Jembisa Bush Home

Stylish, Private Bush Home in the Waterberg

Private Retreat | Dining | A Unique Bush Experience | The Waterberg Area

In the breathtakingly beautiful mountains scenery of the Waterberg, Jembisa is a genuine bush home on its own private game reserve, the Palala River Reserve. This stylishly relaxed lodge is perfect for family safaris or small groups of friends or couples looking to experience true African hospitality and diverse wildlife experiences (many unique to Jembisa) and in a malaria-free environment. Easily accessible by road or air transfer, its location is convenient for short safari breaks and extended stays.

Jembisa was originally built as a family home and for many years the owners lived here. The same family still own and run the reserve and with their presence Jembisa has retained a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Staying here really does feel like a holiday to one’s home in the bush with personal collections available to all in the library and games room. The heritage of this safari lodge has given it a unique atmosphere of warmth, care, fun, peace plus an intangible ‘special something’ thas is hard to define.

The lodge is beautifully built from local stone and thatch which creates a sense of harmony with its surroundings. The five large, spacious bedrooms are en-suite and decorated with natural materials and a contemporary take on colonial style. White linen with red and ebony accessories adorn the beds, shallow copper basins rest on polished vanity units and directors’ chairs beckon from private balconies. There is a separate bunkroom allowing adults privacy and children independence and space to play, and cots are available for the youngest visitors. For the adventurous, it’s also possible to spend a night or two camping out under canvas. Sleeping under the southern stars and waking with the dawn chorus and rising sun is a truly memorable experience.

Fabulous dining in fabulous locations.

The resident Zimbabwean chef, David, prepares delicious meals using fresh local ingredients and seasonal produce from the organic kitchen garden. Dining locations are varied: picnics in the bush, dinner under the stars, lunch on the terrace and al fresco poolside breakfasts. A wide range of drinks are always available along with wines from quality South African estates. More about Dining at Jembisa.

Jembisa’s bush experience has something for everyone

Whether you wish to relax in style or be more active, there are a host of options available at Jembisa. Swimming in the natural saltwater pool; tennis on the floodlit court; an essential oils massage on the sundeck; a visit to the bushman rock art; bush walks on the trail of rhino or a traditional game drive, day or night, in open Land Rovers – all are possible. Game on the reserve includes rhino, giraffe, zebra, leopard, brown hyena, hippo and crocodile, with opportunities on night drives to see aardvark, civet cats and porcupines.

The Waterberg area offers many interesting things to do and see.

Away from the reserve there are lots of interesting places to visit in the area which guests can explore alone or with company from the friendly staff. From curio shops to horse riding adventures, elephant-back safaris to the regional cultural museum or helicopter flights, there is a multitude of options to keep every member of the family entertained.

Weddings & Honeymoons:

Jembisa specialises in safari weddings. We are a perfect combination of size of lodge and beautiful setting to create a wonderful, personal wedding experience for small wedding parties of 6 to 40 people. The main lodge can sleep up to 14 people and additional accommodation is available in our bush cottages that are scattered over the game reserve. The lodge is small and stylishly relaxed resulting in a wonderful atmosphere for a wedding.

We delight in tailoring each wedding to the wishes of the bridal couple and will liaise closely to ensure that their requests are met. We provide a full wedding planner service and can arrange everything so that the bridal couple can relax and enjoy their day and safari with their guests.