Your day will begin just before the sun rises as you and other guests meet up at the main lodge area for a cup of coffee or tea and freshly baked muffin before hopping on one of our game drive vehicles. The morning game drive is about three hours long with a midway coffee break where you can stretch your legs, have a hot beverage and snack on home-made goodies, like our famous cookies and rusks. This is a perfect opportunity to feel immersed in nature in a proper wilderness environment.
Upon returning to camp join us for a full English-style breakfast or a healthy muslie, yogurt and fruit breakfast served to order. After breakfast the day is yours to relax, either at the lodge pool or lounge, or in the comfort of your room. Alternatively, if you are staying in one of our private safari homes enjoy all the luxuries and amenities they have to offer as you soak up the surrounding wilderness in privacy and seclusion. At approximately 1:30 pm light lunch is served.
Days on safari start early and with these memorable experiences you can take the middle of the day to relax. Enjoy a lunch and afternoon tea before heading out into the bush for your afternoon game drive.
Read a book in the lounge, relax on the deck, cool off in the pool. Each day is yours to do as much or as little as you like.
During the afternoon drive we like to find a nice spot to watch the sunset whilst enjoying a sundowner. A bush tradition not to be missed!
After sundowners the drive continues into the twilight hours to allow opportunity for finding some of our more rarely viewed nocturnal animals. On return to camp there is time to freshen up before joining us around the camp fire for pre-dinner drinks. These evenings are a magical part of your experience, taking in the smells of the campfire, the sounds of the African night and the splendour of an unpolluted starry sky.
Enjoy hearty South African cuisine served around the campfire or in the dining room and enjoy the unique ambience of dining out in the African bush. Not to mention sampling our selection of excellent Cape wines.
Manyoni, the Zululand Conservation Trust, and Wildlife ACT offer several activities in the reserve. These help raise awareness and fundraise for conservation programs. If you are interested in any of the below activities, please enquire when making your reservation.
P450 Rhino River Lodge
Manyoni Private Game Reserve
Bayala 3960
Po Box 2950
Pietermarizburg
3200
Daily tracking of priority species focuses mainly on cheetah, lion and elephant. During these monitoring sessions, any incidental sightings of other priority species including rhino, vultures, leopard and hyena are also recorded. This is a truly hands-on conservation experience.
The Wildlife Conservation Safari in Manyoni Private Game Reserve is a specialised itinerary for those guests interested in joining the Wildlife ACT professionals on the ground to understand what is happening in South African wildlife conservation.
Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked animal. Manyoni is a release site for Temminck’s ground pangolins confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. Guests can join a trained handler as they walk the resident pangolin in the reserve. All funds go to Manyoni’s pangolin program.
Manyoni has three K9’s trained in human tracking. They undergo regular training to keep them on high performance. Guests can spend time with the anti-poaching K9 unit and watch them demonstrate their skills in tracking and apprehending suspects.
Rhino poaching is an ongoing threat to Manyoni’s rhinos. Because of this the reserve undertakes dehorning and various other anti-poaching measures. Guests have the chance to observe a wild rhino up-close, while aiding the team in gathering DNA samples and conducting measurements.
Manyoni supports the Zululand Rhino Orphanage, which specialises in care and rehabilitation of orphaned rhino calves. Guests have the chance to support the facility, learn about the amazing work they do and see what caring for orphaned rhinos entails.
