Bakubung Bush Lodge
A large lodge at Pilanesberg's Bakubung Gate, rooms facing the hippo pool
About this stay
Bakubung positions itself explicitly as family-friendly, a rarer billing among the game lodges in this guide, and backs it up with free breakfast, dinner and game drives bundled into the stay rather than charged as extras. The one-minute walk to the on-site Bakubung Restaurant keeps mealtimes simple between drives into fenced, malaria-free Pilanesberg, removing the malaria-prophylaxis planning that shadows unfenced reserves further north. The spa, fitness centre and pool cover rest days, and full-service laundry suits longer stays without repacking. The 9.2 rating from 2,632 reviews is among the strongest in the area for a lodge of this size, backed by a review count large enough to trust as a genuine pattern rather than a small sample.
- Beside Bakubung Gate, on the Sun City side of Pilanesberg
- Every room opens onto a balcony or patio facing the hippo pool
- 76 studio rooms and 66 self-catering chalets
- Marula Grill, buffet or à la carte, overlooking a waterhole
- Bush Boma braai on Wednesday and Saturday nights
- Spa above the lodge
Our take
Bakubung stands on the park fence beside Bakubung Gate, on the Sun City side of Pilanesberg, and every room opens onto a balcony or patio looking over the park and the lodge's hippo pool. Its name is usually translated as 'place of the hippo'. It is a big property, 76 thatched studio rooms plus 66 self-catering chalets, with a spa and conference rooms, so it feels closer to a hotel in the bush than an intimate camp. Tour operators list half board as breakfast, dinner and one game drive a day. I would book it for a first malaria-free safari with children or older parents; if you want a small camp with a handful of guests around the fire, choose a smaller lodge.
- If half board gives you one drive a day, take the morning one: from November to February the park gates open at 5:30, the earliest of the year.
- Self-drivers must be back through the gate by 18:00 from May to September, against 19:00 from November to February, so plan winter afternoons around the earlier closing.
- The Bush Boma braai runs only on Wednesday and Saturday nights and depends on occupancy: ask for it when you book if one of your nights falls on those days.
- Pilanesberg is busy and several vehicles often gather at the same sighting, so two nights, and four drives, give you a fairer chance than one.
- Pilanesberg's conservation fee is charged per person, separately from the room, on top of what the lodge bills.
Why we love it
- Free breakfast, dinner and game drives
- Explicitly family-friendly billing
- Fenced, malaria-free reserve location
- 9.2 rating from 2,632 reviews
Why guests love itPilanesberg is the reserve I would pick for a family safari with young children, because it is malaria-free and about two hours by road from Johannesburg and Pretoria, so there is no antimalarial course and no flight. Bakubung makes that easy: the 66 chalets have their own kitchens, which helps with fussy eaters and early starts, and the Marula Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, buffet or à la carte, with a waterhole in view where elephants sometimes drink in the late afternoon. The rooms look onto the hippo pool, which keeps children busy between drives. The 9.2 score from 2,632 reviews is a large sample. The trade-off is size: with conference groups in the house, evenings can feel like a busy hotel. Families who want the bush to themselves should look at a small private lodge instead.
Guest reviews
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