Johannesburg - If you associate tented holidays with inflatable mattresses, canned food and tripping over guy ropes, a stay in the luxury tents at Mackouwkuil Game Lodge and Conference Venue will shake your beliefs.
The deluxe tents in this Waterberg bush getaway have as much to do with regular camping as a Citi Golf has to do with a Rolls-Royce. Apart from the walls and roof being made of canvas instead of mortar, this is luxury living fit for a sultan. The large living quarters include bedrooms, a lounge, bar fridges, and a spacious bathroom with a bath and shower, all kitted out with five-star furnishings.
The tents overlook a dam and sit on raised decks from which guests can safely watch hippos and crocodiles frolic in the water. In summer you can do this from a splash pool built into one of the decks.
Apart from the luxury tents, which are priced for the upper-crust traveller, the large resort offers more affordable accommodation in rooms and chalets. The four luxury tents are located some distance from the main lodge so guests can chill out in a quiet bush environment.
The tents are spaced for privacy, but there’s a communal area with a swimming pool, a bar and a bonfire lapa.
Leopard are the only “big five” predators in the reserve. They remained elusive during our game drive, but we did spot giraffe, warthog, crocodile, hippo, ostrich and various antelope.
Mackouwkuil is also a game-breeding farm for buck species, including the rare golden wildebeest and black impala.
Apart from game drives, activities at Mackouwkuil include fishing, hiking and mountain biking (bring your own bike). After my fishing attempts proved luckless (all the more galling for my companions catching several bass), I opted to go game-spotting on my mountain bike. Cycling through the bushveld was a novel adventure that I enjoyed. I felt safe doing it, as long as I didn’t get too close to the river with its crocs and hippos.
The rates include three meals a day and the cuisine was a highlight of our stay. The chef, who hails from Mexico, put a unique and tasty spin on simple fare like hamburgers, French toast, lamb and venison. The desserts were also too delicious to resist and I had to cast aside any hopes of maintaining my Banting diet for a couple of days.
For those who can’t break away completely from the outside world, the lodge has cellphone reception on all networks along with free wi-fi, although the latter was intermittent during our two-day stay. There’s also a TV lounge.
The resort is owned by Teach Every Nation (TEN), a global Christian education programme that trains and recruits pastors and church leaders. Used until now as a Christian retreat, Mackouwkuil has been opened to the public. It has conference facilities and a number of dining venues, including a thatched gazebo overlooking the dam.
Rates for the two-bed luxury tents are R4 500 (single) and R3 000 (sharing) a night, while the four-sleeper tents are R5 000 (single) and R3 500 (sharing).
The rooms are R1 500 (single) and R1 350 (sharing). There are also two three-sleeper chalets for R3 500 (single) and R2 500 (sharing).
For more information visit the www.mackouwkuil.co.za website. For a 10 percent discount, make your booking through Corinna Howard at Outlook Africa at 083 228 7182.
GETTING THERE
Mackouwkuil is near the town of Vaalwater in Limpopo, a drive of about four hours from Joburg, along the N1 north to Polokwane and taking the Modimolle off-ramp. The route is tarred and in good condition, except for the last 15km, which is on gravel roads, but a 4x4 isn’t required.
Saturday Star