Love. That’s what ‘thanda’ means, and there are plenty of reasons to love the safari lodge that’s named after this most powerful of emotions.
The lodge is located in Big 5 territory, close to the Elephant Coast in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal where the landscape of mountains, valleys, plains and estuaries is as varied as the activities the camp team offers.
The private game reserve stretches for 16,500 hectares, plenty of room for all kinds of wildlife to roam. And you’re never far away from reminders that this is Zulu country, as the lodge and the team (over half of which is made up of people from the local community) embrace and honour the culture, showing a deep love for and understanding of all things Zulu.
Nowhere are the links to Zulu culture more evident than in the 9 circular suites that form the accommodation. Designed to pay homage to the way Zulus design their homes, each has some covered living space (with a round daybed) and sleeping space, plus an outside deck with plunge pool, ideal for resting up, keeping cool, and taking in the views of the reserve.
Your suite will either have twin beds or a large double. Both types of room give you air-conditioned private space to enjoy with showers both inside and out.
Thanda follows the pattern established by many safari lodges, in that there’s a communal central area linked to your accommodation where you go for snacks, meals and relaxation.
You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, high tea, dinner and evening barbecues at the lodge, and let it all digest afterwards in the lounge, out on the viewing deck or in the library overlooking the waterhole that’s popular with elephant.
There’s a private area set aside for business events and meetings, a wine cellar, cigar bar and a spa and wellness centre – with treatments offered in therapy rooms or outside in the sala that borrow from contemporary Western and traditional Zulu practices.
Did we mention the swimming pool? Well, we have now.
One final point - children are welcome to stay at the lodge with you, and childminding services are provided at this fenced-in camp which is regularly patrolled by security staff.
Thanda Safari Lodge strikes a fine balance between classic safari style and full-on luxury, but it isn’t the only way to experience the reserve. Thanda Tented Camp offers a more relaxed and adventurous stay beneath canvas, bringing you that little bit closer to the sounds and atmosphere of the bush. For families or groups seeking complete privacy, Villa iZulu provides an exclusive-use safari escape with its own team, facilities and plenty of space to spread out.
Learn about the Zulus. See spectacular wildlife. You’re bound to leave the lodge knowing way more about Zulu history and heritage than when you arrived. And you’re likely to have seen some spectacular wildlife during early morning and late afternoon safari drives. Both are good times to spy the Big Five as well as hyena, cheetah, zebra, warthog, giraffe and more different species of bird and plant life than you’ve likely ever seen in one country before.Guided walks are offered by the lodge team, giving you a chance to get closer to nature at ground level, and there are trips out into the bush that are specially designed to help photographers capture great shots of the landscape and wildlife that call it home. These are led by an expert photographer who’s based at the lodge.You can take to the water in the St Lucia estuary on a boat trip (whale watching is available), or actually go in for a dive to explore under the surface. Fishing trips are also possible, so too horse rides along the beach. And if you’re here between November and March, you can go on a midnight tour to see turtles laying eggs in the sand.
"A dream come true"
We had the most amazing family holiday, everything worked so perfectly, the arrangements and accommodation was spectacular!
"Unforgettable trip to Namibia – Thank you Namibia Tours & Safaris!"
We are a group of four from Romania and spent 3 unforgettable weeks in Namibia. We can't recommend them enough, and for any future travels in Namibia or other parts of Africa, we will definitely use their services again.
"We had a great experience"
From the time we put the key in the ignition till we boarded the plane in Windhoek nothing went wrong.
"Unforgettable bird photography trip in Namibia"
It was a fantastic experience, everything was very well organised, went smooth and according to expectations. It was our first self drive in Africa and it was a great, unforgettable time.
