WOW! What an amazing transformation! After over 4 decades operating as a charming rustic tented camp, the owners of this near-legendary property in the Timbavati took the brave decision to re-imagine and modernise the camp - and the results are quite simply breath-taking! Gone are the old simple canvas tents, replaced by ultra contemporary, luxurious and hugely spacious Suites designed by renowned game lodge architect Nicholas Plewman. Boasting innovative sliding canvas walls and floor to ceiling sliding glass windows/doors, the 9 hybrid glass and canvas suites have instantly elevated this long-established camp to the top echelons of game lodges in South Africa when it comes to both style and luxury!

The public areas have been similarly transformed through this embrace of ultra contemporary styling - what we love though is that the new Tanda Tula (it re-opened in 2023) manages to avoid the pitfall of becoming too cold and clinical (always a potential danger when going with very modern style). Instead through the use of gentler organic elements like wood and leather to soften the extensive glass and steel, as well as the embrace of rich aubergine and green tones and luxurious fabrics, the new lodge is wonderfully welcoming and tactile as well as being simply visually impressive! We especially love the use of re-imagined old railway sleepers in the main public areas - for example to clad the bar, as a wall cladding in the main bathroom area, not to mention as doors throughout the lodge - the twist though is that rather than looking old fashioned and traditional, the sleepers appear wonderfully stylish and contemporary!

What hasn't changed at Tanda Tula of course is the lodge's enviable location, lining the banks of the Nhlaralumi riverbed with stunning views over the bush beyond! The position is both wonderfully picturesque as well as offering a great base for exploring the game-rich expanses of the Timbavati reserve on game drives. The 9 suites - consisting of 7 Safari Suites and 2 Family Suites (the perfect choice for families with their 2 bedrooms) - are all perched on the banks of the Nhlaralumi and each suite has its own private timber viewing deck, complete with private plunge pool from where you can relax with an ice-cold drink whilst soaking up the views out over the sandy river bed and into the bush of the Timbavati beyond (and even better, the plunge pools as well as the main lodge pool are all heated!) We also love the built in seating area on your private deck - perfect for curling up with a good book or a pair of binoculars for that matter!

These Suites are truly exceptionally comfortable and attractive open-plan spaces - inside you’ll find an inviting lounge area as well as some of the comfiest beds paired with luxurious linen you’re likely to encounter anywhere in the bedroom zone. There’s also a fully stocked minibar where you can pour yourself an ice-cold drink without having to drag yourself off to the bar at the main lodge. The spacious bathroom is also a highlight with twin vanities and a gorgeous  standalone bathtub – not to mention indoor and outdoor showers so you can wash off the hot day’s dust under magnificent starry skies! And if you fancy even more pampering, then why not head off to the stylish Spa for a relaxing massage...

One of the prominent features of the public areas at Tanda Tula is, of course, the swimming pool - one of the nicest features is that directly in front of it lies the lodge’s very attractive waterhole – so you can relax chest deep in the cooling water whilst watching the steady stream of animals coming through to slake their thirst just metres away from you! (including herds of elephants and buffalo not to mention a host of different antelope species) Talking of thirst, the nearby bar stocks more spirits and a wider range of drinks than some other lodges – so let one of the friendly bar staff pour you something long, cold and wet before settling down on the gorgeous deck perched above the riverbed and let the animals come to you! The main lodge lounge and bar area is quite simply stunning! We particularly love the central fireplace with it's massive funnel-like chimney suspended from the ceiling! Studded with comfy sofas as well as built in baraza seating areas, this is the perfect area for relaxing with a good book or enjoying a refreshing drink whilst chatting to fellow guests.

If the weather's a bit dodgy, meals are then taken in communal fashion at a large table in the gorgeous new dining room with its unusual feature light fitting along with fellow guests and staff – the perfect chance to exchange bush tales and make new friends (although if you would prefer a more private setting , the friendly staff will happily arrange a table for 2) But it's the gorgeous new Boma area that really gets us excited - in particular we find the interlocking bleached timber log walls to be unique in design and exceptionally attractive and stylish. And of course there's just nothing to match the special ambience that comes with dining under the star-strewn African skies! In fact, there are numerous alternative dining venues at Tanda Tula, including on the pool deck or in the river bed surrounded by romantic lamp light!

With a prime location in the game rich Timbavati reserve, Tanda Tula also pulls no punches with its opportunities for excellent game viewing. Twice-daily game drives will put you out in the wild and close up and personal with the Big Five and with all their smaller brethren. The morning drive sets off at the crack of dawn with your own professional ranger and tracker team. We know it’s always difficult to tear yourself from such wonderfully warm and comfortable beds, but you can be assured that it is worth the sacrifice! The diversity of wildlife that you can see on the drive is astounding as the reserve is unfenced to the adjacent Kruger park, allowing for the free passage of animals - when the grazing conditions are right, the passage of huge buffalo and elephant herds through the area makes for astounding sightings, whilst the Timbavati is also renowned for being home to big prides of lion. And what’s even nicer is that the game drives at Tanda Tula definitely feel more private and personal than at many other lodges: the secret here is that the open-topped 4x4s utilized are limited to just 6 guests, so that there’s loads of space and everyone gets to enjoy a "window seat!"

If you want an unforgettable unique perspective on the bush, then a guided walking safari is really the only way to go. Free from the rumble and growl of a vehicle engine, these bush walks really expand on the possibilities to see the huge diversity of the bush. Led by a combined team of rangers and trackers who’ll spot the tiniest details and things you’d likely totally miss (like broken twigs or faded pawprints in the sand), these fantastic walks are the ideal way to learn about the area's vegetation and the habits of all the animals that inhabit it. And obviously there is nothing more exciting than being in a small group and coming across big game on foot!

One of the things that Tanda Tula really delivers on are those unique experiences that surprise and delight their guests. Imagine coming towards the end of your morning game drive and coming around a corner to find a bush breakfast set up in a dry river bed! And this is perhaps the most pleasing thing of all about Tanda Tula - that despite the lodge's very impressive and luxurious physical transformation, it's the legendary staff service and family atmosphere that is still present and correct and which elevates a stay here into the realms of the truly memorable!