Ultimate Family Bush Experience
Apr 26, 2022 CapeTownKittykat Cape Town
We cannot recommend Jaci’s Safari Lodge highly enough! We were a family group of seven – 4 adults and 3 kids (aged 13, 9 and 5). The accommodation setup is perfect for families. There are 2 houses/luxury tent combos next to each other, like your own private safari lodge. They lead out onto a deck where the main dining table is and then down into…
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We cannot recommend Jaci’s Safari Lodge highly enough! We were a family group of seven – 4 adults and 3 kids (aged 13, 9 and 5). The accommodation setup is perfect for families. There are 2 houses/luxury tent combos next to each other, like your own private safari lodge. They lead out onto a deck where the main dining table is and then down into the boma/pool area with loungers. There are scooter bikes for the toddlers, the pool can be heated, and the setting amongst the trees provides a shady canopy and a sense of complete privacy and tranquility. We were welcomed with big smiles from all the staff, like long lost friends, even though this was actually our first visit (hopefully not our last!). The experience at Jaci’s was so fantastic: all of the staff, without exception, were impeccable in their service. We were made to feel like part of a big, warm, happy Jaci’s family. We were fortunate enough to have Inam as our chef. We cannot sing his praises highly enough. Before every meal, he would explain his menu to us in a most tantalizing and beautiful manner, whetting our appetites for every dish. He was totally amenable to adjusting the menu for our particular dietary preferences, and most willing to accommodate the kids’ particular requests. His food was of the highest standards. We ate like kings and queens! He made a chocolate birthday cake for our 5-year old granddaughter that was any child’s dream and really made her special day. Our host, Mooketsi, is a wonderful human being. He was warm and hospitable, attentive without being intrusive. He is a credit to Jaci’s. Our lovely waitress, Jane, was always on hand with a kind smile and impeccable service. I cannot recall the names of all the wonderful staff, but we wish to thank them all, including Shepherd, one of our main waiters. Rhona and Andrew, the Lodge’s Managers, popped in regularly to check how our day was going, to make suggestions, to make sure that we were happy; how could we possibly not be! We had massages in our suite given by Valencia that were quite wonderful and most professional. Our Ranger was Peter. What a first-class ranger and all-round terrific guy! Our family all loved him, especially the kids. He has a special patience and gentle way with children and was the perfect choice of ranger to take care of our family group. We saw a wonderful variety of game, including a large pack of playful wild dogs, lion, elephant, many rhino, and loads of other beautiful animals and birds. Peter took us out one particular day for a longer day out in the bush, which we had requested. He set up a picnic for us and, to the kids’ delight, devised outdoor adventure games and gave us riddles to solve, as if we were on family “Survivor” – it was a lot of fun. We even stopped to look at the stars, and Peter identified many constellations for us which was such an unusual activity and added to the experience of the night drive. I could go on, but it’s already a long review. If you are looking for a malaria-free game reserve in South Africa that is family-friendly with excellent game viewing and a 5* experience, we would highly recommend Jaci’s Safari Lodge in Madikwe.
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