Tshukudu Bush Lodge

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.

Tudo perfeito! Super privativo, nosso guia JR foi super atencioso, 2 horários para o game drive , a vista é surreal! Rinocerontes , girafas tudo visto da varanda, inacreditável! A comida é deliciosa, quarto super amplo e decoração típica, mas super elegante