Tshukudu Bush Lodge

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 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

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.

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!

Please do not change a single thing about this place! What a rare find to have a lodge so luxurious yet so true to the surroundings. I have been to lodges all over Africa - from budget camps to luxury accommodation frequented by celebrities, and there is something so special about Tshukudu I just want to return over and over again. It is so refreshing to find a lodge of this calibre that has not sold out to tourist commercialism of having to include gyms and spas. If you want to work out - run up and down the 130 stairs. If you want to spa, then the guides will take you to a neighbouring lodge. This rare and precious lodge needs to stay true to its original purpose; creating a quiet and tranquil setting to enjoy the surroundings. I cannot express in words how magical this place is, and worth every single penny of the cost. The staff are all helpful and attentive. Our guide, JR, was one of the best guides I have ever come across. His knowledge of the park, the flora and fauna was outstanding. His passion for the animals shone through, and he was genuinely in love with his job. Guests always came first for him and I cannot thank him enough for such an amazing and educational stay. The lodges themselves are stunning. We had originally planned to book a suite, but unfortunately these were fully booked on our dates, so we instead chose a lodge. We got so lucky with our views, and I have to say I would always book a lodge in future, as the views are second to none. The stairs - there are a lot of warnings when booking this lodge about the stairs, and a lot of warnings in the reviews. They are not lying, and do not underestimate. However, I will say this; I have a pretty severe walking disability, have undergone 2 operations in the last 12 months, am definitely not fit, and definitely am overweight. I managed. There is no one hurrying you up and down. Take your time. Take a rest (there is a bench half way). Enjoy the views and wildlife as you climb. It is part of the experience. It also makes you feel a bit better about eating the amazing food on offer! This place would not be the same if a lift was added (not even sure it would be possible). The views are phenomenal. The ambience is unbeatable. The staff are amazing. The rooms and beautiful. The drives last hours, include refreshments and toilet stops. I cannot praise this lodge highly enough, and I will definitely be back! Please, please, do not change a thing about this rare gem.

I based my review on price paid 6 nights staying there. I really wanted to give this 5 out of 5, but felt a few points need attention. Firstly, I must say, like the majority of reviews that our guide JR was exceptional, he and the other guests we met made our trip. JR had amazing communication, and his Ferrari Safaris were great fun.His knowledge of the area geological and animals was second to none, and he made a great bacardi and coke, thank you JR you are a credit to your profession. We were lucky to see the big 5 in 2 days, but this was luck of the draw as the animals are wild and roam, the views were exceptional and staying at the Lodge gave us small tour groups (max of 6) not the massive prison looking trucks you saw zooming around. Yes, there are steps 140 plus up to the rooms with a bench halfway so if you are less mobile then I would say this is not for you which is a shame.The lodges are large with stunning views and some have small plunge pools, to be honest these are great but only used ours in small amounts to cool down.Beds are firm but comfortable with all the facilities you need, hair dryer, coffee pod maker, every tea ever made, kettle, fridge and fan.Lovely double shower and separate freestanding bath overlooking water hole and double sinks. When up the top area, 2 x seating areas , one smoking one non smoking, which was great for my cigars.There is also a small plunge pool which we did not use but seemed popular. You are most probably wondering why I did not give this 5 out of 5 ? The drinks are premium, BUT I asked for Jack D on day one and was told they had run out,which is OK, but when I asked 2 days later, they checked and found it, would of been nice to have seen it on shelf when it was re-stocked up rather than in locked room around backThe cocktails selection should be improved no one ever knew what cocktail they had just given to them and a proper cocktail list with mainstream cocktails would of been nice and expected in this price bracket. Wines were good and they did keep you topped up, but I asked on the off chance for a vanilla milkshake and got one then most people got one as no one knew it was avaliable and the same goes for snacks no one knew that they were avaliable. Food was top class with 5 courses served nightly for dinner, but the bush dinner was not avaliable due to some works going on, this was a massive disappointment for me as it was one of the main reasons for going there as having dinner every night either in your room or at communal table is OK but not the experience of being out and about, they did have high tea under a tree but not do it was very disappointing. Up 5am Game Drive 5.30 Back around 8am Breakfast around 9am High Tea 3.30pm Game Drive 4pm Back around 8.15pm Dinner around 9pm The above change from Nov 1st to earlier. We were lucky to have an incredible group of people when we were there that could make or break in my opinion this holiday,(no names used but you know who you