Rhulani Safari Lodge

We had the most unforgettable stay at Rhulani safari lodge! From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the surroundings and the incredible care of the staff. The rooms were simply stunning, with a direct view of the watering hole where we had the magical experience of watching elephants and their babies, zebras, impalas, and more right from our window! The proximity to nature was unlike anything we've experienced before, and the view from the lodge offered us a front-row seat to these magnificent animals. We were also extremely lucky to have Dylan as our guide. He was not only incredibly knowledgeable about everything in the Madikwe reserve, but his passion for conservation was truly inspiring. We learned so much from him, and his enthusiasm made every game drive an interesting and exciting experience. We especially loved setting up for morning coffee and sundowners with Dylan, hearing his stories and insights about the wildlife and his own experiences. If you have the chance, definitely request him – he’s amazing! The service at the lodge was impeccable, with every staff member ensuring we were comfortable and well looked after. The food was another highlight— the 4 course dinners were truly something special and the perfect way to end each adventure-filled day. Overall, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we couldn’t recommend Rhulani safari lodge more highly! Thank you for making our stay so extraordinary!

Rhulani is located in the heart of the Madikwe Game Reserve, in North West province of South Africa, and close to the Botswana border. Madikwe is non-malarial, and has the full spectrum of the animals, including the Big 5, countless species of birds and eclectic range of trees, bushes and grasses. The Rhulani team led by Tom-Hendrik are extremely personable, engaging and accommodating of any dietary needs (chef made an unbelievable gluten free, dairy free chocolate cake that was moist and delicious). The watering hole, frequented by numerous elephants throughout the day, can be viewed from a unique hide that allows you to be just a few metres from the elephants. We were so very fortunate to have Dylan Mitchell as our guide. His knowledge of the reserve, experience with the mammals, along with his encyclopaedic avian wisdom, meant that we all learned and appreciated so much more. His tracking skills led us to many special sightings, including a cheetah on the Northern boundary, and a crash of white rhinos (with tusks in Madikwe) on the Southern boundary. Dylan is the GOAT of Reserve Guiding. Words cannot cover the enormous joy we have experienced on this family adventure, to celebrate a milestone birthday. But a picture tells a thousands words…..

Rhulani is a great and pretty lodge. The hide at the water hole is so great to be close to elephants. The staff was super nice. We had great sightings. We will come back. 100% recommendable. I like Madikwe more than Kruger. Outstanding off road expirience. A lot of sightings (buffalos, cheetah, lions, rhinos, ...

We had a wonderful stay in Rhulani. We are a family of 5. We stayed for 4 nights and had seven game drives with the ever helpful and knowledgeable Dean. All the staff were so friendly - a particular shout out to Michael and his torch - they ensured we had a most memorable time. Food was excellent and scenery was fantastic. Would highly recommend. We will be back!

My husband, teen-aged son, and I recently stayed at Rhluani Safari Lodge, and it was an unforgettable experience! This was our first time in South Africa and our very first safari. This was my dream trip and it actually exceeded my expectations. The accommodations were comfortable and luxurious while also offering stunning views of the game reserve and water hole. The Safari drives (you receive two a day) were unbelievable and we were able to see 5 of the Magnificent 7 in our 4 and a half day stay(the wild dogs were denning and the leopard was elusive). The Tshembo Hide at the lodge offers a chance to see the animals from a different perspective than the safari drives and is frequented by all kinds of animals (we saw elephants, wart hogs, zebras, and antelope there). However what truly sets Rhulani apart is the staff. The house team (Tom, Kayla, Hloni) make sure all of your needs are taken care of, and are there to offer information, and additional accommodations or comfort if needed. We also very much enjoyed out "Boma" dinner, where the entire staff (chefs, servers, rangers) provide a few Tswana songs before eating a delicious meal. Finally and most importantly, our ranger guide (Willem) was an extremely special person. Not only did he delight in tracking down the animals we wanted to see (we had an epic Lion spotting adventure) but he was so knowledgeable and engaging. It was obvious that he delighted in learning and talking about the animals, their habitats, and about Madikwe in general. He was keen to answer all of our many many questions, never once without a lack of enthusiasm. Most impressively, he made sure that my teenage son was engaged even creating some games for them to compete in during our "sundowners". I would not hesitate to recommend Rhulani to anyone going on safari. I am already dreaming of my return.

We had a great pleasure to spend 4 days in Rhulani Safari Lodge and it was beyond our expectations! Amazing rooms, great food, family atmosphere and wonderful safaris with Thato. We spent a lot of time in a hide, so I was able to capture amazing moments between elephants. Every morning and evening we had a nice chat with Martin! Everything was perfect, so we can recommend this lodge.