Last Word Madikwe

Vacation Home

With much excitement we returned to The Bush House for a wonderful 3-night stay! We were just as amazed as the last time we visited. The warm welcome, and the hospitable and kind service provided by all the staff was once again heartfelt. The garden is stunning and the array of bird life living and/or visiting there is really something out of a fairy tale story. My mom spent most her time in the tranquil garden mesmerised by the abundant wildlife that visits the lodge's waterhole. The waterhole is so close to the garden it feels like you are actually in the bushveld with the animals. Elephants, impalas, wildebeest, giraffes, kudus, zebras, and many more all come to quench their thirst at the waterhole leading to spectacular panoramas of what the South African bushveld has to offer. I obviously also enjoyed the waterhole, but also the amazing underground hide that the lodge has built. This hide is built right next to the waterhole where visitors can really experience close encounters with the animals in a safe and extraordinary way. The game drives with our guide, Patrick, were successful, breath taking, and informative. Patrick is skilled with tracking, he is knowledgeable, and he has a great sense of humour really making the experience more exciting. Our room was clean, spacious, and very comfortable once again! It is also beautifully designed. The food was out of this world! The menus were always different and offered a variety of foods. Something for everyone.

What an awesome lodge. The highlight for us is the hide looking out on the waterhole. To see the beautiful wildlife up close from the hide is something you could never get tired of.

My fiancé and I just returned from four days at the Bush House and had the experience of a lifetime! There were so many things that made the trip special, but I’ll try and condense these into a few key items. The staff: from the cleaners to the safari guides, the staff could not have made us feel more at home. They went the extra mile every step of the way — I’ve never experienced such great service. The safaris: were absolutely incredible. The safari guides were masters at tracking down animals and there were times when we saw four of the big five in a single safari. They are also remarkably knowledgeable. The accomodation: was truly beautiful. The waterhole, located directly in front of The Bush House, lets you observe the animals in their natural environment 24/7. The grounds are stunning. The rooms are comfortable and stylish. Thank you for a wonderful stay, I could not be more appreciative of the once in a lifetime experience you provided.

Had an excellent stay for my husband’s 40th birthday. The water hole had some of the best activity since it is still very dry and the rains haven’t come. Highly recommend. Thanks Sue and the staff!

Service is a high priority at the Bush House and it shows! Me and my family, including husband, parents, sister and 4yo felt very welcome when we arrived, AND every time we got back from a game drive, being met with refreshments. All staff are friendly, wonderful and genuinely engaged. They must make long hours and we are very grateful for their attention.
The food is fabulous (don't skip the morning muffins! ), the game drives are special because of the possibility to go off-road, the rooms are very nice and the watering hole is often visited by the animals. My daughter was ecstatic waking up to all the elephants drinking and playing in the water. She wanted to watch the 'elephant show' every day.
For my mother's birthday, we had a proper African experience arranged by the staff, including our quirky requests. They really go the extra mile at the Bush House! Thank you Sue, Gordon, Minky, Damian, Chante, Bertha, Patrick and all the rest! We won't forget our time with you!

Our family booked the whole lodge for a long weekend. Fabulous and well organised game drives, with an experienced and very competent ranger. We saw 6 of the big 7 with only the elusive leapord amiss. Friendly and helpful staff and worderful hosts greeted us after every game drive. The lodge has a stunning hide which offers a much better experience that is pictured on their website with wonderful photo and viewing opportunities. The lodge is child friendly and I highly recommend the facility. I will definitely visit again.

Spectacular views at an Incredible place, thank you Sue for letting us experience Africa at its best. Cant wait for our next trip back to the amazing Bush House!

Outstanding. Staff, safari, accommodations, and the natural water hole right behind the house makes it nothing but 5 star.

The Bush house is one of those places that you would like to keep secret so it won't be fully booked when you want to go and at the same time you want to scream the world how amazing it is… As other must have say it feels like home as soon as you walk in, from Shanelle welcoming you with a lovely smile and delicious iced tea to Sue and her bubbly personality without forgetting Michael working hard on spotting all the animal on amazing sighting away from the crowd. And then… a special dédicace to Masego and the chefs for the amazing food, we loved every single dish. Finally, thank you to Gordon and the rest of the staff working on the background, you guys are amazing, everything is working so smoothly. You make it looks easy. I will finish with the hide, the place where the time flies, we have been blessed with so many sightings, one day I counted over 35 elephants around the water hole with so many babies… This really give a totally new approach and different way to observe the animals, it's just mind blowing. We really loved and enjoy every second of our stay with you and we can't wait to be back.

This the fourth time I have stayed at The Bush House, and just like the previous 3, it was excellent. The place is so peaceful you can just relax. The staff are all very polite and attentive, and Sue and Gordon are great hosts. I would readily recommend The Bush House to anyone looking at going to Madikwe.

Very good food! Nice pool. Amazing tours! Awesome rooms, I love this place! I would definitely reccomend it to anyone who loves nature! There is also a great hide so you can watch the animals!

Brilliant place to be. Leave the world and it's cares behind you and just relax and enjoy this wonderful place and the wonderful hospitality of the Owners, Sue and Gordon and their lovely staff.

What an absolutely awesome experience! Where to begin? We were picked up by Godfrey in Botswana who took us to The Bush House. He assisted us through customs at Botswana and South Africa like a champ! Upon arrival we were greeted by Ashleigh and Dani with a refreshing towel and drink. The service was out of this world. Inmeditely we saw African Elephants drinking from the watering hole which is only about 100 yards from the lodge. We saw tons of animals throughout our stay at the watering hole such as, Cape Buffalo, Zebras, Impalas, Wharthogs, Elephants, Giraffes, and White Rhinos all only a few yards away. The lodge has a hide that literally puts you only feet away from these exotic animals! Lunch was prepared, and by the way the food the entire time was exsquisite, Roxane, Ashleigh and Dani provided unmatched service. Chef Bertha did a phenomenal job preparing the daily feasts. Heinrich was our guide. Talk about a knowledgeable guy, this man knew his stuff and was passionate about the reserve. I learned so much. The first day we saw Cheetahs which apparently can be quite elusive. Of the big 5 (Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino) we saw 4/5! The leopard eluded us, but Heinrich did his very best! This was one of those "once in a lifetime" type trips and the smaller, more intimate lodge such as The Bush House, delivered on a promise of making it a trip to remember! I wholeheartedly recommend them to you! You will love it!

Great service all over the day. They have their own waterhole with a great look at many animals! They also have good meals! Thanks to the complete staff and guides!

Attention to detail and attentive service.

We were at the Bush House for 5 nights. I have done many Game reserves in my time. However, the staff on this reserve were second to none. They really looked after us to the best of their ability. We had our kids who are 1 and 2, my mother and grandparents. Four generations together for the first time. Ashleigh the guide was fantastic and we are huge fans. Gordon and Sue the owners were always available and attentive to our needs. Stefan and Sam made sure all the catering and facilities were running perfectly. The food was 5* and the hide was truly stunning. If you are are on the edge and thinking shall we go to the Bush House… please do, it is truly magical. We saw the Big 5 and many more animals/birds and that I had not seen before. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts see you all next year!

The Bush House is a super lodge. The owners live on the property and are hands-on so the service tends to be way above average as they are passionate about their lodge and guest comfort! There is a waterhole in front of the lodge and an underground hide so you can get some amazing eye-level shots of animals by day and night coming down to drink. The rooms are very comfortable (renovated at the beginning of 2016) and the food and service are excellent.

As I type, I am sitting on the porch of The Bush House watching a giraffe slowly approach the watering hole — only 100 yards away! Less than an hour ago, I watched a herd of 18 elephants at the hole. This is a perfect spot for game viewing. Last night we went on a game drive and saw hogs, ostrich, elephants, zebra, buffalo, lions and several others that I've forgotten. The Bush House is a small lodge (6 rooms) with a very intimate, cozy feel. The staff, accomodations and rangers are exceptional. The staff knows your name — and your favorite drink. They are friendly and focused on making your stay memorable. The public spaces, rooms and bathrooms are large, comfortable and clean. The game drives have been terrific — we saw 4 of the Big 5 on our first drive. The guide is knowledgable and friendly. I highly recommend The Bush House to anyone looking for an authentic African buch experience.