Shepherd's Tree Game Lodge

We have been there at May 2023 for 4 days. The good - The staff is extremely pleasant and service oriented. They are always smiling and eager to help. - It is a unique vacation with 2 game drives a day 3 hours each where you hope to see as many animals as possible. We saw lions, elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, etc. - The food is outstanding, everything we ate was excellent. - The rooms are beautiful and well equipped. The bed is enormous. The less good - DO NOT TRUST THEIR WAKE UP CALL. We asked for a wake up call for the game of the morning 6:30, they had a miscommunication between the staff members and we did not get a call. Luckily we set our own alarm. But if we would miss a game because of it, it would be unacceptable. - There is one iron in the entire facility. I asked for it and got it only a day after, and that’s also after several times I had to call about it again. - There staff members themselves are not always aligned. One person says breakfast start at 7:30, other tells you it starts at 8:00. The same is about the the time the game drive starts. - For every request you have with the reception, you have to follow up by yourself. You request for something iron, towels, etc. and they say ok, in some cases nothing is happening and you need to call back after a while to make the same request.

We spent three nights at Shepherds Tree for our honeymoon and had an amazing time! Never was our field guide and he was amazing, very knowledgeable and microscopic vision! We were very lucky with everything we saw and enjoyed hearing about more traditional roots of the land and the animals. On top of that, every single member of staff was top tier! From housekeeping to front desk to restaurant to caretakers to field guides to bar staff, every single person was friendly and welcoming and helpful. Furthermore, the food was insanely amazing with a mix of south african and european cuisine - we thought we were going to pop - you certainly won't go hungry. We left feeling fulfilled and relaxed.

What an amazing experience. Loved every second of our stay. We were spoilt from the moment we arrived and even more spoilt with amazing sightings on our game drives this was definitely thanks to Sydney who went out of his way to make sure we had the best experience. Will definitely be back!Rooms: 5/5

Absolutely loved Shepherd's tree! Went there to celebrate my partner's 30th birthday, initially booked for two nights and decided to stay an extra night one hour before we were meant to check out! The staff were super helpful and accommodating to assist our request during the very busy long weekend in March. Avinska, our guide, was an absolute star on our game drives! We bonded with our group so well during the drives, and ended up reciting all the knowledge Avi shared with us - that's how much we learnt. We also were not racing just to find big game, but really had a full-on experience from plants to tracks to chameleons and snakes! Oh and a fabulous croc having an afternoon nap on the dam shore. We had the most beautiful game drive experiences. I did expect to see more cats from what I heard about Pilanesberg, but I believe the population is decreasing. Nevertheless, we did see a leopard on the hunt which was mind-blowing! Not to mention close encounters with ellies and their tiny babies. The accommodation is clean and beautiful - although I needed to get used to the bugs in the outdoor shower, but this adds to the ambiance of being in the bush. Loved the pool area, it is kept super clean and we spent most of our free time there. Service on point, the staff is super friendly, had great conversations with Du. My only two minor critiscisms would be for the golf carts to be more prompt, we almost missed our morning game drives while waiting for transport and ended up just walking to reception. Secondly, I think there is an opportunity to really improve on the wine list given the 5-star status of the lodge and all our fabulous SA wines. I paid a premium for standard quality wines, which would not have been my choice. Other than that, can't wait to go back!!!

Absolutely superb service, amenities and environment. I cannot recommend this place enough. Everyone from the GM to the cleaning staff are hands on, committed and totally focused on making your experience special. I was an unforgettable experience and sets the benchmark for me.Rooms: 5/5

Best game drive with Answer ! He know every little details of the park and share with pleasure is knowledge! For the room, a really beautiful space and a nice area for the bar & the restaurant.

I had not been to the bush for a while, this was much needed. Great ambiance all around; the staff, the food, the villa with the pool. I was there for 1 night and managed to catch 1 game drive; our game ranger was supper cool. A little bit of rain did not dampen the mood My family was very happy. Thank youRooms: 5/5

UPDATE: Thank you, to the lodge managers who thanked us for us feedback, and apologised for the experience we have had. Instead of dinner in the dining hall we had our table set up in the wine cellar and a beautiful turn down. We appreciate the care and thought given and hope to see things in ship shape next time we visit. ————————- I’ve been to Shepherds Tree 4 times in the last 7 years. This will be the last. The Staff The reception staff are told stand when guests walk into reception, if only to pomp and ceremony translated into decent service. We have a few small requests, to which all of the answers were simply “no”. Not what you would expect for “5 stars” or the price you pay. Also don’t expect to be “driven” to your room and back if it doesn’t suit them. Be prepared to walk ALOT and far in the heat, as your request for a Porter is blatantly ignored also don’t try call ahead, cause they’ll be knocking at the door before you’ve grabbed your things. The game drives Even though they have ample vehicles to reduce costs the shove game vehicles FULL of guests and race through the park to whatever is radio’ed in by other park rangers, unless you’re tipping in foreign currency in which case maybe you’ll have a minute to grab a photo in between the heads of the other 9 guests on the vehicle. The rooms The rooms, used to be beautiful and modern, I can attest to the fact they have not been seen to in 7 years. Furniture is scuffed and soiled and the plugs and taps in the bathroom are corroded. If you’re the luckiest of guests you’ll get the attached room next to the waste tank and instead of beautiful bush grass smells the whiffs of guests sewerage is more likely. This place is FAR from the 5 stars it definitely deserved 7 years ago. We are often at the park and I can guarantee you’ll be happier at one of the 3/4 star lodges at a fraction of the cost, where timeshare owners funds ensure rooms are always updated and staff enjoy what they do.

Great location beautiful suite with private pool, nice diners and breakfast. But for a luxery lodge we won't return again. Why?? This was the first time in 5 weeks luxery travelling in South Africa that we had gamedrives with 10 people max in a jeep. Not safe need to stand up, bend over 2 people, to make pictures and felt like canned sardines. As said, diner an breakfast are great, but due to larger groups of bus tourists, it was not really a "luxury/quiet" experience. Although the facilities are great, Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge needs to choose if they are a luxery Lodge or just a great place to stay the night.

We have been in Pilanesberg several times. This Reserve is definitely the best. Great & well kept accommodation & restaurant & bar with great views, 100% care and service, very friendly staff, amazing game drives with competent guides, good food and a lot of little amenities.