Amakhala Woodbury Lodge

CEDARBERG RATING

Premier

PRICING FROM

₤ 217 (Pps)

Overview

The 7,500ha Amakhala Game Reserve offers malaria-free game viewing. 'Amakhala' is named after the Xhosa word meaning Aloes. This prolific indigenous plant is widely found in this diverse province. Steeped in history and beauty, this game reserve creates an ideal environment for an unforgettable safari.

Amakhala Woodbury Lodge is spectacularly set against a cliff breathtaking views of the Bushman's River. It offers an intimate and tranquil experience of the riverine bushveld at its best. It is the ideal place for families to relax and enjoy the bush together.

Accommodation

Six comfortably appointed stone and thatch lodges, and two family chalets, each have air-conditioning, underfloor heating, en-suite bathroom and a private viewing deck. The seclusion of the lodges and the design of the bathrooms and outdoor relaxation areas enable you to enjoy the unique views from many angles. You may even be lucky enough to see an elephant herd passing by the camp in the late afternoon.

There are a range of activities to participate in at Woodbury Lodge.  These include game viewing, river cruises and bush walks. Or simply soak up the African sun around the pool or enjoy some quiet bird watching from the deck. Water levels permitting, you can also enjoy afternoon sundowner cruises on the river.

Amakhala Woodbury Lodge is now accredited with Fair Trade Tourism which promotes responsible tourism throughout Southern Africa.

At A Glance

  • Restaurants
  • Wifi on premises

Amakhala Woodbury Lodge on the map

Rooms

King/twin Rooms - Family Chalets

Guests are accommodated in seven comfortable stone–and–thatch sleeping lodges, surrounded by indigenous trees alive with birdsong. Each room has air conditioning, en–suite bathrooms with heated floors and a private deck with magnificent views over the plains. Within the portfolio are two family chalets which sleep up to four guests, allowing families to enjoy the African bush together. The seclusion of each suite, along with the design of the bathrooms and individual outdoor relaxation areas, enable our visitors to enjoy the unique setting and breathtaking views at their leisure.

King/Twin Chalet

Guests are accommodated in seven comfortable stone–and–thatch sleeping lodges, surrounded by indigenous trees alive with birdsong. Each room has air conditioning, en–suite bathrooms with heated floors and a private deck with magnificent views over the plains. The seclusion of each suite, along with the design of the bathrooms and individual outdoor relaxation areas, enable our visitors to enjoy the unique setting and breath-taking views at their leisure.

Woodbury Lodge by Nita travelling with her young family

I liked the setting of Woodbury Lodge, and the service was very good. We had a knowledgeable guide – he spent some time as a guide at Mala Mala.

As there were only two families at the lodge, we had our own private landrover and guide. This enabled us to take our 3 year old along on the game drive – however we could not go to the part of the reserve where the lions are. We had lovely sightings of the group of young giraffes and we came very close to the herd of elephant coming out of the bushes and moving out into the open plains. We also had a close encounter with a teenage elephant bull putting his trunk on the roof of our vehicle. This was very thrilling for the kids.

My initial feeling about the room was that it is not very four-star. Nothing wrong with the room but nothing special either. This might be a case of personal taste. After turn-down the evening the room looked more like a four-star safari lodge to me. On the other hand one has to take into account that the pricing is competitive for a game lodge.

Food was also very good. They had special kiddies meals prepared when we arrived, which was great. Unfortunately kids do not have a separate mealtime at Woodbury, so they had dinner with all the guests – not a good idea, as I felt like I had to keep them on their best behaviour all the time (so we just left the dinner table very early!)

I feel that Woodbury would be better suited for families with older children (at least 10 and up) who can easily join the normal game drives and meals and who can keep themselves occupied.

Cedarberg : Milandi Joubert