Impodimo was one of our favourite lodges in Madikwe Private Game Reserve. With a maximum of 20 adults (plus children) this 5-star lodge is small enough to have a personal touch and as a result we received excellent service during our two-night stay.
Impodimo Grounds and Rooms
One of the things we look for when staying at private game lodge in South Africa is spacious, luxurious rooms. Even though you don’t spend too much time in them, when you are paying that much per night you want to make sure you are staying in style! Our room at Impodimo was awesome – a great size with lots of windows looking out into the bush. The bathroom was also large with both an indoor and outdoor shower plus standalone bath. The only slight issues we encountered were a few bugs and spiders in the bathroom (well, it is the bush :)) and also we were told not to use the bath due to water restrictions (though fellow guests had not been told this)! Another thing we absolutely love in game lodge rooms when staying in the cooler months is a fireplace, and Impodimo has one! We had this cranking both nights so Van was in his element.
The camp is unfenced, which is another aspect we prefer in game lodges because it means you never know what you may come across even during the daytime when hanging out. Before we arrived an elephant had held some guests up as they were trying to get to the main lodge, and the day we left there was a couple of klipspringers on the walkway blocking our exit. We also had some ellies come past quite close during brunch one day.
The unfenced campsite combined with the bush or waterhole views from the rooms mean you can spend the day relaxing on your deck watching out for passing animals. A quick tip – the waterhole is only visible from a few rooms so if you can, be sure to request you get one of these! We were not so lucky but we enjoyed a view of some passing giraffes from our deck when we arrived.
Impodimo Food, Hospitality and Game Viewing
As with virtually all game lodges, all meals are included in the price and boy are you fed well at Impodimo. After a full buffet brunch plus hot english breakfast, a substantial afternoon tea and a three course alacarte dinner you aren’t left hungry. We found the food to be excellent quality and delicious! Drinks are extra, but reasonably priced.
The service was also top-notch at Impodimo. And what about the game viewing? During our first drive we saw two cheetahs, rhino, elephants, giraffe, buffalo. Our second drive we saw a male lion on a kill, zebras, giraffes and elephants. Third drive we saw three female lions, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, zebra and a leopard. Our last drive at Impodimo gave us buffalo, elephant, rhinos, giraffes and zebra (the only drive with no predators). So over the course of a two-night stay we managed to see the whole Big 5 and cheetah – nothing to complain about there!
The only minor complaint we had about our stay was the quality of guiding. Our guide was very friendly and enthusiastic, however they left our vehicle too many times for too long to track with the tracker. This got old very fast, as guests were left sitting on a stationary vehicle with nothing to see! Hopefully this was unusual and not typical of the general high standards of Impodimo.
Impodimo Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent rooms – large, luxurious, spacious with plenty of privacy and a fireplace!
- Indoor and outdoor shower
- Unfenced (this is up to personal preference, but we like the added excitement)
- Excellent food – probably in our top 5 lodges for quality, variety and quantity of food
- Lovely pool that is in a private location and overlooking unfenced bush
- Great service and with a maximum of 20 adults, it is intimate/personal
- They have a tracker for every vehicle that can find animals
- Deluxe suite provides (more expensive) option for ultimate privacy including private pool overlooking the waterhole
- Madikwe Private Game Reserve is malaria free
Cons:
- Most rooms don’t overlook the waterhole, and there is no view of this from the main lodge either, so you have to be staying in the deluxe suite or one of the 2-3 luxury suites that overlook the waterhole.
- The guiding for us was not as good as many other lodges we have stayed in (note that this is very subjective and also we have only stayed for two nights with one guide so take with grain of salt)
- The wifi is only free for the first 100MB, after which you pay – and only available in common areas
Should you stay at Impodimo?
Overall we really enjoyed our stay at Impodimo and would recommend it, particularly for couples (and honeymooners) looking for a luxurious lodge with excellent food and service (who doesn’t want those things?). It probably isn’t our first recommendation for families, unless you have the budget to hire out their amazing family deluxe suite, which comes with its own kitchen, chef, pool and game vehicle! That same deluxe suite is a good option for celebrities or those looking for ultimate privacy (you can even be picked up to go on game drive from the suite so you don’t ever have to see the minions staying in the main lodge!
Feel free to get in touch if you would like more info, have any questions or want a more detailed comparison to other Madikwe lodges like Tau, Rhulani, Jaci’s Tree Lodge or The Bush House. Or for more information and advice on any other South African game reserves, and/or if you would like us to help plan and book your safari, please get in touch with us by emailing cara@readysetsafari.com or messaging/calling on Skype: carapring. We can get the best price for your safari 🙂
