Royal Malewane

Royal Malewane is one of the most luxurious safari lodges in South Africa, set in the Thornybush Private Game Reserve adjacent to the Greater Kruger area. With a staff-to-guest ratio of four to one, the level of personalised service here is virtually unmatched in the safari industry.

The lodge offers accommodation in six Royal Suites and two Africa House exclusive-use villas. Each Royal Suite is a study in opulence — enormous living spaces with fireplaces, private heated pools, outdoor showers, and butler service. Africa House takes exclusivity further with its own dedicated guide, vehicle, chef, and private pool.

Dining at Royal Malewane is a gastronomic experience, with a talented executive chef crafting menus that rival fine-dining establishments. Meals are served in multiple settings — the boma, a Bedouin-style tent, private dinners on your suite deck, or bush breakfasts at sunrise locations chosen by your ranger.

The Thornybush reserve shares open boundaries with the Timbavati and the Greater Kruger system, providing Big Five access across a vast, unfenced wilderness. Game drives are conducted in open Land Rovers with experienced rangers and trackers, and the lodge’s location in the western Kruger corridor offers consistently excellent sightings.

The award-winning spa, the Waters of Royal Malewane, offers treatments in a tranquil garden setting. A fully equipped gym, yoga sessions, and astronomy evenings complete the experience.

Fly into Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport (HDS), 30 minutes from the lodge. Daily flights from Johannesburg (1 hour). Lodge transfers included. Alternatively, drive from Johannesburg (5 hours via R36).