Rediscover nature in great style and true to the African safari camp of a past era at the Thula Thula Luxury Tented Camp, where the peaceful essence of the African bush can be heard and felt. Exclusivity is assured with only 8 luxury tents, all with private viewing decks, fans, mosquito nets and luxurious ensuite bathroom with Victorian bath and outside shower. Observe wildlife walking around the camp while being served your lunch from the buffet table at our pool bar.
On evenings, you will discover a magical setting in the boma around the fire under African skies to enjoy a buffet dinner with a selection of traditional South African dishes. We also cater for vegetarians and vegans. (To avoid confusion, please note that the French cuisine is only served at the Elephant Safari Lodge).
There is an air conditioned lounge with TV-DSTV, and a game room for children. This lounge is also an art gallery for paintings from local artists who donated their artwork to the Thula Thula Rhino Fund. A buffet lunch is served around the outside thatched bar or by the swimming pool.
Dine under the stars in the boma for a traditional South African braai (barbecue) or a potjie (meat stew with vegetables cooked on the fire in a cast iron pot) where you will share stories of the day’s game viewing or the legends of the bush with your hosts, our dedicated rangers.
The Thula Thula Private Game Reserve is a tribute to the late Lawrence Anthony, a renowned conservationist whose passion for preserving wildlife habitats is reflected in every aspect of Thula Thula. His endeavors have been carried forward by his wife, Francoise Malby Anthony. Under her stewardship, Thula Thula seamlessly blends luxury accommodation with sustainable practices, ensuring that your stay contributes to the ongoing conservation efforts.
Experience an enchanted retreat with only nine beautifully adorned tented suites at Thula Thula Tented Camp. Each suite is a harmonious blend of comfort and elegance with private viewing decks for an unobstructed view of the wilderness.
The nine tented suites are spaciously designed, with sufficient ventilation provided by fans and protection offered by mosquito nets. Luxuriate in the en-suite bathroom, a tasteful combination of modern and Victorian design, including a classic Victorian bath and an exciting outdoor shower. Larger suites with four beds are available for families or those desiring more space. Each tented suite at Thula Thula is a sanctuary that provides an intimate, immersive, and authentic bush experience.
A morning and an afternoon game drives
Game drives are conducted on the Thula Thula private game reserve by professional rangers. You can see elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, hippo, giraffe, crocodile, hyena, wildebeest, kudu, nyala, zebra and many more, including exceptional birdlife.
Thula Thula is proud to announce that the expansion project for elephant habitat has been completed and is now 5000 hectares! This would not have been possible without your incredible help. Maintaining the fences, roads and general infrastructure is an ongoing task. The conservation efforts in protecting our 9 rhinos, our special elephant family and all our wildlife can never be stopped. Neither the dehorning of our rhino and veterinarian assistance when our wildlife family is in need of care, as it is our responsibility and commitment to do everything to ensure their safety and wellbeing. We do thank you for your support.
Rhino Monitoring
Rhinos are monitored on a 24-hour basis, with the Volunteer Academy during the day, while the Anti-poaching and K9 unit continues monitoring 24/7. We monitor our rhinos not only for their own security but also to get insight into their behavior, socially for females and territorial males.
Volunteer Program
The Thula Thula Volunteers program offers both local and international volunteers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get involved in wildlife conservation, reserve management and environmental studies. Thula Thula welcomes you to join a team of highly skilled and knowledgeable guides, reserve managers, and general nature lovers, in our efforts to continually develop a link between people and the wilderness. All proceeds from the Volunteers Academy go to the non-profit South African Conservation Fund to fund Thula Thula’s crucial conservation programm including habitat expansion, anti-poaching and much else.
The Thula Thula volunteers Academy is situated adjacent to the Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, in a secure fenced area, with the most magnificent view over the whole game reserve and Mkhulu Dam, this is one the elephant’s favourite spots and home to our hippo pod. Currently a maximum of 8 volunteers can be accommodated per session, one of the volunteers being from the local community on a complimentary basis. Accommodation has been entirely rebuilt in 8 individual cabins (no tents anymore) very comfortably furnished with queen size beds and a shower en suite.
Our volunteers have been rating it “7 star” volunteer accommodation ! Accommodation and all meals will be provided for you during your stay with us. (You are welcome to bring your own snacks for in-between meals as well as coffee if you prefer filtered or a specific brand. Please also bring your own drinks for sundowners).
Volunteers will be immersed into a 1 to 3-week program of living in the African wilderness, sharing experiences with others, growing their skills, and making a difference to the reserve. The programme will vary slightly throughout the year due to seasonal changes as well as the ever-shifting conservation challenges. Thula Thula offers a well-rounded program aimed at covering both the needs of the reserve, surrounding communities as well as providing a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience for the volunteers. During your stay with us, volunteers will see themselves as “Assistant Conservation Managers”, as all the work done, and data collected will be utilized by Thula Thula for the ongoing conservation of the reserve.