Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
A beautiful safari bush home in a malaria- free private wildlife reserve for a South African holiday full of activities. Small, stylish and relaxed and offering many unique safari experiences, such as a junior tracker programme where children learn a range of bush and survival skills. Ideal for family safaris or smaller groups, it is available for exclusive, private use or non-exclusive booking.
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Jembisa Bush Home stands out for its stylish yet homey atmosphere that garners praise from many guests, who also rave about the attentive service that adds a personal touch to their stay. The rooms are consistently lauded for their tasteful decor and comfort, while the hotel's stunning location is deemed perfect for special occasions, boasting unique dining experiences and picturesque views.
The array of luxurious amenities, including exceptional food and activities, cater to both individual and family needs, with cleanliness and attention to detail being the icing on the cake for an unforgettable stay.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Stylish
Rooms
Comfortable
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Opulent
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Staff ♡ Accommodation ♡ Food ♡ Reserve and Ed(guide) - ♡ Walks, drives, breakfast, lunch and dinner were never in same location. ♡ Can't recommend this highly enough.
You will not be disappointed
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Date of stay: June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 22 Jun 2022
We are delighted to have been on your bucket list and that we did not disappoint, thank you so much for your high recommendations. Our friendly staff and knowledgeable rangers, luxuriously appointed lodge and bedrooms, as well as the many safari activities we have to offer on the breathtakingly beautiful Jembisa reserve all make for the best safari holiday ever. We look forward to your return visit.
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I honestly don't know where to begin nor end writing this review - it was truly a memorable stay. Jembisa really feels like a home away from home: how cliche that may sound. I can't put it any different. The management and staff did go beyond to make our stay super memorable. Nothing is too much and they come up with such unique activities or places to have breakfast, lunch or dinner: from bush lunches to Boma dinners, breakfast at the river, coffee IN the river: every meal we were excited to see where we would end up, surrounded by campfires and light strings and the best of best food: oh my. The room was super quiet and comfy, the massage still in my mind, the house itself is so cosy and I really loved the game drives too - especially because South Africa is way more than just the, in my humble opinion, racing to tick off the Big Five. At Jembisa they show you this: their game is wild, the stories interesting and there are tales to be told for every leaf, crumble, tiny insect to giraffes, eland and zebra. What I love most is that our little 10 months old baby Atlas was allowed to go on the game drives too: how memorable is that? They have a baby seater and always thought of him too: bringing the high chair to the bush, preparkng fresh food for him and even babysitted al we could have a romantic dinner with the two of us. I really miss this place and I hope to come back one day when Atlas is a bit bigger because they are unique in organizing child activities to and I can't wait to see him walking around there! Keep an eye on their sister lodge Magari as well, you can already stay there (that pool and view is divine!) but they are developing an ever more special place there too. We miss you all, thanks for everything ♥️ Laura, Thomas and Atlas
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Date of stay: October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 24 Nov 2022
What a magnificent review, thank you so much! You have perfectly encompassed everything that Jembisa has to offer, from families and groups of friends looking for the perfect safari holiday, to couples looking for a romantically secluded bush escape. Having all of our guests experience the bushveld from the grass roots up, no matter their age, is what we specialise in and we love that you so enjoyed this. Meals served at surprise locations around the reserve, early morning coffee stops next to the river and sundowners savoured whilst watching a glorious sunset from one of our spectacular view points, are all part of the magic at Jembisa. Our much loved Junior Ranger programme includes exciting activities that encourage our younger guests to discover and explore the wildlife and bushveld, guided by one of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable rangers. We look forward to welcoming you all back soon for your next visit.
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From the moment we arrived we were welcomed with open arms, we felt that we were part of the Jembisa family and just completely looked after. We learnt so much on our game drives/bush walks/bikes, and the kids just seemed to absorb all that they learnt. Every day was a new surprise with incredible bush lunches cooked in an old termite hill, to the most memorable camp out under the stars. Chef David bent over backwards to give us the most delicious food, that secret marinate on the beef was just sublime! We caught fish, went star gazing, biked, hiked, viewed, ate, swam, played tennis, and learnt a huge amount. We loved every aspect of our Jembisa adventure and would highly recommend to one and all.
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Date of stay: October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 03 Nov 2022
Thank you for such a lovely review, we love that you felt so welcome and cared for here at Jembisa Bush Home. Our reserve is the perfect setting to experience and learn about so many different aspects of the bushveld and wildlife, whilst enjoying it all either on a game drive or by foot or bicycle. Our safari activities are guaranteed to keep everyone in the family entertained and nothing beats sleeping under the magnificent starlit African night sky. We are delighted that you so enjoyed our chef's freshly prepared meals served all over the reserve and are so happy that you so highly recommend us. We look forward to welcoming you all back to Jembisa Bush Home.
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We spent the long Easter weekend at Jembisa and had a fantastic time. The house is beautiful and accommodation very comfortable and spotless. The hospitality is amazing and we were very well looked after from the minute we arrived, all through the weekend. All the staff went out of their way to organise a relaxing & fun weekend for the whole family. They were especially great with the children and even organised a brilliant Easter egg hunt for them. There is a fantastic play room and child care if you want to do some adult only activities like bush walks and mountain biking or have a relaxing massage and some time out. They also did a great family bush walk and we all learned a lot! Food was delicious and plentiful and we particularly enjoyed the way that meals were organised in different scenic spots across the estate. The level of service and attention to detail is beyond expectation. We highly recommend Jembisa for a family break in the bush.
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Date of stay: April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 07 Apr 2021
We are delighted that you enjoyed everything that Jembisa Bush Home has to offer. We pride ourselves on being a family friendly destination offering exciting activities for all ages. Hosting meals in the bush has always been a speciality of ours and we are so glad that you enjoyed this. Our highly knowledgeable and experienced rangers love imparting interesting information about the bush. Thank you for your high recommendations, they are truly appreciated by all at Jembisa and we look forward to your return visit.
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We have just arrived home after a wonderful ten days staying at Jembisa being looked after perfectly by the wonderful team there. The house is a great blend of a family home with the luxury of a large team dedicated to making it the most comfortable and beautiful place to spend time on holiday. They thought of things we needed before we had even realised that we needed them and every day there was some surprise location for one of our meals in a secret spot in the garden or out in the bush or down by the river. Our highlights were the night-time campout, fishing breakfast at the river, horse riding safari and the night sky safari but every day had its own treats. We have come home refreshed and renewed and with a much broader understanding of life in the South African bush and the wildlife that lives there especially the extraordinary dung beetles and the crucial part they play!
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Date of stay: December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 31 Dec 2023
We loved having your three generational family staying with us. Our adventurous camp-outs, Night Sky safari and Horse Safaris are firm favourites amongst our guests of all ages, as are our exciting 4x4 game drives and night drives. We are delighted that you had such a perfect family holiday.
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On a whim, we decided to go up to Jembisa for the Workers Day weekend, not really knowing what to expect. The team at Jembisa exceeded any expectation that we may have had.
Lorraine made my mom feel very special and Clayton was always there to do give the kids a special bush experience. Meals were a treat with the bush breakfast and sundowner dinner real highlights - Cliff and David carrying it off in a subtle and unobtrusive way. Nothing was ever too much, even setting up a study table on the viewing desk where my wife could get some peace and quiet to study for her upcoming exams. When my son left his toiletries bag behind, Andre took it through to Modimolle to get it couriered back to us. These are truly exceptional people.
We had great game viewing on the drives and bike rides (on their bikes) with the privilege of seeing eland, rooikat and civet in addition to a wide variety of antelope and the ubiquitous giraffe. We were able to do a lot more in the bush and on our own because it is not a Big Five reserve.
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Date of stay: May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 14 May 2022
We are delighted that your family weekend away was such a huge success and that we exceeded your expectations. Being able to enjoy the spectacular reserve, our plentiful wildlife and everything that Jembisa Bush Home has to offer, whether in a game viewer, on a bush walk or riding a bicycle, makes for an exceptional and special bush safari experience for the whole family and we are so happy that you all had such a wonderful time together. At Jembisa Bush Home we endeavour to make all our guests feel welcome and to ensure a memorable stay for everyone, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon for another family weekend away.
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It was my first time on a safari and my first time in South Africa and Africa in general. Before I went I was scared as my dad told me stories of his family going out in the 80s and how dangerous his grandad perceived it. But once I landed in Joberg I found out a lot had changed as I felt safe the whole time and the people were so nice. The Safari lodge was one of the nicest places I have ever stayed and the garden was fantastic. There were plenty of activities outside of going on the game drives. There was a games room and a set of tennis courts as well as a very nice pool. But I loved just to sit on the deck and in the garden. The staff were all lovely and allowed us to customize everything about the trips from where we ate to where and when we went on game drives. Talking of the food it was great and honestly I have never had such good food. The Safari was great and we got to see everything we wanted to see and more. We also requested to do a walk to try see animals probably the best game drive we did. Me and my brother got go fishing although we were not luck we did see hippos. We also got see baby giraffes possibly the best sight from the holiday.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, General Manager at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 01 Jan 2021
We are so happy that you chose Jembisa for your first visit to Africa and your first safari and that it was such a wonderful experience. Thank you for all of the kind comments in your review and we look forward to your return visit.
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Jembisa is a magical place and was the highlight of an amazing trip which also included Madikwe and Sun City. What sets Jembisa apart is the beauty of the house, which is luxurious and grand whilst retaining a family feel, the stunning location and views and the amazing and personal service from a fabulous and highly efficient and friendly team. We went on incredible drives and walks with the knowledgable Ed as our guide, rode bikes (there are no big 5 so safe to do this), ate outside for most of our meals in a variety of locations both around the gardens and on the park ( the converted termite mound into a pizza oven being a favourite) and slept out one night under the stars. The rooms are fantastic and spacious, the beds comfortable, the food was excellent and the service led by Marinette was second to none. My children are 16,14 and 12 and loved every minute but my husband and I loved it even more. This lodge is a class act. Would suit anything from a romantic escape to a family get together. If combining I would suggest doing a big 5 lodge first, then relaxing at Jembisa afterwards and learning in more detail about the animals and the land at closer quarters. We will be back.
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Date of stay: August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 24 Aug 2022
Wow! What a wonderful review- thank you so much. We are delighted that we were the highlight of your amazing trip and thank you for calling us a ‘class act'! We look forward to welcoming you and your family back again.
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Jembisa is a very special and relaxing place and was the perfect location to celebrate a big birthday as part of a group. The whole lodge runs seamlessly thanks to the incredible team of staff who are lovely and so helpful with nothing being too much to ask. Most days the team organised a different activity including game drives and/or walks or cycles in the reserve, horse riding nearby, a big 5 drive, relaxing by the pool, the list goes on. Each day provides an opportunity for learning and new wildlife discoveries thanks to the guides whose knowledge knows no bounds! A real highlight was camping out under the stars in the middle of the bush, an unforgettable experience. The food at Jembisa is wonderful! Each meal was utterly delicious and we all enjoyed the South African wine. Thank you to the team at Jembisa for an amazing holiday, I wouldn’t hesitate to come back!
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Date of stay: January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 03 Feb 2024
We are delighted that you had such an amazing holiday at Jembisa celebrating a special birthday. With three highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic rangers there are a wide range of safari activities to suit all ages and interests on Jembisa Private Game Reserve, including our special camp out under the African stars. We cannot wait to welcome you back.
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My family and I had the most amazing time at Jembisa.... The staff are what elevate this place from being a lovely peaceful bush home to a place that feels like a home from home. From the moment you arrive, nothing is too much trouble and you are made to feel so incredibly welcome. Our guide for our 5 days was Ed, he was fantastic, extremely knowledgeable and patient with our 10 year old son. The private reserve is simply stunning, we saw plenty on our game drives including baby giraffe! Being non big 5, we had ample opportunity to get out the jeep and look at tracks and explore poo - which our son loved! We also went for a bush hike, river fishing and a great cycle safari too. The food is fabulous, each meal (without spoiling any surprises) is served in a different location...each one just as beautiful as the last! Thankyou so much Lorraine, Marinette, Ed, Cliff, Sunnyboy and of course Milo & Astro for a truly wonderful time. We cannot wait to come back one day...
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Date of stay: October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Relations, Guest Services / Front Office at Jembisa Bush Home
Responded 24 Nov 2023
Thank you for such an incredible review! It is so appreciated and we are all delighted that your family enjoyed staying here at Jembisa Bush Home. How wonderful that you all experienced so many of the exciting safari activities that we have to offer on the reserve such as our game drives, hiking, cycling and fishing, and that your son so enjoyed identifying the different tracks and animal droppings found all over. We look forward to welcoming you back to experience another amazing safari holiday here with us.
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There are more places to choose from in the Vaalwater area.
PRICE RANGE
R 12,489 - R 13,743 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaLimpopo ProvinceWaterbergVaalwater
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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