Our favourite Homestead style properties - Part 2

Homesteads offer a very different safari experience. Often, these properties can only booked for exclusive use and are an ideal option for a group or a family. Converted building or purposefully built to feel like a private home, homesteads are something special. Here is The Game Lodge Index selection of favourite homesteads (Part 2) in no particular order.....(Read Part 1 here)


Shamwari Sarili Lodge
Sarili is the newest addition to the Shamwari Game Reserve’s portfolio of game lodges and opened its doors in 2009. Sarili was designed as a modern homestead with five internal bedrooms – all en-suite and part of the main lodge structure. Two bedrooms have an inter-leading area that is perfect for families and both rooms look on to a small protected garden and pool area. The remaining three bedrooms look over vast open plains along the Bushman’s River. The common areas are spacious and fairly open plan in layout, which gives the lodge a homely feel. The service is excellent, the staff are efficient and the food is sumptuous. Read more on The Game Lodge Index


Gondwana Fynbos Villas
Gondwana’s Fynbos Villas are individually situated on the high lying ridges of a Fynbos valley a short drive from the Fynbos Camp. These 2 or 3 bedroom units can be taken out on a full board or a self-catering basis. The units are extremely spacious and suitably furnished in a minimalistic fashion. Read more on The Game Lodge Index

Hlosi Game Lodge

Hlosi is an eight roomed, five star game lodge on the Amakhala Game Reserve - an hour’s drive from the city of Port Elizabeth. The lodge is situated in the midst of a large open area overlooking a small waterhole. There are two family suites which consist of two en suite bedrooms and an inter-leading common area which is perfect for families with young children. The other four rooms are all independent/stand alone suites and are situated on the opposite side of the family units for added privacy. Read more on The Game Lodge Index


Shamwari Riverdene Lodge
Riverdene is Shamwari’s flagship ‘family’ lodge and is suitable for children of all ages. The lodge is styled in a luxurious farmhouse theme and consists of nine spacious suites - seven of which have an inter-leading door suited for families. All the rooms are located in a wing running off the main lodge area with patios looking on to the natural gardens and lovely pool area. The main lodge is open and spacious and very homely. There is a great ‘jungle gym’ for kids to play on in the gardens as well as an indoor play area with games, a TV and appropriate DVD’s. Kid’s activities are supervised by a staff member offering parents some time on their own to relax and unwind. The kid’s programme also includes a specialised children’s tour of the Born Free Centre and the Animal Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where kids can interact with certain animals. In addition, the guides at Riverdene have been specifically selected for being great with children.Read more on The Game Lodge Index


Royal Madikwe
Royal Madikwe is a particularly luxurious lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve that is only offered as an exclusive use camp for small groups of up to 10 people. The experience here is built around the guest with the lodge offering completely flexible meal times and safari activities built around the guests preferences (due to having no other guests to compete with). The main lodge overlooks a small waterhole. The lodge has many focal points from the outdoor relaxation area to the open boma and attached bar. There is a specific children’s room which is suitably furnished and a decent kiddies’ programme is offered to give parents some time to themselves. There are multiple dining options in and around the lodge which are usually rotated every day so you never eat in the same place. The standard suites are lavishly decorated and contain all the typical luxury items a guest could ask for. The Royal Suite is palatial and is more of a mansion than a room. It is a completely private 2 bedroom villa with its own pool, kitchen, study, TV room and so forth. Guests have the options of indoor or outdoor showers and baths.. Read more on The Game Lodge Index


Samara Karoo Lodge

The Samara Karoo Lodge on the Samara Private Game Reserve is a luxurious camp styled around a traditional Karoo farmhouse with thick patios around the entire exterior offering guests the opportunity of relaxing on a private porch and soaking up the magic of the Karoo. There are 6 suites in total accommodating a maximum of 12 guests at a time - 3 Lodge Suites which form part of the main homestead and three Karoo Suites which are hugely spacious independent cottages. The décor is suitably simple and local in theme. Arriving back from a game drive to a freshly run and piping hot bubble bath soothes away any aches and pains. The lodge is quintessentially Karoo in character. Read more on The Game Lodge Index

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The Game Lodge Index

Lodge of the Week - Royal Madikwe

Royal Madikwe

Pure Exclusivity

Royal Madikwe is a particularly luxurious lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve that is only offered as an exclusive use camp for small groups of up to 10 people. The experience here is built around the guest with the lodge offering completely flexible meal times and safari activities built around the guests preferences (due to having no other guests to compete with). The main lodge overlooks a small waterhole. The lodge has many focal points from the outdoor relaxation area to the open boma and attached bar. There is a specific children’s room which is suitably furnished and a decent kiddies’ programme is offered to give parents some time to themselves. There are multiple dining options in and around the lodge which are usually rotated every day so you never eat in the same place. The standard suites are lavishly decorated and contain all the typical luxury items a guest could ask for. The Royal Suite is palatial and is more of a mansion than a room. It is a completely private 2 bedroom villa with its own pool, kitchen, study, TV room and so forth. Guests have the options of indoor or outdoor showers and baths. As one would expect from such an establishment the service is excellent and the staff will go out of their way to accommodate guests in this fashion.

Madikwe Game Reserve is one of South Africa’s premier game viewing destinations and covering 75 000 hectares is the fourth largest in the country. The reserve is in a malaria free area and is situated in a transition zone between the arid Kalahari of the west and the rugged bushveld of the east. Madikwe thus hosts a pleasant variety of habitat types which in turn results in an excellent diversity of animal species. Royal Madikwe is located in the western sector of the reserve where the thickly vegetated sickle bush thickets are broken apart by the rocky Tshwene-Tshwene hills and patches of open plains. Madikwe is famed for its African Wild Dogs and it is one of the best places in Africa to have a chance of seeing this predator in the wild. All the Big 5 occur on the property and the lion viewing is excellent. Although still elusive, leopard sightings have been improving. Elephants and both Black and White Rhino are commonly seen and the bird life of Madikwe is outstanding.

Royal Madikwe is the perfect destination for families and small groups of up to 10 people looking for an intimate, ultra luxurious and completely private and personally customised safari experience.

RATINGS BREAKDOWN
Core Ratings:	Sun Rays
Lodge and Camp	8.2
Safari Experience	7.0
Service	8.6
Facilities	6.9
Unique Rating	6.9
Conservation	5.7
Social involvement	7.5
OVERALL RATING:	8.7

Read more about Royal Madikwe and other unique properties on The Game Lodge Index