5 Nights Self-Drive | Rhino Ridge Package #01
Honeymoon Add On: All packages can be upgraded to a Honeymoon Package.
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Duration
4 Days 12 Hours
Tour Type
Nature and Wildlife
Location
Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park - iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Overview
Package #1
KwaZulu-Natal
▪︎2 NIGHTS RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE
Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park
▪︎3 NIGHTS THONGA BEACH LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
includes:
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
2 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’ accommodation 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. Nightly turtle walks 3 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, 4×4 transfers and vehicle driven turtle tracking tours in season (Nov – Feb).
ABOUT THE LODGES
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is the only 4-star 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.
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.
Booking Terms & Conditions
We have added special provisions to our booking terms & conditions to make allowance for changes due to COVID-19. Please view our booking terms & conditions for details.
Included/Excluded
2 nights’ accommodation in a Safari room, upgradeable to Bush Villa or Honeymoon Villa at Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
All meals
Morning and afternoon Game Drives
3 nights’ accommodation in a Forest View Room upgradeable to Ocean View or Deluxe Ocean View
Guided forest walks
Guided snorkeling and use of snorkeling equipment at Tsowa
Cultural tour
Kayaking and sundowners at Lake Sibaya.
Nightly turtle walks in season (Nov – Feb)
Specialized multi-lingual guide
Park fees
Laundry
Gratuities and items of a personal nature.
Spa treatments
SCUBA diving
Open Ocean Experience
Itinerary
Night 1
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE | HLUHLUWE IMFOLOZI PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
Night 1
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE | HLUHLUWE IMFOLOZI PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is within a 3.5 hr drive from King Shaka International Airport, Durban, and a 1.5hr drive from Richards Bay Airport. It is situated on the western boundary of Africa’s oldest proclaimed Game Reserve, the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, where 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 offered 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 deck at the main lodge which offers spectacular views over the 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 head back to the lodge at dusk 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 2
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE | HLUHLUWE IMFOLOZI PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
Night 2
RHINO RIDGE SAFARI LODGE | HLUHLUWE IMFOLOZI PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
After an early morning wake-up, fresh coffee, tea and rusks (a South African tradition!), everyone 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 identification of animals, trees, grasses, insects and birds. The medicinal uses of plants and local folklore 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.
Additional activities included guided game walks (children 14 years & older only) in the national park with highly skilled armed trails guides who not only ensure your safety at all times but impart their intimate knowledge of the bush and wild animals, most notably the white rhino for which this park is most famous. Visits to the local Zulu community with which the lodge works very closely can also be arranged. Game walks are charged at an additional cost payable at the lodge.
Make sure you are back in time for high tea and the afternoon 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 3
THONGA BEACH LODGE | ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
Night 3
THONGA BEACH LODGE | ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
After an early morning game drive and brunch it will be time to bid farewell to Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge, winding your way out of the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park to make your way north towards Mbazwana, from here you will either self-drive all the way to Thonga Beach Lodge in your own 4×4 vehicle, or drive to the Thonga Beach Lodge 4×4 pickup point where you will be met by a Thonga Beach Lodge Representative who will transfer you to the lodge in a 4×4 vehicle (1hr). The total travel time from Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge to Thonga Beach Lodge is approximately 4 hours.
On arrival you will be welcomed with a refreshing drink and given a brief orientation of the lodge before being shown to your room. You will be given some time to unpack and relax before coming through for lunch.
After enjoying one of the many activities hosted at Thonga Beach Lodge, you will have time to freshen up and enjoy canapés and a cocktail at the bar before settling down for a delicious meal under the stars.
Night 4 and 5
THONGA BEACH LODGE | ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
Night 4 and 5
THONGA BEACH LODGE | 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 thatched en-suite 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, indoor shower, bar fridge, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and mosquito net. Deluxe rooms have private plunge pools and both Deluxe and Family rooms have freestanding baths.
Activities at Thonga Beach Lodge include SCUBA diving, Open Ocean experiences, kayaking and sundowners at Lake Sibaya, guided snorkeling, seasonal turtle drives/walks, cultural tour of local Tsonga village and guided 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 or 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 many other creatures. The warm Indian Ocean supports a myriad of fish and marine life.
In summer there are nocturnal walks and drives along the beach in search of prehistoric 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 the end of February. The turtles lay their eggs from November to February. Hatchlings arrive from the 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 program.
End of arrangements
THONGA BEACH LODGE | ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
End of arrangements
THONGA BEACH LODGE | ISIMANGALISO WETLAND PARK, KWAZULU-NATAL
After breakfast you will check out of Thonga Beach Lodge and either self-drive to your next destination in your own 4×4, or be transferred in a 4×4 vehicle (1hr transfer) to the 4×4 pickup point from which you will continue your onward journey.
Travel Styles
Nature & Adventure
Marine
Activities
Facilities
Wifi
Gymnasium
Mountain Bike
Satellite Office
Golf Cages
FAQs
What to pack
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.
Learn from the locals
Our guides will share their wealth of bush experience which involves the identification of animals, trees, grasses, insects and birds.
What to expect
Nothing is predictable in the bush; therefore each safari offers a potentially new and unique experience.
Special topics of focus
The medicinal uses of plants and local folklore is also discussed as well as looking for the ever fascinating Big 5!
What additional activities are available?
Additional activities included guided game walks (children 14 years & older only) in the national park with highly skilled armed trails guides
Study the psychology of the Big 5
Our specialized armed guides will impart their intimate knowledge of the bush and wild animals, most notably the white rhino for which this park is most famous.
About Thonga accommodation
The 12 thatched en-suite rooms have been carefully constructed in the coastal dune forest to ensure minimum impact on the environment and maximum guest privacy.
What activities are available at Thonga
Activities at Thonga Beach Lodge include SCUBA diving, Open Ocean experiences, kayaking and sundowners at Lake Sibaya, guided snorkeling, seasonal turtle drives/walks, cultural tour of local Tsonga village and guided forest walks.
Water activities at Mabibu
SCUBA diving at Mabibi is phenomenal. Our professional lodge diving team can accommodate enthusiasts, from the beginner to the veteran.
What are my options at Thonga?
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 or on the beach deck.
What are my options
For those who don’t dive, we have an Open Ocean Experience.
Are we allowed to fish in the coastline of the Indian Ocean?
The warm Indian Ocean supports a myriad of fish and marine life.
Turtling at Thonga
Witness the culmination of an incredible journey as giant Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in carefully prepared nests.
As the seasons change
In summer there are nocturnal walks and drives along the beach in search of prehistoric turtles laying their eggs.
The journey of the leatherback turtle
Turtle tracking is offered in the evening from November to the end of February. The turtles lay their eggs from November to February.
The miracle of life
Hatchlings arrive from the end of December to the end of February.
What measures are taken to assure my safety?
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 program.
Tour Location
Honeymoon Add On: All packages can be upgraded to a Honeymoon Package.
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