Author: Justine

The team has pulled it off again! We had an intimate wedding celebration in the riverbed and it turned out beautifully. Planning such an event is always lengthy but the end result is always magical. But instead of rambling on the photos speak for themselves. I love doing the bespoke weddings, as the possibilities are endless. If you would like to have your wedding ceremony, vow renewal, engagement, birthday or any celebration at the Lodge, please feel free to contact me on reservations@vuyanilodge.com (Justine )

Last night as I was setting the table for our Christmas Eve dinner, I realize that this was my 7^th consecutive year in a row and I could not help but feel a little nostalgic.

Where has the time gone? It has been an incredible journey so far! Quite a bit of blood, sweat and tears, but reflecting on it all now, I would not have it any other way. We have had some amazing guests over the years that have now become friends. We have had some fantastic Staff members that have come and gone. The lodge itself has changed dramatically (for the better of course!) All in all, it has been 7 years of life changing memories. I am sure that 2019 will bring more remarkable mile stones. May everyone taking time to read this have a magnificent festive season and a very prosperous New Year.

In my 7 years at Vuyani Safari Lodge I have organized, planned and hosted quite few weddings. Having an awesome team to work with always makes it fun! Mathew & Karen contacted me more than a year ago to start the planning for their magical day! And magical it was indeed.

We were having some ‘iffy’ weather and the night before the wedding I was worried that we might have to change venues at the last minute. Mathew & Karen had opted to have the ceremony in a riverbed and then a beautiful “Boma” dinner under then stars, so you can imagine my mild panic attack!

On the Friday morning of the wedding, the skies cleared up and the sun came out, it turned out to be a spectacular day! Everything was smooth sailing from there and myself and Team Vuyani hosted another remarkable wedding ceremony.

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We often get asked via email what our Guests need to pack for their stay with us at Vuyani Safari Lodge. So, I thought it would be a good idea to give you a general overview of what I think is necessary to pack. I have written this blog before, but since then, we have decided to refine it a bit.

We do not have a dress code at the lodge, and it is all very casual and comfortable.

 

The first item you should bring along is sunscreen – at least a factor 30, as the African sun is rather harsh all year round.

A comfortable and well fitted hat (as it can easily get blown off on the drives) a baseball cap is ideal

If you forget we sell them at the Lodge

 

 

 

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Clothing:

I would  suggest in the clothing department to bring at least one warm outfit with you, regardless of the time of year. A Jacket/Fleece or Jumper and some warm trousers. The weather is extremely unpredictable and can go from a toasty 30 Degrees to a chilly 20 Degrees Celsius overnight!

Some comfortable shoes, if you are planning on doing any activities that involve walking then pack those hiking boots, otherwise Trainers or Sneakers are perfect. Bring some flip flops for lounging around the Lodge and Pool area during the day.

If you are visiting us in winter (May – September) Make sure you pack some VERY warm clothes for the morning and afternoon Safari’s. A woolly hat (Beanie) Scarf and a pair of gloves come in handy on the Open vehicle Safari’s.

At Vuyani Safari Lodge we supply towels in your room, for the pool and amenities such as Shampoo, Conditioner and Hand & Body Wash. These products are Eco Friendly and all Natural. Insect Repellant is provided; however, you are welcome to pack your own. All our rooms are also equipped with Mosquito nets.

Adaptors and Electricity

All rooms at Vuyani do have:

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At Vuyani Safari Lodge we have a well-stocked First Aid Kit and most of our staff are trained in First Aid, we also have a Medical Rescue professional on 24-hour standby. However,

Important:

We cannot by law provide our guests with any medication i.e. Headache tablets, Anti Histamine, eye drop or Malaria Medication. It is also recommended that you visit your GP before travelling to South Africa.

With all these items checked you will have an enhanced and trouble-free Safari experience.

 

Many of our guests inquire about Hot Air Balloon flights, but there is something even MORE exciting on offer at Vuyani Safari Lodge. Microlight flights!

The beauty of the Microlight flight is that the pilot can take you where you would like to go. And they have a few options to choose from, most certainly a highly recommended activity to consider during your stay with us at Vuyani Safari Lodge. We had some guests enjoy a 1-hour flight today, and Jannie took some photos of them taking off on their adventure. I wanted to share the photos here.

 

You can select a package that suits you best:

30 Minute Flights – This flight is usually done over Big 5 areas surrounding Hoedspruit so the chances of spotting one of the famous Big 5 is rather promising, however this is entirely up to you! The pilot will discuss the flight before takeoff to ensure your best interests are at heart.

 

 

 

1 Hour Flights – There are two most popular options on this flight, but once again, the pilot will discuss the route before the flight Blyde River Canyon option, this flight usually includes a flight over the Blyde Dam and above the Blyde River Canyon then back to Hoedspruit where wildlife can be viewed. Alternatively, a view of Bourke’s Luck potholes before returning to Hoedspruit. The second option on the 1-hour flight is the Olifants River option, this flight usually includes flying over numerous Big 5 reserves in the area towards the Olifants River then follows the Olifants River for a short period of time, where after heading back to Hoedspruit for more possible Wildlife sightings.

 

 

The best part of this activity is that you can discuss your specifics with the Pilot before taking off from Hoedspruit Civil Airfield. Please feel free to speak to your host upon Check in at Vuyani Safari Lodge.

 

 

If you are due to stay with us, please make sure that you chat to your host about all the activities on offer. You can even email me in the office, and I can provide in depth information and assist with any queries.

We are ideally located to offer a wide variety of activities during your stay. Vuyani Safari Lodge is located only 40 minutes from the world-famous Kruger National Park! The beauty of the Kruger Park is that it so very unpredictable.  It also covers a colossal area of nearly 19 485 km², now THAT is impressive. Spend the day with a qualified guide looking for animals and birds! Your host can arrange an Open Safari Vehicle (Minimum of 6 persons) or a closed SUV type vehicle (with AC). The closed vehicle option is ideal for Birding enthusiasts, and our knowledgeable guides will certainly provide an unforgettable experience.

We have extensively researched each establishment that we recommend, and we have also ensured reputable facilities.

I often get asked about the Wildlife Sanctuaries and I can unquestionably guarantee that the animals at these specific sanctuaries are in some of the most capable hands in conservation.

Vuyani Safari Lodge also offers a superb Panorama Route tour, the view points and waterfalls on this tour are spectacular, and if you would like to see a little bit of what South Africa has to offer, this is an unqualified MUST. Your guide will stop over for lunch in the very quaint little town of Graskop, there are multiple shops in this little village for the needed retail therapy or that souvenir that was promised to your niece 😉

 

 

Support our Anti-poaching team by booking the Anti-Poaching Experience. Visit the base camp for these hard working and dedicated people and enjoy a couple of hours with them, to understand better how much these people mean to South Africans!

I have touched base on only two of the activities on offer at the lodge, there are so many more!

If you would like to see animals up-close, play a round of golf with our local wildlife, partake in a hot air balloon or Microlight flight or even have a relaxing Spa treatment, be sure to ask any of our very capable staff members.

 

Every year I write a little overview of what happened at the Lodge. I must say that 2017 was a very busy year for us at the Lodge, it absolutely flew by! I am still struggling to grasp the fact that it is almost 2018! We had some amazing wildlife sightings this year (even had Elephants visiting the Lodge) , hosted a magnificent wedding, gave our old Land Cruizer a facelift and overall it was a great 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will most definitely be posting more on this blog in 2018 as our Staff compliment

has also grown. It has also been a rather hot summer so far with temperatures reaching the high 30 degrees Celsius on more than couple of occasions. We are looking forward to ending 2017 in a magnificent bush setting for our guests!

Vuyani Safari Lodge has BIG plans for 2018 and we are ever growing and ever striving to deliver our best.

Some excitement the past three weeks, the Ellies seem to have taken a liking to Vuyani Safari Lodge and in particular the swimming pool

Bernard usually writes his blog about Safari’s and wildlife, but I could not pass this opportunity to share our super cool photos!

 

 

We have now observed them drinking from the pool, waiting for our new guests to check in, making sure the rooms and pathways are up to standard, and even posing in front of the Vuyani Safari Lodge sign.

But pictures speak louder than words! enjoy the collection here taken by: Myself, Craig Carnaby, Tayla Godrich, Yzani Bakkes and Kalmay Hart. How lucky are we?

 

Each Chef has their own special way of preparing a dish. A while back I posted a Blog on Chef Vusi’s Chicken Pie as he specifically likes to make small individual pies for the guests.

Yesterday, Chef Amu made a stunning Chicken Pie and I decided to share the recipe, as it is a little different from Chef Vusi’s and is prepared in one large dish, which can be decorated in so many ways!

I have tried to adapt this recipe to about 6 people as Amu’s is for 24 people

Amu has a quick & foolproof recipe for busy days!

1 Kg Chicken Breast or Thighs cubed

A punnet of White button or Portobello Mushrooms (Portobello has a much earthier tone)

Béchamel Sauce (Depending on how moist you prefer your filling)

About 4 tablespoons of Chicken Stock

You can add any veggies you like I.e. carrots, peas, patty pan squashes or even zucchini.

A handful of fresh basil leaves (or any herb you fancy)

A decent sized sheet of Puff Pastry

 

Brown the Chicken cubes in some olive oil and set aside. Fry the mushroom and your veggies of choice in the same saucepan and add the chicken. Do not overcook this, as it will still bake and soften in the oven.

Chop the basil and to the mixture with your Chicken stock, lastly add the Béchamel sauce and seasoning to taste.

Put your filling in a baking /oven dish and cover with Puff Pastry, egg wash the pastry, to give it that delicious golden colour.

Bake in a 180 Degree pre- heated oven for about 30 to 40 minutes depending on how crunchy your pastry preference is.

This is a very simple, easy and fast dish to prepare (perfect for the cold in winter and those long days when you don’t have time to cook a multiple dish supper)

I recently posted a photo of Chef Vusi with a Corn Salad that he had made for lunch on our Facebook page I wanted to share this easy, quick and delicious recipe with you. Perfect for a lunch on the go or a side dish at a barbeque. You can decide on the amounts, depending on your guests.
What you will need:
Red Kidney Beans
Butter Beans
Corn on the Cob (alternatively you can use frozen corn)
Some Cherry Tomatoes
Red & Green Bell Peppers
Onion
Olives
Feta Cheese
Some Parsley for Garnish, alternatively (if you love Basil as much as I do) some chopped Basil.

How to Assemble:
Dice the Onion and Peppers quite fine and fry in a bit of Olive Oil, add the Corn. Let this cool a little so the tomatoes don’t become too soft
Halve the Cherry Tomatoes (or keep whole) if you are using Butterbeans/Kidney beans in a tin, drain the water
Mix all the ingredients together, add the Feta and season to taste. You can also add a nice Vinaigrette and serve this salad cold or warm.
This Salad is quick, easy and absolutely delicious.
Happy Cooking
The Vuyani Safari Lodge Chefs