Morukuru Family Madikwe — Hotel in Thabazimbi Local Municipality

We just spent 5 nights at Morukuru River House. It is amazing. I could leave it at that but I'll add some context. First off, I wanted to get a review in quickly because we were the first visitors since a flood 6 months ago led to a temporary closure and huge renovation; rest assured the house is all set and ready for you to visit! The house has 3 large king size rooms, each with gas fireplace, ceiling fan, large tub, both indoor and outdoor showers. There is a large dining room table inside and 3 additional tables outside where they serve meals. So it is like eating out at a different restaurant al fresco each meal. There is a comfortable living room with a gas fire place built into the stone wall between the living and dining rooms. The deck area in the back has a heated pool, a comfortable sitting area, and comfortable pool chairs overlooking the river. We had a private driver (shout out Emile), spotter (Levi) for twice daily game drives. With over 10 years of experience Emile's breadth of knowledge of the animals in the Madikwe Game Reserve and the local trees/scrubs is amazing. He could answer all the questions we threw at him as we drove along. His fascination is contagious. We saw the "Madikwe magical 7". Rochane, who manages the house, was attentive and made everything move smoothly. As advertised, Morukuru will flex to your wishes in terms of game drive timing, meal timing etc. The attention to detail is impressive. Vincent, the chef, was likewise flexible in what he cooked (working with our dietary restrictions) and produced 5 star meals that easily compete with top DC/NYC/SF restaurants. (We tried to steal him away to open a place in US). My daughter and I had relaxing spa treatments with Susan in the spa, housed in a separate small house off to the side of the patio along the riverside. (I recommend the 30 minute back massage. The aromatherapy she uses is incredibly relaxing.) We spent a night in the "Hide", sleeping under the stars. We would definitely recommend the "Hide" experience- my best night's sleep of the trip! My daughter cooked dinner one night with Vincent. It is a trip of a life time and we kept saying to ourselves, "We will never have a trip this amazing again." We had zero complaints/nothing is average. It will all exceed expectations. Thanks to all the staff for making our...

This privately owned property comprises two main properties – the River House and the Owners House. ||Each is very much separated from each other, and during our stay we never saw any other guests. ||We stayed in the River House. The building is intended to sleep up to six people, with three separate bedrooms.||The building is adjacent to the river which presents very interesting wildlife at the right season, but also a lovely feeling of nature, isolation and wildlife which roam quite freely around the property.||Each property has a dedicated Chef and team.||Cuisine||Breakfast and lunch were superb with numerous locations to enjoy dinner, with a highlight being a night drive up a hill to enjoy the moon rising and the sounds of the elephants clambering nearby. ||The quality of the food was superb and the arrangements beautiful.||Property – Design||The property is a stone brick building but with light, airy features and a traditional fire. ||The outside decking allows panoramic views of the area with plenty of space to relax. Each room feels modern in terms of the facilities, with underfloor heating and an indoor / outdoor shower.||Wildlife Experience||A dedicated Guide/Tracker is provided at all times and your itinerary is discussed to focus on each guests interest. ||The property has dedicated private land which cannot be accessed by other lodges which provides an increased level of privacy but also experience.||In any event within Madikwe, it never felt overly busy, except where there might be a particular rare animal which everybody wishes to see. ||Our Guide was second to none, but he and his wife were sadly leaving the property with heavy hearts to move to America, but I am certain that their successors will be equally capable. ||The private ownership of the lodges, combined with their engaged relationship with the team, led to a very personal and human touch. Rarely found amongst other lodges. ||It was a highlight of the stay, and our compliments to the team and the owners for their investment in the property and the team, and we wish them every success. We very much...

We just returned from a stay at the Owner's House of Morukuru Family Madikwe and will never forget this magical and life changing experience. From the moment Andre picked us up at the game reserve gate with ice cold personalized water bottles, every detail was so perfect. Michelle, Andre, Chef Jeffrey, Even, and the entire team were so incredibly kind and welcoming. It was truly the trip of a lifetime.

We learned so much from Andre on our game drives and saw the Big 5, wild African dogs, a father lion playing with his cubs, and so much more. When we returned to the gorgeous house, someone was always there to greet us with wet hand towels and a delicious beverage. Chef Jeffrey and Even were so amazing at accommodating our dietary restrictions and cooked the most delicious and incredible meals. Michelle was so wonderful and surprised us with a bush breakfast on our first morning. We had gone there to celebrate my 60th birthday. The whole team gifted us with a magical barbecue dinner on top of a mountain on our last night. They even baked a delicious gluten free cake for me and gave me a beautiful hand woven gift. There were little treats left on our pillows at night and a parting gift on our last evening.

This was truly one of the best trips we have ever taken in our lives and it has left an indelible mark in our hearts. Morukuru Family Madikwe is a very special place where you will be treated like family and see incredible...