Location: Lake St Lucia, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZula Natal
No of rooms: 12 bedroom maximum capacity; five private suites, one Honeymoon Suite
One Stop Reason to Go: Remote beauty and wildlife
Makakatana Bay Lodge is a four star privately owned safari lodge set on the banks of St Lucia within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site, and one of the few natural wonders left on earth where there are unspoiled wilderness beaches, vast wetlands and game reserves all combined into one reserve.
Makakatana Bay Lodge is privately set in a dune forest, and offers visitors an unforgettable KwaZulu safari experience with its luxury game viewing suites and excellent service. Guests are accommodated in six bright and spacious suites. Three of these are set in the dune forest and are frequented by friendly warthog, red duiker, nyala, bush babies, birds and hippo. One room has a view out through the bush onto a vlei and the other has a view through the bush onto the Lake. The Honeymoon suite is situated privately with views out onto a vlei. Large windows and terrace doors as well as mosquito gauze screen doors slide open onto private viewing decks, skillfully combining luxury and integration with the environment, whilst all rooms benefit from air-conditioning/ heating, en-suite bathrooms, toilets and outdoor showers, service bar fridges, tea and coffee facilities and telephones.
The main lounge area features a lounge with TV, dining room – although private dining is available eon request – a boma for bush dinners, wine cellar and a private bush pool on the lake’s edge.
Makakatana Bay Lodge offers guests a unique experience when it comes to safaris. Each day guests may explore a different environment of St Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland game reserve. On a one-night stay, the activities included are an afternoon game drive and a morning game drive into the wetlands.
Included in the fully inclusive rate are the following activities:
Afternoon Game Drive: This safari is offered on the day of arrival. After tea guests travel in a 4×4 open safari vehicle to the heart of the Wetland Park.
Boat Trip on Lake St Lucia: Guests enjoy a morning boat trip after breakfast and a picnic lunch afterwards (weather permitting)
Beach Safari: Depart after breakfast and enjoy a leisurely safari drive to the Indian Ocean where guests can swim and enjoy the coastline before having a picnic lunch and then returning to the lodge for afternoon tea.
Hluhluwe and uMfolozi Big Five Game Drive: Makakatana Bay Lodge takes guests on a safari to Hluhluwe Mfolozi Game Reserve where there is opportunity to see alongside the Big Five, Giraffe, Hyena, Zebra and Wildebeest. Guests are up around 5am and are driven (+/- 50min) to the game reserve to seek out the Big Five. A picnic brunch is served at the park and guests return to the lodge for a light lunch at two.
Morning Game Drive: Wake up early for a morning drive into the Wetlands before breakfast and checkout.
Guests are to advise the lodge which safari activity they would like to do if they are only staying for two or three nights. All safari’s are weather depending, and may change at management’s discretion.
Optional Extra Safaris are on offer from whale watching to deep-sea fishing; from Zulu cultural visits to turtle tours. Essentially, Makakatana Bay Lodge has lots to offer and is always accommodating.
