Shepherds Tree Game Reserve

We had the most amazing two night stay. All the staff were so friendly, helpful and welcoming. We stayed in the executive suite which was out of this world. Everywhere was so clean. We had four game drives, two morning drives and two evening with the same Ranger which was great because he knew where he’d taken us the time before. He was very experienced and so informative. I can’t recommend Shepherds Tree highly enough

We were originally booked into Thakadu in Madikwe but due to floods in Madikwe AHA transferred us to Shepherds Tree. I cannot recommend highly enough Shepherds Tree. From our arrival to departure our stay was perfection - the staff were always helpful and friendly, the food was superb, and the game drives (with Mingo) could not have been better. We even saw Leopard and Caracal! If you are looking for a great game park experience the Shepherds Tree will provide it

Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge is just another game lodge until you arrive at the entrance to the beat of the drum. The staff begin to spoil you as they offload your luggage, park your car and shuttle you to your room jus 30 m away. Everywhere you go it’s about you coming first. The game drives were long and we saw a lion kill and the other big three. The food was great and the conversations unending with the knowledgeable game rangers.

Be prepared for a busy day! Every day there are 2 game drives to cover sunrise and sunset as they are the best times to see the wildlife. Our typical day started at 4 AM with a wake up call from reception, don't forget to book it! A quick freshen up and then set off to the meeting point by the poolside bar. First food of the day! Snacks, fruit, coffee and cold drinks are provided to see you through the next 3 to 4 hours. Check with reception to find out which Ranger you are with. At around 5:30 AM everyone gets into their allocated vehicle and a quick brief is given about safety etc. when near the animals. Sighting the animals is a joint effort, the more eyes looking then the more chance of spotting them. The animals are very good at hiding in plain sight! After a couple of hours you stop for coffee at a rest stop, some of the rest stops have hides where you can view the wildlife in the lakes etc and also the birds. A bit more driving around looking for more wildlife whilst heading back to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast there is plenty of free time to have a shower, go for a swim or just relax either by the pool or in your very comfortable lodge. It was lunch time on the day we arrived so we went straight into lunch, that was the only day that we went to lunch! The food at every meal is first class and there seems to be an endless supply of meal times. We felt that the only way we could reduce our food intake was to skip a meal and even by doing that we still managed to increase our waistline. You most definitely never feel hungry whilst at the resort. If you do go to lunch, you will have an hour or 2 after lunch to relax before heading back to the meeting area by the pool bar for more snacks etc prior to setting off on the evening drive. You can order a drink for the refreshment stop on the evening drive which will be charged to your room. The drink can be a soft or alcoholic drink or just water. It is nice to stop and chat with people from other groups and even people staying in other resorts. Arrival back for dinner is around 8:30 PM. You can order wine by the glass or the bottle. If you get a bottle and only drink half they will put it away for you for the next meal. After dinner you can go to the bar or back to your room depending on how you feel. There is a very affordable spa at the lodge offering a variety of treatments. I had a one hour massage on my neck and back and the increased mobility afterwards was amazing, definitely worth it at R1150.00 (about £50).

A big thank you to the entire team for allowing us to have a magnificent experience. Thank you also for helping us find a solution following the cancellation of our flight, we will not forget it. We will come back with pleasure and we will recommend your establishment to our loved ones.

Amazing stay at Shepherds tree game lodge. Everything about this lodge was a perfect 10/10. The lodge itself was stunning, the food was amazing and the staff were incredibly kind and friendly.