Mateya Safari Lodge

This holiday exceeded expectaions by a considerable margin We arrived by light aircraft FedAir from Jo'burg landing at a bush airstrip near the lodge A driver from Mateya was there to greet us and take us to the lodge where staff greeted us at the door We were shown to our room the size and luxury of which exceeded expectations the pictures on their website do not do it justice really large comfy bed dresing area sitting area bath shower toilet two sinks plus outside shower decking outside with table and chairs sunlouners and plunge pool (not heated - only for the brave) fridge coffee maker hettle and well stocked minibar Then the best bit - there is a waterhole outside the lodge so as you sit on your deck in the afternoon drinking your coffee or wine - animals walk passed heading for the water - elephants impala baboons zebra and occassionally lion - you do not actually have to go out on a game drive here you can just sit and watch The game drives were however excellent - up at 5am light snack and tea at 5:30 drive sets off at 6 to catch the animals coming down to the various water hole on te game reserve - second drive of the day at 4pm to catch animals before dusk We saw plenty of elephants plus giraffes zebras inpala other types of deer black and white rhinos small rodents snakes birds hyena with cubs and cheetah with cubs - just about everything you could want to see Dinning was a real treat - there are multiple locations to eat in the restaurant area on the deck arround the fire pit even in the wine cellar - menu is limited beause this is a remote location however if you advise them in advance of any special dietary needs which we did then you are well catered for - the chef the waiter and the wine waiter were all excellent Overall an incredible experience - we will be back !

Amazing experience at Mateya! The resort is extremely luxurious with extremely attentive hospitality and service. The game drives with Evan and Sam are spectacular! Herds of elephants greeted us; our first game drive contained dazzles of zebras, many amazing elephants, so many spectacular giraffes! We saw a lovely cheetah, spent hours with lions lying around the water hole and wonderful encounters with the animals of the bus! Our little house (room 1) was quite magnificent. Highly vaulted with stone walls - the king size bed is draped with mosquito netting; two large lounge chairs were next to the magnificent fire place. The fridge was stocked with waters, soda, Milk and ice. The bathroom is beautiful with huge tub - double showers and you can even take an outdoor shower. Off the back was a large deck with its own (icy) plunge pool, Chairs and loungers. AC and ceiling fan made it very comfortable. We were there I the winter so it was lovely to have gloves and a beanie for Morning drives.

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.