Makongo Hills

The Heart of Makongo Hills

Makongo Hills invites you to script your own story — to slow down, breathe in the wild air, and explore this pristine environment on your own terms. Whether you seek quiet reflection under the shade of ancient trees, thrilling encounters with the bush’s hidden wonders, or evenings spent by the fire under a canopy of stars, Makongo Hills offers the perfect canvas for unforgettable moments.

Here, every sunrise feels like a new beginning, and every sunset reminds you that this is where you belong — in the heart of Africa, at peace with nature.

Our Story

Makongo Hills invites you to connect with the wild

Across the great Mkuze River, deep in the landscape of historic Zulu battlefields, lies 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of wild, untouched Africa.

This is Makongo Hills Lodge: a secluded, malaria-free haven and biodiversity hotspot where the wilderness is vast, the history runs deep, and the Big5 roam free. With intimate accommodation, exceptional safari experiences and a warm, dedicated team, Makongo Hills offers a welcoming home in the heart of the bush.

Our Location

Stay with us

Our accommodation is designed to make everyone feel at home in the bush. Whether you are travelling as a couple, with family or as a small group of friends, our rooms offer a comfortable and private place to relax after a day exploring the reserve. With a choice of room types and welcoming spaces to share, Makongo Hills is a place where families can reconnect, couples can enjoy time together and guests of all ages can experience the peace and beauty of the Zululand bush.

Our Accommodation

Ingwe Rondavel
From$3,530per person per night
Includes a deluxe king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with beautiful views from the private deck.
Check Details
Ubhejane Rondavel
From$3,530per person per night
Includes a deluxe king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with beautiful views from the private deck.
Check Details
Nyathi Room
From$3,530per person per night
Includes a deluxe king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with beautiful views from the private deck.
Check Details
Idube
From$3,530per person per night
Includes a deluxe king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with beautiful views from the private deck.
Check Details
Ndlovu Rondavel
From$3,530per person per night
Includes a deluxe king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with beautiful views from the private deck.
Check Details
Bhubesi
From$3,530per person per night
Includes a deluxe king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with beautiful views from the private deck.
Check Details

Our Reviews

Tripadvisor:

    
 
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Janet H 
 16 September 2026
 
 
 Verified Worth staying for a relaxed safari experience
Makongo Hills is well worth visiting for a small intimate safari experience. The lodge is very nicely laid out and the rooms are cozy. All the rooms have views of the Makongo hills and there is no fence so wildlife is free to walk on the grounds. The restaurant serves fresh and appealing meals with a view and there is an inviting fire pit to sit around. There is also an above ground pool for a refreshing dip. Two safaris a day are included with the stay. The reserve has Big 5 plus hyenas and hippos. There are no crowds as there is only 1 safari vehicle. The staff is very friendly and accommodating and the manager, Megan and assistant manager, Shay go out of their way to be friendly and helpful. I highly recommend checking this lodge and private reserve out.
  
 
     Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Lobo G 
 16 September 2026
 
 
 Verified Makongo je t'aime
The best thing about Makongo hills is.. everything.. the individuality, exclusivity, isolation and service. The overall experience with Megan as the conductor, and Shea, Toby, Vuosi and the various components of an amazing experience. The food was excellent, the game drives were superb and the level of knowledge and dedication is top class. Cant recommend it enough.
  
 
     Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   ArjanKaren v 
 23 August 2026
 
 
 Verified Excellent service & safari game drives
we had a lovely time, the service was absolute fantastic and a really 5 start expericience. Also the safari game drives were excellent!
  
 
     Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Companion30511333393 
 17 July 2026
 
 
 Verified Game drive fun
Great food, cool people, cool tour, and beautiful landscape as well as fun activities
  
 
     Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Athol D 
 16 July 2026
 
 
 Verified Luxury in the bush
From the moment I made contact with the team at Makongo Hills till the time I left there, I was made to feel valued and cared for. They were very accommodating of my seemingly constant changes to itinerary and number of guests. Once there, the group I was with and I were spoilt. The staff are exceptionally friendly and take care of you so well. Nothing is a problem for them. Casey the lodge manager is an incedible host, ensuring that we were comfortable and had everything that we needed. He genuinely was interested in our expereinces when returning from the various game drives and activities that we did whilst there. The food was incredible. Simple dishes but presented elegantly. Chef Siya is to be commended. The lodge staff took care of all housekeeping, helping us to relax further. Our two game guides, Trevor and Vusi, interacted affably with our group, providing us with a tailored experience whilst imparting interesting information about the area's history, the aniamls we saw and the ecosystem we were travelling through.
  
 
 
  
 
 
   Tripadvisor rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 66 reviews

Google:

    
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Reinier’s Reviews 
 12 August 2026
 
 
  If you’re looking for a bit of a “White Lotus” experience in the middle of a game reserve, Makongo Hills Lodge is the place to go!

The location is absolutely stunning. The lodge is set on a large, unfenced property in the reserve, surrounded by beautiful hills, with fantastic spots to watch both sunrise and sunset. The pool area is lovely, with comfortable loungers and our room was spacious and had air conditioning. The bathroom felt a little basic compared to the otherwise high standard of the lodge, but that was a minor point.

The staff really made our stay special. Casey made sure everything ran smoothly and chef Thankyou prepared delicious meals for us. Our game drives with Toby were fantastic. He is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, explained so much along the way and really went the extra mile to give us the best possible experience. If we heard about an interesting sighting, staying out a little longer was never a problem. We saw lions, cheetahs, elephants and plenty of other wildlife.

The only real downside was the condition of the game-drive vehicles. On one drive the starter motor wasn’t working properly and on another the brakes weren’t working as they should, both things you would definitely want to be reliable in a game reserve.

Despite that, we had a fantastic stay. The spectacular setting, wildlife, food and especially the wonderful staff made Makongo Hills a very memorable experience. Highly recommended!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Conor 
 22 July 2026
 
 
  What an amazing place. A special conservation reserve with so many animals. It’s huge and everyday is unknown what you will get to see on the drive, but even if you see no big animals it’s worth it for the magical landscape and information from the guides.

The service was amazing, they treat you like family and as if you are the first guest to visit the lodge and put all the effort into a wonderful stay. We came for the safari, but honestly the food and atmosphere was unexpectedly outstanding. I am torn on what aspect I liked more. They should be charging twice the amount for this place.

Great for families, honeymooners, it’s a small place, so the atmosphere quickly becomes cozy. If you are into birding, biology or conservation then it’s a no brainer to explore this place.

TL;DR review: book now and thank me later after you experience Makongo Hills.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Caroline Storrar 
 9 June 2026
 
 
  We had the most special time at Makongo Hills.  The lodge is lovely with the most spectacular views, the food was delicious, the room we stayed in was spacious and comfortable, the staff made us feel special and welcome and went out of their way to spoil us.  Thank you for the best time! A real treat!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Alexis 
 1 May 2026
 
 
  Best Place in the World. I wish i could come back to Makongo hills every single day
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Rick Veldhuizen 
 23 March 2026
 
 
  Me and my family just returned from our trip through SA. We stayed at Makongo Hills for 3 nights. It is just heavenly!!! Manager Casey and ranger Trevor were super, along with the rest of the staff. Food wonderfull, game drives just great, with a sundowner drink with snack, or breakfast in the bush. Fantastic! The lodge was alsi wonderfull. We felt really sad to leave.
When we come back to SA we definitely come back to Makongo.
Rick, linda en the kids.
  
 
 
  
 
 
   Google rating score: 4.9 of 5, based on 47 reviews

Booking.com:

    
 
 
       Posted on Booking  
   
   Fede 
 
 
 
 10Verified ☺Warm welcome by all the staff, we felt like we were at home. They took care of every detail of our daily routine. The place is calm and you can relax just hearing the sound of nature. The estate is built respecting the natura end the delicate surroundings. Thanks to the manager, to our super guide and to all the service staff. We hope to come and see you again

☹Nothing
  
 
      Posted on Booking  
   
   Harald 
 
 
 
 10Verified Ein weiterer Höhepunkt der 2500 km Rundreise!

☺War alles bestens. Zimmer, Frühstück, Mittag- und Abendessen, die Ausfahren, der Ausblick.... Wir haben den Aufenthalt dort richtig genossen. Was bemerkungswert war: Da bei der Bezahlung per Kreditkarte Probleme auftauchten, konnte ich die ausstehende Summe nach dem Urlaub aus Deutschland bezahlen. Dieses Vertrauen ist "bemerkenswert"!!!
  
 
      Posted on Booking  
   
   John 
 
 
 
 10Verified An experience of a lifetime.

☺Our 3 nights at Makongo was an experience of a lifetime. From seeing amazing wildlife from our front porch, the sweeping views over the reserve from our hilltop setting, the incredible game drives with our knowledgeable guide, and the personal attention from lodge staff who strived to ensure that our experience was perfect, we could not have asked for more.

☹We had to leave.
  
 
      Posted on Booking  
   
   Jacob 
 
 
 
 10Verified Magical

☺Imagine having breakfast on a deck with a view of the surrounding hills and bush with giraffe grazing just a few metres away and impalas running across the lawn. An elephant pays a visit just before bedtime and warthog and wildebeest greet you on the lawn when you drive up to reception. No fences anywhere. Sounds magical and perhaps made-up but it is most definitely not. It's what we experienced at Makongo. Magical.
  
 
      Posted on Booking  
   
   Christophe 
 
 
 
 10Verified Je recommande fortement a ceux qui souhaite faire des experiences en petit groupe :-)

☺Incroyab le experience et intimiste. On avait l'impression d'être à la maison / hotel, c'était juste incroyable. Une équipe adorable (jamais vu ca) et les safari inclus ainsi que les repas... GENIAL !

☹rien
  
 
      Posted on Booking  
   
   Karola 
 
 
 
 9.0Verified Super!

☺Sehr schön gelegen mit tollem Blick, Antilopen, Giraffen und Warzenschweine direkt vor der Tür. Schöner Pool, gutes Essen und sehr freundliche Mitarbeiter. Kompetente Safari-Guides mit Liebe zum Job.
  
 
      Posted on Booking  
   
   Stefan 
 
 
 
 9.0Verified Schöne Lodge auf einem Hügel ohne Zaun

☺Die Lodge liegt auf einem Hügel mit herrlichem Blick auf Landschaft und Tiere. Die Lodge ist nicht eingezäunt, so dass die Tiere bis ans Zimmer kommen. Zwei Pirschfahrten sind eingeschlossen. Dass Essen is gut und wird Abends in der Boma am Lagerfeuer serviert. Alles prima, aber man sollte keine Luxus Lodge erwarten.