Name: Mkuze Falls Game Lodge
Address: 238 Route 66, Pongola, Pongola, Pongola, 00000, South Africa
Rating: 9

Air conditioning

Smoking areas

Garden

Reception desk

General

Room service

Minibar

Hairdryer

Shower/Bathtub

Bathrobe

Slippers

Safe (in room)

Toiletries

Rooms

Laundry

Safe-deposit box

Concierge services

Telephone

Ironing accessories (by request)

Services and amenities

Coffee/tea for guests

Breakfast

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Airport transportation

Transfer

Multi-language staff

Languages Spoken

Barbecue grill(s)

Barbeque

Recreation

Parking

Outdoor pool

Seasonal outdoor swimming pool

Pool and beach

Event facilities

Business

Beauty and wellness

Location

At the hotel

Room amenities

Mkuze Falls Game Lodge

Pongola

Thoroughly enjoyed the whole Mkuze Falls experience. The views from the chalet were exceptional. Undoubtably the highlight of the whole trip was the game drives with Sipho. He really was phenomenal and made every effort for us to see everything (which we did). Amazing human and we are very thankful for the time spent being mentored by him about the wildlife in the reserve.

Amazing Stay!!!

it was lovely!!! I cab say a lot.... Lodge was fine, food was soso.... they should offer a bit more options for the price they are asking, but it was ok! Game drives were fine, real african experience as there were not a lot of game drive vehicles in the park. 

2024 stay

Highly disappointing experience ! This lodge is situated in an ideal setting but unfortunately the lodge itself is utterly dilapidated , unloved and zero maintenance . To name just a few issues , we were told no hot chocolate available , their ponchos are barely effective against the rain as they are old and the lodge was still waiting for new ones . We were served up frozen bread at breakfast time to put into the toaster .  The baths in the rooms were peeling and terribly uninviting and when it came to the wine option , there was only one on offer !! All of the above is marginally acceptable perhaps at a price of R1000 a person a night , NOT R3000  plus a person . I am really annoyed we paid the amount we did and were offered up substandard accommodation and a terribly run lodge …  I am told in a week or two the lodge changes hands which makes it even worse that they willing to charge us these rates - knowing the lodge is verging collapse right before its renewed . If anyone plans on going there BEFORE it’s redone - think again …

Disappointing sun standard stay

I can not put into words (without writing a book) about this place, it has to be on my top 3 locations every to go away.

Me and my wife went here for our honeymoon, as something 'different', we have never been to a safari and we did not want a plane old honeymoon in the sun. WE WANTED ADVENTURE.

First impressions were above expectations, we were greeted at the entrance by about 10 members of staff that welcomed us with open arms. they collected our bags, parked the car and handed us a nice refreshing drink :) perfect start!

the lodge was exceptionally clean and tidy, prepared prior to our arrival and they would pop in and clean three times a day while we were out and about. the views were to die for!! over looking the watering hole. 

Game drives were twice daily :) and even managed to see the Big 5 before we left. The guides were very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. stopped for beverages and snacks to chat about the animals and wildlife that we saw throughout the journey and catered for our wishes if we wanted to see any particular animal :) 

Best experience we have had as a couple and would give this reserve a 10 if possible. staff were amazing and could not do more for us.

Pictures attached for anyone that wishes to see them.

Best Honeymoon Ever

I urge everyone  to avoid this game lodge as they allow their lions to be shot on what's called " canned hunting " they stage it so they take the big brave hunter with a gun to kill a male lion at a distance  with no idea what's about to happen.  The so called " King " of kwazulu natal killed a male lion in this way , they believe they inherit the animals strength after killing it !!! Which is just as ignorant and stupid as thinking rhino horn is  medicinal  !! CORRUPT PEOPLE .   There are much better lodges that don't allow this to happen .

Lion killers

My group of 5 friends absolutely LOVED this place. If you're still debating about reserving, book it now.  

The rooms were traditional in style, immaculate, elegant and luxurious, from the beautiful netting draped over the huge king-sized beds, to the marble bathroom and outdoor shower, to the turn-down service and chocolates left nightly on the pillows.  The honeymoon suite was especially spacious and lovely, with a living room space and its own wide back balcony over looking the falls.  ALL rooms have a view and the sounds of the impressive waterfalls below.  And the cabins are air-conditioned with individual remote controls, so the temperature will be set to your own comfort level, with or without the use of the ceiling fans in each room. 

The food was absolutely gourmet level, top rate. The talented chef, Chef Wesley Maistry, who cooked for us absolutely knows what he's doing in the kitchen. Creative and delicious dinners were served with personalized menus printed awaiting us, and each of them delighted us over our 3-night stay.  

There is a separate fully-stocked bar with a bartender on stay, in an area big enough and separate to the dining room to enjoy at times other than meals.  There is also a well-appointed common space to lounge in for high tea or between meals, in addition to the pool area, vast balcony that overlooks the falls.

The staff was super helpful and our ranger, Sandile, was an absolute pleasure to be around.  Always eager to please, quick with a joke, and so very knowledgeable about how to identify and track all of the animals, he made our stay that much more special. We had fun with him on every drive and snack break, and he did all that he could to make it enjoyable for us.

I had a massage at the spa and it was very enjoyable.  "Precious" was the massage therapist, and she had truly gifted hands, although I got the only time slot I could take, a mere 30 mins.  I wished I could have had more time with her.

We saw most of the animals we had hoped to, although recent rains caused high grass growth in which some could hide.  Herds of some types of gazelles grazed right next to the main path to the cabin, daily.  The reserve is big enough to cover different terrain daily, and the guides do communicate with each other to relay and share animal sightings. 

Overall, it was a top-rated stay and I would love to return.

Fantastic Experience

We had such a wonderful time at Mkuze falls. The setting is absolutely stunning with the view of the hills and waterfall from the lodge. Weather permitting you dine out overlooking the beautiful view. The staff are all so friendly and helpful, Wesley the chef who catered to all our needs, Thombilie, Nelly and Fortune. 

Our guide Sandile was exceptional, he was very knowledgeable about the birds, animals and trees (thank you for our tree tours!)  He made our game drives fun, informative and memorable. We were lucky to see so many animal family groups (Sandile taught us all the collective nouns for the animals!) including lion cubs frolicking with each other, newborn Zebras and Buffalo. 

Our rooms were very clean, the beds were comfy and the outdoor showers were fantastic. We had an incredible time and would definitely recommend this experience to others. 



Memorable Mkuze Falls 

An incredible luxury bush experience with amazing sightings and the friendliest, most efficient and helpful Mkuze team. We highly recommend  Mkuze Falls to everyone! 

Game Drives: Sandile is an expert guide and his extensive knowledge on every animal, bird, tree, etc is remarkable. I'd highly recommend asking for Sandile as your guide. He has a lovely personality and is attentive and considerate to each guest. He really made our bush experience  so very interesting, fun and exceptional. He tracked each animal with dedicated perseverance and we were amazed each time at every sighting. See pictures attached. Sandile is outstanding as a guide and as a person and we are so happy to have met him.

Booking: Our booking process with friendly Fezile was very easy and she kept in contact for days before the trip to ensure we would have all we needed. And we did have everything and more once we arrived at Mkuze which we greatly appreciated. Her friendly manner and the biggest smile each time we saw her was so welcoming. Sihle was also so kind and it was sad to say goodbye as they felt like friends.

Facilities: What a stunning place Mzuke remains to be! This is our 3rd visit and there have been lovely renovations done which make meals and free time so much more relaxing. The decked areas are a great spot for animal watching and it's from here that we spotted a hyena, crocodile and hippos! Our chalets are so comfy and fully equipped with all we needed. I appreciate the turndown of our beds at night as we hopped straight into bed after big dinners. The towels, pillows and linen are exceptional as is the view from our deck of the falls. Room 5 is the best!

Food: We were fully catered for during every meal despite each of us having different dietary requirements (vegan, vegetarian and  lean meat eater). The kitchen team headed by Mandla created each dish with masterful flair and in a personalised and health conscious way which we highly appreciated. The dining team of Nelson, Nellie and Fortune made every meal so much better as they were always available and responsive to anything we required. Nelson is highly knowledgeable on wines and gins so definitely let him create drinks for you. 

Mkuze Falls is beautiful in facilities and in the experience it offers. Well done to a great team and the kindest hearts... We will be back! 



Exceptional bush experience and luxurious lodge! 

Beautiful, luxurious lodge in a fantastic location overlooking the waterhole. Very friendly, helpful and attentive staff, always trying to make sure we could enjoy the stay. Before we arrived we had a tire panel. To allow us to participate in the game drives, the manager himself took the 30-minute drive to Pongola to have the tire repaired and checked for us...very heartfelt thanks, which was incredibly nice!!! Even the racing trips were great with a highly ambitious ranger. Overall, I can warmly recommend the lodge.

It's dreamy

It's a fantastic experience as can only be found in a five-star hotel in the savannah. All the staff available and attentive to every need: the ranger Sipho we immediately fell in love with, is experienced and very nice. We always found tasty dishes with a vegetarian option. The spacious, cozy room with a beautiful view of the waterfalls was the perfect environment to immerse ourselves in the African climate.

Mkuze Falls Game Lodge

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