Thornhill Safari Lodge — Hotel in Maruleng Local Municipality

The review came a bit late as I had a few more travels after my South Africa trip. However at the back of my mind, I never forget to do it as I really appreciated the couple owners, Merle and Sean, and their staff during our stay.

Their hospitality was received the moment I booked the Safari lodge. Upon booking, Merle sent me a message on the driving directions from Johannesburg, and later on gave me a guide on things to do at the region. What we haven’t expected was we lost our way during our drive to the lodge in the Guernsey Nature Reserve after nightfall, and our car was stuck on a sandpile. Not knowing what we could do, I gave a call to the lodge, and immediately Merle sent Sean, and a staff to assist us. They used their car to pull our car out of the sandpile, and guided us to the lodge. That was a great relief for my boyfriend and I as both of us are city dwellers and being stuck at night in the nature wasn’t very easy for us.

The moment we reached the lodge, all the staff and guests welcomed us and waited for us to start dinner. Dinner was an impressive experience as we all sat surrounding a wood fire while the chef gave an introduction of the dinner he dedicatedly prepared for us every night. First impression of local food was amazing. Merle also gave us a complimentary room upgrade since we were going to stay there for 3 nights and she would like us to be more comfortable.

Throughout the stay, Sean and Merle took care of us and tried to accommodate to our requests including our unusual request to have a bit of a self-drive experience in the National Park. Sean went the extra mile to check out the feasibility of the driving route and advised us to enter from one end to the other end of Manyeleti Game Reserve to head to our next destination. This is not a popular driving route so the extra help was again appreciated.

The morning bushwalk was a first experience for us when we saw up close impalas, kudus, and zebras. There was also a giraffe that came very close to the sunset viewing deck.

Overall, we had a very great experience and would like to share this with the potential guests and are very grateful towards the Thornhill team for giving us a wonderful...

Our stay in Thornhill was absolutely lovely. We were greeted with a lot of love from the start by the manager, Vincent who is very helpful and will try his best to make your stay as good as possible. The whole staff is really good, the barman Connor is a very fun to talk guy and makes really good cocktails, he was also very helpful! The Chefs are really amazing as well the food was amazing with a lot of variety and a very unique combination of spices and flavours and served by a bonfire in a rustic setting that made the experience even more magical. The guides, Lambs (hope I wrote it right ) and Goodman are very knowledgeable, friendly and funny, both have many years of experience in the industry and will definitely make all the activities you do with them even better.

Everybody helped us a lot and made our experience even greater. The place in itself is magical, with animals surrounding the lodge, Zebras, Impalas, Giraffes, Ostriches, Gnus, you name it. One night we actually had a herd of Zebras and Impalas pass just behind our room. The room is very comfortable and very well cleaned and tidy. The lodge also has a sunset deck that gives you a nice view and a cool place to relax and have a drink when you arrive from the activities. The barman, Connor regularly goes up there to get drink orders when there are people there, making it even better.

The lodge offers all the activities you would get in the area and even more. Like a Village Tour, organised by Goodman where he will take you to HIS village and show you exactly how the people live in the area and give you a wholesome experience.

All of this with a price that is great for the region.

Definitely will be staying here when we come back. Thanks a lot for everyone that made our...

The Thornhill Safari Lodge is beautiful and blends in seamlessly with the surrounding environment. The attention to detail in the decor, amenities, and furnishings was impressive, creating a luxurious yet rustic ambiance. The lodge staff was friendly and attentive, going out of their way to ensure my stay was comfortable and enjoyable. The meals were delicious.

I had the pleasure of going on a late afternoon/evening game drive on the first day and a full day tour at Kruger National Park on the second day. Both tours had outstanding guides who made my experience unforgettable. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about wildlife, and enthusiasm for the environment was contagious.

The guides' expertise in spotting animals was impressive, and their explanations of each species were fascinating, making the experience feel personalized and immersive. It was evident that the guides deeply respected the environment and the animals we saw.

Another highlight was the morning game walk from the lodge. The guide for the game walk was Incredibly knowledgeable about the animals we saw and the habitats they lived in. She took the time to explain each animal's behavior and characteristics, making the experience both educational and thrilling. Her expertise extended beyond just the animals, as they were also well-versed in the local culture and history. They shared fascinating stories about the people who lived in the area and their traditions, adding depth and richness to my experience.

I would highly recommend this lodge to anyone looking for an authentic experience. Excellent service, beautiful accommodations, and unforgettable safari experiences make this lodge a must-visit...