Lifestyle: Local travel – An extraordinary piece of Africa

There is nothing that relaxes and revives you like time spent in the bush, and to do it in the African bush is even more special.

Studies have shown that spending time in nature is one of the best antidotes for stress and anxiety. Spending time in the wild where animals have walked for thousands of years and listening to the myriad of sounds give you a great perspective on life.

Taking a coffee break or enjoying sundowners while keeping a watchful eye on the movements around you heightens your senses like nothing else. And maybe it’s the notion that each day is entirely unpredictable that adds to the whole experience.

You never know when you might stumble upon a pride of lions between sparse crunchy brown thickets in search of prey. Or get your breath taken away by a herd of elephants that digitigrade across the road in search of greenery to feast on.

A visit to Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge might just be what you need this season and where you can get the chance to experience this and so much more.

The lodge is located in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve and is the oldest proclaimed reserve in Africa, with 96 000 hectares of wilderness in the heart of Zululand. The village of Hluhluwe is close by. Here the Zulu kings Kingiswayo and Shaka were born, who allegedly prompted the first conservation laws that led to the reserve’s establishment in 1895.

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge, the only private lodge in the reserve, was established to protect the previously endangered white rhino. The glassed-wrapped lodge perched high up on a ridge offers spectacular views over the hills and valleys of the reserve while offering guests maximum privacy.

The lodge is groundbreaking in being the first private facility within the park. It offers guests access to the expansive indigenous land teeming with game and is ideally situated to satisfy (and exceed) the expectations of any wildlife enthusiast, tourist or conservationist.

You can be sure that your days here will be filled with spectacular sunsets, big blue skies and unforgettable moments.

Relaxing moments
After your morning and evening game drives, you can relax in the leisure areas, restore yourself in the spa, or simply put up your feet and chill.

Special bonds are formed next to the bonfire that is lit at sunset. Every space at the lodge is designed to allow guests to decompress fully.

Every meal is a delight. Sensibly led for over a decade by executive chef Charl Moller, the kitchens are constructed according to his signature approach to responsible sourcing and fresh produce. Meals are carefully planned and presented to ensure a feast not only for your tummy but also your eyes.

Rooms with a view
The lodge offers 18 rooms nestled in natural bush high up on the ridge with commanding views of the reserve. There are eight villas with a bedroom en-suite, bathroom, separate toilet, luxurious indoor shower, private wooden deck, mini bar, fireplace, overhead fan and air-conditioning.

There are also two honeymoon suites, each with a private plunge pool.

For families and larger groups that travel together, there are four safari rooms and two safari family rooms that have either twin or king-size bed configurations, each with its own en-suite shower, private toilet and wooden deck, mini bar, overhead fan and air-conditioner.

A journey with purpose
Rhino Ridge forms part of Isibindi Africa Lodges. When you travel to one of their lodges, you become part of the family that has the purpose of saving the planet for future generations. This purpose drives all at Isibindi Africa Lodges, whether by removing single-use plastics, creating micro-economies in their neighbouring communities to supply their lodges, replacing plastic water bottles with reusable ones for guests, investing in substantial solar energy farms, refusing to serve seafood that is not ethically harvested at their beach lodge, or recycling unused food into feeding schemes for neighbouring crèches.

They proudly shared community ownership of the lodge and is committed to empowering the local previously disadvantaged community of Hlabisa.

People from the community have been trained to work in various departments of the lodge and now constitute 97% of the staff.

Spending time at Rhino Ridge with your loved ones will be truly special. There is something about being out in nature that resonates with people. A group seems to be drawn closer to another while witnessing spectacular sightings in the wild – it’s a shared experience that brings everyone closer. By the time your visit is over, everyone feels a closer connection to nature and each other.

For more information about the lodge or to book your stay, visit: https://www.rhinoridge.co.za/.

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is proud to be associated with Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and its success story of rhino conservation in Southern Africa. They are honoured to call the ‘home of the rhino’ their home too. They are also the first luxury safari lodge to be established within this world-renowned Big 5 game reserve, which is also home to thriving populations of African wild dog, lions, elephants and multitudes of other species.

Other attractions in the area

• Visit the greater St Lucia Wetland Park, part of the Isimangaliso World Heritage Site. Take a boat trip on Lake St Lucia for crocodile and hippo viewing.
• There are trips to neighbouring communities such as the Emakoshini Valley, Nongoma and Ulundi for cultural experiences. Don’t miss the annual reed dance in November, where over 30 000 maidens present themselves to the Zulu king.
• Rhino Ridge partners with Thonga Beach Lodge to offer the exhilarating experience of turtle watching during the breeding season between November and March.
• This region boasts over 400 bird species, one of the highest bird counts in South Africa.