Tshukudu Bush Lodge

A spectacular location and a top-rate place to enjoy privacy and quiet along with your game viewing. Wonderful views, good service, beautiful rooms and lovely food. We felt fortunate to have JR as our bush guide: knowledgeable, funny, kind and absolutely the tops at what he does. We learned so much. Thanks to all of you at Tshukudu for an impeccable stay. Mandy, Selva and Daniel.

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

Our first ever Safari experience and I don’t believe we could have made a better choice, this is a very special place, the location all the staff and our dedicated guide JR who went above and beyond to ensure we saw everything we had hoped to, the Big 5. Ensuring we got close encounters, safely and respecting all these animals at the same time. When booking we had read about the 132 steps, but you get used to them and as long as care is taken then no issues with them. Loved the plunge pool and the view over the watering hole and sighting elephants, giraffes, hippos to name a few from our very own balcony was amazing. Nothing is too much trouble for any of the staff there to ensure you have the best experience. Just arrived home today and missing it already. Hoping to see you all again some time. Elaine and Wendy

My husband and I have just returned from a 6 night stay at Tshuduku Bush Lodge. The only accommodation that is inside the park. The whole experience was something to behold as it exceeded our expectations by a long way. The staff always greet you with a smile and cannot do enough for you. The food is plentiful and delicious, the menus for breakfast and dinner are varied and different every day. Dinner is 5 courses from 7:30 with all guests seated together, it was a lovely way to end the day and share all the sightings and experiences with people who were on other jeeps. We stayed in a standard lodge (no plunge pool) which was spacious, they provided toiletries, robes, slippers, coffee machine with pods, kettle and a selection of tea, plus a fridge stocked with water. You are able to ask for whatever your drink choice is to be brought to your room but we just went up to the reception area and sat with drinks up in the beautiful seating area. All lodges face the park with stunning views. There are 132 steps (I read that but didn’t count) to be mindful of that you need to climb up from where you are dropped off on arrival and then if you do 2 drives per day then it’s up and down twice more. There are lodges half way up so if you aren’t good with steps then I would advise those, but you still have to climb up the rest for breakfast and dinner. If you’re relatively able then it’s fine, there is a bench halfway to have a breather if needed. The reward at the top is the beautiful reception area with a bar and seating area. In the evenings they light the firepit for you to sit around for a pre-dinner drink. The game drives are at 6am (5:30am from 1 Sept) and 3:30pm and last around 3-3.5 hours each. The first part of morning drives and last part of the evening drives can be cool so make sure you have plenty of layers, they provide a blanket to keep you warm. Each lodge gets its own rucksack with a pair of binoculars to use which is very handy. There is also a tablet with some preloaded apps to identify birds and other animals which were useful. We had Jann-Rick as our park guide and he was outstanding. His knowledge of everything in the park is incredible, we were so taken with his empathy for all creatures which made the whole park come alive for us. He talked with kindness and admiration for everything and had some lovely personal stories to tell about some of the incredible animals in the park, past & present. Highly recommend!

Tshukudu Bush Lodge is a stunning jewel nestled in the wild of the Pilanesberg Reserve. Truly unique in every sense, it offers a remarkable blend of luxury and nature. Guests are treated to generous, delicious meals that satisfy the soul, yet the adventure continues with the challenge of climbing the 132-step incline, ensuring you burn those calories quickly. The lodge's breathtaking setting, combined with its warm hospitality and distinctive charm, makes it an unforgettable destination for those seeking a genuine bush experience with a touch of indulgence.

I’m struggling to be able to come up with the words to describe how amazing this place truly is. We have just finished our 6 night stay at Tshukudu and already are wishing we could redo it all. It has honestly given us memories to last a lifetime as well as new friends I look forward to seeing again. The staff at Tshukudu really are a credit to this place. They could not do enough for us! The level of service you receive is beyond 5 stars. The little touches such as Elvis reading us our menu of the night really show that this place truly is one of a kind. We even managed to experience a bush dinner for our last night which was the most incredible experience under the stars. Our guide JR has no idea just how special he made our game drives along with the people we were very lucky to have met. JR started as our guide but honestly towards the end of our stay he felt more like a friend. His knowledge & stories are something we are so grateful we got to experience. JR & the staff helped plan our engagement and it really was the most special place to have it. For this, I will always be grateful to the people we have met and the extent to which they went out of their way to make the night perfect. Sharing our news with the amazing people we experienced our drives with was another highlight of our stay. To those people, we miss you already. After staying at the Palace in Sun City after Tshukudu we actually missed the experience we received at this place. Yes it is tiring, but the memories we have created are the most incredible ones. If I could give this place more than 5 stars, we would. If I could tell you anything, please do not miss out on this place. TSHUKUDU and everyone we have met will always hold a special place for us.