Gin is on the upswing wherever you go in the world, and we’ve really embraced this latest trend at Thornybush.

The good old G&T has been used as a defence against malaria since the time of the great white hunters, so it fits in perfectly with the out of Africa experiences you’ll enjoy while staying with us. It’s the perfect counterfoil to the African heat and is great for toasting another day of game viewing successes come sundown.

In fact, gin fits in so well with the whole safari experience, that it gives us a good excuse to set up our mobile gin bars wherever we can find a suitable scenic spot out in the bush. Every day is Gin Day with Thornybush!

While you might not be able to replicate the wonderful panoramas, dry riverbeds and chance encounters with wildlife that you’ll enjoy during an afternoon gin session with us, you can reinvent some of the taste sensations that go along with it.

A True Taste of Africa

When it comes to gin, juniper berries on their own have become a little last season. Now you can sip on gins tinted with a host of local flavour during your South African safari. Some of our favourites are:

• Rich aromatic coastal wild cape fynbos
• Crisp and zesty limestone fynbos botanicals
• Soft, floral mountain fynbos from the Cape
• Tanguy Citrus gin
• Blue gin infused with pea flower
• Delicate rose-water-infused pink gin

Add some lemon and orange slices, strawberries and a sprig of rosemary, a little cucumber and lots of ice and you’ve got the perfect raw materials for a cocktail that’s as memorable as the sunset views you’ll enjoy with it.

We love taking the everyday G&T to the next level by adding pink peppercorns, strawberries and lemon zest. If you aren’t into alcohol or don’t like gin, that’s no problem for our bartenders, who’ll whip you up the celebratory tipple of your choosing.

Don’t forget the snacks. The talented chefs of Thornybush are always whipping up something tasty to go along with our sundowner drinks too.

Join the Movement to Gin

Awesome outdoor gin bars are just one of the many daily highlights you’ll get to experience when you join us for a South African safari. From steaming fragrant coffee out in the bush, to your last nightcap in the evening, we know how to please your palate and pique your interest at Thornybush.