South Africa

Accommodation

• 7 intimate safari lodges
• Forest lodge - 16 spacious hand-built suites
• Mountain Lodge - 20 air-conditioned suites
• Vlei Lodge - 6 thatched suites
• Rock Lodge - 6 suites suspended off a cliff
• Zuka Lodge - 4 private thatched cottages
• Getty House - a singe sole-use villa with four suites
• Walking Safari Camp - for walking safaris, enquire for more details

The Phinda Private Game Reserve is located in the Maputaland region, South Africa, and borders the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park: it is prime conservation land. As a result, there is an abundance of wildlife, with seven distinct habitats providing the different living conditions needed for a diverse range of wildlife.

Forest lodge is located in a forest of towering torchwood trees. The suites are of glass, and are built on stilts: they appear to float between the forest floor and the tops of the trees. Each suite has a private verandah, is air conditioned, and has a personal bar, whilst in the main building there are luxurious dining and sitting areas. There is also a rim-flow swimming pool for hot days.

At Mountain Lodge, each suite has a private sitting room and an en suite bathroom. There is an African craft gallery and a swimming pool with a game viewing deck, as well as a conference with room for 70 guests. The lodge overlooks the Lebombo Mountains and bushveld, and is an ideal family safari destination.

Vlei Lodge is again situated in the Dry Sand Forest, with the glass and thatch suites set on stilts above the forest floor. Each suite has a private game-viewing deck and a plunge pool, as well as a dressing room, dining area overlooking the wet grasslands, and a sitting area with an open fireplace. Sitting on the deck, guests are likely to see antelope and zebra grazing on the vlei (wet grassland), and a stunning variety of birdlife.

Suspended from the side of a cliff, Rock Lodge has incredible views of Leopard Rock and the valley, with a plunge pool and deck overlooking this in each suite. With air conditioning and private sitting areas, the suites are a wonderful place to stay in, whilst the guest dining and sitting areas have warm fireplaces and a shaded deck with views over the bushveld. Three of the suites have outdoor showers, and the small size means there is exceptional service.

Around a bustling waterhole are the four thatched bush cottages that make up Zuka Lodge. Ideal for a single group, the lodge has an open 4x4 safari vehicle for sole use by the occupants of the lodge, and the guest areas have internet access, a cafe style kitchen and a swimming pool with an extended deck overlooking the waterhole. With a private host, tracker, butler and chef, this is the perfect place to let go.

Getty House is a private villa which overlooks an extinct volcano that is covered in green vegetation and surrounded by hills. With an interactive kitchen allowing for informal dining, four suites with sliding panel windows, and the use of a 4x4 safari vehicle, the house is ideal for a family celebration or a special occasion, in which guests want to soak up the natural surroundings in their own time. As well as a swimming pool to cool down in, there are a private ranger, butler and chef to take care of you in the most personal way imaginable.

Activities

• Walking safaris
• Game drives
• Birdwatching
• Leopard Research Safaris
• Beach and bush adventures