Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve

Arrived at Bukela for my 3 night stay at 3.45pm. By 4pm I was on my first safari! This place does not disappoint. Game drives last for : hours. You get a wake up call at 5am for a “pre-breakfast breakfast at 5.30am then you are off at 6am the morning drive. You have the same ranger driving you during your stay. I had Monde who absolutely superb. He went out of his way to try and ensure we saw as many of the animals as possible and was so informative about their habits. Surprisingly, tall giraffes and herds of elephants hide very easily! As others have mentioned bring a warm hat and fleece for the early mornings and evenings, then can be rather chilly. Also remember your sunscreen as it can be jolly hot in the day. Over six game drives I saw all the animals I had wanted to except a brown hyena or a leopard who were too elusive. The accommodation was really nice. I had a luxury tent which large and had a bath you could look out over the grounds from while soaking in and an outdoor shower which was terrific. You have your own balcony. The food was ample and lovely. The staff were all very nice and attentive. It was a truly magnificent experience which I thoroughly recommend.

A very welcoming resort without fences where animals can roam around. We had a phantastic stay in the tent adjacent to the waterhole (No. 11). We enjoyed the great hospitality of the entire team with resort manager Jennie and Duty Manager Zusiphi. Delicious food and drinks were provided all day. During the game drives with Ranger Wonga we were able to see the Big Five and many more.

This is an absolute must don’t you are on the Eastern Cape. We did 4 drives and saw all if the big 6. What made it even more special was not just the professionalism of the company but the outstanding tour guide Ryan. Just such a knowledgeable, passionate & enthusiastic person and homemade this a lifetime memory.

Ranger: Wonga 5* Superb ranger is very knowledgeable, passionate about the animals, and flexible with structuring each drive to suit all. His experience and game drives were the best part of our 3 night stay. Room 3.0* Main issues no hot water each evening as blew fuse every day in No.8 halfway through showering. Variable housekeeping, i.e., turn down service 1 room got bedtime stories the other room didn't. 1 had an electric blanket, and the other didn't. Housekeeping variable. Service 3.0* All staff were friendly. However, for an all-inclusive service , staff were not always visible or available pre-lunch/dinner service to provide coffees or drinks around bar and pool areas. We were not made aware that SA KWV Brandy was chargeable despite the bar server upselling! Our last day fell short of expectation for a 5* resort due to miscommunication, and it tainted our overall experience. Basically, if you leave after 11 am, but Trailfinders don't arrange pick up until 15:30, you are expected to pay as you go for lunch, water, and drinks - but this is not advised upon arrival meeting or by Trailfinders! We have never experienced this in any other All Inclusive location. Usually, it's a "swings & roundabouts" scenario as guests do not arrive and depart at the same time. Food 3.0* Breakfast was good each day. Lunch & Dinner, we had 50% errors/mistakes on our pre-orders (4 pax) on 2 out of 3 days. Our final night we received excellent service and the best food. Public Areas 3.0* Toilets - no hot water or sanitiser. Taps constantly fall off fixtures. Hand soap broken and paper towel dispenser erratic. As a group of 4 travelling, sadly, we could not recommend Bukela to anyone else.

The hotel is great, however the management in the property is quite condescending and the whole experience did not feel genuine. It felt more like a money printing experience geared for their benefit not yours. Beyond the management, the staff was kind, but could use more training as they did not take hints / respect boundaries. We found ourselves having to say "no thank you" or "please its ok, give us some space" a handful of times. Having stayed at another 5 start lodge after this, the experience was night and day.

We had a luxury tent. It was fantastic. There is plenty of space between each tent/lodge so it feels very private. I enjoyed relaxing in the large bath looking out at the view - even able to watch impalas moving on the hillside next to our tent. Each panel of the tent can be unzipped and rolled up so the view is spectacular - there is mesh, so no insects can get in. Breakfasts (there are 2 - one before and one after the morning game drives) are great, lunch and dinner also really nice and it's all-inclusive so enjoy the wine, beer and cocktails without having to worry about the bill. The dress code is whatever you like - you can go smart if you want to or you can go straight to late breakfast and dinner as soon as you finish the game drives. The staff are wonderful and very happy to help with anything. The best thing about staying here though are the game drives. 6.00 - 9.00 in the morning and 4.00- 7.00 in the evening. Yes, it's an early start, but so worth it. Our ranger (Munday - that's probably spelt wrong) was brilliant. He answered all of our questions thoroughly, and he's a great tracker. I can't remember all of the animals and birds that we saw but we saw cheetahs eating a wildebeest, lions, red hartebeests, impalas, oryx, eland, jackals, rhinos, hippo, buffaloes, ostriches, secretary birds, zebras...and many more. We stayed for 3 nights, but wish we had stayed longer.