Makweti Safari Lodge

One of the few African lodges in a malaria-free area to offer the big five, Makweti was originally built as a private home and is now a unique, family owned safari lodge. Just two hours from Pretoria and thus ideal for travellers using the Rovos Rail Train, it lies in the Welgevonden Reserve, surrounded by rolling grasslands and the rugged Waterberg Mountains.

With only five spacious thatched chalets set well apart from each other, Makweti exudes a sense of exclusivity and privacy, more akin to an ‘at home’ experience. Interiors are light and airy, furnished with kilim rugs, down duvets, wood burning stoves for chilly evenings and decanters of complementary port for a night cap or two. Cosy bathrooms are equipped with Victorian baths, indoor and outdoor showers and fluffy towels, whilst outside large viewing decks overlook the waterfalls and gorges that act as a magnet to lion and leopard, springbok and baboon.

Day and night game drives, guided walks, bird watching for the resident three hundred and fifty species and expeditions to nearby San cave paintings are just a few of the activities available. For those who prefer complete inactivity, there is always the swimming pool or the library to enjoy.