Name: Gooderson DumaZulu Lodge
Address: Lot H29 Bushlands Road, Dukuduk, Dukuduk, Dukuduk, 3960, South Africa
Rating: 7

Shopping on site

Air conditioning

24-hour reception

Smoke-free property

Newspapers

Gift shop

Garden

Terrace

All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

General

Non-smoking rooms

Cable TV

Shower/Bathtub

Bathtub

Wardrobe/Closet

Toiletries

Rooms

Accessibility features

Accessibility

Luggage storage

Laundry

Safe-deposit box

Services and amenities

Buffet breakfast

Cafe

Restaurant

Vending machine

Kettle

Meals

Multi-language staff

Languages Spoken

Tour assistance

Tourist services

Picnic area

Recreation

Parking

Swimming pool

Outdoor pool

Beach/pool towels

Pool and beach

Event facilities

Fax and copy machine

Conference Hall

Business

Babysitting and childcare

Children's playground

Kids' TV Networks

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hotel

Room amenities

Dukuduku Airport

Gooderson DumaZulu Lodge

Dukuduk

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

11-beds

12-beds

13-beds

14-beds

15-beds

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18-beds

19-beds

2-beds

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3-beds

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39-beds

4-beds

40-beds

5-beds

6-beds

7-beds

8-beds

9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

4-bedrooms

5-bedrooms

6-bedrooms

not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

While very clean, potential of the lovely lodge is sadly let down by their lack of maintenance. Shower-heads in both our rondavels provided extremely minimal water - just getting soap rinsed off was a challenge so washing hair after a day in the bush is not an option. Bathroom door did not close due broken parts. Braai grids rusted & cooking in the kitchen was made difficult with only 1 medium frying pan, no pots, no wash-up cloths. Our one rondavel had no stove or microwave. Staff were always pleasant & arrival assistance with trolly was good, however, departure assistance was non existent. Staff need a heads-up that tips usually happen on departure. Having someone supervise these little things that make a big difference to one’s stay is vital in the hospitality industry as there are so many places one can choose from.

Lacks attention to detail

Absolutely amazing. As authentic as a modern day attempt to represent traditional lifestyle/culture could possibly be. This was exceptional. We do not do “cultural” shows because we find them to be shabby and touristy, but this was a valid tribute. We learned language, saw practical demonstrations, witnessed a traditional hamlet and viewed several dances. Our guide and the village hostess were excellent. We visited as part of a cruise excursion. The participants, they were not “performers”, were genuine in their attempt to proudly communicate their culture.

An Experience Not to Be Missed

We had a great stay here.
Very spacious rooms, well laid out, clean and tidy.
Outsides painted in traditional tribal colours and buildings laid out in nice gardens.
The staff are very friendly and helpful,  being happy to help with our last minute requests.

Great stay at DumaZulu Lodge

Spent a weekend at Dumazulu. The snake tour was fantastic 👌🏻 Donald Schultz is a wonderful guide and extremely knowledgeable. He really goes the extra mile and explains in detail (well worth the money). The unit we stayed in was very clean, and staff were friendly. Over all, a great weekend and experience. 

Amazing experience at Snake Pharm & Dumazulu

Amazing experience, neat and beautiful rooms. Staff is friendly, food was amazing and the cultural dances was absolutely entertaining! They made us take part in dances without making you feel uncomfortable Warm water, wifi and beautiful gardens. Will go back.

South African Cultural experience

The Zulu warrior, bare chested, wearing only his cow hide ibheshu skirt, and traditional skins covering his biceps and shins, smashed his knobkerrie fighting stick against his shield. He cried out at the top of his voice what sounded like a battle cry. He stamped his feet and jumped high in the air. His small impi of men behind him shouted their encouragement while the Zulu ladies let out shrill calls to accompany their singing. He banged his fighting stick again against his shield before he charged us, feet stamping hard into the soft sand but barely making a sound. He stopped only a meter or so in front of us, like a lion making a mock charge.

We were at the Gooderson DumaZulu Lodge & Village and the mock charge was part of the climax to our tour around the on-site Zulu Village. The tour had started when we were met at the gates by a Zulu elder who greeted us in his native tongue. We spoke through our guide and translator and picked up one or two Zulu words to help us on our way. Before being allowed to pass beyond the gate drums were banged to let the villagers know we were there. Our guide waited for the drums to signal we could enter. She then led us through a thatched archway and back in time.

The village is surrounded by a fence which our guide told us is called a kraal, it is circular and constructed from branches of trees pushed into the ground. These fences were used to keep livestock in and wild animals out. Within the village there are a selection of traditional beehive huts built from wood, reeds and thatching grass. This is the type of home that the Zulu people traditionally lived in when European settlers first arrived in Zululand around three hundred years ago. The men in the village showed us how to make spears, both long throwing spears and shorter stabbing spears. The latter is known as an iklwa and when pronounced in Zulu it resembles the noise that the spear made as it was plunged into, them removed, from an enemy soldier during battle. After we were shown how to make the spears, we then got to launch the throwing spear ourselves.

Our next meeting was with the village’s sangoma. The sangoma or healer is highly respected, powerful, and responsible for the well being of the community. They can treat and advise on all matters. Being gifted with their abilities, various methods are adopted to treat a huge array of problems. They can converse with ancestors and use the throwing of bones, pebbles and sticks to aid their powers.

On meeting the ladies of the village, we learned of their crafts and the way that each of them was dressed. We were shown how clay pots, woven grass baskets, and traditional bead wear was skillfully made. Their skirts, their hats and other items of clothing told different stories and often depicted if the ladies were married or single.

After being taken to the centre of the village we were greeted by a warrior who prepared for us a homemade Zulu beer in a clay pot. Beer plays a big role in Zulu culture and recipes are handed down through the generations. After careful sieving and stirring we drank from the pot and thanked him for his warm welcome. Young warriors then demonstrated their stick fighting skills. The men and ladies then came together and sang. On my travels I have been lucky enough to hear Zulu singing many times. I am yet to meet a Zulu who cannot sing. However, this was as good as any that I have heard. The singing was accompanied by drumming and whistles and we found ourselves engrossed by the sounds. The dancing is always special and maybe one day I will be able to raise my legs high enough to silently stamp them down?

We stayed at the main lodge in our own traditional twin bed rondavel. Each room is dedicated to a different Southern African tribe. Our room was ‘Swazi Dlamini’ associated to the royal house of eSwatini, formerly Swaziland. The rooms are spacious and included a separate dressing room and en-suite bathroom. There is also a fridge along with tea & coffee making facilities. The accommodation, like the traditional village, is laid out in a circle amongst indigenous forest, where trees, like the marula, stood laden with fruit. Vervet monkeys and birds made the most of the abundant food supply. There were also masses of butterflies, of all sizes & colours, in the gardens and around the main lodge. The garden also has a fire pit area and swimming pool. We ate all meals in the restaurant and enjoyed a cold drink from the bar in the warm Zululand evening air. The dining area and bar are new, laid out and constructed with great thought and finished to an extremely high standard. The food was exceptional. Lunch and dinner served from a buffet, with staff on hand to talk you through each dish, and breakfast cooked to order. For lunch the stews, cooked in cast iron pots, served with traditional Zulu accompaniments included samp & beans, putu and creamed spinach. There was no shortage of anything, and buffets included, steak, boerewors, chicken, vegetables, salads, all served with beaming smiles.

Back in Time for the Zulu Village

Hubby and I made the trip to Hluhluwe to spend a weekend at DumaZulu and it was amazing. 

Hearty, delicious food for both breakfast and dinner, a swimming pool and braai area, as well as a reptile park and a bird park.  The traditional village is definitely worth a look in, as I'm Durban born and bred, and even having studied Zulu history in school, I learned a lot!

The rooms are basic but clean and have air conditioning and DSTV, and there is wifi in the restaurant/bar area.   

Our only problem was having no hot water the first night, but as soon as we complained at reception it was fixed.  Towels could be replaced, as they don't seem to dry as much as spread water around, but it was so damp at the time, that this could have been the reason too, from the excess moisture in the air.

Very close to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi park, Emdoneni cats and more!

A wonderful cultural experience

On a visit to Hluhluwe, we visited this Zulu cultural village, where we were treated to demonstrations of trafitional skills and talks about Zulu culture.  We were also treated to homemade beer and to an entertaining song-and-dance show featuring traditionally garbed men and women of the village. It all had something of a Disney feel, but the visit was certainly a pleasant diversion.

Nice, if touristy, visit to a “traditional” Zulu village

The traditional village tour and experience is geared towards tourists but explains nicely some of the traditions of the Zulus, the "performers" did a good job but there was some enthusiasm lacking which I suppose comes with having to put on the show so often.  We had a good, standard lunch beforehand. 

Traditional Village visit

We didn't stay in the lodge. We only visited the reptile park. It is not worth the visit. The snakes are kept in very small enclosures and looked very stressed. The crocodiles didn't have much space either to move around and swim.

Gooderson DumaZulu Lodge

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