Serondella Lodge
Thornybush Game Reserve
Greater Kruger National Park
Features
- Serondella means ”the place of the elephant” and they are habitual patrons to the lodge’s two flanking waterholes, allowing excellent opportunities for spectacular photographs and videos from the comfort of the lodge’s lounge or suites.
- The viewing hides allow bird lovers an excellent opportunity to encounter The Thornybush Game Reserve‘s 507 different species of bird as well as regular visits by other animals.
- With the added option of a three-bedroomed family suite and elevated viewing hides, Serondella Lodge is an ideal safari destination for families and photographers alike.
- Big FiveYes
- Off RoadYes (for Big 5 Sightings Only)
- Camp FencedYes
- Child PolicyAll ages welcome
- PoolYes - Main Area Has A Heated Infinity Pool. Suites Have Private Heated Splash Pool.
- SPAYes
- AirconYes
- Cellphone SignalNo
- Malaria AreaYes
- WI-FIYes
Location
Thornybush Game Reserve
Getting There
5 hour drive from Johannesburg. Scheduled daily flights from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit Airport (twice daily).
Selected flights from Cape Town (3 times weekly). Transfers from Hoedspruit Airport to the Lodge available.
Accommodation
2 x Luxury Suites
1 x 2 Bedroom Family Suite
1 x 3 Bedroom Family Suite
Rates & Special Offers
Deals By Date
Please note:
- All rates are subject to availability.
- Proof of SADC residency may be required at the time of booking or upon check-in at the lodge.
- Surcharges may apply on rates over peak holiday periods and long weekends.
- Unless otherwise stated, all rates listed are based on a minimum 2 night stay. Surcharges may apply for a 1 night booking.
- Rates quoted are only applicable to SA Residents only. Special Discounted rates for International Residents are available on request
- Gate fee for self driving guests: R 230 per car for a light vehicle and R 840 for a heavy vehicle (truck) for Avoca and Dzonga Gates. (Subject to change)
- Rates exclude a Conservation Fee of R 600 per person per booking which needs to be prepaid upon booking. (Subject to change)
- Airstrip landing fees: R 240 per person applicable for landing and departing. (Subject to change)
- There will be a supplement of 50% on the per person sharing rate for single accommodation.
- Children of all ages are welcome at Serondella and best accommodated in the family suites.
- Children are charged as follows:
- 0 – 5 years are accommodated free of charge
- 2 Children (6 – 11 years) are accommodated at 50% of the adult sharing rate in the family suites
- In the event that only 1 child (6 – 11 years) shares with two adults in a family suite, the adult sharing rate will apply.
- If 2 children under the age of 05 years are accommodated in a family suite, the 50% child rate will apply.
- Children under 12 must share with adults in the family suite.
- From the age of 6, children are allowed on the daily game drives during standard game drive times, at Management’s discretion.
- From the age of 16, children are allowed on bushveld walks, at Management’s discretion.
- For families with children under the age of 6 years, a private vehicle can be arranged subject to availability. The cost for 2024 is R 10,000 per day for the vehicle, including a FGASA accredited guide and tracker. (Subject to change without prior notice)
- A special children’s program is available for younger guests at certain times of the day. This is not a full day activity.
- Babysitting services are available at night from 19:00 -22:00 at a cost of R200 per hour per room, subject to change without prior notice. Maximum 2 children per babysitter.
About Serondella Lodge
This comfortable and intimate Lodge on the banks of a tributary to the dry Monwana River accommodates eight guests in varied accommodation choices. There are three luxury Suites, each with excellent vistas from both bedroom and bathroom large windows to the watering hole.
As an alternative for families, is a family suite, completely self contained with three suites, two downstairs and one suite upstairs, a reception room with open fireplace between the two downstairs bedrooms. Guests can choose which accommodation choice best suits their requirements, but to a maximum of eight guests.
An exclusive Boma, Bar area close to the Lodges swimming pool makes for an ideal venue for rest and refreshment. The Lodge is perfectly located and set amongst a wide variety of tress providing shade and an abundance of birdlife.
With the added option of a three-bed roomed family suite and elevated viewing hides, Serondella Lodge is an ideal safari destination for families and photographers alike.
The fact that Serondella can accommodate a maximum of eight means that guests will have the hosts undivided attention for the duration of their stay. Surprise bush and boma dinners as well as intimate sunset dinners for two on the viewing hides are the very least the astute guest can expect from Serondella Lodge.
Serondella means the place of the elephant and they are habitual patrons to the lodge’s two flanking waterholes, allowing excellent opportunities for spectacular photographs and videos from the comfort of the lodge’s lounge or suites.
Serondella Game Lodge offers unique exclusive Safari experiences in both open Land Rovers, and on foot. The private reserve is home to an abundance of species: 147 mammals including the “Big Five”, 114 reptiles, 507 birds, 49 fish, 34 amphibians and 336 trees. The reserve is predominantly open savannah and with a near perfect year round climate, it is the ideal African safari holiday destination
Room Features:
- Air conditioning
- Overheard ceiling fan in the lounge of the family unit
- Family unit has a lounge
- Safe
- Hair dryers
- Umbrellas
- Bathroom amenities – separate bath & shower
- Private deck & heated splash pool
About Thornybush Game Reserve
Adjacent to the Greater Kruger National Park lies 11 500 hectares of pristine African bushveld, which is the ‘Thornybush Game Reserve’. With an abundance of bird and mammal species including the ‘Big 5’, it is also home to five exclusive lodges.
Diverse accommodation caters for most guest’s needs from rustic understated comfort to luxury of the finest order. All lodges have sparkling swimming pools and offer exciting dawn and dusk safaris from open landrovers with fully qualified rangers and trackers, and bush walks for the more adventurous.
An African safari can be a life-changing experience. We hope Thornybush is that for you.
Lodge Features
Boma
Gym
Lodge Pool
Curio Store
Spa
Waterhole/ Hide/ Riverfront Feature
Wi-Fi
Getting There
From the South on the R 40
On the R 40 from Bushbuckridge
- Continue through Acornhoek towards Klaserie (do not turn at Acornhoek)
- Continue for about 7 km
- Turn right onto R40 Phalaborwa, Eastgate Airport, travel 1 km
- Turn right onto Guernsey Road (large brown thornybush sign on left)
- Travel 11,6 km (note: the road gives way to dirt at 7,5 km)
- Turn left at the T-Junction (brown Thornybush sign)
- Continue a further 6,3 km to Thornybush Game Reserve gate on right
- Follow signage to Thornybush Game Lodge for all guests checking in at Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala, Monwana, Serondella, n’Kaya and Nkelenga
- Guests arriving to Chapungu Tented Camp, follow signage for Thornybush Game Lodge and continue to Chapungu Tented Camp as directed once in the Reserve.
From the North on the R 40
- At Hoedspruit take the R 40 south towards Bushbuckridge
- Continue 6 km and turn left at the Eastgate Airport sign / Argyle Road
- Continue 14 km (tarred road) and turn right onto Guernsey Road (following the signs to Thornybush Reserve)
- Continue 9km (gravel road) and turn left into the Thornybush Game Reserve gate
- Follow signage to Thornybush Game Lodge for all guests checking in at Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala, Monwana, Serondella, n’Kaya and Nkelenga
- Guests arriving to Chapungu Tented Camp, follow signage for Thornybush Game Lodge and continue to Chapungu Tented Camp as directed once in the Reserve.
From Johannesburg to Thornybush Nature Reserve
- The N12 to Emalahleni (Witbank), where the N12 highway links up with the N4 highway
- Continue with the N4 in the direction Mbombela (Nelspruit).
- Approximately 60 km past Middleburg take the R 540 to your left.
- Travel though the towns of eMakhazeni (Belfast) and eMnotweni (Dullstroom) to Mashishing (Lydenburg)
- Take the R 36 (which becomes the R 527) towards Hoedspruit, passing through Origstad and descending down the Able Erasmus Pass
- At Hoedspruit take the R 40 south towards Bushbuckridge
- Continue 6 km and turn left at the Eastgate Airport sign / Argyle Road
- Continue 14 km (tarred road) and turn right onto Guernsey Road (following the signs to Thornybush Reserve)
- Continue 9km (gravel road) and turn left into the Thornybush Game Reserve gate
- Follow signage to Thornybush Game Lodge for all guests checking in at Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala, Monwana, Serondella, n’Kaya and Nkelenga
- Guests arriving to Chapungu Tented Camp, follow signage for Thornybush Game Lodge and continue to Chapungu Tented Camp as directed once in the Reserve.
From Pretoria to Thornybush Nature Reserve
- Take the N4 in the direction Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Approximately 60 km past eMalahleni (Middleburg) take the R 540 to your left
- Travel through the town of eMakhazeni (Belfast) and eMnotweni (Dullstroom) to Mashishing (Lydenburg)
- Take the R 36 (which becomes the R 527) towards Hoedspruit, passing through Origstad and descending down the Able Erasmus Pass
- At Hoedspruit take the R 40 south towards Bushbuckridge.
- Continue 6 km and turn left at the Eastgate Airport sign / Argyle Road.
- Continue 14 km (tarred road) and turn right onto Guernsey Road (following the signs to Thornybush Reserve)
- Continue 9km (gravel road) and turn left into the Thornybush Game Reserve gate
- Follow signage to Thornybush Game Lodge for all guests checking in at Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala, Monwana, Serondella, n’Kaya and Nkelenga
- Guests arriving to Chapungu Tented Camp, follow signage for Thornybush Game Lodge and continue to Chapungu Tented Camp as directed once in the Reserve.
From KMIA to Thornybush Nature Reserve
- Exit KMIA premisis
- Turn right onto R538 (R40) White River, travel 3,2 km
- Turn left onto R538 (R40), travel 0,1 km (Note: only 100 metres)
- Turn right onto R538 White River, travel 4,4 km
- Turn right onto R569 Numbihek, travel 2,9 km
- Turn left onto R538 White River, travel 1,7 km
- Turn right onto R40 Phalaborwa, travel 41 m to Hazyview
- Turn left at T-Junction onto R40 Phalaborwa
- Travel 75,8 km through Hazyview, Bushbuckridge & Acornhoek (do not turn at Acornhoek)
- Turn right onto R40 Phalaborwa, Eastgate Airport, travel 1 km
- Turn right onto Guernsey Road (large brown sign on left)
- Travel 11,6 km (note: road gives way to dirt at 7,5 km)
- Turn left at the T-Junction (large brown sign)
- Continue a further 6,3 km to the Thornybush Game Reserve Gate on right
- Follow signage to Thornybush Game Lodge for all guests checking in at Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala, Monwana, Serondella, n’Kaya and Nkelenga
- Guests arriving to Chapungu Tented Bush Camp, follow signage for Thornybush Game Lodge and continue to Chapungu Tented Camp as directed once in the Reserve.
From Swaziland to Thornybush Nature Reserve
- From Jeppe’s Reef border post, follow the R 570 north in the direction Malelane
- Take the N4 highway in the direction of Mbombela (Nelspruit) for 64 km
- On arrival in Mbombela (Nelspruit) turn right on the R 40 in the direction White River
- Turn right onto R569 Numbihek, travel 2,9 km
- Turn left onto R538 White River, travel 1,7 km
- Turn right onto R40 Phalaborwa, travel 41 m to Hazyview
- Turn left at T-Junction onto R40 Phalaborwa
- Travel 75,8 km through Hazyview, Bushbuckridge & Acornhoek (do not turn at Acornhoek)
- Turn right onto R40 Phalaborwa, Eastgate Airport, travel 1 km
- Turn right onto Guernsey Road (large brown sign on left)
- Travel 11,6 km (note: road gives way to dirt at 7,5 km)
- Turn left at the T-Junction (large brown sign)
- Continue a further 6,3 km to the Thornybush Game Reserve Gate on right
- Follow signage to Thornybush Game Lodge for all guests checking in at Thornybush Game Lodge, Shumbalala, Monwana, Serondella, n’Kaya and Nkelenga
- Guests arriving to Chapungu Tented Camp, follow signage for Thornybush Game Lodge and continue to Chapungu Tented Camp as directed once in the Reserve.