Phinda Forest Lodge

The spacious interactive kitchen brings a cheerful atmosphere to the lodge, allowing guests to see their mouth-watering meals being prepared.

In the evenings, when warm firelight welcomes you to the traditional African boma, wide-eyed bush babies watch inquisitively from the trees above, as you in indulge in a lantern-lit feast beneath a canvas of stars.

Enjoy early morning and late afternoon game drives that continue after nightfall. Professionally trained guides explain about the vegetation of the region and the behavior of the animals that you come across. Phinda Private Game Reserve is renowned for its exceptional sightings of the elusive cheetah and the rare black rhino, as well as the Big Five.

Accompanied by your ranger, enjoy an interpretive nature walk, around the lodge, where you learn more about the intricacies of the African bush. Experience the thrill of tracking animals on foot, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team. Engage all your sense as you discover a world where each sound, scent and bent blade of grass has a meaning.

The vast sandy beaches of the Maputaland coastline provide a beautiful setting for a half-day beach outing. Soak up the sun, splash in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, relax with a good book, play beach games, take leisurely walks along the shoreline or snorkel alongside Jesser Point, a protected marine reserve.

Recognized as one of the top ten dive sites in the world, Sodwana Bay offers an abundance of fish and marine life throughout the year. The gullies, ledges and pinnacles of the coral reef are home to more than 1 200 fascinating fish species.

For four months during the southern hemisphere summer, the enormous leatherback and loggerhead turtles emerge from the Indian Ocean at Sodwana Bay to lay their precious eggs in the sand. As the moon rises over the ocean, excitement grows as you drive along the deserted coastline in search of fresh turtle tracks that emerge from the ocean and travel along the beach in search of a suitable nesting site. Watch as the female turtle digs her nest and lays her clutch of up to a hundred eggs. SEASONAL: Available November to February.

Visit a Zulu community just outside Phinda Private Game Reserve and interact with the friendly Zulu people. An expert guide will escort you through the community and share interesting insight into the Zulu culture and its fascinating customs, beliefs and traditions. The adventure ends with a quick stop at the Mbhedula Craft Market, where the beautiful handiwork of 43 Zulu crafters is showcased. It’s a great place to find that perfect souvenir of your time spent with the Zulu people.

Photographic enthusiasts, from beginners to advanced, can now capture the wondrous landscapes and magical creatures of andBeyond’s Phinda Private Game Reserves, by taking advantage of a fully equipped photographic safari vehicle. The vehicle has been fitted with state-of-the-art camera mounts and cater for a maximum of four guests, ensuring exclusivity during your safari experience.

Spend the night sleeping directly beneath the stars in the heart of the bush on this thrilling overnight adventure. As the sun sets at the end of your afternoon game drive, you will arrive at a beautiful clearing in the midst of the bush, where comfortable beds with warm duvets and blankets, as well as billowing mosquito nets, are set up for you. Pull your chair up to the blazing campfire and toast the sunset as darkness deepens. Enjoy a delicious meal prepared on the open fire and fall asleep in utter tranquility, surrounded by Africa’s night sounds and kept safe by an armed guard.

Whilst enjoying the exceptional Big Five &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, why not treat yourself to an Ocean Safari that offers a wonderful opportunity to encounter some of South Africa’s beautiful marine life. This exciting adventure, aboard an inflatable vessel and in the company of a certified dive master, offers the prospect of encountering and swimming with wild dolphins, snorkeling amidst flourishing reefs and the chance to view humpback and southern right whales (seasonal).

Be among four groups, of up to eight guests each, who will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in Phinda Private Game Reserve’s elephant conservation project. Here, you will have the opportunity to witness an elephant darting, and assist in the changing of the sleeping pachyderm’s radio collar. Available at an additional cost (excluding accommodation), Guests need to be 12 years and older to participate and is subject to the availability of the wildlife veterinarian and helicopter pilot. If less than 6 guests, a private vehicle will need to be booked. Minimum stay of 3 nights' stay required in order to guarantee favorable conditions for darting.

Enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with a rhino while assisting in the conservation of this rare species. This adventure allows guests to witness the capture and darting of a rhino and assist the veterinary team in notching the sleeping animals ear for research and security monitoring. Groups of up to eight guests each (sharing the same vehicle) can participate in the entire process, from locating and darting the rhino by helicopter to the never to be repeated opportunity to touch the anaesthetized giant during the notching procedure. Guests will need to spend a minimum of three nights. Guests need to be 12 years and older to participate and is subject to the availability of the wildlife veterinarian and helicopter pilot. If less than 6 guests, a private vehicle will need to be booked.

Enjoy relaxing, Healing Earth in-room massages with one of qualified therapists, or try your hand at our complimentary gym-in-a basket that allows for minor functional training in the comfort of your suite or out on your private deck.

The lodge features a delightful Safari Shop where a range of quality handicrafts showcase the very best of the Zulu region. In addition, the lodge also boasts an Ardmore gallery, displaying handmade ceramics, fabric and table ware from the luxury African lifestyle brand

WILDchild program, is designed especially for children and is filled with fun, interactive activities that offer opportunities to learn, discover new experiences and cultures. Deeply rooted in the love for the African bush, it not only creates a series of unforgettable moments for the whole family but forges strong bonds between our young guests, our planet and its people.