Homes>KwaZulu-Natal>Umkhanyakude>The Big 5 False Bay>Emdoneni Lodge

Exterior & Views 1, Emdoneni Lodge, Umkhanyakude

Sport & Beauty 2, Emdoneni Lodge, Umkhanyakude

Bathroom 4, Emdoneni Lodge, Umkhanyakude

Food & Drinks 5, Emdoneni Lodge, Umkhanyakude

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About

Vacation Home

Emdoneni Lodge

The Big 5 False Bay, Umkhanyakude

The Fun Awaits

Fun Outdoor ActivitiesStay active with fun outdoor activities.

Guests Like the LocationThe location was rated 4.15 by the guests who stayed here.

Reviews

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4.2/5

GoodFrom 26 reviews

5.0/52 Dec 2019

Karen • Couple Trip

5 Star service excellence. The staff are all extremely helpful and only happy to assist. The rooms are clean and fully air conditioned which is much needed. The food is exquisite and well done to the chef. Wonderful experience to be up close and personal with the cheetahs and the various cat family.

5.0/514 Feb 2018

Wim

arranged a business trip for one night and game drive in the morning, everyone was very excited about the whole program, the accommodation and the service.

5.0/525 Oct 2016

John

Rustic , comfortable & peaceful in the middle of nature.

5.0/518 Dec 2015

Verified traveler • Family Trip

We stayed for 4 nights ,my lady and I had one room -double - and my the other room was occupied by her sister. Both rooms were the same and were first class. The pool area was good,the breakfast and dinner was first class.The lodge offers game drives and again these were first class.It was my lady's birthday and the staff made a cake and came out singing-wonderful.There is the cat conservancy next door which again is first class. The only down side was the Wifi. Tip drive down the road to the fuel stop and they have good and free wifi.I would stay at this lodge again and would recommend.

5.0/510 Dec 2015

Verified traveler • Couple Trip

Outstanding place to stay. Loved the Cheetah experience. Great to touch beautiful cats.

5.0/523 Nov 2015

Donna • Family Trip

Fantastic and a great experience

5.0/531 May 2015

Leslie

I truly enjoyed my stay at Emdoneni Lodge. Upon arrival, Rebecca was most welcoming, and I immediately enjoyed the afternoon cat feeding session. Gerry was most informative about the serval, caracal, wild cats, and cheetah, and I loved seeing them so close, and being able to actually touch the cheetah. There were zebra walking the grounds, and it was a very relaxing location. Amanda, the manager, is wonderful, and extended my booking when I missed my first night after getting woefully lost. She adores the cats, and she was most helpful in every way, including when I needed a pharmacy in the area. She also arranged for me to visit the Bayete Elephant Sanctuary nearby, and find my way to my next stop. Also--the butternut squash soup was the best I ever had. Best of all, the next day,Gerry took me for a private visit with the 2 cheetah: Raine and Summer, and I was thrilled to have so much one-on-one time with them. It was a highlight of my trip.

5.0/525 Apr 2015

Samia • Family Trip

Zeer correct en behulpzaam personeel. Veel geleerd over de 'katten' en knuffelen met de luipaarden was uiteraard onvergetelijk.

5.0/513 Sep 2014

Eleanor

Wonderful experience here, being taken to see the animals in rehabilitation and stroking the cheetah. Extremely professional guide, giving much information on the animals. The bedroom was small but beautifully clean and maintained. You could see zebras and antelope wandering around from the windows, and listen to the birds. The main part of the lodge, eating and lounge areas were great. Very relaxing, the food was excellent and the staff extremely attentive. Well done to the manageress who looked after us so well to make us feel welcome there. We spent the day walking the trails in there and seeing the wild animals, and the beautiful birds around.

4.0/518 Aug 2025

Gwyneth • Family Trip

The lodge is lovely with very attentive staff. The cat sanctuary is a must visit and trips to Hluhluwe was easy to organise. It is an easy drive to St Lucia and to Bayete to see the elephant education demonstration which is a must-do. Be aware that there is very little around there so likely you will need to eat dinner at the lodge. The foods is quite plain with not much choice. Also be aware that the rooms have no TVs. I would recommend the Lodge for its position and the attentive staff.

4.0/528 Dec 2016

D • Family Trip

A well managed establishment that pays attention to detail.

4.0/520 Feb 2016

Henrik • Couple Trip

The rooms are very chic in design. The beds are comfortable. However, the aircondition was not good enough to make the room cold enough. There are trees right over the cabin and nuts drop on the roof all the time, and since it is a metal roof, there is very large sound every time a nut drops and we woke from it some times. We had breakfast and dinner two nights and the food is really amazing! One night there was a great buffet and the other night a la carte where I ate a perfectly made steak, don't eat anywhere else! Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, sereals etc. They have good wines for a good price. A minus that of the three desert wines that they had by glass in the menu, the two best ones weren't available. Come here for the cat experience, great service and totally amazing food! The pool looks a bit dirty so wouldn't jump in. The cheetah experience is very interesting, and you are aloud to pet cheetahs and also meet some other cats.

4.0/526 Dec 2015

Verified traveler • Couple Trip

Fantastic stay. We wish we has booked more than one night. We have stayed in '4 star' guesthouse son our trip that were not as good as Emdoneni. The food and drink was very good and excellent value. The staff were all very friendly and professional and it was no problem for them to organise a very special private tour of the cat project.

4.0/525 Nov 2015

herbert • Couple Trip

Ingrid! She was the friendliest, kindest and most helpful highlight of our stay. And the cats. And the really good food. And the pool. The lodge is frequented by bus tours with all the downsides of large travel groups. So the lodge is not really as exclusive as you might expect from the price you pay.  The chalets are close to each other, with a lack of privacy. They are old and not too comfy. Plastic stools on the tiny concrete porch. No international plugs in the room. Internet very unstable. Highway close and a bit noisy. Some of the staff could definitely be friendlier.

4.0/524 Jan 2015

Stefan • Family Trip

Die Anlage ist sauber und die Angestellten sind sehr nett. Das Highlight sind die aufgezogenen Geparden, die man im Rahmen einer Tour streicheln kann. Ist schon ein lustiges Gefühl ein so große Raubkatze in einem weitläufigen Gehege zu streicheln.

3.0/530 Dec 2024

Leon • Family Trip

3.0/512 Nov 2018

Arnaud • Couple Trip

THe rooms are ok -they could use a refurbishment but are fine. Beds not great. Lights are horrible. The food is really the main issue -tasteless buffet food. Breakfast is alright I guess but dinner to be avoided. The cheetah project is great though, so I would recommend doing it even if not staying.

3.0/513 Aug 2018

Verified traveler • Family Trip

It was an okay stay. Nothing extra ordinary. Good for bush lovers. Not for individuals that love modern lifestyle.

3.0/527 Aug 2016

Verified traveler • Couple Trip

The rooms were very well serviced and the locations is excellent for accessing that eastern coastline, Sodwana Bay, Richards Bay and St Lucia are all within an hours drive. The food is ok, it's all buffet style so some of it is dry/cold/stale. The WiFi was abysmally unreliable, it took about 30 mins to to purchase a birthday card online. The concierge/reception service was absolutely terrible. During check in she told us we could speak to her later on about tourist attractions in the area so we did "What are some of the best things to do in the area?", and the answer we got was "yes". So we probed a little deeper, "can we go whale watching?", answer "yes". "well where can we go whale watching?", "at the sea". It was painful, she took a long time to answer any question, only ever gave one word answers, and hardly looked up whilst talking.

2.0/519 Sep 2017

Lyn

we could not touch the cheetahs as shown in their promo video. the other animals were scarce---4 cats , 1 caracol, 2 servals all behind bars---we went into the pen with the cats and could not touch. we are not allowed to see the bay cheetahs. Iffit is better for the cheetahs I am for it----JUST DO NOT ADVERTISE THAT TOUCHING IS ALLOWED.- IT WAS DISAPPOINTING and fraudulent! too much money for not enough. food was OK and staff was nice---just not what was advertised.

Popular Facilities

Swimming Pool

WiFi

Parking

tiket Green

24-hour Front Desk

Children Facility

Bonfire Area

BBQ Equipment

Meeting Facilities

Free Parking

Kitchen

Balcony

Bathtub

Coffee Tea Maker

Refrigerator

Hair Dryer

Sports & Recreation

Picnic Area

Diving

Arcade/Game Room

Snorkeling

Garden

Pool Umbrellas

Snack Bar/Deli

Kids Facilities

Babysitting or Childcare

Babysitting or Childcare (Surcharge)

Info

No Elevators

Hotel Policy

Smoke-free Property

Public Facilities

Parking (Free)

Hotel Services

Wedding Services

Laundry Service/Dry Cleaning

Hotel Safe

Express Check-out

Multilingual Staff

Other Facilities

Indoor Fireplace

BBQ Facilities

Food & Drinks

Private Dining Service

Business Facilities

Meeting Rooms

Ballroom

Business Center

Gift Shops or Newsstand

In-room Facilities

Patio or terrace

Transportation

Tours/Ticket Assistance

tiket Green

Connectivity

Free WiFi

Location

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District Road 123, Bushlands, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, ZA

Nearby Destinations

All distances are measured in straight lines. The actual travel distance may be different.

Accommodation Rules

Check-in Procedure

Check-in2:00 PM-7:00 PM

Check-out10:00

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM. If you are planning to arrive after noon please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation. Guests will receive an email within 24 hours before arrival with check-in instructions. The front desk is staffed during limited hours. Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools.

Want to check in early? Fill out the Special Requests form on the booking page.

More Policies

Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.

About Emdoneni Lodge

Emdoneni Lodge Location
When you stay at Emdoneni Lodge in Hluhluwe, you'll be 11 minutes by car from Bonamanzi Private Game Reserve. This family-friendly lodge is 20.6 mi (33.1 km) from Mtubatuba Go Karting and 23.3 mi (37.4 km) from iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

Emdoneni Lodge Facility and Service
You can experience a safari, and enjoy an outdoor pool. Additional amenities at this lodge include complimentary wireless internet access, babysitting (surcharge), and an arcade/game room.

Emdoneni Lodge Rooms
Make yourself at home in one of the 50 air-conditioned guestrooms. Your Tempur-Pedic bed comes with premium bedding. Rooms have private furnished patios. Bathrooms feature showers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

Restaurant and Cafe
Satisfy your appetite at the lodge's buffet restaurant, which features a bar/lounge. Dining is also available at the coffee shop/cafe. Mingle with other guests at the complimentary reception, held daily.

Room Type and Price

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 - Tue, 01 Sep 2026 (1 night)

1 Room, 1 Adult, 0 Children