Makakatana Bay Lodge

We had a wonderful time here. This is the only lodge on Makakatana which makes it very special place to stay. The lodge is located on the shores of Lake St Lucia and it is just beautiful. There is a main house with the restaurant, lounge area and a deck with a water hole in front where waterbucks and warthogs come to drink at night. From there you walk past the guest cabins and after those a supernice pool area with views of the lake. Roland was our main guide, he grew up in the bush so it is hard to find someone more experienced and knowledgeable about everything related to the bush. Next to that he is super kind, fun and has many stories related to the area and his experiences, we could listen to those for weeks. The other guide who guided us on a few tours is Ashton who, although relatively new, is super knowledgeable as well and a super enthousiastic, funny and kind person. The cool thing is the many different activities; from regular game drives to a river cruise and a trip by boat across the lake towards the vegetated sand dunes and the Indian Ocean. We saw so many wildlife that it is hard to name them all; from hyenas, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, hippos, many different types of antilopes to maybe the most special you will ever see in your life: a Strawberry leopard. All the other staff was just as amazing; Roy does a fantastic job managing the kitchen, a magician in the kitchen ( ;-) ) and great person to have met. Larissa was supernice and was the one who guided us through the activities and all questions we had. And all the other staff members whose name we forgot were professional, cheerful and clearly passionate about their work at the lodge as well. The personal attention we received all through our stay made this an experience we will never forget.

We had the most incredible stay at this special family run lodge. With over 120 years of history, there’s a real sense of legacy and love for the land here. From the minute we arrived, we felt like part of the family. Hugh, the owner, is a genuinely warm and engaging host. He’s full of stories and has such a calm, welcoming presence. Andrew and Chris were amazing, especially on beach day, which was a highlight! We even got to enjoy our own fresh catch that evening, which was such a cool experience for our kids and ourselves. Andrew also shared fascinating info about the local biomes, he’s a proper fisherman, beekeeper, and game ranger all in one. The team or staff like Ondyne, Tarryn, Sizwe, Ashley, and the rest of the team, were all so friendly and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and happy throughout our stay. Our room was cosy, spacious, and had everything we needed and then some. The cherry on top? We saw a rare “strawberry” leopard right outside our room just hours after checking in. Unreal! The food was fantastic and every meal was prepared with such care and flavour. This place really is something special. It’s more than just a lodge, it’s a place that fills your heart and helps you reconnect.

We loved this place. It is a beautiful house in the wetlands. You feel isolated and wildlife is all over the place: monkeys, hippos, giraffe, antilopes. The guides were very knowledgeable and passionate especially ashton. The dinner around the bush camp fire was great. I highly recommend but it is pricey.

We just arrived here for 3 days. The setting is beyond amazing, the facilities are beautiful, the people are more than welcoming and the service gets an A+. Kruger gets all the attention but this place is definitely a must. We haven't even gone out on game drives.yet and already love the place.

What an amazing stay we had at Makakatana Bay Lodge. From first class attention from Ondine and her wonderful team ensuring everything was perfect to outstanding game drives with rangers who were knowledgeable, personal, funny and found fantastic wildlife. The boat trip with Warwick was an absolute delight: what he doesn't know about the lake in general and the Hippos in particular probably isn't worth knowing. Roy, the chef, ensured we had excellent food throughout our stay and took a lot of time to chat to guests for their opinions. Excellent rooms with an option of an indoor or outdoor bath and shower (don't be bashful, the warthogs won't notice) and amazing wildlife within the grounds of the lodge and further afield.

We spent 3 fantastic days at Makakatana. It is a very special place in the beautiful Isimangaliso wetlands. Our room was spacious and comfortable and much nicer than the pics on the website. The food created by Roy, the chef was Michelin star standard and all the staff were lovely. Our ranger, Juandre was extremely knowledgeable and showed us many things we would never have spotted. I would highly recommend this lodge