Name: Bakubung Bush Lodge
Address: Bakubung Gate, Pilanesberg National Park, Sun City, South Africa, Sun City, North West, ZA
Price range: $183–$559 per night
Rating: 8.68

What guests think

Bakubung Bush Lodge earns strong praise for friendly staff, plentiful buffet dining, and memorable game drives, with family-friendly facilities, a scenic Pilanesberg setting, and wildlife at the waterhole enhancing the experience for many travellers.

Rooms are generally spacious and comfortable, though several reviews note dated decor and occasional maintenance issues such as weak air-conditioning or fridges, plus some noise for rooms near the pool. Buffet meals are widely praised for variety and taste, and the bush braai stands out, while a few guests found dinner selection or restaurant service less impressive. The setting inside Pilanesberg provides easy access and a tranquil base, although surrounding roads can be potholed. Expect a comfortable, nature-immersed, family-friendly stay.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Facilities are family-friendly, including playground and pool, a well-regarded spa, wildlife viewing at the waterhole, and included game drives and bush-braai experiences. A few guests disliked the large, noisy vehicles or found guiding less engaging.

Related guest reviews

10

yoram

Aug 26, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Perfect walking tour in the park with Dyllan

8

Fredric

Jan 11, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Quite ok hotel but little bit outdated. Good food. Only one game drive per day included and the vehicles used are large, not so comfortable and noisy.

10

Mohamed

Aug 30, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Have stayed here before and as before the service by the staff was excellent and attentive. The lodge overlooks a waterhole. During our stay a small herd of elephants cam quite close to the lodge (we could view them from our balcony). The restaurant provides an excellent buffet for breakfast and dinne. The wildlife office houses a collection of snakes. From here you can book activities such as the bush walk. The game drives included in our stay were excellent with knowledgeable guides. The resort includes a swimming pool and a spa. Overall, highly recommended.

8

Kabelo

Jan 13, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The restaurant staff was extremely friendly, food was great and a huge variety too. The game drives were also great. Very family oriented place, amazing playground for the little one and pool facilities

10

Colette

Dec 24, 2022

·

Stayed 4 nights

Bakubung is a lovely resort to enjoy the best of South Africa. It’s access to the Pilanesberg National Park is super and the views are stunning. It has its own waterhole which attracts birds, buck and we were lucky enough to see an elephant there. We found it to be good value compared to some of the ludicrously expensive alternatives in the area. The staff were friendly and attentive. We had a hotel room which included self-service buffet style dinner and breakfast (nothing super fancy but good wholesome food with lots to chose from for all the family) and one game drive per day. The room was comfortable and clean. The fridges don’t work well but the bar provided ice with no issue. The game drives were the highlight. We did a variety of morning and evening. We preferred the evening. We saw four of the big five! The bush braai is great too. Highly recommend for a good value experience.

10

Dave

Mar 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The set up of the lodge is like a center parcs style safari stay. It may be pricy but if you factor in the game drive and half board, it is actually quite reasonable. The safari trips were excellent with the driver/guide providing excellent knowledge. We absolutely loved the bush braai with African entertainment. The room was amazing with everything we asked for provided with plenty of space. Lovely swimming pool and the view of the watering hole is second to none.

10

Philip

Jan 8, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great bush lodge with good value for money. Very family friendly. Good game drives and very good food. Boma bush diner was a highlight.

10

Dion

May 20, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really nice place to stay. Awesome safari tours included. I really liked the Braii evening in the bush with the traditional dancers.

8

Claudia

Oct 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very nice property with an excellent Spa. The only thing we didn't like was the Safaris. The drivers were rude, not willing to stop to see the animals, and did not explain anything interesting. Just drivers, but not guide,s and it's better to do self-drive safaris

10

Andrew

Oct 7, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Amazing stay at Bakubung. Great value with half board and daily game drive included. Massage at the spa was first class.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is consistently praised, with tidy rooms and even turn-down service; the property is kept very clean. Minor issues include occasional bugs given the bush setting and some maintenance needs.

Related guest reviews

6

Christian Alexander

Feb 15, 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

Good location/proximity to Pilanesberg National Park and Sun City. Hotel rooms can do with a makeover as they do show their age. Cleanliness is high though. The dinner selection could vary more and in general the quality of food and restaurant service is to be improved. Also the guide on our drives was very unenthusiastic about explaining/entertaining the guests. Overall in comparison to other game lodges we have visited, they seem to put in less effort to make the experience something special to remember. It seems they don’t need to try harder as there is a constant stream of day visitors and/or time share occupants. All in all, we would not come again, though the location does have the potential to be something more special with a little more attention to detail.

10

Elena

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The area is wonderful, the game drives were the highlight of our trip, we saw different animals on each ride. The lodge was good too, the staff was friendly, food was ok, it was a bit noisy to be in a room by the pool but there was no option to select the room location on Expedia. Inside it was a bit dated and there were bugs (but it is in the wilderness so hard to keep them out). There were elephants coming almost to the restaurant which was amazing to see them right there. The entire idea to put this lodge at edge of the park is brilliant, it was a great experience overall

10

Melanie

Jan 9, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Visited Bakubang Bush Lodge over the weekend had a great time rooms were neat and clean. The game drive experience was amazing had no regrets to wake up at early and attend the 5h30 drive. Breakfast and dinner were delicious lots off varieties to choose from and I loved that the menu is different every day. The chefs and staff over this weekend at Bakubang 5th-7th Jan 24 really made our experience special and created lots of memorable moments will definitely come back to experience the bush braai was not aware that a pre-booking must be made and when requested to attend was informed that it was full. A suggestion to start the Bush braai dinner early 5-7pm then again at 7-9pm so that all guests booked have a chance to experience the bush braai when staying over a weekend.

10

Alexandros

Oct 18, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The Hotel in the bush was fantastic. Cannot thank enough the staff. Very polite and friendly. The premises were super clean everywhere and the location was like paradise. The safari also met our expectations. Really impressive. Highly recommended

10

Colette

Dec 24, 2022

·

Stayed 4 nights

Bakubung is a lovely resort to enjoy the best of South Africa. It’s access to the Pilanesberg National Park is super and the views are stunning. It has its own waterhole which attracts birds, buck and we were lucky enough to see an elephant there. We found it to be good value compared to some of the ludicrously expensive alternatives in the area. The staff were friendly and attentive. We had a hotel room which included self-service buffet style dinner and breakfast (nothing super fancy but good wholesome food with lots to chose from for all the family) and one game drive per day. The room was comfortable and clean. The fridges don’t work well but the bar provided ice with no issue. The game drives were the highlight. We did a variety of morning and evening. We preferred the evening. We saw four of the big five! The bush braai is great too. Highly recommend for a good value experience.

10

Peter

Jan 3, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was clean, the evening turn down service unexpected. The refreshments in the room were lovely. All the staff were very helpful and friendly. The buffet breakfast and dinner were superb with a good variety of fresh foods. The Boma braai was a unique and lovely experience.

8

Bernie

Jan 19, 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Room clean but needs updating and maintenance.

8

Fatima

Aug 14, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great family trip - the rooms are clean & comfortable for 2 adults & 2 small kids The lodge has quite a few activities for the kids - even though the staff could b a bit more proactive, accommodating & fun for the kids Restaurant & food including food variety and catering for different dietary requirements was excellent

10

Laercio

Sep 28, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Que hotel fantástico! Quartos maravilhosos, espaçosos, limpos, comida saborosa, café da manha com super diversidade de pratos, atendimento super cordial, tudo isso, dentro do Parque de Pilanesberg. O safari (game drive) é uma atração a parte. Imperdível! Se puder, faça mais de um. É um hotel sensacional! Recomendo a todos.

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10

shawn

Jun 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Courteous staff on arrival, room needs some minor repairs but has a beautiful decor and view, VIP complimentary bottle o wine on arrival to room, excellent game drives, Francois amazing , excelllent food, loving and friendly front desk staff, loved it

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Rooms

Rooms are spacious and comfortable with pleasant views, but several reviews describe dated decor and the need for updates, plus occasional issues like weak air-conditioning, noisy pool-area rooms, or minor repairs.

Related guest reviews

8

Fredric

Jan 11, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Quite ok hotel but little bit outdated. Good food. Only one game drive per day included and the vehicles used are large, not so comfortable and noisy.

10

Thomas Bonde

Oct 6, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very nice stay at Bakubang, the buffet waz extensive. The room was very big and comfortable. The bush dinnet is higly reccomended. It is quite expensive for an older property. The elephants at the watering hole was a treat

10

Stefan

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Direkt am Pilanesberg NP gelegen, große Suite, sehr gute Essensauswahl

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10

Elena

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The area is wonderful, the game drives were the highlight of our trip, we saw different animals on each ride. The lodge was good too, the staff was friendly, food was ok, it was a bit noisy to be in a room by the pool but there was no option to select the room location on Expedia. Inside it was a bit dated and there were bugs (but it is in the wilderness so hard to keep them out). There were elephants coming almost to the restaurant which was amazing to see them right there. The entire idea to put this lodge at edge of the park is brilliant, it was a great experience overall

10

Dave

Mar 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The set up of the lodge is like a center parcs style safari stay. It may be pricy but if you factor in the game drive and half board, it is actually quite reasonable. The safari trips were excellent with the driver/guide providing excellent knowledge. We absolutely loved the bush braai with African entertainment. The room was amazing with everything we asked for provided with plenty of space. Lovely swimming pool and the view of the watering hole is second to none.

8

Bernie

Jan 19, 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Room clean but needs updating and maintenance.

10

Lynn

Feb 13, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely relaxing 2 night at this relaxing lodge. Staff are lovely especially the reception staff and Rose in the restaurant. Great game drives did both morning and afternoon drives. Comfy beds spacious rooms Wi-Fi good felt quite sad to leave

10

shawn

Jun 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Courteous staff on arrival, room needs some minor repairs but has a beautiful decor and view, VIP complimentary bottle o wine on arrival to room, excellent game drives, Francois amazing , excelllent food, loving and friendly front desk staff, loved it

10

Michelle B

Jul 4, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I loved my stay. Our room was beautiful and they surprise us with an anniversary set up with wine and chocolate. I would definitely recommend.

8

Caroline

Mar 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Super hotel. Elephants in front of my room. All 7 hotel rooms reserved over 2 weekend by myself and friends had faulty air conditioning. Rooms were very hot. Difficult to sleep. Personnel act as if they don’t know. Otherwise incredible hotel which includes dinner and a game drive!

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Service

Service is frequently described as friendly, attentive and accommodating. A few guests reported understaffing or weak attention to detail.

Related guest reviews

10

Jordan

Jan 13, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

This was my second time visiting and it continues to absolutely blow me away! Thank you so much to the incredibly amazing staff as well - what an honor.

10

Sydney

Aug 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had an amazing stay at Bakubung! The staff were all so friendly and accommodating. Our flight from Cape Town was delayed by several hours so we arrived at the lodge close to 10pm. Not only did they respond to my email quickly to reassure me that the late check-in would be no problem, but the receptionist quickly guided us to the restaurant as soon as we arrived, as the kitchen was closing and she wanted to make sure we had something to eat before bed. The chef was about to leave for the night, but she stayed to accommodate us. We were so grateful and assured her anything that was quick and easy to make would be perfectly fine with us, and not to trouble herself more than necessary. She asked if pizza was okay and we said that would be perfect. Well… she ended up making us a beautiful salad, a pizza, large bowls of pasta and a tray of desserts! Totally above and beyond all expectations and everything was delicious. The restaurant staff stayed to serve us as well and were very kind. We also happened to get a room upgrade, as the standard rooms were oversold which was a nice bonus. We are so grateful for everyone’s thoughtfulness and extra kindness and hospitality during our stay.

10

Mariska

Dec 23, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff and services were excellent

8

Kabelo

Jan 13, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The restaurant staff was extremely friendly, food was great and a huge variety too. The game drives were also great. Very family oriented place, amazing playground for the little one and pool facilities

8

Deborah

Nov 23, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Seemed to b understaffed at times.

10

Peter

Jan 3, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was clean, the evening turn down service unexpected. The refreshments in the room were lovely. All the staff were very helpful and friendly. The buffet breakfast and dinner were superb with a good variety of fresh foods. The Boma braai was a unique and lovely experience.

6

Euan

Aug 6, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff let this place down. Attention to detail is poor. Listening skills also not great and there’s a general malaise.

10

shawn

Jun 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Courteous staff on arrival, room needs some minor repairs but has a beautiful decor and view, VIP complimentary bottle o wine on arrival to room, excellent game drives, Francois amazing , excelllent food, loving and friendly front desk staff, loved it

10

Tyrone

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Staff is incredible, the food is incredible, clean, a lot to do and just all around good package

10

Keith

Jun 20, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Safari experience was the ultimate. Food was great, staff was awesome. We’ll be back!

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Location

Right inside or at the entrance to Pilanesberg, the lodge offers easy access to game viewing and a nature-immersed setting, with wildlife visible on site. Some noted rough approach roads with potholes.

Related guest reviews

10

Stefan

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Direkt am Pilanesberg NP gelegen, große Suite, sehr gute Essensauswahl

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10

Colette

Dec 24, 2022

·

Stayed 4 nights

Bakubung is a lovely resort to enjoy the best of South Africa. It’s access to the Pilanesberg National Park is super and the views are stunning. It has its own waterhole which attracts birds, buck and we were lucky enough to see an elephant there. We found it to be good value compared to some of the ludicrously expensive alternatives in the area. The staff were friendly and attentive. We had a hotel room which included self-service buffet style dinner and breakfast (nothing super fancy but good wholesome food with lots to chose from for all the family) and one game drive per day. The room was comfortable and clean. The fridges don’t work well but the bar provided ice with no issue. The game drives were the highlight. We did a variety of morning and evening. We preferred the evening. We saw four of the big five! The bush braai is great too. Highly recommend for a good value experience.

10

Alan

Feb 22, 2023

·

Stayed 5 nights

Amazing location, beautiful surroundings and friendly staff. We will return!

10

RONAN HONÓRIO

Jan 10, 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Lugar incrível, preparado para a experiência de safári desde a chegada. O Bakubung Bush Lodge supera as expectativas em todos os detalhes. A integração com a natureza é impressionante, o atendimento é atencioso e a estrutura é impecável. Desde o momento da chegada já nos sentimos imersos na experiência do safári, com paisagens deslumbrantes e um clima único. Uma experiência inesquecível para quem busca conforto, contato com a vida selvagem e momentos especiais.

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10

Pierre-Henri

Aug 7, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

We had a wonderful experience staying at Bukubung Lodge. The staff are very friendly and the facilities are excellent. The only downside was the roads. Full of potholes and in poor condition.

10

Andre

Feb 18, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Perfect location to explore the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Peaceful and lovely location. Accommodation was one of the best I have ever stayed in.

10

Laurence

Oct 24, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

A l entrée de la réserve. Nous avons été accueilli à l entrée pas des éléphants ! L aventure commencait déjà

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10

Nikolas

Dec 30, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Wunderschöne Lage direkt am Nationalpark, tolle Zimmer, gutes Essen, nettes Personal. Boma Braai war ein Highlight

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10

Steve

Mar 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Easy access to the site as soon as you enter the Pilansberg park. Game rides were informative and we saw plenty of game.

8

Sean

Dec 24, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

We had an awesome multi-generational family vacation with great food and beautiful scenery. The Pilansberg nature reserve should be a ‘must see’ on everyone’s list.

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Dining

Buffet breakfast and dinner earn strong praise for variety and taste, and the bush-braai is a highlight. A few guests found dinner selection or restaurant service average.

Related guest reviews

6

Christian Alexander

Feb 15, 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

Good location/proximity to Pilanesberg National Park and Sun City. Hotel rooms can do with a makeover as they do show their age. Cleanliness is high though. The dinner selection could vary more and in general the quality of food and restaurant service is to be improved. Also the guide on our drives was very unenthusiastic about explaining/entertaining the guests. Overall in comparison to other game lodges we have visited, they seem to put in less effort to make the experience something special to remember. It seems they don’t need to try harder as there is a constant stream of day visitors and/or time share occupants. All in all, we would not come again, though the location does have the potential to be something more special with a little more attention to detail.

10

Carlos G

Jan 29, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

O quarto standard já é lindo e muito confortável, a equipe toda é muito educada e prestativa além de muito simpática, vale mencionar também a comida deliciosa e o charme dos bichinhos que circulam pela propriedade

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10

Thomas Bonde

Oct 6, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very nice stay at Bakubang, the buffet waz extensive. The room was very big and comfortable. The bush dinnet is higly reccomended. It is quite expensive for an older property. The elephants at the watering hole was a treat

10

Mark

Oct 24, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

everything was fantastic. Highlight was a Walking Safari. The staff at the Wildlife centre really looked after us. Also, the food was excellent!

8

Kabelo

Jan 13, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The restaurant staff was extremely friendly, food was great and a huge variety too. The game drives were also great. Very family oriented place, amazing playground for the little one and pool facilities

10

Peter

Jan 3, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was clean, the evening turn down service unexpected. The refreshments in the room were lovely. All the staff were very helpful and friendly. The buffet breakfast and dinner were superb with a good variety of fresh foods. The Boma braai was a unique and lovely experience.

10

Philip

Jan 8, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great bush lodge with good value for money. Very family friendly. Good game drives and very good food. Boma bush diner was a highlight.

10

Tyrone

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Staff is incredible, the food is incredible, clean, a lot to do and just all around good package

10

Sumaili Yves

Sep 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Wonderful and peaceful hotel. I shall be returning. The rooms are excellent and the buffet is world class.

10

Keith

Jun 20, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Safari experience was the ultimate. Food was great, staff was awesome. We’ll be back!

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$783
February	$1,111
March	$1,405
April	$363
May	$342
June	$353
July	$384
August	$354
September	$835
October	$329
November	$318
December	$332

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4 $221	5 $221
6 $184	7 $320	8 $320	9 $320	10 $320	11 $363	12 $363
13 $363	14 $380	15 $408	16 $396	17 $363	18 $363	19 $380
20 $380	21 $316	22 $320	23 $396	24 $380	25 $559	26 $396
27 $320	28 $320	29 $363	30 $363

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $316	2 $363	3 $363
4 $320	5 $317	6 $317	7 $320	8 $380	9 $380	10 $380
11 $380	12 $320	13 $320	14 $320	15 $317	16 $413	17 $383
18 $317	19 $317	20 $320	21 $320	22 $316	23 $380	24 $363
25 $396	26 $187	27 $183	28 $186	29 $184	30 $380	31 $396

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