Thornybush

Thornybush Thornybush offers a truly authentic safari experience in the Greater Kruger National Park.
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Thornybush sits on 14 000 hectares of pristine, untouched bushveld - adjacent to the Kruger National Park. 12 Luxury lodges and tented camps offer visitors the opportunity to experience a safari in stylish, unpretentious comfort. If you're looking for a true safari experience, in a Big 5 reserve, then Thornybush is the perfect choice. We offer the full safari experience, from morning game drives t

o guided bush walks and sunset drives, with the main event being the incredible diversity of wildlife. We have both 4 and 5-star lodges, some of which are quite intimate, accommodating only 8 guests, and others which are bigger, accommodating up to 40 people. We also have conferencing facilities and wedding infrastructure for events which are truly unforgettable. If you're planning a Southern Africa safari, then make sure you choose Thornybush!

More space. More comfort. More reasons to stay a little longer.Discover the latest additions to Saseka Tented Camp, desi...
07/06/2026

More space. More comfort. More reasons to stay a little longer.

Discover the latest additions to Saseka Tented Camp, designed to bring families, friends, and unforgettable safari moments together.

A new indoor dining space and bar offer a welcoming retreat on cooler evenings, while a thoughtfully curated wine room invites guests to discover some of South Africa’s finest vintages. The redesigned boma creates an even more beautiful setting for fireside conversations beneath the stars, and the new wellness centre offers space to move, recover, and unwind between safari adventures.

Thoughtfully designed, carefully considered, and always connected to the wilderness beyond.

The bush remains the main attraction. We’ve simply added a few more ways to enjoy it.

05/06/2026

You hear it before you see anything.

A fork-tailed drongo cuts through the silence >> sharp, urgent. Your guide stops walking. So do you. Somewhere ahead, something is moving.

This is what the bush does. It pulls you out of your head and into the world. Suddenly the small things aren’t small anymore. A track pressed into the sand. The smell of wild sage crushed underfoot. A medicinal plant your grandmother might have known by name.

Knowledge passes from tracker to guest, one quiet footstep at a time. The bush has always spoken. We’re just learning to listen again.

In conservation, you learn to hold two things at once: the hope and the heartbreak.
Nationally, rhino poaching dropped 16% in 2025. A hard-won, meaningful step forward. But in the Greater Kruger — this landscape, our backyard — numbers nearly doubled. The fight didn’t move away from us. It moved closer.

There is still so much work to do.
But in 2024, 120 southern white rhinos were rewilded back into the Greater Kruger. A historic moment. Proof that when reserves, rangers, trackers and guests all show up — the wild fights back.

This , we walk. We listen. We protect what we love.

04/06/2026

A triple nomination that has our entire team smiling.
Saseka, Thornybush Game Lodge, and Simbambili are up for the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

It’s an immense honour to have all three properties recognised, and a beautiful nod to the passion our staff put into every single day!

If we’re part of your favourite travel memories, we’d be so grateful for your vote.

Vote now via the link in our bio.

At Thornybush, sustainability is more than a commitment, it’s part of our DNA.As proud members of The Long Run, a global...
02/06/2026

At Thornybush, sustainability is more than a commitment, it’s part of our DNA.

As proud members of The Long Run, a global network built around Conservation, Community, Culture, and Commerce, we remain focused on protecting biodiversity, supporting local communities, and ensuring tourism creates a meaningful long-term impact.

From endangered species protection and renewable energy to community development and education initiatives, our approach to conservation extends far beyond the safari experience itself.

Because meaningful travel should do more than inspire. It should protect, uplift, and leave a lasting positive impact.

•30% of Thornybush revenue is reinvested directly into conservation efforts.
•25% of our energy usage is currently solar generated.
•100% of wet organic waste is donated to local pig farmers, while approximately 2,500 plastic bottles are diverted from landfill every week.
•85% of the Thornybush team is employed from the local surrounding area, while 3.7% of revenue is invested directly back into community initiatives.
•1,334 school-going children have directly benefited through local schools, 230 children are supported through early childhood development centres, and 64 tourism student internships have been facilitated through Thornybush.

29/05/2026

Quiet moments at Game Lodge.

Coffee. Crackling fires. The rhythm of the wild.

Where nature, people, and heritage come together in the most extraordinary way. Happy Africa Day.
25/05/2026

Where nature, people, and heritage come together in the most extraordinary way.

Happy Africa Day.

It’s called the library, but there’s no expectation to be quiet.A place to read, relax, play a game, or review your wild...
19/05/2026

It’s called the library, but there’s no expectation to be quiet.

A place to read, relax, play a game, or review your wildlife photos from the morning’s drive.

If you’re lucky, the resident Nyala might even pay a visit to the lawn outside!

A day spent in a tree is a day well spent, at least for a leopard.The Tumbela male, comfortably settled in a marula tree...
17/05/2026

A day spent in a tree is a day well spent, at least for a leopard.

The Tumbela male, comfortably settled in a marula tree, soaking up the sun.

Captured by Thornybush guide

15/05/2026

•Fewer than 7,000 cheetahs remain in the wild.
•White-backed vulture populations in parts of southern Africa have declined by over 80%.
•South Africa has lost nearly 70% of its Southern Ground Hornbill range.
•Only around 6,600 African wild dogs remain across the African continent.
•Pangolins remain the most heavily trafficked mammals on Earth.

Protecting these species requires far more than just protected land. It takes constant effort from anti-poaching teams, conservation organisations, reserve management, and the people working behind the scenes every day to keep these ecosystems functioning.

At Thornybush, this protection comes through a number of ongoing conservation initiatives, one of which is the work done by Tango K9. Using highly trained tracking and detection dogs, the team assists in anti-poaching operations, human trailing, and the detection of illegal wildlife contraband, work that technology alone still cannot match.

As tourism declined during the pandemic, conservation funding dropped significantly across South Africa, while poaching and snaring incidents increased. It’s a reminder that tourism and conservation are deeply connected.

Every safari contributes to protecting these landscapes and the species that depend on them.

Turns out, sundowners are kind of our thing.Margarita. Mojito. Old Fashioned. Maybe something with a bit of citrus and s...
13/05/2026

Turns out, sundowners are kind of our thing.

Margarita. Mojito. Old Fashioned. Maybe something with a bit of citrus and spice.

What’s your go-to?

Whatever it is, we’re more than happy to make it.

Address

Thornybush Nature Reserve
Hoedspruit
1380

Telephone

+27112536500

Website

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