About Makalali Main Lodge
CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD DAMAGE. Excellent value for money a serious draw-card at this 30-room "bush hotel" style lodge - the contemporary styling of the main public areas with attractive pool area are the highlights
With siblings in most families there is usually some degree of family resemblance, but every now and again you’ll see a couple of sisters (for example) where they are so different that it’s difficult to believe that they’re even related. That’s what springs to mind when looking at the 2 sister Makalali lodges – the original Makalali River Lodge and now the new Makalali Main Lodge – as they are so completely different in just about every possible way.
Whilst the River Lodge actually consists of 3 small and intimate satellite camps of 6 rooms each which exhibit exotically ethnic styling, Makalali Main Lodge is both much larger (30 rooms in total) as well as being much more modern and contemporary in style. Perhaps the biggest difference ultimately though, is that Main Lodge moves away from the traditional game lodge norm of individual, free-standing rooms and is instead what we would refer to as a “bush hotel” – the rooms here are laid out in 3 double-storeyed blocks, each consisting of 5 rooms upstairs and 5 downstairs.
The “bush hotel” feel continues in the interior of the rooms themselves which lack any of the traditional game lodge styling elements like thatch roofs or canvas – instead they have very much a contemporary hotel room aesthetic which wouldn’t feel out of place in the city or even in a beach resort. Whilst the rooms lack any strong styling character or individuality, they are nonetheless very comfortable and well equipped with all the mod-cons you would expect like air-conditioning, ceiling fan and are quite light and airy courtesy of the sliding aluminium door and windows which open out on to your patio – perhaps the most “game-lodgey” element is that there is also an outdoor shower in addition to the inside one. Making things family-friendly is that inter-leading rooms are available.
Whilst we would admit to finding the rooms a bit bland and “meh”, the public areas of the lodge are to our eyes much more interesting and attractive. The overall aesthetic is again modern and contemporary with prominent use of steel frame elements softened by the use of reeds to provide both shade and visual interest. Whilst very different from the traditional game lodge styling and therefore obviously not to everyone’s taste, the lounging spaces are pleasingly open, light and airy. They also flow down neatly to the lodge’s most attractive feature – the large pool deck and infinity pool. With loungers arranged on the deck’s multiple levels, there’s space to relax in the sun between game drives, along with a cold drink and a pair of binoculars to keep an eye on the birds flittering about in the surrounding bush.
Undoubtedly the part of the lodge most like a traditional game lodge is the attractive outdoor boma with its sand floor where guests can enjoy their dinner under the stars and afterwards chat to fellow guests around the open firepit. Talking of meals, the lodge was previously catering largely to international tour groups and was very much orientated around buffets, so it will be interesting to see how this evolves post Covid-19.
Of course, the primary reason why you’re here in the first place is for the game viewing and the Makalali reserve delivers a reliable lowveld safari without ever reaching the heights of more illustrious (and more expensive) reserves like the Sabi Sands or Timbavati. Like so many of the lowveld reserves, Makalali, which means “place of rest”, was an old cattle farm before becoming a wildlife conservancy back in the early 90’s when a major game re-introduction was carried out including such icon species as lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, and rhino and more lately disease-free buffalo have also been released. Since those early days the game numbers have increased dramatically and the 22 000 hectares of lowveld Acacia bush and open savannah grass land now boasts very good game viewing. And the best news of all of staying at Makalali Main Lodge is that you’re seeing the exact same game as the other lodges on the reserve, but paying a fair amount less courtesy of the excellent rates that are available here at Makalali Main Lodge!
