The Thanda Safari story is a love affair with Africa that this Big Five private game reserve, rated as one of the top luxury game reserves in South Africa, invites guests to experience.
An African safari is defined by the thrill of the Big Five, and Thanda Safari offers an exclusive, up-close experience of these magnificent animals and all the inhabitants of the wild. The guides and trackers are bush experts, and they will share their phenomenal tracking skills and wildlife knowledge with you. They put their all into offering guests a 5-star, life-changing experience.
A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Thanda Safari is a multi-award-winning luxury game reserve with three accommodation offerings: Thanda Safari Lodge with its 9 exquisite bush suites; Villa iZulu – a completely private, luxurious bush retreat, ideal for celebrities, small groups and families; and Thanda Tented Camp with its 15 luxury safari tents for an evocative, traditional safari.
At the Thanda Safari spa, expertly-trained therapists offer a range of treatments, including a combination of western techniques and ancient Zulu holistic practices.
Thanda means ‘Love’ in the language of the Zulu people, and Thanda Safari lives this ethos in the management of the 14 000-hectare reserve and in its community engagement. Thanda Safari and the Thanda Foundation partner with the reserve’s neighbouring communities in a range of job creation, educational and socio-economic upliftment programmes.
Star for Life is Thanda’s flagship educational programme that has inspired over 500 000 young people to value learning, live healthy lives and achieve their dreams.
Guests are welcome to visit schools and families in the neighbouring communities, experience Zulu culture and community projects. Thanda Safari supports the Inkanyiso Crèche where volunteers from around the world spend time helping here.