Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve

Property building, Swimming pool, Swimming pool, Sunset

8.8

Excellent(186 Reviews)

Nature lodge in Eastern Cape

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating

Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Air conditioner and more

Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental

About this nature lodge rental

Situated in the Amakhala Game Reserve, Bukela Game Lodge features an outdoor swimming pool, a bar and panoramic views of the African bush.

Amenities

Pool

Air conditioner

Internet / Wifi

Fireplace

Smoking allowed

Parking

Laundry

Balcony or Patio

Hot tub or spa

Garden

Map of Eastern Cape

Nearby attractions

Hilton Methodist Church

168.7 mi

Kommandodrif-natuurreservaat

162.1 mi

Natuurreservaat Mpofu

110.3 mi

Our Heritage Museum

93.8 mi

Available Rooms

King Suite

1 King • 484 ft²

Sleeps 2

You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing

Double or Twin Suite

1 King or 2 Single • 484 ft²

Sleeps 2

You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing

Luxury Tent

1 King or 2 Single • 538 ft²

Sleeps 2

You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing

$$$$

Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve

$$$$

8.8

Excellent(186 Reviews)

Nature lodge in Eastern Cape

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating

Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Air conditioner and more

Book with confidenceWe partner with the top travel sites so you know you're getting a great deal on the perfect rental

About this nature lodge rental

Situated in the Amakhala Game Reserve, Bukela Game Lodge features an outdoor swimming pool, a bar and panoramic views of the African bush.

Amenities

Pool

Air conditioner

Internet / Wifi

Fireplace

Smoking allowed

Parking

Laundry

Balcony or Patio

Hot tub or spa

Garden

Map of Eastern Cape

Nearby attractions

Hilton Methodist Church

168.7 mi

Kommandodrif-natuurreservaat

162.1 mi

Natuurreservaat Mpofu

110.3 mi

Our Heritage Museum

93.8 mi

Available Rooms

King Suite

1 King • 484 ft²

Sleeps 2

You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing

Double or Twin Suite

1 King or 2 Single • 484 ft²

Sleeps 2

You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing

Luxury Tent

1 King or 2 Single • 538 ft²

Sleeps 2

You'll be directed to Booking.com for availability & pricing

Reviews

8.8

Excellent(186 Reviews)

100% verified reviews

10.0

Oct 2024

Waanzinnig!

Bukela heeft ons hart gestolen ❤️ wat een magische ervaring!

10.0

Oct 2024

Ein Ort zum gerne Wiederkommen

Die Architektur und das Ambiente der ganzen Anlage inmitten des Game Park hat uns sehr beeindruckt.

10.0

Oct 2024

Top

Aimabiltié du personnel I

Rien

8.0

Oct 2024

Flitterwochen geeingent

Wir haben hier, wie viele Paare :-), unsere Flitterwochen verbracht und die Game Drives waren wirklich unvergesslich - eine Einmalige Erfahrung und ja - wir haben die Big 5 nach drei drives zusammengehabt! Lucky, unser Ranger, hat wirklich mit viel Ehrgeiz und Wissen durch die Safaris geführt!!! Wir haben drei Nächte hier verbracht und das haben wir auch als ausreichend empfunden. Unsere Villa war gut ausgestattet, aber teils war das Mobiliar etwas in die Jahre gekommen. Die „Zelte“ wiederum waren moderner. Also Tipp: Bucht ein Zelt ⛺️ Das Essen war abwechslungsreich, dennoch müssen wir zugeben, dass wir in Südafrika 🇿🇦 teils besser gegessen haben. Drinks waren größtenteils alle inkludiert und das den ganzen Tag. Im Hinblick auf das Gesamtpaket also 8/10; aber die Safaris waren definitiv eine 12/10.

Manchmal könnten gerade die Toiletten etwas sauberer sein bzw. Mehrfach am Tag gereinigt werden. Aber weil wir uns eben auch “im Busch” befinden, werden für die Reinigung eben auch keine Chemikalien verwendet - dafür muss man eben auch ein wenig Verständnis haben.

9.0

Oct 2024

Lovely experience of safari, great food throughout and staff so friendly and helpful

Location is 7.5km off main road, up a very bumpy uneven track but once at main reception, our car was parked nearby as we were shown to our personal lodge. Excellent accommodation, lots of room and complimentary drinks throughout as was all food which was of highest quality. Staff very helpful and on our final night, we were treated to our evening meal in the outdoor facility which was a lovely surprise. Special mention to VG which could easily stand for Very Good, as he was helping us throughout our stay!

7.0

Aug 2024

this is a lovely little lodge but needs staff training and some TLC

great location and nicely designed and laid out. Safari guide “Ruaan” was excellent

food was poor with repetitive choices and the overall maintenance needs work.

10.0

Jul 2023

Exceptional

I only stayed for a night but was an incredible experience and the ranger (Dario) went above and beyond to find what I wanted to see, cannot thank him enough for the game drives! The staff were all very welcoming and helpful. Food was delicious. Views from the lodge itself are just incredible and the room was insane. I highly recommend this lodge to anyone visiting the area.

5.0

May 2023

Average.

The game ranger. The animal sightings.

No attention to detail. Poor communication on arrival. Access is not suitable for normal/low cars. Long delay on washing service. No pre-checkin communication. No interest in personal guest details. Glassware and decor is subject standard for 5 star. Lack of organisation amongst staff due to no visible leadership.

7.0

Apr 2023

Good

B/fast was good with plenty of choice. Lunch was also good but dinner was disappointing except for the last evening. Chicken curry (if one could call it that) served with mayonnaise??

Dinner could be better thought through. The public rooms could do with a refresh. For what is advertised as 5* I would only award it 3*

10.0

Mar 2023

Exceptional balance of comfort, good dining, relaxation and game Safari drives

The luxury lodge, which was spacious, well appointed and overlooked a watering-hole

nothing

10.0

Mar 2023

Exceptional

Absolutely fantastic experience. The staff, game drives, and accommodations were amazing ! A trip we will never forget.

8.0

Mar 2023

Very good

the facility, the rooms, the decor

the linen was stained, the beds were very hard, the pillows were flat and old.

10.0

Mar 2023

Exceptional

Not enough vegetables with supper

10.0

Feb 2023

Brilliant Bukela-

Loved our very spacious safari tent Staff were very friendly & helpful Enjoyed chatting to fellow guests whilst being served good food & wine Game drives were fantastic and our ranger was very knowledgable

Nothing

4.0

Feb 2023

Disappointing

the game reserve drives

8.0

Feb 2023

Excelent lodge let down by the number of animals in the reserve

The hotel aspect of the stay was excellent. Comfort, food, staff, service and ranger knowledge were all really good.

The game watching was underwhelming. It felt like we were completing a tick list. All the animals you would hope to see were there but in what felt like token numbers. On the drive we had lovely vistas over the reserve with vast areas of grassland where you would hope to see herds of grazing antelope but there was not an animal in sight. We had more enjoyable game drives, driving our own car, in the national parks at very little cost. We were however unable to find the more exotic animals such as lion that you are guaranteed to find in the private reserves.

7.0

Jan 2023

wonderful

very close the watering hole. we saw loads of animals and the lodge was modern and clean. the staff were incredibly friendly! I also loved how knowledgeable our game ranger was, we learnt so much.

10.0

Nov 2022

Exceptional

Beautiful lodge with oustanding game drives which made our stay an unforgettable experience. We felt really pampered =)

10.0

Oct 2022

Wonderful stay and our guide was excellent.

Fantastic location. Great Staff.

N/A

6.0

Oct 2022

5 star game drives with 3 star restaurant

The game drives were incredible. Simphiwe was a knowledgeable and fun guide. Our tent was beautiful, overlooking the watering hole so we could see animals in our spare time too!

Everything to do with food was a massive let down. I have no idea how Bukela got it's 5 star rating because the food/restaurant is 3 stars at best. The food was bland, lacked options and the kitchen could not cope with any adaptions for dietary requirements. I would avoid going back to Bukela purely due to the food. Having worked and stayed in 5 star establishments I expected way more from Bukela. The staff did not forward plan or think how they could provide a good experience for the guests. There were drinks arriving back from the drives, on about half the drives. They ran out of bottled water several times so we went on 3 hour game drives only being offered one coffee. There was a limited drinks selection. I could go on but my main recommendation would be to go to one of the other lodges in Amakhala as you'll spend a fraction of the price and hopefully get what you paid for. I just feel sorry for all the lovely couples who were celebrating their honeymoons who we shared a safari vehicle with that had their honeymoon tainted by poor food.

10.0

May 2022

An amazing, luxurious 5 star safari experience

I had an amazing time at Bukela.My expectations were high but were exceeded by this fantastic place. The tents were extremely luxurious and very well appointed .Huge comfy beds, a lovely bath and a shower with views onto the reserve. The staff were all extremely attentive without being overbearing and they all went out of their way to ensure everything was perfect. Phil, the Duty Manager was very helpful. Wonga , our ranger was incredible, fun, knowledgeable and very professional, Michel in the bar was lovely.... l cannot remember all of their names but all the staff were charming. We saw all of the Big 5 on our drives, thanks to the tenacity of Wonga who asked what we wanted to see and then went out looking for it. The food was amazing and beautifully presented - compliments to the chefs! I was sad to leave but will certainly be back. A great 5 star experience.

Nothing.

8.0

Apr 2022

The team and staff at Bukela is phenomenal and made our stay one to remember!

The staff is incredible; right from the management team with Ausi Khungeka and ausi Olwethu they made sure our stay was amazing. The staff is a breath of fresh air, uTata Mike is simply outstanding in so many ways that words cannot capture, he made our time memorable and is a great asset to Bukela. It’s hard to fault any of the staff, they are friendly and so welcoming, thank you Thobela, Stella, Nomakhaya and the rest of the staff, you are an amazing service team. Their room service, be it breakfast lunch or dinner…… Exceptional service..!!! The chefs really understand their assignment 😁

The property was amazing, we just unfortunately did not get to see any leopards during any of our game drives.

6.0

Mar 2022

Nice but not worth the money

Game viewing was good, facilities were nice saw some amazing cheetah sighting game ranger was very knowledgeable.

It was not up to scratch for a 5 star lodge, corporate hotel feel, you don't feel like you getting enough for your money. Room was dark, Food was average. Just lacking that personal touch to make it really great.

6.0

Mar 2022

excellent, knowledgable game drives but the lodge service isn’t 5 star

the property was beautiful, game drives were excellent and the food was tasty. our ranger Edison was so knowledgeable on the species of animals and made sure we all saw what we wanted to which really made the stay- the animals are allowed to roam freely meaning we saw lions on our drive in, and elephants come up to the pool one day!

there are some very small changes that could make this resort fantastic, mainly centred around the lodge staff. whilst the food was great, waiting for it often took longer than expected, especially for a 5 star resort, and asking for a water or ketchup with your meal should not take 10 minutes to arrive, as the meal is finished at that point or cold if you’ve waited for the sauce. you were also escorted to your rooms by rangers at night incase there were animals nearby, however when you needed to leave your room for your morning game drive in the dark, staff were completely uncontactable meaning you had to walk alone, which felt unsafe after being told you shouldn’t walk in the dark without a ranger. the final thing is that spiders in our room were a big problem. I appreciate we’re in the wild and this may happen as a one off, but we consistently had large spiders getting in everyday, which meant I was unable to sleep. One day it took 3 hours to be removed as the person we flagged this to was scared of them… luckily it was still in the same place when we got back from our drive! I feel there must be some gaps in the tent structure where they were able to get in and that more could be done to prevent this, as we left all doors shut all the time.

10.0

Mar 2022

A luxurious, comfortable and exciting stay at a marvellous game lodge!

Superb service, friendly and accommodating staff, fantastic food, great lodgings. Our Game Driver, Sim, was superb personable and knowledgable and a great driver. We cannot find fault in our stay at Bukela at all. As for the Safari element we saw: Lions, Cheetahs, Elephants, Giraffes, Rhinos, Zebra, Buffalo, Wildebeest and all manner of deer!

Nothing. It was perfect in every respect!

9.0

Mar 2022

great value for money

our ranger was „Lucky“. he was great and told us so much about the animals and the nature. he is fantastic. the luxury tent was very nice and clean (exept the spiders in the outdoor-shower). food was good. pool was great. game reserve is super. waterhole in front of the pool.

spider in the outdoor-shower and bugs in the tent (I know it‘s nature)

FAQs

How much does this nature lodge cost compared to others in Eastern Cape?

The average price for a rental in Eastern Cape is $99 per night. This rental is $340 above the average.

Is parking included with this nature lodge?

Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.

Is there a pool at this nature lodge?

Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve. Enjoy the water!

Is Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve pet friendly?

Unfortunately, this nature lodge is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"

What amenities are available at Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve?

We found 10 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, internet / wifi, fireplace, and smoking allowed.

Explore similar vacation rentals in Eastern Cape

Explore all rentals in Eastern Cape

10.0

Outstanding(1 Review)

Ocean House

Villa

in Knysna

Garden · Pool · Kitchen or Kitchenette

The best choice in Eastern Cape for Villa, for $414 per night for your (business stay, family stay, couples stay, getaway vacation, etc.)

$$$$

Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve

Nature lodge in Eastern Cape

Reasons to book

About this nature lodge rental

Amenities

Map of Eastern Cape

Nearby attractions

Available Rooms

King Suite

Double or Twin Suite

Luxury Tent

Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve

Nature lodge in Eastern Cape

Reasons to book

About this nature lodge rental

Amenities

Map of Eastern Cape

Nearby attractions

Available Rooms

King Suite

Double or Twin Suite

Luxury Tent

Reviews

FAQs

How much does this nature lodge cost compared to others in Eastern Cape?

Is parking included with this nature lodge?

Is there a pool at this nature lodge?

Is Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve pet friendly?

What amenities are available at Bukela Game Lodge - Amakhala Game Reserve?

Explore similar vacation rentals in Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape travel inspiration

Related vacation destinations