&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve
LUXURY LODGES
Phinda is home to six magnificent lodges, each with its own individual charm and character.
SAFARI GAME DRIVES
Twice daily safaris with expert guides in search of Big Five and other rare iconic wildlife encounters.
BUSH WALKING ADVENTURES
Explore with the African bush and it’s quaint fauna and flora on foot with an experienced guide.
IMPACT EXPERIENCES
Assist our conservation team with a scheduled rhino, elephant or pangolin research experience.
COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES
Visit nearby Zulu communities and gain insight into their daily lives with Africa Foundation.
Phinda | The Return
Leaving our world a better place
They say that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. Nothing could be closer to the truth for &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve. Watch our video, and journey with us. It’s a story of land renewed and restored, of wildlife brought back and protected, and of a partnership honoured by the return of land borrowed.
Location:
&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is situated in the lush Zululand region of Northern KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, intimately wedged between Mkuze Game Reserve and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously St Lucia Wetland Park), a World Heritage Site. The reserve is also situated in very close proximity to the unspoiled beaches and spectacular coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, offering an unmatched combination of bush and beach adventures at nearby Sodwana Bay.
Getting to Phinda:
- Airlink offers daily flights from Johannesburg to Nelspruit.
- Federal Air offers daily scheduled flights directly from Nelspruit to Phinda Private Game Reserve.
- Connect &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Ngala Private Game Reserve, Kirkman’s Kamp, northern Sabi Sand Nature Reserve (Londolozi and Ulusaba) in South Africa or to Vilanculos in Mozambique and Livingstone in Zambia via Airlink. All flights route through either Johannesburg, Nelspruit, or Skukuza in South Africa, where layovers may vary.
- Private charters from anywhere in South Africa can be arranged to &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve’s airstrip
- It is a seven-hour drive from Johannesburg on good roads in a two-wheel drive vehicle
- It is a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Durban on good roads in a two-wheel drive vehicle
- Self-drive directions
PHINDA MOUNTAIN LODGE
The ideal family safari destination, offering uninterrupted mountain views
PHINDA HOMESTEAD
An exclusive-use villa, brimming with personal touches, for the world's travel connoisseur
PHINDA ROCK LODGE
Intimate stone cottages with dramatic views across the Zululand Valley
PHINDA VLEI LODGE
A secluded plantation-style hideaway on the edge of a rare sand forest
PHINDA FOREST LODGE
Timeless Zulu-zen, encased in glass, in the heart of shaded sand forest
PHINDA ZUKA LODGE
An exclusive safari retreat overlooking a private, wildlife-rich watering hole
Discover Phinda Private Game Reserve
&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve forms a significant part of the Munywana Conservancy, an impressive 29 866 hectares (73 800 acres) of protected wildlife land in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Showcasing one of the continent’s finest game viewing experiences, &Beyond Phinda is home to Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as 436 bird species. The reserve is particularly well known for close-up sightings of the elegant yet elusive cheetah, as well as the rare black rhino.
With its seven distinct habitats, Phinda is often described as ‘Seven Worlds of Wonder’, a magnificent tapestry of woodland, grassland, wetland and forest, interspersed with mountain ranges, rivers, marshes and pans. Home to 1 000 hectares (2471 acres) of Africa’s remaining rare dry sand forest, the reserve is situated in close proximity to the unspoiled beaches and spectacular coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, offering an unmatched combination of bush and beach adventures.
Guests at Phinda experience interpretive game drives, in open 4×4 safari vehicles, led by professionally trained &Beyond rangers and Zulu trackers, community experiences facilitated in partnership with Africa Foundation, as well as a wide range of optional adventures in the bush and on the beach.
Phinda is home to six magnificent lodges, each with its own individual charm and character: Mountain Lodge, Rock Lodge, Forest Lodge, Vlei Lodge, Zuka Lodge and Phinda Homestead.
Why we love it
EXCLUSIVE GAME VIEWING
29 866 ha (73 800 acres) of private traversing across seven distinct habitats allows for a great diversity of landscapes and exclusive game viewing. Limited number of vehicles at sightings and sensitive off-roading practices affords close-up sightings of Big Five and other rare and iconic wildlife.
ICONIC WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
Phinda is home to a magnificent variety of wildlife, including the Big Five, but is best known for its large population of cheetah and black rhino. The sand forest is home to the shy suni and the rare red duiker, two tiny antelope that are seldom encountered elsewhere.
FINEST GUIDES AND SAFARIS
Highly knowledgeable &Beyond-trained guides with the ability to do night drives, and other specialist safaris such as walking, tracking, photography or birding. Safaris can be tailor-made for private groups, families or specialist interests.
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES
A variety of incredible adventures are available, including twice-daily game drives, nature walks, conservation and Africa Foundation community experiences, sleep outs, village tours, night drives, specialist safaris, as well as nearby ocean activities.
Six unique luxury lodges
Experience Phinda Private Game Reserve
Visiting Phinda Private Game Reserve allows access to a range of unique included and excluded experiences
TAILORMAKE YOUR STAY
Talk to one of our travel specialists to tailormake your stay to any of our destinations
Safari Offers
Too good to pass up
Explore Phinda’s Wildwatch sightings
Our guides and guests' best safari moments
Discover Phinda with us
Phinda – The Return
Leaving our World a Better Place
Luxury and Beyond
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Above and Beyond
Rhino Conservation
Tomorrow and Beyond
Mama Zikhali: a mother to all
Our favourites ways to explore Phinda
Browse some of tailormade journeys or set departures for travel inspiration
LEAVING OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE
It was at Phinda that &Beyond’s Care of the Land, Wildlife and People impact vision
was tested and shaped. Here, 29 866 hectares of farming land was reclaimed for wildlife, including
790 hectares of critically endangered ancient sand forest. Cheetah, rhino and pangolin are actively
protected, with more than 30 years of pioneering wildlife victories behind us.
Along with Africa Foundation, the reserve works closely with neighbouring communities,
employing locally and investing in community education and welfare.
Sustainability practices are a daily priority and include the elimination of plastic bottles
and a focus on energy-saving initiatives.
Explore our stories of unforgettable and transformative travel while we leave our world a better place
Useful Resources
Browse and download our selection of lodge brochures
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