Crafting Unforgettable Safari Experiences Since 1995

Almost 24 years of experience in treating guests to the most celebrated and remarkable safari encounters is only the beginning

Makweti Safari Lodge is the authentic African classic when it comes to wildlife experiences in Welgevonden Game Reserve, with a history dating back almost 25 years. 

We pride ourselves on offering the luxury of intimacy and congeniality at it’s best, in a breathtaking wilderness for only 10 special guests.

At Makweti, it’s all about the detail:

• Our guides are mature, professional individuals, each one chosen for their passion and deep respect for the environment
• We only allow six guests per guide
• Delectable, beautifully-presented, world-class cuisine, paired with fine wines from an exceptional collection
• Personal, discreet service from a dedicated team 
• Malaria-free area

These are only a few of the highlights that beckon guests back to Makweti. The rest is obviously best experienced in person.

Our intimacy is our luxury.

The opportunity to be in such close proximity with South Africa’s flora and fauna is an absolute honour; one that cannot be aptly understood without having experienced it first-hand. Being one of the very few unfenced camps in South Africa, Makweti has merged to become a part of the surrounding environment, allowing wildlife to continue with their natural migratory patterns in, through and around the camp.

Makweti’s Indaba Lounge is a perfectly positioned vantage point to take it all in, with views that extend across a natural flood plain and waterhole. A highlight of Makweti, this water source attracts animals of all sizes and stature as they casually traverse through the unfenced camp, giving guests the ultimate bushveld appeal that is both exciting and awe-inspiring. The energy reaches an all-time high when local elephant herds decide to satiate their thirst with water from the guest pools, a spontaneous and breath-taking event that offers guests a glimpse of the sentience and emotive character displayed by these wild animals.

Relishing In Seasonal Magic, Colour And Flavour

The views from the main lodge change with every season, offering guests a unique treat as nature follows her inherent course every year. Views from the teak decks of the lodge across the undulating landscapes overhanging the Makweti Gorge with  a natural waterfall that flanks the western side of the main lodge.

 If you happen to bear witness to an authentic African thunderstorm raging across the Welgevonden Game Reserve, consider yourself extremely fortunate. Summer months promise this remarkable spectacle, that builds and erupts as quickly as it can disappear. All plants and beings take pleasure in the event as an almost audible sigh of relief emanates from the bush, thanking the heavens as the water nourishes the land once more.

 Seasonal delights extend to the kitchen where our chefs busy themselves creating unforgettable culinary masterpieces with locally sourced, seasonal fruits, vegetables and spices, to be paired with the finest of South African wines. As a proud member of the “by-invitation-only” Chaîne des Rôtisseurs – the global hallmark of excellence in cuisine and culinary service – we are constantly and consistently creating authentic, African-inspired themes that resonate with flavour. Taste buds are titillated in our candlelit dining room, or in the outdoor boma (a traditional outdoor enclosure) under the vast African night sky where the cosmos sets an idyllic backdrop for transcendent gastronomic events.

 Consideration Of All Creature Comforts

The intimate nature of Makweti is further solidified by having only ten guests at the lodge at one time. This gives us the opportunity to attend to every need and whim, while forging warm relationships with guests, who ultimately return time and again. Five statuesque, air-conditioned suites, built from African stone and thatch, are dotted around the main lodge, accessible by winding pathways through the natural bushveld. Each one accommodates two guests and has an expansive, private deck facing one of Welgenvonden’s glorious views, with four of the five suites being complete with a private plunge pool. Guests retreat to their own private space, where they can take in the events of the day, while listening to the intricate goings on of the bush. Silencing human sounds makes you realise just how much is alive and active around you, so much so that it almost vibrates through you, pulling you into the experience. Because ultimately… we are a part of all of this grandeur, whether we choose to accept it or not.

 All suites tend to the human need for comfort, while injecting a healthy dose of luxury and indulgence into the mix. Melt into the king size beds (which can be exchanged for two twins), invigorate the senses with an outdoor (or indoor) shower, or warm up after a drive with a decadent soak in the Victorian bath tub as the chill rises off the land. Enjoy the crackle of an open fireplace in your suite, as you sip on treats from the minibar and marvel at the changing landscape from day to night. Guests can greet the rising dawn with a hot cup of coffee made from the in-suite coffee making facilities before heading off on the morning drive, where it all starts over again; a daily routine that welcomes completely unique experiences.

Big Five Game Viewing

Makweti has two game vehicles and three dedicated, skillful guides for our ten guests. The diversity of wildlife in the reserve is simply beyond belief, especially to guests who are enjoying their first (but definitely not last) safari trip. It’s also best explored through the eyes of our professional guides whose wisdom extends beyond anything learnt in a book. Savour their stories of the wildlife and ecology, infused with African folk-wisdom and personal anecdotes. Walking safaris can be arranged by prior request, tailored to your unique preferences or interests, or you can sit back and relax in our open game vehicles, taking in the details and simply being in the moment.

Welgevonden Game Reserve

Makweti Safari Lodge is nestled within Welgevonden Game Reserve, a malaria-free wilderness of over 40,000-hectares. Our home reserve is ranked among one of the largest in the country, and certainly one of the most pristine. Welgevonden is a part of the UNESCO-declared Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, which is characterised by high-plateau geology, magnificent cloudscapes, crystalline streams and an immense diversity of wild species.

The fact that guests are not permitted to drive their own vehicles within the reserve adds to the exclusive nature of the Makweti experience. It also offers our expert guides the opportunity to shine, while guiding guests through a variety of interesting and unforgettable routes.

If you are searching for the genuine African experience, allow yourself to be swept away on the adventure of a lifetime with Makweti Safari Lodge.

Visit Makweti Safari Lodge. Making Africa’s wildlife intimate since 1995.