Thornybush Game Reserve
User Reviews (20)
South Africa ParksEmail Eduardo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Saw all the big 5 and the guides were super professional and knowledgeable and friendly.
CA
Email Debra Younghans | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wildlife viewing paled in comparison to Timbavati Nature Reserve. The vibe at the lodge was good but not exceptional like Kambaku.
CA
Email Sonia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible sightings everyday, beautiful landscapes, up and close with the animals on every drive.
Part of the greater kruger area and not fully enclosed reserve, with antipoaching efforts underway making it a great choice for folks interested in conservation and the protection of these beautiful animals!
Email Paula | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great sightings of the big 5
NL
Email Ulrik | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Perfect days with wonderful staff, superb food and great viewings
What a wonderful stay at Thornybush Game Lodge. We had very good game sightings (and superb food, not least the lunches) but what made the stay truly special was how kind and attentive the staff was. Daniel, our field guide, and John, our tracker, were as friendly as they were knowledgeable, not least to our nine year old daughter. Sannie, one of the cooks, came out to talk to us every morning (and when we arrived) to ask our daughter for her meal preferences for that day. And our personal waiter, Clinton, had a smile all the time that would lit up the room.
Jennifer, the Deputy Manager, went the extra mile for us, including finding a private game viewing vehicle for us (with super knowledgeable Tracy and Orlando) to do a photo shoot safari one afternoon.
We will definitely be coming back - we have in fact promised our daughter.
US
Email Haven H. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thornybush has a rich array of wildlife and an apparently healthy ecosystem to support it.
Our camp was fully solar powered, small and intimate, which added to our enjoyment.
JP
Email Takubo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We could see many kinds of animals off course big five, a pride of lion, cheetah,etc.
Accomodation was also great
US
Email Kanikoski | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
N'Kaya Lodge on the Thornybush Game Reserve gave us an informative, up-close game experience that we could not have matched on a self-drive safari. Our wildlife sightings were magnificent, encompassing every animal that we hoped to see. We couldn't have asked for more.
Email Debbie JT | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Thornybush is a relatively small private reserve in the Greater Kruger. Although currently fenced, plans are in place to remove the fencing adjacent to the Timbavati reserve, which in turn is open to the Kruger National Park.
The wildlife viewing was excellent. We stayed for a week, and saw six individual leopards (two of whom were busy producing the next generation!) and lions with young cubs. Being 15ft from a male lion when he started to roar was an experience not to be forgotten! All the usual suspects are present: giraffe, elephants, buffalo, rhino (we saw both black and white on our trip), kudu, impala. They limit the number of vehicles at a sighting to two, giving a very private experience. Safari vehicles use both a ranger and an experienced tracker, whose skills must be seen to be believed.
We stayed at N'Kaya, a small lodge with only four rooms, each of which is an individual cottage with bedroom, living room and two bathrooms. The food was superb, and the hospitality second to none. The lodge overlooks its own waterhole, so time between game drives can be spent watching what visits the lodge.
CA
Email Elizabeth | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This experience was beyond all expectations. We would recommend Waterside without hesitation.
Wildlife- we saw every animal imaginable in a few short days.
Accommodation- luxury class and wonderful service from all
Safari Tours to Thornybush GR
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7-Day Cosmopolitan Cape Town and Greater Kruger Safari
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