Buffalo Thorn Lodge
R565 Black Rhino Game Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park, Moses Kotane Local Municipality South Africa
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About
#12 of 17 lodges in Moses Kotane Local Municipality
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HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Charming
Languages Spoken
Afrikaans
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Billiards
Highchairs available
Shuttle bus service
Hot bath
Outdoor pool
Private pool
BBQ facilities
Convenience store
Non-smoking hotel
Private check-in / check-out
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Safe
Coffee / tea maker
Electric blanket
Whirlpool bathtub
Seating area
Iron
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Kitchenette
Dishwasher
Microwave
Refrigerator
Kitchenware
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Location
R565 Black Rhino Game Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park, Moses Kotane Local Municipality South Africa
Getting there
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36Reviews1Q+A11Room tips
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+1
What a once in a lifetime experience we had at Buffalo thorn. We made precious memories we will remember for the rest of our lives and a lot of this is down to Evan and Jumari who were THE best hosts. Evan was extremely knowledgeable about literally everything, I have learnt so many interesting facts (on that note, a lovely touch was how they left these little animal fact sheets on our bed side table every evening to read). He made us feel like friends, not guests and he made a huge effort with the younger members of our family. Notably, our little 1YO shouting boo when the lions were crossing the road… The lodge itself was everything you need and more with all the amenities. The staff kept it super clean and we couldn’t quite get over not even having to wash up, we really felt very well looked after. The rooms were very spacious, bathroom was amazing, especially with free little toiletries. Evan and jumari lit us a fire pit every night if we wanted it and the flexed the safari trips around us. Evan also made sure we saw as much as we could, with keen bird watchers in the group too he made sure to stop for them too. Truly amazing thank you so much!…
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Take a nice warm jumper for morning game drives
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Amazing 5 days with amazing hosts and supporting staff! The stay was perfect from beginning to end, Jumari and Evan looked after our every need and became part of the family. The game drives were tailored to our group and the supporting staff were super friendly and maintained the facilities to a very high standard. I would highly recommend staying, the advantages of this lodge is that it has two very active watering holes adjacent to the fences - which means you regularly see ALOT of animals from the swimming pool and hot tub area!!
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Helpful tip:
Any problems raise them, the hosts can fix anything.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Synchroon an incredible experience, from the time we arrived to the time we left, throughout our stay, everything exceeded our expectations. Jumari & Evan were fantastic hosts. Evan was amazing in sharing his passion and knowledge with us. Fantastic sightings, from hippos, lions, buffalo, herd of elephants and more and more! There were so much life at the waterholes by the lodge. Sighting of elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, impala and zebra, just from sitting on the deck by the pool. The facility is incredible, well kept, and certainly 5* The staff are friendly and helpful. Hoping to be back in the very near future, and recommending this lodge to anyone looking for a bush breakaway and a memorable experience. Thank you SO MUCH. Marcell
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Jumari & Evan… I could not have hoped for better hosts and rangers 😍 You two made our stay incredible! Thank you for everything and the absolute BEST game drives I have ever been on!! The lodge team is wonderful! Can’t wait to visit again 😍 A very big Thank you to the whole team at Buffalo Thorn Lodge, brilliant! ❤️ much love, the 50th birthday bunch xxx
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
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Room Tip: Pack a warm jacket if you go for an early game drive 😉
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We stayed for 4 nights at Buffalo Thorn Losge and had a fabulous time from the moment we entered the Game Reserve. Our hosts, Ivan and Jumarie where fabulous in every sense. We thoroughly enjoyed the daily game drives and saw not only the big 5 though much more. Highly recommend this lodge it was simply the best. The waterholes provided plenty of wildlife day and night which was surreal from the pool deck and viewing platforms.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: A fabulous destination a must do at least once in your lifetime.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We had a wonderful 3 night stay at Buffalo Thorn Lodge. The lodge itself is well equipped and felt like escapism for a few days. It is perfectly set up to enjoy spending time as a group as well as getting some time alone in gorgeous surroundings. The host couple were fantastic; knowledgeable yet chilled. They weren't phased by our 2 year old coming on the drives either! Hopefully we will be back soon!
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Date of stay: September 2022
Value
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Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We went for 3 nights of luxury and boy did it live up to expectations. Ivan and Jumarie were welcoming and friendly. We had great drives and huge array of animals and birds. Saw many new birds. Will come again.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Rooms
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Having been to the lodge before I was excited to return, albeit more than 2 years later than planned. Jumari and Evan were very friendly and everyone enjoyed the weekend - especially the jacuzzi. Even two days of rain didn't dampen the enthusiasm, although the load shedding on the last day was disappointing, especially as it affected the availability of water. Jumari's communication before our visit was excellent and she very kindly made a plan when there was a sudden change in our accommodation. The hot towels she provided after every game drive were also a welcome touch. Unfortunately, I must mention that Buffalo Thorn's 5-star rating is currently not warranted and the following needs attention: - ensure that the facilities work (e.g. hot water, spa bath, hairdryer and lights; have a generator back-up for power outages) - consistency is king (e.g. if there's ground coffee, include a plunger; if there's a turndown service, do it every night; if there are gowns, have enough and make sure that they are spotless; if there are wet towels, dry or change them; if you provide a step to assist in boarding the game vehicle, make sure it's always there) - look at quality (e.g. chipped, mismatched, faded and broken crockery, utensils, lampshades and lounger covers should be replaced) - maintenance is important (e.g. broken or damaged game vehicles; occasional dirty dishes and the odd room that is not 100% clean can be managed) Despite these suggested improvements, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and Jumari was quick to attend to any issues raised. An excellent cheetah and cub sighting; lion, elephant and rhino aplenty; jackal, impala, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, hippo and bird photographic opportunities; as well as interesting tree and animal behaviour highlights, excited even the most blasé amongst us. Thanks to Evan for even taking the die-hards out in the rain and for enduring the rowdiness of the group. It was sad not to see any animals at the waterhole but with all the rain in the park, this wasn't unexpected. However, the resident spurfowl and hornbills were a real treat. Thank you to everyone who made this a very special birthday surprise for my husband over the Easter weekend.…
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Date of stay: April 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: The two units on either side of the living area have lofts for younger guests. Beware the...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
My husband and I visited Buffalo Thorn Lodge as part of a group of friends for a long weekend in March 2022. This place is exquisite. We could truly relax around the pool and soak up the sun for 4 perfect days straight, reconnecting with old friends - the jacuzzi and lookout was a treat. Twice a day game drives afforded us new knowledge about the animals we found under the skilled guidance of our ranger Evan. His passion for the bush and its animals is contagious and his knowledge is vast and impressive - we especially loved the little anecdotes from his personal experiences which were shared. We still cannot decide which of the animals we encountered were our favourites - the elephant family or the dung beetles, the lion who caught and ate (and was injured by!) a porcupine, or the cheetahs next to the road. I will be keeping a close eye on Evan's blog posts from now on! Rooms and amenities were always perfectly clean and comfortable thanks to the housekeeping staff under Jumarie's supervision, and best of all was that I didn't need to wash one dish the entire time! We returned home well-rested and with a new appreciation for our beautiful country and all it has to offer.…
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Date of stay: March 2022
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We had the most fabulous time at Buffalo Thorn Lodge. The lodge was amazing and the views from the deck were the best. We even had a pregnant cheetah that came to drink at the waterhole. Truly amazing! Ewan and Yumarie were the best hosts ever. Nothing was too much trouble and they made sure that everything "just happened" ...... Ewan's knowledge of the bush, animals, fauna and flora were out of a text book. We learnt so much each and every game drive. He's really amazing! We will never forget how to tell the difference between a white and black Rhino.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Peace and quiet, stunning setting, great hosts
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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PRICE RANGE
US$884 - US$1,068 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaNorth-West ProvinceMoses Kotane Local MunicipalityPilanesberg National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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Frequently Asked Questions about Buffalo Thorn Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Buffalo Thorn Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Buffalo Thorn Lodge?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Buffalo Thorn Lodge?
Guests can enjoy a lounge and barbeque facilities during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Buffalo Thorn Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness centre during their stay.
Does Buffalo Thorn Lodge have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Buffalo Thorn Lodge offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.