Phinda Private Game Reserve is a diverse 28 555 hectare park located in KwaZulu-Natal. The reserve is positioned between the Mkuze Game Reserve and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and within easy reach of the Indian Ocean coastline. The landscape is lush with grassy woodlands and sweeping mountain ranges. It is the home of Africa's famous Big Five.
Phinda Vlei Lodge is positioned to offer the most spectacular views of the African bush and guest privacy with six Suites that boast a bedroom with en-suite bathroom, dressing room, air conditioning, Wi-Fi access, a private sitting area, game viewing deck and a private plunge pool.
Phinda Vlei is decorated in beautiful African colors and has a warm and intimate ambiance. Dining is communal but private dining can be arranged in the suites - ideal for those romantic getaways. The lodge also has a cozy outdoor boma where sumptuous meals are served beneath a canopy of stars. Guests can also enjoy a personalized butler service, complimentary laundry service, optional in-room massages and their own gym in a basket.
Phinda Private Game Reserve's unique meeting of riverine and rare sand forest habitats is home to a wide selection of wildlife, including lion, giraffe, white and black rhino, antelope, elephants, leopard, buffalo, cheetah, and wildebeest, as well as 415 bird species.
Phinda Vlei Lodge offers an exciting range of safari activities, including morning and evening game drives in open land rovers, bush breakfasts and boat cruises on the Mzinene River. The game drives are conducted by a team of experienced guides that are eager to share their knowledge of the area. With the coastline as near as it is, guests do have the option of booking excursions that include snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing out at sea.
During game drives, guests have the option to relax beside in their suite or around the swimming pool or venture out on foot with an armed guide, discovering the smaller wondrous creatures and plant life of the reserve. With a number of bird species living in the area, visits to a nearby bird hide can be arranged for bird lovers.
Additionally, Phinda Vlei Lodge offers Zulu village tours, night turtle drives (seasonal), black rhino tracking on foot and participative conservation experiences.
Phinda Vlei Lodge is ideal for solo explorers, couples and families looking for an intimate safari experience.
Transfer other than from the lodge airstrip, champagne, cognacs, fine wines, premium brand spirits, cigars, gratuities, landing fees, government bed levy, conservation or park fees and all items of a personal nature.
Children of all ages are welcome at Phinda Mountain Lodge. Child rates will apply.
Children under the age of 6 years are not permitted on game drives unless a private vehicle is pre-booked.
Children on game drives are at the Lodge Manager's discretion, with both the child and animals behavior taken into consideration.
The WILDchild programme is offered to children and child minding is available for a nominal fee.
From $ 879
Includes: Accommodation, three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees, refreshments on game drives, laundry, safari activities, 1-hour nature walks accompanied by experienced armed trackers (subject to availability), emergency medical evacuation insurance, VAT, transfers to and from the lodge airstrip.
Dates | Rates (PPS) | Rates (SINGLE) |
---|---|---|
11 Jan 2022 — 10 Jan 2023 | $ 879 | $ 1,318 |
"Just spent 4 nights at this lodge and I cannot praise the staff and resort enough. We had private safaris here and used Daryl Dell as our guide. The reserve is great for the big five and Daryl made our trip here one of the best experiences we could have hoped for."
- David
"My family and I stayed here Aug 1 - 3, 2014. Our children are 16 and 14 years old. The Vlei lodge was outstanding in every way - rooms were beautiful, great views and very comfortable. The service by the staff was excellent. The game drives surpassed our high expectations. We highly recommend it!"
- Matt
"My wife and I stayed at Vlei lodge for a week as part of our honeymoon trip at the end of July 2014. Our safari experience started at Phinda closest airport, where our ranger and tracker were waiting for us in a safari jeep that took us to our lodge. At our arrival, we were greeted by the camp butler who offered some drinks and snacks at the lobby before taking us to our room. The room (which is in fact a chalet) was spacious, cosy, and decorated with taste in the colonial style. There were only 6 rooms in the lodge, so it was very quiet. Every day, animals, including elephants, drank water from our private swimming pool. Also, we often spotted monkeys playing around in the trees surrounding our room, and the most courageous ones even played on our terrace. On the game drives we sighted lions with cubs, cheetah with cubs, elephants, rhinos, leopards, buffalos, zebras, giraffes, loads of antelopes… Our ranger and tracker seemed were simply the best at these animals, even at night! The highlight of our trip was the sighting of lovely cheetah cubs (they must have gained a few kilos since then) with their mother that we spotted twice. The food and the local wines were delicious. The butler as well as the staff attended to all our needs and were always ready to go the extra mile to make us feel comfortable. That’s a place I would definitely recommend to a friend."
- Mich
"We just spent 3 nights at Phinda Vlei Lodge as part of a two week safari in Botswana and South Africa. This was our third safari trip to Africa, and the 7th andBeyond property we have been to. andBeyond knows how to run safari lodges and camps, and we recommend them highly. We thought our room was spacious and beautiful, set on the open vlei, with animals wandering by most of the day. The main lodge is small but accommodates the total 12 guests very well. Dining is private, which is a nice change from large group dinners in other locations. The chef, Happiness, does a good job with food preparations. The breakfast is one of the best we have ever had, with a large tray of goodies delivered to you, along with eggs cooked any way you like them. Look out for those cheeky monkeys, though! they steal toast, and stuff their mouths with fruit quickly snatched from our table! Our guide, Devon Myers was amazing. He is full of great information about not only all the wildlife, but the various ecosystems within Phinda. Our travel agent gave us a wonderful gift of a private, specialist safari at Phinda. Along with our tracker, Muzi, we saw some amazing animals up close, including mating lions, and adorable cheetah cubs! I went on a bush tracking walk with Devon and Muzi one morning, tracking a huge bull elephant. What great fun to get within 100 feet of a wild animal without being discovered! We had heard for years that Phinda was amazing, and it did not disappoint! Every game drive delivered lots of different animals, including 7 white rhino in one group!! Certainly one of our best experiences in Africa."
- Marla.
"This was our 5th safari stay, and 4 of the 5 have been with andBeyond. The level of quality and service are the best, and the total experience was unforgettable. Our guide and tracker (Devon and Nsika) could not have been better, although judging from other reviews we have read, they are all first class. Since Devon is certified, we went on 3 separate tracking walks, stalking and finding giraffe, white rhino and buffalo. The goal was to find the animals, get a reasonable view of them, and get out - without the animals knowing we were there. If you ever get the opportunity to do such stalking - TAKE IT! This was unforgetable! Our game drives were equally rewarding, with sightings of every large species with the exception of the often elusive leopard. We had 3 very long and great up close viewings of a mother cheetah and her 2 cubs. Saw a 'journey' of 21 giraffe (that's the term for a group). Located a huge group of elephants who crossed the road near us. Started with one, then kept going. All told, there must have been 30 in the herd. Food (prepared by Happiness) was excellent, and the entire staff was first rate. Manager Luke was always friendly, available, and professional - a real asset to their team. Can't say enough about the level of quality at all of the andBeyond lodges. The only problem with going on safari with them is that as soon as it's done, you will want to start planning your next one."
- Craig
per person sharing
* rates may vary according to season
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