Rhino River Lodge

Rhino River Lodge is a relaxed family-style safari lodge with a reputation for excellent customer service and superior value for money. The lodge is family-owned and operated Big 5 safari lodge located in the magnificent Manyoni Private Game Reserve. This 23,000-hectare private game reserve is situated in the very heart of Zululand, 30kms north of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The area is renowned for its African wildlife and rich cultural heritage.

The lodge grounds sprawl through an area of thick riverine vegetation, rich with bird and animal life, and filled with magnificent fig and fever trees. The grounds also include a reception with curio shop, dining room with bar, WI-FI, lounge, and swimming pool.

Rhino River Lodge offers two types of accommodation to suit their guests’ various needs. Guests can choose from double en-suite Luxury Rooms or Family Chalets. All accommodation types feature air-conditioning, ceiling fans, private verandas, mosquito nets, coffee and tea making facilities, and a fully stocked minibar.

The most traditional style of accommodation is the four en-suite luxury rooms. The rooms are decorated in a modern rustic style with newly renovated bathrooms. Each room has either one king-sized bed or two single beds which are covered by a large mosquito net and a sitting area.

For a small family that would like to share accommodation or groups of friends that would like a little extra space, the lodge can offer family chalets, which can accommodate up to four people each. Each log-cabin-style chalet has two double bedrooms (one is a second story loft-style room), a shared bathroom with bathtub, an open plan living area, and a private boma.

While on safari at Rhino River Lodge you will have the opportunity to see lions, rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, wild dogs and much more as you are guided through the Big 5 Manyoni Private Game Reserve by one of the lodge’s knowledgeable game rangers.

Your day will begin just before the sun rises as guests meet up at the main lodge area for a cup of coffee or tea and freshly baked muffin before hopping on one of the game drive vehicles at first light. The morning game drive is about three hours long with a midway coffee break where guests can stretch their legs, have a hot beverage and snack on home-made goodies.

Upon returning to camp guests are served a full English-style breakfast. After breakfast, the day is yours to relax, either at the lodge pool, in the lodge’s lounge, or in the comfort of your room. At approximately 1:30 a light lunch is served.

The afternoon game drive begins about two and a half hours before sunset. Your ranger will take you on another exciting drive through Manyoni Private Game Reserve. Just before sunset, the vehicle will stop for a special safari tradition, the sundowner. As the sun sets, take a moment to get off the vehicle and drink in the air, sights and sounds of safari while having a refreshing beverage of your choice. The drive will continue on for a short while after the sun sets, in search of the more rarely observed nocturnal animals.

A hearty three-course dinner is served shortly after arriving back at camp where you will be seated, weather-permitting, under the stars around the campfire. After dinner guests are welcome to stay at the campfire for stargazing and a nightcap or head off to bed to get a good night’s sleep for the early wake up for the next morning's game drive.

Join Rhino River Lodge in experiencing South Africa at its best, amongst untamed nature and warm hospitality.

About The Manyoni Private Game Reserve

In 2004, 17 private properties in the northern Zululand area dropped their fences forming what is today known as Manyoni Private Game Reserve (formerly Zululand Rhino Reserve). The impetus for forming the reserve was to provide a home to a population of black rhinos as part of the WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. The joining of the properties created a 23, 000-hectare private game reserve in one of the most animal-rich and species-diverse areas of South Africa.

In addition to the black rhino, the reserve is now home to all of the Big 5 (rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard and lion) and has seen the re-introduction of two endangered carnivore species, cheetah and African wild dog. The reserve has become one of the premier wildlife-viewing destinations in Kwa-Zulu Natal and features beautiful varied landscapes from acacia thornveld to open savannah to the riverine forest. Game drives on the reserve are regulated by the reserve and coordinated by the ecotourism businesses to minimize the impact on the environment and the stress on the animals and to provide guests with a better and more intimate game viewing experience.