The Madikwe Reserve does not disappoint. Plus it’s a malaria-free zone. And, Mateya Safari Lodge is a very unique, intimate, special spot. You will feel very much like you are part of the family here. TY Christine, Werner, and Judith for the warm welcome, and Cuxton and Helen who provided nourishment before and after drives. Tracker William and ranger Devine provided expert insight for animals/birds large and small. And you don’t need to go far from your plunge pool to see rhino, elephant, baboon, zebra, etc passing by.

This is a fabulous lodge to stay and enjoy a safari. Saw so much wildlife in Madikwe game reserve and not too many other jeeps (maximum of 3 allowed at any sighting). As the lodge is fenced it is safe to walk to and from ones villa which made a nice change, especially as they are quite a walk (up and down steps) to the main building. Our villa was exquisite and beautifully kept, we certainly had everything we needed there and one advantage of going out at 5.15am and getting back about 8.30 we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the facilities before going out again after 4pm. We loved looking at the collection of art and antiques everywhere, they make it very special. Contrary to other reviews we did not find the food very good (apart from breakfast and one or two dishes). Maybe the chef changed just prior to our visit. Shame when everything else was so perfect.

Just returned from a 4 night stay at this wonderful safari lodge. Everything about this facility was excellent. Out stay exceeded our very high expectations. The service, food, game drives, accommodations and staff were more than anyone could ask for. One surprise was our access to their spectacular wine cellar. Each day I was able to personally select wine for the meal! The entire experience was exceptional. The staff could not have been more attentive. The food was as perfect as the setting. Our guide Francois and our tracker Thomas were knowledgeable and very attentive. Our suite could not have been more comfortable or private. If you are thinking about a South African safari it will be hard to top the Mateya Safari Lodge.

Working in the travel industry, I have been lucky enough to stay at some amazing places over the last few years and Mateya is definitely up there with the best of them. Originally built as a personal residence and for a lady who later decided to open it up as a lodge, all of the personal touches you'd expect in someones home are still there - it is one of the most unique places I have stayed. The main sitting area has an incredible collection of art that could keep you busy all day! The rooms themselves are enormous and extremely comfortable. Our pool overlooking the waterhole was areal highlight, we had elephants walking right past the room every afternoon that we were there! The food was excellent, the first morning we were the only guests staying there and were presented with the most amazing breakfast I've ever seen! There are various different settings in which you can dine, our favourite was the fireside dining option but you can also have dinner in the wine cellar which sadly we didn't have time to do. The menus are fairly concise but Rose seemed more than happy to deviate from the menu if we wanted something a bit smaller than the huge portions on offer each day! We did 5 game drives in our 3 night stay and I have to say that although we were slightly unlucky with our wildlife spotting on a couple of drives, they were by far the most engaging and enjoyable safaris we have done. Special thanks to Werner and Christine who are great people and truly excellent hosts. I would highly recommend a stay here - you won't regret it!

Mateya Safari Lodge is an unrivaled experience!We have enjoyed every second.The luxurious facilities,outstanding location,attentive staff,great meals and wonderful safari drives with great guides and trackers-both guide and tracker cooperate in each vehicle!- all combined to provide us with a memories that will last for many years.No lodge in Madikwe compares with Mateya with its collections of African art and a stunning library. Werner and his team enabled us to sight all animals and stay in a very private property with just 5 suites,private tables for meals,well stocked bar and stunning views.We are going to return soon.