Zulu culture along with your zebras.
Deep in Zululand, three hours north of Durban.
Thanda’s rooms are divided between the main bush lodge, the tented camp and one beautiful private villa. The nine villas in the bush lodge are vast, with a sitting room, private deck, plunge pool, and bathroom. 15 minutes away from the main lodge, the tented camp is larger and a bit simpler, but with all of the romance of sleeping under canvas in the bush. Finally, the Royal Zulu Private Villa has five suites, working well for families and groups of friends.
Food at Thanda is good, traditional safari cuisine, with the option to try some game meat for those who want something more exotic. In our experience, steaks are usually a reliable bet, but crocodile’s always proved a bit more hit or miss! There is also an excellent Africology wellness centre. The products here smell divine, and a massage is the perfect way to wind down after a bumpy morning in the bush.
This is a Big Five reserve, so game drives are an obvious draw here. There are also walks in the bush, and birding, stargazing and bush meals on the reserve. Heading further afield guests can arrange a number of activities in this area of KwaZulu Natal. There’s hiking, canoeing, and fishing, visits to the St. Lucia Wetlands, diving, and seasonal whale watching and turtle tours. Next door to Thanda is Zulu homestead that guests can visit to learn about traditional life. There’s also a particularly good “Junior Ranger” programme for younger guests.
Thanda means “love” in Zulu.