.| In between the drives and eating great meals, we highly recommend that you treat yourself to a massage and/or a facial from Lucia, the spa director. She is lovely through and through and you will feel even more |||||||relaxed after she works her magic on you.