Welcome to Thornybush.
Your home in the African wilderness.

National parks are administered by South African National Parks Board which ensures a standardised level of accommodation – facilities and the rates are usually kept low. These parks are mainly self-drive destinations. Game viewing in the Nation Parks are restricted to tarred roads with no offer of off-road safaris. The game viewing in a private park is less restrictive to that of the national parks. Game drives are enjoyed in a private open safari vehicle with a trained guide and tracker team ensuring up-close and personalized game viewing experiences.

Thornybush and the Sabi Sand are big 5 reserves, so yes, the chances of seeing them are very high. We can however not guarantee what will be seen on safari as wildlife roam freely. However, we will do our utmost to ensure you get to see everything you have come to see.

Bushveld casual, neutral colours are recommended. Most guests wear long trousers for dinner and always ensure you have a light sweater or windbreaker handy. During summer a bathing costume is recommended to enjoy down time around the swimming pool.

The water in all the lodges is perfectly safe to drink, however all lodges have bottled water available for guests.

Please consult your general practitioner or medical travel clinic for detailed information regarding possible vaccines requir

The rates at our lodges are all -inclusive which means accommodation, meals, snacks, early morning and evening game drives and optional guided bushwalks. For a full list of lodge inclusions, refer to the relevant lodge rates page.

Absolutely! Please inform our reservations department when making your booking should you wish for something special to be arranged.

The dress code is informal and neutral colours are recommended. A warm jacket for winter and evening safaris. Comfortable walking shoes, a bathing costume, binoculars, camera and video camera. Sunhats, sunscreen and sunglasses. A select range of safari clothing and amenities are available for purchase in our Curio Shops.

Your specific dietary requirements should be communicated with the reservation’s consultant at the time of confirmation, this enables the lodge to ensure your preferred meals are available and supplies are ordered in time for your arrival.

There is a full-service spa at both Thornybush Game Lodge and Simbambili Game Lodge. The Thornybush Game Lodge spa is accessible to most of the lodges within close proximity.

Yes, nature walks are included, however, these are at the discretion of your guide. As the lodges are situated within a big 5 reserve, your safety is our primary concern. Kindly note, no children under the age of 16 are not permitted on bush walks.

This is a modified four-wheel-drive vehicle, designed to carry between 6 and 8 guests and is used to bring you to within close proximity of the animals. The vehicle does not have a roof or sides and allows for maximum all-round visibility. Our ranger and tracker teams are well qualified and take your safety very seriously. They will communicate the rules of driving on this type of vehicle in the open bushveld before departing on your first game drive.

Thornybush subscribes to a medical team and evacuation service. However, it is recommended that you include this on your travel insurance policy whilst travelling.

The rates for Thornybush are all-inclusive, however there may be some additional costs. For a full list of lodge inclusions,  refer to the relevant lodge rates page.

Thornybush Private Nature reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. This is an area which covers a massive expanse of unfenced wilderness, allowing wildlife to roam freely between the Kruger National Park and a vast number of private concessions.   Thornybush has 11 lodges withing the Thornybush Private Nature Reserve and 1 property situated in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve.