Visiting the Garden Route in South Africa? If you are planning on going on an authentic African safari and want to experience eco-luxury at its best, you need to visit Amakhala Game Reserve and stay at Bukela Game Lodge. Earlier this year, we journeyed along South Africa’s Garden Route and spent our last few days at Bukela Game Lodge in the private Amakhala Game Reserve.
Giraffe at Amakhala Game Reserve
Amakhala Game Reserve is a private 18,000-acre game park located in the malaria-free Eastern Cape of South Africa. Bukela Game Lodge is 1 of the 10 accommodation offerings within the park, and we opted to stay here for its beautiful glamping tents, amazing common areas (including a viewing platform with a clear view of a popular wildlife watering hole) and the fact that it was highly recommended to me by a friend who had visited a year prior.
Accommodation and Amenities
Bukela Game Lodge currently offers 4 thatched suites and 10 luxury safari tents, all connected by a wooden walkway and offering the ultimate African luxury experience. Each room at Bukela Game Lodge is incredibly spacious and includes a lounge area complete with a sofa and fireplace for those cold evenings; large, en-suite bathrooms and a bathtub as well as an indoor (or outdoor) shower; private wooden deck to watch the warthogs grazing; air-conditioning unit and the most comfortable beds that will send you into the deepest slumber.
For those chilly nights, the staff provide a carafe of sherry to warm you up, or you can ask for any wine or spirits to be brought to your room. While you're here, you can enjoy all the comforts of home and more, including a private hot tub and a rainfall showerhead, as well as free WiFi and a coffee/tea maker. Other amenities include laundry facilities, towels, slippers, and a phone. The hotel generally has the water back up and running by the time you get back from the morning game drive.
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In the heart of Amakhala Game Reserve, Bukela Game Lodge offers a serene retreat. Unwind with a massage at the spa, relax by one of two pools or enjoy game and wildlife viewing. With continental breakfast, free WiFi in public areas and poolside bar amenities are plentiful. This lodge houses a restaurant for hearty meals and a bar for evening refreshments. A complimentary continental breakfast starts each day.
Bukela Lodge, Eastern Cape, South Africa | Safari365
Popular Amenities:
- Airport transfer
- Bar
- Pool
- Laundry facilities
- Non-smoking
- Spa
- Daily housekeeping
- Restaurant and bar/lounge
- Full-service spa
- 2 outdoor pools
- Pool bar
- Room service
- Airport shuttle
- Terrace
- Coffee/tea in a common area
- Air conditioning
- Garden
- Lobby fireplace
Wildlife and Game Drives
Amakhala Game Reserve is home to the “Big 5”: lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and leopards. During our 3-night stay at Bukela we spotted all of the Big 5 with the exception of the extremely elusive leopard, and even had a rare sighting of a “coalition” of cheetahs (read more interesting collective nouns for animals here) - a cheetah with 3 of her 2-week-old cubs.
Every day, your dedicated ranger takes a group of 8-10 people out for 3-hour long game drives across the reserve. This is in order to not only provide the best experience to the guests, but also to minimize the level of intrusion on the animals. The rangers at Amakhala Game Reserve are incredibly knowledgeable and respectful towards the wildlife. During our time there, we went on drives with both Jean-Luc and Roan - both knew everything there was to know about the animals and their behaviour, could spot wildlife a mile away when all we saw were dots on the horizon, and were truly passionate about showing us the best of what South Africa had to offer in terms of wildlife. Amakhala has a dedicated ecology team which was formed to monitor and “manage” the flora and fauna within the reserve, as well as an elite anti-poaching unit to protect the animals.
Bukela Game Lodge Location Map
Additional Activities and Dining
Can’t sit still? There are also a number of additional activities on offer if 2 game drives a day isn’t enough - try your hand at archery, go birding or on a bushwalk with a qualified ranger, try your hand at fishing, or opt to go on an additional night drive to view nocturnal animals.
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Meals are served in the dining area and are plentiful and extremely hearty. It’s not what I’d necessarily call “fine dining”, but you’ll never go hungry at Bukela Game Lodge. The kitchen offers a range of different options and can alter the dishes if you have food allergies or dietary requirements.
Location and Accessibility
The Amakhala Game Reserve is under an hours’ drive away from Port Elizabeth. We flew into Cape Town, drove through Wilderness, Knysa, Plettenberg Bay, Jeffrey’s Bay and ended our road trip at Bukela Game Lodge. We rented our zippy little Hyundai (extremely gas-efficient) through Avis. Looking for the best prices for rental car companies around the world? Click here to book your rental car ahead of your trip.
Bukela Game Lodge is located at , 12.8 miles from the center of Paterson. Shamwari Private Game Reserve is the closest landmark to Bukela Game Lodge. Bukela Game Lodge is 40.7 miles from Port Elizabeth.
Staff and Value
The staff at Bukela Game Lodge could not have made our stay any more enjoyable, and they are a large part of why I would love to return one day. No request is too big, and no request is too small. If you feel the same way, you can show your appreciation by leaving a tip; most people recommend approximately 7-10% of the bill to the staff (front and back of house), and a separate tip for your rangers (US$10 per person per day, double for private game drives).
The package at Bukela Game Lodge was incredibly reasonable, and the hotel occasionally offers early bird offers or “stay 3 pay 2” deals. We stayed in one of the deluxe safari tents for about $400 USD per night. The hotel was recently renovated and there’s an awesome new cocktail bar and lounge space, as well as new safari tents. I couldn’t have imagined a more extraordinary experience to pop my African safari cherry.
Read also: Exploring South Africa's Game Reserves
Tips for Your Stay
Bring warm clothes for the morning and evening drives, as the temperature fluctuates dramatically and the drives can be blistering cold. Bukela Game Lodge provides blankets and ponchos (great for blocking the wind), but make sure you wear plenty of layers, scarf, beanie and gloves. Also make sure you bring a good camera as your smart phone isn’t going to cut it.
Pricing and Best Time to Visit
If you’re after a cheap room at Bukela Game Lodge, then you should consider staying during the low season. The cheapest deals can generally be found in April and March. Prices can also vary depending on which day of the week you stay. For the best room deals at Bukela Game Lodge, plan to stay on a Wednesday or Sunday. The most expensive day is usually Monday. KAYAK users usually book their rooms here for 6 days.
Average nightly price per month:
| Month | Average Price |
|---|---|
| April | $935 (Cheapest month, 11% drop in price) |
| September | (Most expensive month, 10% rise in price) |
Check-in/Check-out
Check-in time is 1:00 PM and check-out time is 11:00 AM at Bukela Game Lodge.
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tags: #Africa
