6 NIGHT SELF DRIVE KwaZulu-Natal
Package #30 Rates available on request
- 3 NIGHTS RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE
Hluhluwe iMFolozi Park - 3 NIGHTS THONGA BEACH LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
INCLUDES:
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
3 nights’ accommodation in a Safari Room upgradeable to a Bush Villa or Honeymoon Villa, all meals, teas and coffees, morning and afternoon game drives.
Thonga Beach Lodge
3 nights’ in a Forest View Room upgradeable to an Ocean View or Deluxe Ocean View Room, all meals, teas and coffees, use of snorkeling equipment, guided walks, cultural tours, kayaking and sundowners at Lake Sibaya and when in season nightly turtle walks three times a week (Nov – Feb).
EXCLUDES:
Park fees, drinks, laundry, gratuities and items of a personal nature.
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Spa treatments, day trips out of the park, guided safari walks.
Thonga Beach Lodge
Spa treatments, SCUBA diving, open ocean experience, dive equipment hire, vehicle driven turtle tracking tours (Nov to Feb) and 4×4 transfers to the lodge.
NOTES:
Extra days can be added at any of the lodges and other Isibindi Africa Lodges properties can be added to this itinerary. Contact [email protected] for your tailor-made package.
Night 1 Itinerary
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE
Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is within a 3.5hr drive from King Shaka International Airport Durban and a 1hr 30min drive from Richards Bay Airport. It is situated on the western boundary of Africa’s oldest proclaimed Game Reserve Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is the only private lodge within the park. With its four star accommodation, guests are offered spectacular scenery and excellent safari opportunities within the heart of Big 5 territory.
On arrival at Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge you will be greeted by a refreshing drink and welcomed by our friendly team who will give you a short orientation of the lodge and its facilities before showing you to your accommodation. After a quick refresh we will be waiting to serve you high tea on the verandah at the main lodge which offers spectacular views over the entire reserve. Here you will meet your guide who will prepare you for your first safari experience, offering some useful pointers about the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the bush. By now you will be eager to board your safari vehicle to explore the magnificent hills and valleys of the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.
At sunset your guide will take you to a special spot to enjoy drinks and snacks whereafter you will travel into the night looking for nocturnal creatures like leopards, owls and jackals. When you get back to the lodge you will be given time to freshen up for dinner and then enjoy superb cuisine either on the dining deck or in the restaurant. Sit around the fire late into the night discussing the day’s sightings and legendary tales of Africa against a backdrop of a million stars.
Night's 2 & 3 Itinerary
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE
Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal
After an early morning wake-up, fresh coffee, tea and rusks (a South African tradition!), everybody departs with the guides for an early morning game drive. Be sure to have a jacket and scarf as it can get really chilly on the open 4×4 vehicle. Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses will also be needed for later in the day. Nothing is predictable in the bush; therefore each safari offers a potentially new and unique experience.
Our guides will share their wealth of bush experience which involves the identifications of animals, trees, grasses, insects and birds. The medicinal uses of plants and local folk lore is also discussed as well as looking for the ever fascinating Big 5!
When you return to the lodge you can enjoy a hearty brunch. Now it is time for you to relax and imbibe the natural beauty of Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge. You may wish to spend your day being pampered in our spa, do a few laps at the pool or simply relax in the privacy of your room enjoying the endless views from your private balcony.
Make sure you are back in time for high tea and the evening game drive. Hopefully this time you will spot all those other animals still on your bucket list. On returning to the lodge you will have time to freshen up before coming through for a delicious dinner.
Night 4 Itinerary
THONGA BEACH LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal
After returning from your early morning game drive or walk you will have time to enjoy your breakfast while taking in the last views of the Hluhluwe iMfolozi, before you wind out of the park and make your way north to Thonga Beach Lodge. Those guests who are not travelling in a 4×4 will be met at the Coastal Cashew Factory by a Thonga Beach Lodge representative and transferred to the lodge. Remember hat/cap and a warm jacket for the 1hr transfer in an open 4×4 to the lodge.
On arrival you will be welcomed with a refreshing drink and given a brief orientation of the lodge before being shown to your room and given time to unpack and relax before coming through for some lunch. After enjoying one of the many activities hosted at Thonga you will have time to freshen up before enjoying a cocktail at the bar followed by a delicious meal under the stars.
Nights 5 & 6 Itinerary
THONGA BEACH LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal
Thonga Beach Lodge is set on the secluded Mabibi Bay, in the heart of the iSimangaliso (formerly Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park, an internationally recognized World Heritage Site.
With direct access onto the pristine shores of the Maputaland coast, this lodge is the ideal place to discover one of the last unspoilt and undeveloped wilderness beaches left on the African continent.
Mabibi is a magical place of tranquil swimming bays and snorkeling reefs, coastal forests, grasslands, bush, shimmering lakes and exquisite sandy beaches. It’s clear warm waters offer superb snorkeling and fantastic offshore SCUBA diving.
The 12 en-suite eco-sensitive rooms have been carefully constructed in the coastal dune forest to ensure minimum impact on the environment and maximum guest privacy. Each room has a double vanity, stone bath, indoor shower, mini bar, air conditioning, ceiling fan and mosquito net. Deluxe rooms have private plunge pools.
Activities at Thonga Beach Lodge include SCUBA diving, open ocean experiences, kayaking and sundowners at Lake Sibaya, guided snorkeling, seasonal turtle drives/walks, Tsonga cultural tours and forest walks. Whether you are a walker or a diver, take advantage of the wealth of activities that await you in this beautiful hideaway, or simply relax with a spa treatment on the beach deck.
SCUBA diving at Mabibi is phenomenal. Our professional lodge diving team can accommodate enthusiasts, from the beginner to the veteran.
For those who don’t dive, we have an open ocean experience. An exciting launch through the surf in front of the lodge takes you beyond the breakers to a world of dolphins, whales and other creatures. The warm Indian Ocean supports a myriad of fish and marine life. Guests can sometimes swim with dolphins or whale sharks, or snorkel with manta rays and giant turtles.
In summer there are nocturnal walks and drives along the beach in search of pre-historic turtles laying their eggs. Witness the culmination of an incredible journey as giant leatherback and loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in carefully prepared nests. Turtle tracking is offered in the evening from November to end of February. The turtles lay their eggs from November to February and hatchlings arrive from end of December to the end of February. Every precaution is taken to ensure these magnificent creatures are not disturbed during the laying process and data collected from the turtle drives is submitted to the Ezemvelo Turtle Monitoring Programme.
END OF ARRANGEMENTS
After breakfast you will check out of Thonga Beach Lodge and be returned to Coastal Cashews where you will continue with your onward journey.
ABOUT THE LODGES
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is the only private lodge in the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, providing guests with exclusive luxury and outstanding service within South Africa’s oldest national park. Each luxury room or villa is stylishly decorated and includes a spacious bedroom with impressive views from the bathroom, outdoor shower and patio deck. From each cleverly-designed space, you can watch the wildlife below, uninterrupted in their natural habitat as they have been for decades in this protected area.
Along with limited game viewing at the lodge and on morning and evening game drives, Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge offers a host of authentic Africa experiences – from wild bush walks to traditional Zulu homestays and rejuvenating spa treatments. In keeping with the Isibindi ethos, Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is a joint venture between the National Empowerment Fund and the local Mphembeni community who own the land on which the lodge is built. People from the community have been trained to work in various departments and now constitute 97% of the lodge staff. Please visit the website for more information: www.rhinoridge.co.za.
Thonga Beach Lodge
Every now and again something special comes along… like Thonga Beach Lodge, the unspoilt gem of KwaZulu-Natal’s Maputaland coast. Situated in South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Thonga Beach Lodge is mere metres away from the sparkling Indian Ocean. Beneath the breakers lies a treasure trove of marine life, from vivid reef fish to schools of dolphins, and even turtles returning to the beach to lay their eggs. Thonga’s 12 thatched eco-sensitive rooms are positioned for maximum privacy and minimal environmental impact. The rooms are built on raised platforms among the indigenous forest and undulating dunes with expansive glass windows and doors to let in the ocean breeze and sounds.
Make your journey all the more memorable when you enjoy close encounters with nature. Indulge in a spa treatment; track mother turtles laying their eggs; explore the reefs beneath with a snorkel or SCUBA dive; or go on a guided forest walk. Feel assured that you’re travelling with purpose, discovering and helping to preserve one of the last undeveloped wilderness beaches left on the African continent. Please visit the website for more information: www.thongabeachlodge.co.za.
