Tangala Safari Lodge

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Lodge · Thornybush

Tangala Safari Lodge

Tangala Safari Lodge is an intimate, off-grid camp in the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, bordering the Greater Kruger. Nine rustic chalets and tents overlook a busy waterhole with the Drakensberg as backdrop, and twice-daily game drives in Big Five country are led by experienced rangers and trackers from open, custom-built vehicles.

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From R 6 350 per person sharing, per night

LocationThornybush
From, per person · nightR 6 350
AvailabilityLive

Live availability

Tangala Safari Lodge

About the lodge

An overview of Tangala Safari Lodge.

Tangala Safari Lodge is an intimate, off-grid camp in the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, bordering the Greater Kruger. Nine rustic chalets and tents overlook a busy waterhole with the Drakensberg as backdrop, and twice-daily game drives in Big Five country are led by experienced rangers and trackers from open, custom-built vehicles.

Highlights

  • Big Five game drives in the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, bordering the Greater Kruger
  • Active waterhole in front of camp with prolific game viewing from the deck and pool
  • Off-grid camp running on solar power and natural gas
  • Intimate footprint of just three chalets and six luxury tents
  • Open, custom-built safari vehicles with experienced rangers and trackers
  • Short 30-minute transfer from Hoedspruit (Eastgate) Airport

You Should Know

  • No children under 12
  • Low-risk malaria area
  • No conference facilities
  • Rustic, authentic style rather than polished five-star finishes

The Details

Tangala sits in the heart of the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, an unfenced Big Five reserve adjoining the Greater Kruger ecosystem near Hoedspruit. The camp looks out over an expansive, active waterhole, with the Drakensberg mountains forming a long blue backdrop to the west.

The character is deliberately rustic and informal, an authentic bush camp rather than a polished resort. It runs off the grid on solar power and natural gas, and the relaxed atmosphere is built around easy hosting, social meals and time spent watching the game come and go from the waterhole.

Accommodation

There are nine units in total: three chalets and six luxury tents. Each has a covered patio, twin beds under mosquito nets and an en-suite bathroom with his-and-hers basins, a shower and a toilet. Public areas include an open-plan lounge and dining room, an open-air deck, a swimming pool and a viewing lounge, all positioned to overlook the waterhole in front of camp.

Game Drives

Tangala offers two safaris a day, early morning and late afternoon into evening, run in open, custom-built vehicles that give every guest a panoramic view. Rangers work with expert trackers and traverse the broader Thornybush reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with the Greater Kruger. Big game sightings are regular and birdlife is abundant.

Dining

Cuisine draws on African flavours and meals are treated as social occasions, taken at the dining room or out on the patio overlooking the waterhole. The daily rhythm runs from brunch through high tea to dinner, with the bar a natural gathering point at the end of each drive.

Price Includes

  • Accommodation on a half-board basis
  • Two meals daily plus high tea and snacks
  • Two safari activities per day with experienced rangers and trackers

You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup.

Tangala Safari Lodge

The same as booking direct

Rates and dates.

Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.

Valid until 30 Nov 2027

Show prices in

Low season

6 Jan 2026 – 30 Nov 2026

Half Board - 2 meals, high tea and snacks, 2 safari activities per day

R 6 350

per person · night

Festive

1 Dec 2026 – 19 Dec 2026

Half Board - 2 meals, high tea and snacks, 2 safari activities per day

R 6 920

per person · night

Festive

20 Dec 2026 – 5 Jan 2027

Half Board - 2 meals, high tea and snacks, 2 safari activities per day

R 7 740

per person · night

Low season

6 Jan 2027 – 30 Nov 2027

Half Board - 2 meals, high tea and snacks, 2 safari activities per day

R 6 920

per person · night

Rates are per person sharing, per night. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.

Current offers

Special offer available.

Family

Children aged 6 to 11 sharing with two adults are accommodated at 50% of the adult sharing rate. A maximum of one child may share with two adults and only in a Safari Tent, subject to availability; children under 12 cannot be accommodated in their own room, and any additional child accommodation is at management's discretion. Younger children are not permitted, so please confirm your child's age with reservations at the time of booking.

Your specialist for this lodge

Nerine Du Plessis

Nerine Du Plessis

Safari Specialist - Southern Africa

Knows Tangala Safari Lodge backwards. Your direct contact from first enquiry to the day you come home.

"Very helpful with itinerary and excellent arrangements of transport from and to Cape Town, and Idubi in Sabi Sands and Lukimbi in Kruger. Although a rep for Safari.com said a letter from a doctor was not required, such a letter IS REQUIRED to go on bush walks if older than 65. Fortunately, we checked the reserve web site and had a doctor's letter."
August 2026 · Verified on Trustpilot ↗

Speak to a safari specialist

Let's design your stay.

From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Tangala Safari Lodge: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.

Example: 14–21 Nov 2027 · 2 adults · departing NYC · Big Five focus.

A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours. Your details stay private. View our privacy policy.

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