Thornybush Private Nature Reserve
South Africa
The Properties
Thornybush is one of the original nature reserves in the Greater Kruger National Park, with the first lodge opening its doors in 1961. Since then, the Thornybush group now operate two lodges in Thornybush and one in Sabi Sand Private Nature Reserves.
Thornybush is a 14,000-hectare private nature reserve that shares a fenceless border with the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa.
The Sabi Sand Game Reserve or Sabi Sand Wildtuin (SSW) is the oldest private game reserve in South Africa. The Sabi Sand Game Reserve is a 65 000 hectare area pioneered by local landowners in the 1950s, and shares a border with the world-renowned Kruger National Park. One of the many highlights of any visit to the Sabi Sand is the unbelievable sightings of Leopards that guests can look forward to.
Big 5 encounters are the standout experiences for our guests, with visitors particularly impressed with the lion and leopard sightings. It is the vast diversity of wildlife, however, that has seen Thornybush emerge as a leading safari destination.
With our passionate and expert guide-and- tracker teams leading the way, our guests leave with a genuine understanding of our entire ecosystem and the enthralling cast of animals.
Thornybush Nature Reserve
Thornybush Lodge
Saseka Tented Camp
Sabie Sands Nature Reseve
Simbambili Game Lodge
Thornybush Game Lodge
Game Lodge was the first of its kind in the Thornybush Nature Reserve, opening its doors back in 1961. As the original establishment, it put Thornybush on the map and established our reputation for world-class game-viewing.
Now, with a note of sophistication in the design and layout, our thatched main area overlooks a waterhole and riverbed frequently visited by elephants, buffalo and other large game.
The classic lower deck flows between the open dining area and a beautiful bar.
Sunbirds, attracted to the many aloes which surround the main deck, are just some of the many small delights you can expect on your stay at Thornybush Game Lodge.
The warm-hearted staff, riverbed setting, and legacy of excellence are standout features.
Meals, when taken at the lodge, are a mixture of sumptuous lunch platters or lavish buffets. Dinners are elegant a la carte meals on the deck or traditional South African boma dinners, served around the fire.
The kitchen team led by Solly, the legendary master bush chef, will ensure every meal is an occasion!
Bush dinners are a firm favourite with our guests, where you get to enjoy a hearty meal, surrounded by lanterns, candles and the sound of the African wilderness.
Accommodation
The 15 luxurious suites fan out from the main area. There is also a 3 bedroom family suite availible.
Private and stylishly decorated, the Luxury Suites are a joy to spend a night in and difficult to leave.
The large windows above the bath and giant sliding doors to the deck offer incredible views of the riverbed and any animals that may be wallowing there.
Each of the 15 Luxury Suites have an en-suite bathroom, indoor and outdoor shower and have been carefully designed and spaced to provide privacy. The elegant finishes and extremely comfortable beds complete the impressive rooms.
From R 5 800 per person per night sharing (SA resident).
From R 13 500 per person per night sharing (non SA resident)
Children 6-11 years R 7 000 per person sharing
Children 2-5 years R 3 500 per person sharing
Air-conditioned
Indoor bath and shower
Outdoor shower
Coffee machine
Wifi
Gratuity information
Hairdryer
Kettle
Mosquito net
USB / International adaptor
Phone
In-room safe
Amenities
Wheelchair accessible, with assistance
Included in your stay
Morning and afternoon game drives
Walks on request, can be arranged with your guide
All meals
Laundry included when booked on certain rates
Local beverages included when booked on certain rates
Excluded
Beverages when booked on certain rates
Champagne, premium wines and spirits
Curio shop purchases
Spa treatments and yoga
Gratuities
Levies
Additional activities
Overview
15 suites overlooking the Monwana dry river bed
1 family suites
• sleep two adults and two children
• swimming pool
Can accommodate groups of up to 40 people
Lodge pool available at the main area
Outdoor showers in all rooms
Boma for open air traditional ‘braai’
Deck and sunken lounge and fire pit
Spa and Yoga (on request)
Children of all ages welcome
• Activities available include baking, beading,
bug walks and treasure hunts
• Babysitting available aqt an additional cost
Library
Conference facilities for up to 60 people
Airstrip
Mobile coverage
Wifi
A typical day
Times will vary depending on the season and are based on
sunrise and sunset times
Wake-up
Morning tea & coffee with a selection of homemade rusks,
biscuits and fruit will be served on the deck before departing
for your morning drive
Game drive, approximately 3 hours
Breakfast served on return from game drive
Lunch
High tea will be served prior to afternoon game drive
Game drive, approximately 3 hours
Opportunity to enjoy a drink at the bar or freshen up before
dinner is served
Optional activities
Bush walks daily, during or after the game drive.
This can be discussed directly with your guide
Spa treatments and yoga
External activities (such as panoramic tours / Hot Air
ballooning) can be arranged
Community Visits
Other information you may like to know
The camp is not fenced but has an electric strand to discourage buffalo and elephant
Check in 14H00 / check out 11H00
All credit cards accepted except American Express
Child Policy
Children of all ages are welcome
Children under 6 years of age are not permitted on game drives unless authorized by management
To guarantee game drive for children, a private vehicle should be booked at an additional cost
Children under 16 years of age are not permitted on bush walks
Saseka Tented Camp
Saseka, the Tsonga word for beautiful, feels very much like a shining jewel in our Thornybush crown.
Silvio Rech & Lesley Carstens Architecture and Design, who have been designing bush lodges for over 32 years and are leaders in their field, were the visionaries who brought the dream of Saseka into reality, a lodge that has a strikingly unique layout and finds a superb balance between cutting-edge design, classical style and feeling connected to the outside environment.
A distinct curve in the river was a natural catalyst for the site of the main area, a large, tiered deck with a broad view of the riverbed and a cleverly designed roof that mimics the dappled light of a tree canopy. This is where we love to meet with our guests for a drink or a meal, share stories and listen to the afternoon breeze bringing the surrounding trees to life.
The tented suites allow the sounds of nature and the bush to filter in to give the guests a truly immersed safari experience.
Each tented suite has its own private pool, outdoor shower, sundeck and is air conditioned.
The Leadwood Tented Villa operates as an intimate, camp-within-a-camp, servicing one, two or three tented suites exclusively. The Villa’s central entertainment area features a lounge and dining area, private and separate from the rest of the lodge.
Accommodation
Away from the main area, guests stay in nine luxurious tented suites with stylish interiors, sweeping decks, private pools and uninterrupted views of the seasonal Monwana riverbed.
The Leadwood Villa offers a sole-use option within the lodge, perfect for small groups or families.
Guests can also enjoy spa treatments in their suite.
The eight suites, with elevated views of the riverbed, are ultra-spacious safari tents on permanent foundations.
Glass doors open up onto your own extensive private deck and pool, complete with sun loungers and chairs.
In a private corner, there’s also an outdoor shower with bush views.
Attention to detail is present wherever you look, a great example of this is the fabric of the interior canvas, designed exclusively for Saseka, with prints from the herbarium in Pretoria of all the region’s plants.
The intelligent lighting of the tented suites is also an impressive feature. The suites allow the sounds of the bush to filter in to give you a truly immersed safari experience.
From R 8 000 per person per night sharing (SA residents).
From R 19 500 per person sharing per night (non SA residents).
Little Saseka from R 26 000 per person sharing (max 2 adults)
Children 6 – 1 1 y rs . ( Little Saseka ) from R 10 000 per night
Children 2 – 5 y r s . ( Little Saseka ) from R 6000 per night
Included in your stay
Morning and afternoon game drives
Walks on request, can be arranged with your guide
All meals
Laundry included when booked on certain rates
Local beverages included when booked on certain rates
Beverages when booked on certain rates.
Excluded
Champagne, premium wines and spirits
Curio shop purchases
Spa treatments and yoga
Gratuities
Levies
Additional activities
Other information you may like to know
The camp is not fenced but has an electric strand to discourage buffalo and elephant
Check in 14H00 / check out 11H00
All credit cards accepted except American Express
Children Policy
Children from 12 years of age are welcome
• Should the Leadwood Villa along with a private vehicle be booked, younger children may be considered.
Children under 16 years of age are not permitted on bush walks
A Typical Day
Times will vary depending on the season and are based on sunrise and sunset times.
Wake-up
Morning tea & coffee with a selection of homemade rusks, biscuits and fruit will be served on the deck before departing
for your morning drive.
Game drive, approximately 3 hours.
Breakfast served on return from game drive Lunch.
High tea will be served prior to afternoon game drive.
Game drive, approximately 3 hours
Opportunity to enjoy a drink at the bar or freshen up before dinner is served.
Camp Overview
Spacious and beautifully designed lounge and dining space in the main area.
Spa available
Airstrip
Mobile coverage
Wif
Tents & Leadwood Villa
9 Luxury tents each with private deck and plunge pool, overlooking Monwana dry riverbed (no triples allowed)
Air-conditioned Kettle
Indoor bath and shower Mosquito net
Outdoor shower USB / International adaptor
Coffee machine Phone
Wifi In-room safe
Gratuity information Amenities
Hairdryer
1 Leadwood Villa:
• Sleeps two adults
• Private lounge, deck and plunge pool
• Private vehicle (when booked on certain rates)
• For small groups, of up to 6 people, additional guests can be accommodated in standard tents
Optional activities
Bush walks daily, during or after the game drive. This can be discussed directly with your guide.
Spa treatments.
External activities (such as panoramic tours / Hot Air ballooning) can be arranged.
Community Visits
Sabie Sands Nature Reserve
Simbambili Game Lodge
A dream destination for big cat lovers. Lithe, agile, poised, the leopard is power and sinuous grace combined, and a sighting, however rief, is one of the most prized big cat encounters in the world.
Accommodation
9 large thatched suites have been elegantly designed to blend in with the environment and carefully positioned to enhance privacy.
While the shower, free-standing bath, his and her sinks and modern finishings are impressive, it’s the outside deck our guests love most.
Each suite has its own spacious riverbed-facing deck with a plunge pool and sala bed under shade to laze away a perfect afternoon.
THE HONEYMOON SUITE
There’s one Honeymoon Suite and one Waterhole Suite at Simbambili, both perfect for honeymooners and lying on the far ends of the lodge to ensure even more privacy.
These romantic suites are slightly larger and come with added amenities. They have a shower, free-standing bath, his and her sinks and modern finishings as the other suites, but come with an added lounge area for more space.
The outside deck, however, is still what our honeymooners love most. The extensive bush-facing deck, with a plunge pool and shaded sala bed, is the perfect place to spend a hot afternoon in the sun.
From R 7 500 per person per night sharing (SA residents).
From R 18 000 per person per night sharing (non SA residents).
Rates Include
Accommodation
All meals and snacks
All local drinks (soft drinks, house wine, selection of local beers, local spirits)
Morning and afternoon game drives in open safari vehicles, accompanied by experienced guides and tracker
Wi-Fi
For special rates and deals, an inclusive drinks policy may differ from the above
Excluded
Beverages when booked on certain rates
Champagne, premium wines and spirits
Curio shop purchases
Spa treatments
Gratuities
Levies and gate entry fees
Additional activities
All Suites
Air-conditioned
Indoor bath and shower
Coffee machine
Wifi
Gratuity information
Hairdryer
Kettle
Mosquito net
USB / International adaptor
Phone
In-room safe
Amenities
A Typical Day
Times will vary depending on the season and are based onsu nrise and sunset times.
Wake-up
Morning tea & coffee with a selection of homemade rusks, biscuits and fruit will be served on the deck before departing for your morning drive.
Game drive, approximately 3 hours.
Breakfast served on return from game drive.
Lunch.
High tea will be served prior to afternoon game drive.
Game drive, approximately 3 hours.
Opportunity to enjoy a drink at the bar or freshen up before dinner is served.
Simbambili Game Lodge is located in the North Eastern Sabi Sand Game Reserve, home to the highest concentration of leopard in the world, and offers unparalleled opportunities for rewarding encounters with these magnificent creatures, along with the rest of the big five in the sweeping savanna of the Sabi Sand Reserve.
Blending seamlessly with its environment, Simbambili Game Lodge brings the romance of Africa to life with sophisticated suites, each offering spectacular seasonal riverbed views, as well as the Sabi bushveld and its incredibly diverse bird and animal life.
Guests at Simbambili Game Lodge have the added delight of an onsite spa offering the latest beauty treatments with a range of luxuriant products and the added novelty of massages with a view over the rolling plains. Simbambili offers a small, intimate exercise room featuring key equipment for light training purposes.
The managers, Mike and Tania, have been at Simbambili for over 10 years and ensure the lodge has a comfortable, luxurious feel.
We recently renovated the suites, which have been elegantly designed to blend in with the dense stands of Knobthorn and Jackalberry Trees along the meandering Manyeleti River.
Massive decks and the shaded sala beds with private plunge pools are a guest favourite.
We’re also extremely proud of our guides and trackers whose wealth of knowledge and passion for what they do, continuously leave lasting impressions.
At the lodge, our guests are made to feel at home through the personal touches and calming nature of the setting, with many an hour spent on the main deck keeping an eye on the large waterhole and its ever-changing visitors just across from the main area.
Other information you may like to know
The camp is not fenced but has an electric strand to discourage buffalo and elephant from entering the lodge area
Check in 14H00 / check out 11H00
All credit cards accepted except American Express
Children Policy
Children from 12 years of age are welcome
Children under 16 years of age are not permitted on bush walks
Self Driving to Simbambili
Please use “South African Wildlife College”, then “Hluvukani”, and finally, “Gowrie Gate, Sabi Sand” as your destination address when using a GPS/
Google Maps, as when you enter “Simbambili” as an address instead, the route takes you through fences and over private property.
Optional activities
Bush walks daily, during or after the game drive.
This can be discussed directly with your guide.
Spa treatments.
Community visits.
Camp Overview
9 spacious suites with private plunge pool, sala bed and deck (no triples allowed)
• 7 Luxury suites
• 1 Honeymoon suite, with an outdoor shower
• 1 Waterhole suite
Spa
Nearby Airstrip
Wifi
Contact Us
SATIB Insurance
It is the Guests’ sole and absolute responsibility to ensure that they have adequate and suitable comprehensive travel and medical insurance in place to cover themselves, as well as any dependents | travelling companions. This insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to, the following eventualities: cancellation or curtailment of the booking, emergency evacuation expenses, medical expenses, hometown repatriation expenses, damage and/or theft / and/or loss of personal property, baggage, money, and goods.
Thornybush, their representatives, directors, officers, employees, and agents will not be responsible for any damage, loss, costs or expenses incurred or suffered by the guest, or guest’s dependents or travelling companions, as a result of or in connection with any of the abovementioned events. Guests will be charged directly by the relevant service providers for any emergency services they may require and may find themselves in a position unable to access such services should they not be carrying the relevant insurance cover.
Africa Safe-T
All our lodges are affiliated with Africa Safe-T, a medical rescue organisation, which provides an immediate response for emergencies – fixed wing planes and helicopters.
Arrangements can also be made should there be a need for a doctor. The closest doctor would be in Hoedspruit – a 50-minute drive. The cost will be charged to the guest’s account.
24HR emergency call facility for:
• any medical emergency involving bodily injury to or life-threatening illness contracted by one of our guests or passengers
• guests or passengers experiencing any natural disaster,
LEVIES AND FEES 2023
- For visits to destinations in the Thornybush Nature Reserve:
- Conservation fee, TOMSA and Community levy of R320 per person per night
- For visits to Simbambili in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin
- Conservation fee, TOMSA and Community levy of R450 per person per night
- Sabi Sand Wildtuin gate fee is payable direct at Gowrie Gate (for guests staying at Simbambili);
- R310 light vehicle entry; and
- R140 per person entry