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Thanda Safari's Tented Camp 95%Impression on Arrival90%Location85%Room90%Service95%Value90%Dining Introduction We found ourselves heading North on the N2 from Durban on our way to Thanda Safari Private Game Reserve’s Tented Camp on a stunning Friday afternoon, after a few days of rain in KZN the sun was out and not a cloud in the sky. We had been itching to get to Thanda Safari for a while now with many reports of fantastic game sightings and as Northern Zululand is not a part of the world we are particularly familiar with, we were excited to see what the weekend had in store. Thanda Safari is easily accessible in any vehicle and about a 3 hour drive from Durban. On arrival we were greeted by Lorraine and introduced to the staff while sipping a welcome drink in the lounge of the lodge. Having arrived a little late and wanting to take advantage of the stunning weather, we decided to skip the afternoon game drive and spend some time photographing and hanging out at the lodge. The Lodge & Rooms The lodge is laid out in a very traditional format with a large lounge, bar area and dining room overlooking a rim flow pool […]
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Nambiti Springbok Lodge 80%Impression on Arrival80%Location90%Room85%Service90%Value85%Dining Introduction So it has been a year since we were last at Nambiti, somehow it felt longer, but now once again we were packing bags and camera gear for our trip to beautiful Northern KZN. Our team has expanded a bit and with all the gear finally packed we hit the road from Durban in convoy, in our Jimny and Subaru, heading for Ladysmith. As is the case with most winter days in Natal, we enjoyed the most spectacular weather on our drive. Due to some team member commitments in Durban on Friday morning we only left at about 11:30 and were planning to arrive around 3:00, hopefully in time for the afternoon game drive. The drive was mostly uneventful and the road, even the last 5km of gravel, is very easily accessible even in a normal sedan type vehicle. It was with a little trepidation that we were travelling to Nambiti again - don’t get me wrong, we all absolutely love this place, and that was sort of the problem. We were a bit worried that Nambiti would not live up to the high expectation we had created and built up for it […]
Nambiti Cheetah Ridge Lodge 90%Impression on arrival85%Location90%Room95%Service95%Value90%Dining Introduction As so often with our travels, we left Durban later than expected and found ourselves rushing to clear the traffic as we made our way past the city limits. Once past PMB we started to relax a bit and enjoy the beautiful scenery that inland KwaZulu-Natal has to offer. We passed through Ladysmith at around 17h00 and headed out on the Newcastle road towards Nambiti. As the sun started to set we got a little distracted and actually missed the turn off to the Nambiti South Gate. After finding a safe spot to turn around we were soon back on the right track, a glorious gravel road where the magic started. The sky turned orange and the sun was setting in the rear view mirror, dust stirred up as we drove creating what can only be described as a romantic African Sunset. Still running a little late and anxious to get to our destination we did not stop to take a photo or even attach the Go Pro, we could just about kick ourselves now. Arriving at the gate we signed the regular indemnities and were soon met by Cheetah Ridge lodge […]
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Sossusvlei 100%Impression on Arrival100%Location90%Room100%Service90%Value100%Dining And Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge Our road trip finally over we arrived at the Lodge. With huge anticipation we drove up the last few meters of the road up to the lodge and paradise beckoned. Perched high up overlooking the desert plain the lodge has been beautifully integrated into the surrounding environment. The lodge is located in the Namib Desert situated in the southern part of Namibia. From the lodge the wide expansiveness of the desert stretches out for miles, with the rugged terrain of mountains in the distance. The heat of the day was still intense and as we walked into the coolness and serenity of the lodge we immediately felt the stress of modern day living ebb away. The view was breathless with the vast array of colors that jumped out at you; it was a feast for the eyes. The lodge wraps and winds it way with wide open expansive areas that allows guests to experience the beauty of the environment while enjoying the luxury of the lodge. Rooms / Accommodation The Lodge can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests in ten suites. It is small and intimate with every aspect of your […]
Nambiti Plains Private Game Reserve 80%Impression on Arrival85%Location95%Room90%Service85%Value85%Dining Arrival We left Durban heading for Ladysmith on a blistering hot KZN summer morning, the humidity turned into dry heat as we headed up the N3 away from the coast. The drought South Africa has been experiencing has not spared this part of the world, the grass and trees look dry and the landscape that is normally bursting with green at this time of the year is a brownish grey colour. At the Nambiti Memorial Gate we were greeted by our friendly ranger, Dave, who showed us to the visitor parking and then loaded our luggage onto the back of a game viewing land rover. After a short trip on the back of the Landy in the 34 degree heat we arrived at the Nambiti Plains Lodge to be greeted by Jessica, the assistant manager, with an ice cold beverage and a cold face cloth. The Lodge Jessica showed us around the lodge which as the name suggests looks over the beautiful Nambiti Plains. The lodge offers all the luxuries one would expect while maintaining a certain rustic charm reminding us that we were in fact out of the city and […]
Phinda Forest Lodge 95%Service95%Dining95%Impression On Arrival 95%Location90%Room 90%Value Intro A Father’s Day gift of two nights at Phinda Forest Lodge certainly beat the usual “socks and jocks” gift and it was with much anticipation that I headed onto the N2 with my bush gear and a pile of photographic equipment – oh yes and the family in the passenger seats! Having been fortunate to visit Phinda Private Game Reserve on a few occasions previously, although not at Forest Lodge, I was interested to ascertain whether this Lodge would meet up to the standards of my previous Phinda experiences.Forest Lodge is situated in the Northern section of the reserve and accordingly access to the Reserve via the town of Hluhluwe is the recommended route – which I endorse. We were met at the entrance with a courteous greeting from the security guard and there was no hesitation on his part in dealing with our names on his list – leaving us with no doubt that our arrival was both expected and welcomed It occurred to me what an underrated aspect of a guest’s experience this greeting is, because it really sets the tone for one’s visit. Feeling as if we […]
Tala Private Game Reserve 80%Impression upon arrival80%Location85%Room80%Service90%Value85%Dining introduction We were attending a wedding reception at Tala and decided to turn our trip into an overnight adventure. We booked into Aloe Lodge for Saturday evening so we could indulge a little and not have to travel back to Durban in the dark. Tala Private Game Reserve is, as the name suggests, a private game reserve run by the Three Cities hotel group, about 45 minutes from Durban, it is a beautiful tranquil setting. Tala does not host any big cats, in saying that the game viewing was amazing and in our short stay we were very lucky with sightings. Arrival We arrived on a beautiful sunny autumn afternoon at about 3:30 pm. There was a welcome crispness to the air appreciated by all those formally dressed for the occasion. After passing through the main gate we were directed to reception where we were warmly received with a friendly and enthusiastic greeting. We were shown to our room and given directions to the wedding venue along with a map of the reserve. Room The room, with its rustic and simple charm, was well lit and contained everything one would expect considering […]
A Seven Star Safari - Kirkmans Kamp ( “andBeyond”) 100%Impression on Arrival95%Location93%Room100%Service90%Value93%Dining AccessibilityKirkmans is accessible via scheduled flights from OR Thambo International airport to the local Scakuza airport. Kirkmans is also accessible via road. In the dry it would be reachable with an ordinary sedan however in wet conditions or if the area has experienced a lot of rain it is only accessible with a 4x4 vehicle. We would not recommend traveling to Kirkmans by road in a non-4x4 vehicle. Location Situated in the idyllic and iconic Sabi Sands Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park, Kirkmans Kamp, operated by “andBeyond”, takes the visitor back to the days of timeless luxury and colonial elegance, without losing its very raison d’etre – affording guests the opportunity to experience game viewing at its best. The Sabi Sands Game Reserve is one of the oldest and most established reserves in South Africa flanked by the Sabi River and the Sand River on two of its borders. Natural borders are all that prevent game from roaming freely over this magnificent bushveld, the fences of previous landowners thankfully having been removed many years ago. On Route Planning a holiday in the height […]
Oct
31
Thanda Safari’s Tented Camp
Aug
03
NAMBITI SPRINGBOK LODGE
Jun
27
Nambiti Cheetah Ridge Lodge
May
21
Sossusvlei Desert Safari
Dec
15
Nambiti Plains Private Game Reserve
Aug
03
Phinda Private Game Reserve – Forest Lodge
May
27
Tala Private Game Reserve
Jan
25
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