MTHEMBU LODGE, UMFOLOZI BIG 5 RESERVE, ZULULAND

In the heart of Zulu land Mantis Mthembu Lodge offers a soul-reviving safari. Mthembu lodge lies on a low embankment of the White uMfolozi River and allows you to get up close and personal with the bush.

The evenings at Mthembu are quite social, with private and party dinners set in different locations around the lodge and inside the restaurant. The main lodge has an inviting lounge with a fireplace, a huge deck with a telescope and a boma with a fire pit. All this overlooks the White uMfolozi River.

Mthembu Lodge is set among the thickets of a low embankment of the White Umfolozi River. Close enough for comfort, and built to accentuate private views – each private villa is joined to the main guest areas by a raised wooden walkway. Unlike traditional safari lodges, Mthembu’s modern interiors are minimalistic with a touch of Zulu influence. From the lounge to the bedroom, to the bathtub – the forest and river are in full view from every space.

Mthembu Lodge is intimate with only 7 private villas that sleep two, and 2 two-bedroom family villas that sleep up to two adults and 3 children.

The Hluhluwe uMfolozi Park is the oldest proclaimed protected Game Reserve area in South Africa, dating back to 1895. It is in these valleys where King Shaka of the Zulus, unbeknownst to the world, pioneered a culture of conservation long before the concept was coined by European settlers. It is here, amidst these ancient hills, where the uMfolozi Private Lodges are located.