26th April 2017. Thanda Safari Lodge.

Having had a fantastic time at Isandlwana Lodge, we left after breakfast for another 4 hour drive to Thanda Safari Lodge and game park.  It is a private game Park of some 14,000 hectares Big 5 Game reserve. The drive was initially easy, but the GPS took us off the highway and through a large township. We then drove almost 2 hours on unmade but sound off-road tracks to get to this famed park and Hotel of Distinction.

We are met at the gate, where our car is securely parked and we await our guides to come the 20 minute drive from the hotel, then load our luggage and then proceed to the superb reception area.  Our guides are named Willard and Zedland, who are exceptional trackers and they will be responsible for the game drives that we undertake over the next 3 days commencing at 4.00pm this afternoon.

Our welcome and initiation here at Thanda is conducted in the open air lounge overlooking the water holes, where there are Impala drinking.  We are then used to our Suite / Villa #7 which can only be described as stunning luxury consisting of a separate lounge area, large bedroom, separate dressing room and separate bathroom, shower and toilet areas.  Then it opens out to an outdoor Brai, (BBQ area), a separate pool and spa and elevated day bed looking back over the wilderness area.  It is totally private. 

We are then advised our daily schedule as follows: 

- rise with wake up call at 5.30am then coffee and biscuits followed by Safari departure at6.15am

- Safari from 6.15am through until 9.00am with 8.00am coffee stop. 

-breakfast either indoor or out on patio overlooking the water features with animals drinking. 

-free until time to lunch at 1.00pm again on outdoor terrace, with delicious 3 course meal (5 stars dining)

- high tea at3.00pm

-  prepare for afternoon evening safari drive with departure at 3.30pm or 4.00pm with sundowners out on the range at 5.45pm - 6.00pm.

- return to Hotel foyer greeted with cold or hot towels at 7.00pm

- Dinner following pre-dinner drinks in the lounge bar. 

- Dinner of 4 courses served from 7.20pm in the restaurant.  It is gourmet 5 star dining with house wines or premium wines. 

- post dinner relax in lounge with liquor and coffee. ( if you need).

- escorted down the decking to our villa at about 9.30pm. 

The next morning wake up call comes around very quickly. It is stunning luxury accommodation in every respect with a world renowned wellness and spa set-up. 

We commenced with our first drive and for this day we were the only guests in the Hotel. We start our afternoon drive by going toward the mount, where we are chasing the first lion pride.  We drive around seeing impala, wilder beast, some giraffe, but no lions.  Our guides continue to search and after about 35 minutes further driving through a variety of areas with different vegetation we come to a mound just beyond a waterhole.  The guides are excited, they have found them and we find them sleeping, but the guides feel that they have lost condition and tonight will go out hunting. 

it is just wonderful. 

We return to the lodge, having enjoyed a fantastic drive.  Dinner can only be described as sensational with 4 courses and excellent wines.

We are walked back to our villa having enjoyed a wonderful day of arrival and our first game Safari, is amazing. 

The next morning we have trouble finding the telephone, when our wake up call arrives at 5.30am.  We dress quickly and then are walked from our villa to the lounge area for coffee/ chocolate and biscuits.  Our guides are excited and want yo find the lion pride and see what they gave been up to, then go on to find elephants, giraffe and rhino and possibly cheetah and leopard. 

After driving for 30 minutes we come to the same general area where last night we saw the lions, this morning they have moved a little distance but the guides observe and are really excited that there has been a kill overnight and the lion pride is devouring a small water buffalo calf.  When we arrive the mother, grand mother and 2 sisters are all sated, but the mother is ensuring the two cubs gave sufficient.  Yes it is gruesome, but also amazing to watch nature in the wild at work. We are told that after the kill they will eat until mid morning, then sleep with their stomachs full during the afternoon and will occasionally drink at the water hole.  But this kill will last them for 2-3 days, but they will engage in another kill tonight if it is easy, but they are traditionally lazy only killing to satisfy their needs for food.

We drive off, amazed but the guides can hear the elephants in the distance.  There are several small herds and a larger herd of 23 elephants including 2 bulls. After another 15 minutes we come to a raid, where the guides identify recent elephant pas marks.  We drive on and suddenly come across the family of 6 elephants, we stay behind them and watch them demolish any trees and eat every bit of the trees down to the roots.  We are amazed how quickly they move with each step being 11 metres in length.  They are amazing animals with enormous strength and surprisingly agile.  They can walk up to 120km per day.

Time to move on, we come across a large herd of water buffalo an sit perfectly still and take in their activity.  The guide explains that the buffalo are the most dangerous of the big 5 because they will unite and act against predators.  They will fight  off or eaven kill lions because several will react when lions attempt to separate or cull one water buffalo from the herd.

We also come across many zebras and wilder beast grazing, but also ever wary.  We don't see any cheetah in leopards.   

It has been a stunning morning experience, which cannot be explained in words. 

We are greeted by the staff and Manager with towels then, ushered into the dining area for breakfast.  We have the total dining room to our selves and a seoarate table with all breakfast items has been set up. We remain excited following the wonderful morning Safari, highlighted by the lions and their kill. 

Folliwing breakfast we return to our villa, Ken catches up with his blog, Jeanette also completed Facebook entries after showering.

Lunch arrives quickly and a table had been set for us out on the terrace overlooking the waterholes. A superb luncheon is served, which we thoroughly enjoy.  The guides have emphasised that we will have a larger group this afternoon and we find that Safari time has been advanced to 3.30pm.  We take off and quickly find our lions all asleep, but some gently rolling from side to side, we watch and are fascinated.

From here we quickly find the rhinos and observe the 5 rhinos as they graze and play. 

Then we move on to Giraffe and zebras and impalas and see some monkeys

We stop for "sundowners " at6.00pm and observe a stunning sunset as well as watch all sorts of animals come back to the water holes.   This has been a sensational day.

Dinner has been served following drinks.  We are all still fascinated and amazed by what we saw with the lions, the elephants, rhinos, giraffe, zebras, water buffalo and the myriad of bird life. 

Ken enjoys a superb red wine 2014 Cab Sav with a main course of fillet and vegetables.  Food is just to due for. 

We sleep much better on our second night inside the fully screened bed but also leave the air conditioning on low. The alarm goes very promptly at 5.30am and I am delighted that Jeanette has enjoyed a better evening's sleep. 

The Safari leaves at 6.15am after coffee and biscuits.  We have 5 others in our jeep plus our two guides.  We are looking for the lions, the elephants, we do find a cheetah who we follow for aboutn15 minutes and then watch as he sets a trap fir impaka, but they sense or hear him. 

Eventually we do see the elephants, watch the water buffalo, see paw marks of a leopard, but do not see him.

It us another fantastic morning. 

Back for breakfast , then a hot shower and Ken completes this update. 

The front entrance to Villa7

Our bedroom , the screened 4 poster King bed  

The plunge pool and exterior terrace with the day bed in the covered raised are behind  

The entrance to Thanda Hotel and Private Game Reserve. 

Jeanette enjoying lunch out on the terrace overlooking the water features. 

Our shared platter for lunch - just superb. 

We have enjoyed a remarkable stay here at Thanda Game Park.  We have this afternoon Safari then dinner tonight and tomorrow drive on tonRichards Bay the fly back to Johannesburg where we meet aur friends Elly and Berndt.  We will then repack our gear, then put what we need for Botswana in soft bags for those 8 days.  Elly and Berndt will take our cases to their home. 

They will then pick us up on our return from Maun, then we will enjoy 4 nights with them in Kruger. 

I do intend to do another update from here later tonight following our final Safari and dinner.  It has been an unbelievable 3 nights.