Located in the Thornybush Game Reserve, bordering the Kruger National Park in the Limpopo Province, the Shumbalala Game Reserve is as close to nature as you can imagine. It is an unfenced reserve where guests enjoy an unrivaled jungle lodge experience and where animals are free to roam the seemingly endless African landscape. This gives guests the opportunity to see Africa’s Big 5 in their natural habitat.

Thornybush Game Reserve is the perfect destination for a safari holiday. While staying at one of the lodges, you can enjoy an exciting range of outdoor activities, including morning and late afternoon game drives, where guests are taken by experienced rangers in open-top 4×4 safari vehicles. Guests can experience Africa’s Big 5 as well as smaller game such as the elusive cheetah and African wild dog.

If you’re feeling daring and up for the challenge, a hike in the bush is an exciting and unforgettable experience. The search for animal tracks could perhaps lead to a face-to-face encounter with one of the Big Five. Expert guides also inform participants about the wildlife and plant life that inhabit the savannah, river, and forested environments.

Exciting night tours give visitors the chance to experience the awakening of the African bush at night. Dozens of extraordinary creatures activate after dark and the various sights and sounds that come from the African bush at night are an experience not to be missed.

Guests can also take a trip to Hoedspruit, a small town near the Thornybush Game Reserve. Hoedspruit is a pleasant little town that has retained its rural charm over the years. Very close to Hoedspruit is the well known Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. This center has helped a large number of injured and poisoned animals in need of medical attention, and makes a vital contribution to the treatment and conservation of endangered wildlife species.

There are a number of accommodation options at Thornybush Game Reserve, most being high-end luxury lodges. A highly recommended lodge is Shumbalala Game Lodge. Here, guests stay in luxurious suites enhanced with natural African décor to create a stunning living space. All suites feature a private observation deck overlooking the spectacular African bush and a bathroom with a picture window and an open-air shower, all designed to give guests as close to nature an African experience as possible.

Guests can enjoy extravagant cuisine on the hostel’s decks, positioned to ensure picturesque views across the river. Alternatively, guests can dine in a more formal setting in the candlelit dining room which always has a cozy fire going in winter.

After a visit to Shumbalala, you’ll be able to reflect on close encounters with the Big 5, dazzling sunsets, tempting meals, and luxurious accommodations. Guests take with them the memories of their experience, sure to stay with them for a lifetime.