Thanda Safari

There are three luxury lodges to choose from at Thanda Safari. The Thanda Safari Lodge includes nine bush suites, while the Thanda Tented Camp has 14 grand tents and one grande deluxe tent. The Villa iZulu can be booked for exclusive use in its entirety, offering you and the family complete privacy.

Thanda Safari Lodge

Thanda Safari Lodge includes nine lavish suites, circular in design to emulate traditional Zulu homesteads. Each retreat comes complete with a heated plunge pool and an outside ‘sala’, resting area, with views across the reserve. The lodge’s central spaces include a lounge, a viewing deck, and a luxury spa offering a range of treatments to relax you.

Thanda Tented Camp

Enjoy an elevated camping experience in the Thanda Tented Camp. Relax in lavishly decorated rooms with en suites, and indoor and outdoor showers. The central living area offers a space for laidback dining and socialising, which follows through to an expansive outdoor swimming pool. Meals are carefully prepared by your on-site chef, and you can opt for a spa treatment in your tent.

Villa iZulu

The multi-award-winning Villa iZulu is a privately-owned hideaway in the heart of the reserve. Surrounded by a landscaped garden, this safari retreat includes five beautiful bedrooms with en suites, a spacious living and dining area, library, wine cellar and gym. Outside, there’s a swimming pool, and a terrace overhanging a water hole where elephants often dip their trunks. Enjoy the service of your butler, chef and manager onsite, as well as a private safari vehicle, guide and tracker.

Walking Safaris

A guided walk through the bush is essential to the safari experience. At sunrise or sunset, venture out across the reserve’s 14,000 hectares of gold-tinted wilderness. Spot cheetahs, warthogs, giraffes, hyaenas and a range of soaring birdlife. Your expert guide will share stories woven into the plains beneath your feet as you explore.

Zulu Culture

The Zulu culture is incredibly important to Thanda Safari, especially as most of its team members were born and raised in South Africa. To connect with the native spirit, you are invited to visit the local Zulu people at their traditional homesteads. Watch their singing and war dancing and hear the powerful stories of a traditional Zulu healer.

Photography

Your trip to South Africa abounds with spectacular sightings, too many to store solely in your memory. This is why the highly esteemed resident photographer at Thanda Safari, Christian Sperk, offers complimentary 90-minute wildlife photography lessons. Learn the basics of motion photography, and then take a three-hour evening game drive in a private safari vehicle. With expert guidance, you can take some photos you’ll cherish for years to come.

Birdwatching

A vast variety of birds flock to the Thanda Safari Reserve, offering you a highly diverse and colourful birding experience. In the summer months, take your binoculars out on a game drive to catch sight of the lilac-breasted roller, European roller, purple-crested turaco and other favourites.