Nyumbani Estate Bush Lodge — Hotel in Maruleng Local Municipality

|It is difficult to know exactly where to begin when reviewing our stay at Nyumbani as the highlights never ceased.  As part of our honeymoon we decided that we wanted our safari stay & experience to be the crown jewel of our trip and were prepared to pay for the privilege if needed.  After hours spent reviewing endless reviews we found it hard to choose anywhere else but Nyumbani as the overwhelming evidence suggested that this would not be an erroneous choice.||I am so thrilled to add this review to their already glowing reputation as our time spent with them was the best decision we could have made and something that we will cherish together always.  We stayed for 4 magical nights on the honeymoon package in this spell-binding place.||We simply could not fault our experience of Nyumbani in any way.  It was memorable from the moment we arrived at Hoedspruit Airport, indeed from the outset and even the planning stage we felt confident that we would be in safe hands.  Correspondence with Maxine was easy, flexible & much appreciated whilst we pieced our plans together via several drafts and revisions (thank you Maxine for your patience and help).||On arrival we were met by our guide Ben who would go on to take us on several amazing game drives with the help of Krest.  We will never be able to thank these 2 amazing guys for the scenes and experiences that they allowed us to share.  We feel so privileged to have witnessed so many unique animals moments that felt so unique and personable as the 4 of us roamed around Moditlo in awe of this unbelievable setting.  For inexperienced safari-goers such as us, the dense bushland made sightings difficult for us to achieve personally so we are indebted to their professionalism & skill.  To witness all that we saw in such a natural setting was exactly what we hoped for at the time of booking.  Back at the lodge itself, witnessing Rhino wander by whilst sitting down to dinner 30metres away under a starry sky is something I will never forget.||Whilst the wildlife is undeniably the highlight of Nyumbani, it would not be so fabulous without the amazing owners and staff who really go out of their way to ensure that your time is memorable.  Maxine & Ian have clearly put their hearts & souls into this place.  Ben and Krest- you could not wish to be taken on game drives by more knowledgeable professionals.  The food by wonderful Vandy and the rest of the team is up there with the absolute best and she is a true gem, everything was made with such passion and heart.||The setting is infinitely magical and again it’s clear that the team put their all into ensuring that your stay has everything that you could ask for.  Our chalet had everything we could have wanted during our stay in short we felt spoilt rotten, it was the definition of “Nyumbani” and fully justified the price to experience such luxury.  I do not think we will ever beat safari at Nyumbani.||Our 4 nights here absolutely flew by and were filled with so many smiles, exhales of wonder, snaps of camera shutters, hurried replacement of memory cards, gasps of disbelief, but also quiet moments of sitting on the decking in awe at the surroundings and experience we found ourselves in.||Thanks again to every member of the Nyumbani team.||It may take us some time but we hope to come back one day as Nyumbani will stay with...

We had a fantastic stay at Nyumbani and simply had to write a review. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel very special. Maxine (the co-owner) personally fetched us at the Hoedspruit airport and took us to the reserve where we were greeted by Krest, the estate's incredible tracker, and immediately taken on a game drive where we saw, amongst many antelope species, giraffes, hippos and an elephant, all on the way to the lodge! We stayed for 3 nights and each day we experienced amazing sightings on our early morning and late afternoon game drives including elephants, a number of rhino (very special!), lions close up on a few occasions, cheetahs drinking at a waterhole, buffalo etc. An absolute highlight of our trip was a curious elephant who came very close to the vehicle for a staring match and then the next day the very same elephant actually came to the lodge and ate from the tree right outside our chalet (while we were sitting in awe), as if to say hello to his new friends! A big shout out to Krest and Eugene, our guide, who are incredibly knowledgeable and made every game drive interesting and fun. They managed to find us amazing sightings and clearly have a great love for the area and all the wildlife. It was exciting to hear a sighting come in over the radio with the names of the animals in the local language, Shangaan, and then to track the spoor! ||We received amazing personalised service at the lodge from all the staff and were made to feel very at home and spoilt as for the first two days we had the place all to ourselves. It was very hot during the day, and we really enjoyed lounging in the shaded pool and watching the animals come to drink at the waterhole. There were always lots of buck, giraffes, monkeys and warthogs and even a resident jackal.||The food, expertly prepared by Chef Stewart, was superb and each meal was really tasty and fresh and would not be out of place in any top restaurant. He even bakes the bread - delicious!||Lastly, it was great to get to know Maxine and Ian, the owners, and you can see that they have created a really special place and that they are passionate about conservation and also about contributing to the local community.||Would highly recommend Nyumbani for anyone who wants to have an authentic bush experience while also having a luxury holiday where you can fully...

Wow. What a stay. The lodge itself is beautiful and the setting is top drawer. The watering hole in front of the bungalows is large and so attracts animals every day (many types of antelope, wart hogs family on their daily commute.... and giraffes, monkeys, eagle, storks....) and so lounging around during the day between game drives is idilaic and fascinating. ||||It was our first safari and the game drives were absolutely amazing. The park is teeming with animals and we had so many brilliant experiences. I dont want to get expectations up but every one of our 8 drives were fascinating. Special mentions to our guide Ian and our tracker crist whose expertise and company we enjoyed so much. They can track and take you shockingly close (!) to the wildlife, and in a respectful way, so that the animals generally quickly get used to the vehicle and carry on as if you're not there.||||And last and certainly not least is the world class hosting. Ian and Maxine clearly put their heart and soul into thier business and are warm, welcoming and above all, truly passionate about the land they live in. I echo what others have said, I legitimately felt like visiting royalty.... the intimate nature of the place means our every need was seen to. In particular the no 1 chef in the bush, Onyas - legend!! Top food, big heart. ||||Max and Ian - thanks again for making us feel like visiting family - you and the bush definitely stole a piece of our heart! Until the...