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#1 of 10 lodges in Guernsey Private Nature Reserve
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Rooms
Value
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Nestled within the heart of the Greater Kruger Park ecosystem - South Africa, a mere 40km from Kruger Park's Orpen gate. This area is a premier eco- tourist destination, with ever present views of the Drakensburg Escarpment.
Thornhill Safari Lodge is the ideal answer when you are looking for accommodation near Kruger Park and the absolute best game viewing experiences. We offer affordable getaways with comfortable rooms and excellent facilities in 13 authentic thatch-roof chalets and a 5-bedroom self-catering house
Activities:
• Full day Kruger Park safari: Spend the day discovering the wildlife in one of the greatest conservation areas in the world.
• Big Five Game Drive: Experience thrilling encounters with Africa's iconic wildlife.
• Guided Nature Walk: Explore the wilderness on foot with knowledgeable guides.
• Blyde Canyon River Cruise: Enjoy Full day Kruger
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Location
Portion 144 of the Farm Guernsey 81 KU, Guernsey Private Nature Reserve 1380 South Africa
Amazing stay at Thornhill Safari Lodge. We could not have been happier with our stay. As first timers on safari with a limited budget and time this was perfect. You go on Safari for the wildlife so I'll start with that. The full day Kruger safari did not disappoint and the guide, Dyson, was highly experienced and knowledgeable. For the shorter 1/2 days, the local reserves were easily accessible and the animal encounters were frequent and magical. Overall, the staff couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. The accommodation was very clean, with some really nice touches like turning on heating so we were toasty warm when we came back from night safari. food was also excellent. In terms of value for money, I thought it was excellent.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: June 2024
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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.
What can I say ... I was the nervous one in our family of 3! I needn't have been. We had the most amazing experiences at Thornhill and will never forget it. The staff were wonderful and seemed to have a good relationship with each other which I feel is important. Renee, Nicole (who went the extra mile literally) taking us on a trip to God's Window and Roundawels, Sam on our safari to Kruger, all the catering staff, excellent food and cleaning staff. The staff made us feel comfortable and nothing was too much trouble. Our best safari by far was with Jonno in Greater Kruger. His knowledge was amazing and fascinating. We saw so much wildlife, all a dream come true. Wonderful wildlife in the immediate area around our lodge too. Great atmosphere at the outdoor meals in the evening, hearing lions roaring in the distance. The monkeys were very naughty but looked cute! Beware though!! We had a few other safaris on the Garden Route, don't waste your money on these, Thornhill and Kruger were by far the best. My only disappointment was our dark room, bathroom rather tired and dated. We didn't spend much time at all in our room. Thank you so much to all at Thornhill, so much knowledge from all the staff. We missed you all after we left.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
We were greeted like royalty at Thornhill Lodge and the rest of the experience was incredible.The rooms were so comfortable and the mosquito net around the bed worked a treat! The staff could not do enough to make our stay truely memorable - David, with his lovely infectious smile, kept the drinks in good supply, the kitchen staff cooked up sumptious meals and Glen and his team made sure everything ran smoothly. It was lovely to go up to the viewing deck in the evenings to watch the sunset then to return to the comfortable bar area before being summoned to dinner by the beating of the drum! Our driver at the Big Five safari made sure we got up close (but safely) to lions, elephant, zebra and even a leopard in a tree who was enjoying an afternoon snack of impala! The full day safari in Kruger with Sam was amazing, the panoramic tour was so beautiful and the early morning safari walk with Fikile was informative and a wonderful experience. We would definitely reommend a stay in this beautiful place.
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Date of stay: February 2023
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Sleep Quality
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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The approach route is very arduous as way in poor condition and the lodge is far away from the gate . Unsuitable for daily trips. There are better and closer lodges to the main road , which are also quiet . Our safe in the room could not be opened and there was no attempt made during our 3 night stay to repair it. So we carried our valuables around with us all the time. The packed lunch on Kruger Safari Day included muffins , chips and a non-sightly apple and simple toasted bread . We're not eating any of this! Fruit or similar would have been great when there are mandarins and mango plantations nearby. After we claimed this , only a tired eyebrow came up on the part of the manager . Towels smelled musty on the day of arrival , I put one of them on the floor so you can change it ... it hung on the hook again the next day . How gross! Breakfast and dinner nothing special and the worst of our previous Africa stays . Panoramic route with guide was a joke , there was no information where we go , how long it takes and information about the sights we have chosen ourselves over the Internet .
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
We loved how attentive all staff and managers were as well as knowledgeable about the wildlife, trees etc. Rooms are amazingly immersed in the bush with wildlife regularly visiting early morning and evenings. Only down side was shower soap dispenser was broken and not repaired or even noticed throughout our three day stay.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2023
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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.
From the moment we arrived in the car park at Thornhill we were made to feel particularly welcome by Nicolette and her team, especially by David. Mealtimes offered a great opportunity for us to meet our fellow guests and Joanna's very tasty meals were always well received. All in all we had a great three night stay and so would highly recommend Thornhill to anyone and any family visiting the Kruger area.
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Date of stay: April 2022
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Sleep Quality
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.
The safari to Thornhill Safari Lodge was everything we thought a safari should be, plus more! The service offered by the facility was top-notch in all ways. The game viewing drives were led by very capable leaders and the variety of animals seen was outstanding. The food service was delicious and shared communally so all meals had a family dining feeling between the guests. All together, the safari experience with Thornhill was beautiful and is highly recommended.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
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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.
Such a tranquil spot in the middle of a game reserve. The staff were, without exception, excellent - so friendly and would go out of their way to look after guests. Food was always extremely tasty and stunningly presented. Game came down to the waterhole at the entrance, as well as the small drinking holes next to the pool frequently. The joy of swimming with a small herd of zebra arriving to drink next to us was untold! Plenty of excursions to choose from, although we enjoyed time there and watching animals come and go.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
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.
I had a fantastic time at this lodge! It was my first solo adventure travel experience and first time in the bush. The experience exceeded all expectations! I felt completely welcome and very comfortable. The lodge is run by very kind staff - thanks to Amos, my engaging safari guide, David, the friendly bartender, Abel, my bush walk guide, Nicole, who coordinated my stay, and the terrific cooks Dudu, Annetjie, and Nomsa, who prepared fresh and delicious food. Housekeepers Nelly, Rivonia and Maureen ensured my stay was clean and comfortable. The lodge is simply beautiful. A gem! About one hour from Kruger National Park! Animals all around. I will never forget my time at Thornhill! Highly recommend!
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Date of stay: October 2023
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
We stayed in a family room for 4 nights, all of the staff were very helpful and friendly and went out of their way to make sure everything was ok. They organised a number of great trips for us. Great location for Kruger and we got up close to several animals within the lodge. Would definitely recommend this as a family safari base
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Tea and coffee on tap in the main area. Sockets in the room, so bring your kettle if you wish -if you have time to use it before the 0530 start for the safari. Great place, authentic and memorable.
Well run with excellent owners and staff. Whats not to enjoy.
Everywhere we stayed in SA had facilities for tea etc in room by the way.
Hi Bernard, Sorry for the delay via this mode of media but I've been away on leave, albeit I see that you have had some excellent advise. I did respond via your facebook enquiry and I know that my reservation team have been in touch with you. Hopefully you'll be coming to stay with us and I look forward to seeing you soon. Regards Chris
There are more places to choose from in the Guernsey Private Nature Reserve area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 2,666 - RÂ 3,013 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
thornhill safari hotel hoedspruit
LOCATION
South AfricaLimpopo ProvinceGuernsey Private Nature Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
13
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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