• Check-in time is 2pm (gate closes at 6pm, no exceptions)
• Check-out time is 11am (gate opens at 6am, no exceptions)

We try as much as possible to adapt the day's program to your individual arrival and departure times. However, at high occupancy we must adhere to our strict times in the interest of all guests. Check-out times are binding.

Please try to get to us before 3pm. Participation in the game drive cannot be guaranteed for later arrivals in the afternoon. Arrivals must be before 6pm, as the main gate of the reserve will then be closed.Guests arriving before check-in or departing after check-out are welcome to stay in the main lodge area. We will offer an additional lunch and drinks at no extra charge, as per the inclusions and exclusions list.

Our game drives take place in the Madikwe Game Reserve (Big 5 Reserve) under the guidance of qualified rangers in three open land cruisers. The allocation of the guests to the vehicles is under the responsibility of the ranger. We consider the customer wishes as much as possible, in order to ensure that groups and families stay together, and that there will be sufficient space on each vehicle.

Every adult guest is entitled to a seat at the edge of the vehicle with a perfect view of nature and wildlife. The middle seat of the vehicle remains free for the comfort of the guests. In the event that the lodge is fully occupied, families traveling with children may be asked to place their child under 16 years of age in the middle seat between the parents.

Only in exceptional situations such as unexpected unavailability of a vehicle, a ranger falling sick or the wish of bigger groups or staying together on the same vehicle, we maintain the right of using the maximum capacity of 10 (ten) guests per vehicle.

Morning game drive departs from reception between 5.00am (January) and 6.30am (July). Afternoon game drive departs after High Tea between 3.00pm (July) and 4.30pm (January). Please note that the departing times of game drives are subject to seasonal changes and depend on weather conditions. Exact departing times are communicated to the guest at check-in.

Private game drives are available upon request prior to arrival and must be booked for the entire duration of your stay. On private game drives, you are free to coordinate safari times with the ranger. Children under 6 years of age may be taken on private game drives. Even on private vehicle safety needs to be considered and it remains the ranger’s decision whether certain sightings can be viewed whilst accompanied by small children.

Please find more information about Private Game Drives here.

To make your stay even more enjoyable and varied, we offer a number of additional, fee-based "Add-On Experiences" in addition to the services included in the daily package. These must be requested and paid for in advance of your visit.

For more details on the Add-On Experiences, see here.

Children of all ages are welcome at Rhulani Safari Lodge. Children under 12 are permitted on safari at the sole discretion of the field guide. Children under the age of 6 are not permitted on safari, except if on a private vehicle. A complementary bumble drive of about 30 minutes can be organized after breakfast for smaller children not joining game drives.

Rhulani offers a complimentary children’ s kit. There is a kiddie’s corner equipped with toys and DVD’s. We offer a children’s menu option.

Babysitting service is available at an extra cost.

We are happy to organise road or air transfers for you from / to Johannesburg, Pretoria or Gaborone in order to make your arrival and departure as comfortable as possible. Further transfer options are available on request. We work with selected, reliable suppliers. Please inform our front of house about your exact transfer requirements and we will gladly include the transfer of your choice in our offer to you.

For transfer bookings, the payment and cancellation conditions of the respective supplier apply. In the event of an air transfer being canceled due to uncertain weather conditions, the airline will organize a road transfer for you so that you can continue to meet your onward travel schedule. In this case, there is no right to a refund of the flight ticket price.

For more details on transfers see here.

A 20% deposit of the total booking amount is required to confirm any reservation. A 100% pre-payment is required to confirm your transfers and/or add-on activities. Full payment of the balance is due 30 days prior to arrival. Bookings within 30 days require full payment upfront. Payment can either be made by credit card or can be directly deposited in our bank account.

Should you choose to pay via credit card, please use the following secure payment link:

https://paylink.paygate.co.za/?p1=7K77

Should you decide to pay via bank transfer, please remember to fax a copy of the deposit slip to +27 (0)86 641 8117 or email it to reservations@rhulani.com (please enter only the booking number as reference). Our bank account details are as follows:

Bank: Nedbank
Branch: Business Westrand
Universal Branch Code: 128605
SWIFT Code: NEDSZAJJ
Account name: RHULANI Safari Lodge (Pty) Ltd.
Account number: 1286048613

Credit arrangements are on application only. Unless approved, all group and FIT reservations will be on a prepayment basis as outlined above. All payments must be made in ZAR (South African rands). Should payment not be timeously received, Rhulani Safari Lodge reserves the right to automatically cancel the reserved accommodation and, at the same time, cancel or refuse to accept further bookings.

All reservations, changes and cancellations must be done directly with the reservations office and in writing via email to reservations@rhulani.com. The following cancellation terms and conditions will apply to reservations that are cancelled in part or in full:

• Cancellation up to 30 days prior to arrival: 20% of the total amount will be due
• Cancellation between 29 and 15 days prior to arrival: 50% of the total amount will be due
• Cancellation between 14 and zero days prior to arrival: 100% of the total amount will be due

If a booking cancellation is caused as a result of a lockdown in South Africa, a closure of Rhulani Safari Lodge or a closure of Madikwe Game Reserve, the cancellation penalty will be waived in full and either refunded or transferred to a rescheduled booking in the future.

Cancellation of your stay because of package cancellation by your travel agent or denial of an entry visa into South Africa, or because of cancellation of other components of your travel itinerary, serious illness, death in your family or other severe reasons will not be accepted for waiving the cancellation penalty. We strongly recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance to cover such risks.

In case of changes or cancellation of a transfer or of an add-on activity included in this rate, special terms and conditions by the respective provider will apply.

You have the right to reschedule the date of your booking up to 60 days before arrival once, free of cancellation charges. However, a surcharge will apply if a higher fare applies to the postponement date. There is no guarantee that there will be availability for the postponement date.

All other changes of confirmed bookings, such as partial cancellation, shortening the journey or date shift, are subject to the cancellation policy. In such cases, however, we try to find a solution within our possibilities.

If Rhulani Safari Lodge allows a reservation change and thereby waives the cancellation penalty, please note that in the event of cancellation of the changed booking, the cancellation penalty of the original booking may be charged.

Guaranteed reservations that fail to arrive are subject to a 100% no-show fee on the booked value.

Guests checking out prior to the scheduled departure date are not entitled to receive a refund for the nights not used. Exceptions can be made in the case that Rhulani Safari Lodge fails to provide promised essential services, such as non-availability of confirmed room category, impossibility of conducting the scheduled game drives or cancellation of meals.

The following circumstances are not considered as a failure to provide essential services: bad weather conditions, rescheduled game drives because of weather, unstable or unavailable guest internet, quality of food, dissatisfaction with room infrastructure or cleanliness, or quality of game viewing.

• No pets allowed
• All firearms need to be declared at the main gate
• It is important to drive carefully and be aware of village pedestrians, domestic animals and children
• Speed limit in the park is 40km/h

In South Africa, it’s customary (though not mandatory) to tip your ranger/guide as a token of appreciation for their service. The recommended gratuity for your ranger is ZAR 300 – 500 per guest per day (approximately USD 15 - 25 per guest per day). If you’ve had an exceptional experience, some guests tip more generously.

For general staff (housekeeping, waiters, maintenance, kitchen, etc.), the recommended gratuity is ZAR 150 – 300 per guest per day. This gratuity at Rhulani is pooled and placed in a communal tip box

You can tip in cash (ZAR is preferred), or via credit card at checkout.

• Tel: +27 (0)14 553 3981
• Cell: +27 (0)82 907 9628
• Fax: +27 (0)86 6418 117
• Email: reservations@rhulani.com
• Skype: rhulanilodge
• Website: www.rhulani.com