Thornybush Game Lodge

TLDR: Thornybush Game lodge is a great option for first time safari goers, families, and couples. Great experience for what you will spend on this trip in South Africa. We stayed at Thornybush this past May for our wedding anniversary trip in South Africa. It was about a 30-mins drive from the Hoedspruit airport so fly there if you are coming from CPT or JNB. We had a couple of preferences when we were working with our travel agent for our first safari trip. We wanted all inclusive of everything (alcoholic drinks included), semi private, not too crowded, and 5-star. Thornybush met all these requirements. The service was phenomenal. We stayed here for 3 days and it was one of the best places we’ve stayed at and we’ve been to over 30 countries. Now it’s super hard to go back to Safari in a national park because the Thornybush game reserve is amazing. Our game drives happened 2x/day with the same tracker & guide who were btw phenomenal. Make sure you request for Delta and Freedom if you are coming here. They are the best in the business. Literally they’re so good at finding the animals that we literally saw a leopard at least once a day which is not common at all! For the 2 days we were there, we saw a leopard 2x a day! We also witnessed a once in a lifetime scene of a lion hunt, just like in the lion king. It was so amazing. The staff is incredible and they are so attentive we felt like kings and queens! The food is amazing and the drinks are always available. Shout out to the awesome staff and manager! The spa is also great and we did other things like a bush walk and bush dinner. There’s so many activities to do that we didn’t get to enjoy the pool and I wish we stayed more days to be honest. At one point I got really ill because of my motion sickness patch and the staff was so helpful to us and even delivered my dinner to our room. Laundry is also included in the stay. We also hired a photographer on our last night game drive which was the best idea so I highly recommend doing that because we got nice photos of us in the bush. I think the only improvement I can suggest is having an option for either a doctor or nurse practitioner that can provide medication in case guests got ill because that happened to me but thankfully I was fine. The other thing that I think they missed was that they didn’t really acknowledge our wedding anniversary which is kinda disappointing like the room wasn’t decorated or anything like that. I know that they do this for honeymooners but I wish they would also do it for everyone who is celebrating something. Regardless, I highly recommend Thornybush if you have the budget for it!

We visited Thornybush for a 3 day safari, last week as part b of an Abercrombie and Kent tour. The staff gave us a warm welcome, and we found our beautiful room clean, neat and comfortable. Glory, our butler provided exceptional service and Muxi and KP our guides showed us the Big 5 and helped us understand the animals and their environment. It was unforgettable and we would highly recommend Thornybush.

Posto incredibile, affacciato sulla riserva del Kruger. Siamo stati benissimo, personale super accogliente e disponibile. Ristorante davvero ottimo e per non parlare della nostra guida Tracy e del ns tracker Orlando..preziosissimi per farci vedere i TOP 5 e non solo! E stata un’avventura bellissima e vi ringraziamo per averci lasciato tutti questi bei ricordi del Wild Sud Africa! See you!

In March 2025, our family spent three nights at the wonderful Thorny Bush Lodge in Timbavati, South Africa. We had an excellent time — from the outstanding meals to the warm, attentive service and truly exceptional game viewing. The experience arrangers and safari guides were knowledgeable and engaging, and the management and staff overall were experienced, professional, and welcoming. Everything ran smoothly, and the hospitality was top-notch. The only downside we noted was that certain areas of the rooms require maintenance, especially for a lodge positioned in the ultra-luxury five-star category. Some doors didn’t close or seal properly, leaving small gaps — particularly around the bathroom and outdoor shower doors, as well as the main entrance. These gaps allowed insects like mosquitoes to enter, especially at night when the lights were on. Despite this, we had a fantastic stay and would highly recommend Thorny Bush Lodge to anyone seeking an authentic and luxurious safari experience. We would definitely return

It was a once in a lifetime wildlife experience. The lodge and service were amazing! The food was incredible. The morning and afternoon evening safaris were once in a lifetime experiences where we saw the Big 5 in our 3 days there. I would love to one day return.

From the moment we pulled into the lodge from the airport it was the red carpet rolled out. Everyone made us feel like we were part of the family and personalized service beyond belief. Our guides Taya and Elliott were beyond amazing we did a total of 8 game drives and on our first game drive it was beyond spectacular. Just when you think your off to a good start and it can’t get any better they pull even more out of there hat. Now mind you this is nature they just knew where to go and they were beyond friendly and so personable. The worst part of the trip as there is always something is when we had to leave. If you are looking for a place to stay look no further you will not question your decision in the least. The only question you will have is why didn’t i do this sooner.