Thanda Safari Lodge

Important Note: Thanda Safari Lodge will be closed from the end of July 2025 for a full refurbishment and is expected to reopen as Jumeirah Thanda Safari in January 2026.

Thanda Safari Lodge has nine luxury bush suites which offer guests the epitome of self-contained privacy and sheer luxury. Circular in structure and reminiscent of a traditional homestead against a hill, each of the suites boasts a breath-taking view of the surrounding 14 000-hectare private game reserve.

Thanda Private Game Reserve is South Africa's top award-winning safari destination and is situated in northern Zululand, near the Indian Ocean. The inimitable integration of South Africa's best climate and rehabilitated and rich bushland has made Thanda home to amazing wildlife and over four hundred bird species. Ignite your imagination and open your mind to an extraordinary experience for your soul, mind and body. It's the unique and sought-after balance between energizing and exclusive relaxation that they want to share with you and your dear ones. It is here that one finds Thanda Private Game Reserve.

The nine luxury bush suites at the safari lodge offer a level of opulence that is hard to surpass, 220m in size, each with private splash pools and private bomas, ideal for intimate open-air dinners. The outdoor salas are impossible to resist for an afternoon siesta on feather-filled cushions amid extraordinary views of the surrounding unfenced bush. Each suite has a fireplace interleading between the bedroom and the lounge. Luxurious bathrooms have enormous egg-shaped baths, and indoor as well as outdoor showers.

Should the urge arise to venture out of your private retreat, Thanda's public areas include a library, business centre, a finely stocked wine cellar, cigar bar and several dining venues where deliciously mouth-watering meals are served. Culinary masterpieces skilfully prepared by the dedicated and professional chefs can be experienced in a variety of venues at Thanda. What’s more, Thanda has a special menu just for kids, and they will go out of our way to produce favourite meals and to make the dining experience as exciting for your children as it is for you.The public facilities of the main lodge include a fire-lit dining room, outdoor dining decks and an outdoor 'boma' (open reed enclosure). Private dining is available at the bush suites, where meals can be served in the private bomas or the private decks of each suite, under sparkling skies on clear nights. Bush breakfasts, lunches or dinners are also available for special occasions.

Of course, for those guests who would prefer to savour the peace of the luxury bush retreats, enjoy the stillness of the stars above you with the privacy of your own outdoor fireplace, or a variety of relaxing therapies and beauty treatments offered by the wellness centre Thanda Private Game Reserve has created a world-class spa facility with exclusive treatments which consist of reflexology, aromatherapy, hot stone massage using African essential oils in a base of shea butter, pressure point scalp massage, manicures, pedicures, hot & cold outdoor Kneipp therapy pools, a reflexology pool, outdoor sala treatment area, steam room & hydrotherapy bath all with a unique Zulu feel and designed exclusively for Thanda.

Game drives in the open game viewing vehicles and bush walks guided by knowledgeable and experienced game rangers and trackers afford guests a better understanding and appreciation of our wild heritage.Private game drives are also available on request. Thanda offers many other activities ranging from Rhino Tracking to a Zulu Culture and Community Experience (see “additional activities” for more). To add to this,Thanda offers something special just for kids - the Bucks & Bugs Club - where your children have the time of their lives, while you enjoy time out in the bush or relaxing at your lodge, camp or spa.

About Thanda Private Game Reserve

 Thanda Safari Private Game Reserve is a privately-owned reserve situated in northern of KwaZulu Natal an hour away from the Indian Ocean where the climate is tropical throughout the year. Average daily temperatures are between 20-30 degrees Centigrade.

Thanda Private Reserve is 14,000 hectares of bushland offering the opportunity to encounter an abundance of wildlife including lion, buffalo, leopard, rhino and elephant as well as over 400 bird species and it is an award-winning safari destination.

Thanda, meaning 'love' in Zulu, unites romantic decadence and exclusivity with Zulu culture and wildlife in five-star facilities. Be transfixed in awe as you witness a hundred-year-old ritual performed by Zulu warriors, offering you a glimpse of a powerful nation that still retains its deep traditions.