Name: Vuyani Safari Lodge
Address: Moditlo Private Game Reserve, Timbavati, Timbavati, Timbavati, 1890, South Africa
Rating: 10

Air conditioning

Smoke-free property

Heating

Ticket assistance

Garden

Terrace

Private check-in/check-out

General

Non-smoking rooms

Room service

Rooms

Ironing

Laundry

Safe-deposit box

Concierge services

Dry-cleaning

Luggage storage

Services and amenities

Diet menu (on request)

Breakfast

Breakfast in the room

Restaurant

Snack bar

Packed Lunches

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Airport transportation

Car rental

Transfer services

Transfer

English

Languages Spoken

Tour assistance

Tourist services

Free parking

Parking

Swimming pool

Outdoor pool

Pool and beach

Conference Hall

Business

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Temperature control for staff

Personal protection equipment for staff

Extra decontamination measures

Contactless check-in and/or check-out

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

At the cottage

Hoedspruit Airport

Vuyani Safari Lodge

Timbavati

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

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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

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

The most incredible safari experience! We travelled to Vuyani Safari Lodge over the New Years period, and had the most magical time. The whole team pulled together an incredible family holiday for me, my sisters and my parents. The morning game drives were an absolute highlight, ticking off 4 of the Big 5 in our first 2 days (thanks to our superstar guides, Stephen and Phillip) and all the staff in the lodge are so attentive and helpful (shout out to Divine, Chris, and the team). The rooms are beautiful, and the food is delicious. Thank you so much to the team at Vuyani, we're so keen to come back soon and do it all again ✌🏽

The Most Magical Safari Experience

This was one of the best experiences we (as a family) have experienced whilst travelling.

From being picked up from the airport (by Johan - arranged by Vuyani) to arriving at the accommodation, checking in, and through to check out on our last day was effortless.

The staff are all friendly, welcoming and very professional; all just wanting to make your experience the best it could be. 

The rooms are fantastic. very spacious and have all you need during your stay. Ours even had a hot tub on the deck outside to enjoy through the day.

The cleaning ladies, the chefs, the kitchen and bar staff, the night porters, the drivers, the pool cleaners, the gardeners and the admin staff all make this trip what it is. 

This said, from our perspective the game driver and guide were the best part and made our trip unforgettable. 

We were assigned Philip and Stephen, both of which not only had so much knowledge about the animals, and the area, but were also just good people with great personalities, that made our overall experience exceptional. 

We had so many laughs, met so many different people that this holiday was very hard to leave behind.

We are already looking at our next trip to Vuyani Safari lodge, but this time taking others with us so we can share our experience.
 
Thank you Vuyani, we will be back very soon. You really bring the experience alive!

Damian, Jen and Poppy

Best Holiday, Driver and Guide ever! We are booking our return right now!!

Have I been here before? Yes
Will I come here again? It’s a given 
Will you love this place? Absolutely

There is so much of the world to see that I honestly have never been one to keep going back to the same place. Until I found the Vuyani Lodges. And now I can’t not go back. 

The wildlife is incredible. Honestly you will not believe quite how they manage to get you so close to the animals, and yet the animals are not stressed by it, and by how safe you feel, even being so close.  The guides and trackers are so brilliant at what they do you just have absolute faith in them. And the reserve itself is such a beautiful place to be driving around. 

Jannie and Aggy. Guide and tracker. Team extraordinaire. Full of dad jokes, bad jokes and so much amazing information that you can’t help but enjoy every single second of your time with them. They are just brilliant. You will leave knowing they have given everything they have to make sure you have had a brilliant time. I love them both. 

The lodge itself is beautiful and comfortable and the staff are there to cover anything you might need - from the housekeeping ninjas who keep your room sp beautifully but yet you never see them - to the waiters and chefs who keep you fed and watered so your waistlines are ever expanding - to the front of house team who greet you after every drive and everyone else who plays their part. 

You will leave with a heavy heart at having to say goodbye, already wanting to return, but at the same time a very happy heart at everything you have experienced in such a magical place. 

I can’t stop coming back. I love it 

Four of us stayed at the new Vuyani Marula Lodge at the end of October. The Vuyani Marula Lodge has three large bedrooms, a beautiful open plan reception, lounge and dining area and lovely rustic kitchen. The lodge also has its own pool and fenced deck area, which offers a stunning view of the mountains while you enjoy lunch on the patio or a dip in the pool. We arrived just in time for lunch prepared by Ephraim and while we were eating we were joined by an elephant at the fence that had passed by looking for a drink. This was a truly remarkable experience that started the holiday as it meant to go on. After settling in we were briefed by Russel our host about safety and met all the people that were going to look after us during our stay. We had a wonderful group of people looking after us, nothing was too much and they really made the experience of staying at the lodge something special.  
We had two game drives a day with Thomas guiding and Steve tracking. Early morning drives you can watch the sunrise, the animals start their day, and stop at the bush or a waterhole for coffee. On late afternoon drives catch the animals on the other half of their day relaxing in the sun or moving around the bush, and we would stop to have a sundowner (evening drink of your choice, with snacks) and enjoy the stunning views of sunset. 
As we were there at the same time as South Africa were in the rugby world cup final and so we chose to miss the sunrise drive so Thomas and Steve could watch the game and have a lie in the following morning. We went to Safari Lodge as they were streaming the game and watched with the guests and some guides from there. A really friendly atmosphere and a good game. 
We had a couple of rainy days but still managed to complete some game drives and saw many of the animals with some superb sightings with a large herd of elephants and two lioness that had caught a Nyala. We have made some wonderful memories with some beautiful sunsets at some waterholes and pangolin rocks which is the highest point on the reserve. On several days we found mating lions so hopefully there maybe some cubs at some point!
As for our accommodation, the lodge is beautiful. Each bedroom was large and had its own bathroom and the lounge area is great place to sit and chat. Breakfast is cereal, fruit, yogurt and pastry for you to choose and serve yourself and/or a full cooked breakfast where you can choose what you want from the list. Lunch was always a treat with choice after choice of fantastic food that Ephraim had prepared for us in the kitchen. Dinner was a choice from a set menu which was selected at lunchtime and was prepared during the afternoon and the wonderful smell of food cooking when you return from the game drive was the temptation of what was being prepared for us. The bedrooms were maintained by Scaners and were cleaned and tidied several times during the day and were always pristine when you get back from the game drives. 
The only downside, the ever evasive Leopard was the only thing we didn’t see, but we’ll just have to go back.
Overall, this was an amazing experience, and one we hope to return to again soon! If there is a group of friends or a family group it’s the perfect place to choose. We cannot recommend Vuyani Marula Lodge enough.

A once in a lifetime experience - that we will definitely do again!

It was our first visit to Africa and we had goals of seeing a few of the animals on our wish list but our expectations were exceeded 100 fold. From the moment Derek met us at the airport our Safari began. We were met at reception by Alyssa who took us through induction and we met Sengali the lodge cat. Every morning we waited for the Goooood Morninnnnng which signalled another start to an amazing day. We saw every animal on our list and Jannie and Aggy’s knowledge was priceless. The food was next level amazing. We asked for dinner in our room for Valentines Day and the Staff gave us a candle lit dinner on the main deck where Russell looked after our every need. You have to stay at Vuyani Safari Lodge. It is amazing! We will be back!

Amazing Vuyani

Our first trip to South Africa. Starting in Port Elizabeth, making our way down the garden route to Cape Town, via Nysna and Franshhock. All very enjoyable. Took a 2-1/2 hour flight to Hoedspruit to get to the reserve. From the minute our taxi driver waiting for us picked us up nothing was too much trouble for all the staff. We were greeted at the lodge by a very nice young man who told us the does and don’t for our safety then took us to our rooms. Very spacious clean and comfortable. Unfortunately due to heavy rain the night before our first game drive was cancelled due to safety concerns which was disappointing but understandable. Our first game drive started the following morning with a knock on the door at 5am ready for the off at half past. Our tracker Age and driver Yanny were very informative and did us all proud on all of the 5 drives. Brilliant!!!
All our food was freshly prepared and very nice and as much to drink as you wished. 
Our only disappointment was not seeing the full reserve as 70% was closed for safety due to excessive rain fall over the 7 days before we arrived. 
Non the less a fantastic experience seeing wild animals in their natural environment. Would recommend it to anyone. Thanks again to all who made our trip a memorable event in our life. Ian & Julie with friends Keith and Lyn. 

One wonderful experience in your life.

Fabulous experience, high quality location, great location, great staff and a wonderful wildlife experience.
We were picked up from the airport by car, welcomed to the lodge, as we arrived mid afternoon they had saved lunch for us which was very thoughtful. The standard of food for 3 meals a day was first class and a wide range of drinks were readily available. 2 drives were provided each day 05:30 and 16:30 and each time we saw a great selection of animals. The lodge is in the middle of the park, on our first drive we saw a cheetah within 15 minutes of leaving. There is a very sociable atmosphere created and we met some lovely other guests. The staff were cheerful, professional, attentive and couldn't do enough to help. Our guide Gerry was exceptional. A truly wonderful few days

Outstanding experience

This was actually our third time visiting this amazing place... this time with the family between the ages of 21-74. You can check out my previous 5* reviews - ultimately,  I don’t think you’ll find better value for money. 

The bush is always a very special place, from the sounds and the smells, to of course the sightings… and Safari lodges come in all shapes and sizes… AND costs - we’ve stayed at a few to know. But because such a huge amount of your time is spent in the lodge itself or out on game drives, the staff play an enormous role in shaping your time there, more so than any other type of hotel or holiday stay. They are absolutely critical to how much you enjoy yourself and what you get out of it.

Vuyani is a beautiful lodge, but it’s people are even more so. From the very efficient front of house, to the housekeeping and maintenance  fairies, to the talented chefs and hospitable waiters, to the adventurous and dedicated game drivers and trackers, each and every one of them adds unique dimension and personality. We have truly formed a special bond with this little piece of heaven and its people and simply can’t rate it highly enough. 

To those who may be in the research stages of their first safari experience, my advice would be to look no further because this is guaranteed a top experience. And for those that are regular safari lovers like us - you’ve gotta tick this box.

Thank you so much to all the staff that continue to make this place a jewel in the crown. And a special thank you to our driver Yani and tracker Aggy for those incredible game drives, stories and belly laughs! Your chemistry, dedication and passion for the bush, it’s inhabitants and your guests is inspiring and infectious. 

We’ll be back soon! xxx

Third time is more than a charm!

Amazing resort! We had the Honeymoon suite with a jacuzzi (with cold water which was perfect) - the room was fantastic, spacious and the beds were so comfortable. The shower is outdoors which can be a bit annoying at times but only when it's a bit cold. 

The food was always incredible - one the to note is that it is quite a social eating area where you have the opportunity to meet other guests. You'll never be hungry!

The staff are amazing, our guides Jerry and Steven were great, they went above and beyond to find the animals.

The resort is on a private game reserve in Greater Kruger, we ended up going for a private tour to the main Kruger National Park and I honestly think the private reserve is much better as it's not as busy and you can get closer to animals. Definitely check out the Blyde River Canyon if you do any excursions!

Exceeded all expectations!

We 1st visited Vuyani as a couple in August 2019 and loved it so much we vowed to return one day. Covid and travel restrictions initially put paid to our 2nd visit, this time with our 30 year old daughter, which we postponed from Nov 21 to June 2022.

I have to admit we were a little nervous returning post Covid and having had such an incredible time on our 1st visit. We are planning to make Moditlo oue 2nd home in our retirement years so it was important our daughter understood our love for SA. Covid had caused closures and we didnt know whether it would be the same but it did not disappoint and if anything (and if its humanely possible) it was an even warmer welcome on our return.

Vuyani is one of those places you want to rave about but also want to keep secret so you can enjoy it all to yourself. The accommodation is spotless, luxurious and right on the doorstep of the wildlife (literally). We were slightly delayed for dinner one evening as one of the male lions had formed a road block by lazily sauntering past the lodge entrance! Yes you really will be that close.

The food is worthy of a top class restaurant and please do try Kudu! You will see lots of them out on the drives but they are incredible on the BBQ too!

What really makes Vuyani though are the people, from Justine who arranges your booking all the way through to the amazing drivers and guides who bring your game drives to life. They are a fountain of knowledge and can make a huge difference to your day. Behind the scenes staff (cleaners, chefs, barman etc) complete the picture and should not be forgotten.

A couple of bits of advice for those visiting in the future...

1) when the website says "mornings are very cold" dont do  what we did on our first visit and think "its South Africa, it cant be THAT cold". Believe me, it is! We have been in both August and June and although days are hot in August the mornings, on the back of an open back truck travelling at speed, are incredibly cold so you will need coat, hat, gloves and scarf to cover your face. Layers are key though as it warms up quickly once the sun is up.

2) it is a LONG way from Jo'burg to Vuyani and whilst the drive is picturesque (after the 1st hour or so) and a great opportunity to get to know your driver, after an overnight flight all you want to do is get there. Much easier to get a connecting flight to Hoedspruit where you will be met by the Lodge. We have done both and id go for the internal flight everytime. The journey duration works out being about the same with connection times.

Keep up the good work Vuyani, its so nice to see visitors flocking back to SA and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Vuyani Safari Lodge

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