We spent two nights at Thornybush Game Lodge and loved the experience. The rooms were great and we learned how lucky we were to have air conditioning as our other stops did not have that amenity. Given it was rainy season when we were there, not having air conditioning meant difficulty sleeping in high humidity and having everything you own feel damp. The rooms were nicely appointed and made for a comfortable stay even though we were so busy we didn't spend much time in our room other than for sleeping.
We had been in Kruger National Park 13 months earlier and thought we had seen a lot of animals, but the experience at Thornybush was much more spectacular. Both Jack, our ranger, and Ishmael, our tracker, were truly excellent at their jobs. Our two daily safaris - 5:45AM and 3:45PM allowed us to see an incredible number of animals. The only Big 5 animal that eluded us on our last trip was the leopard. On our first safari, we were lucky enough to get to see a leopard enjoying a recent kill. As this is a private reserve, safari vehicles are allowed to go off road and that is where a good number of animals can be found. We saw several different prides of lions and the one male that resides at Thornybush. Again because this is a private reserve, they make sure that the animals are treated with respect by doing things such as only allowing two vehicles at a site at one time. There was great communication between the rangers and they were able to find animals that were well off the beaten track. The safari experience was definitely enhanced by a break for coffee/tea and snacks mid-morning and stopping for drinks and watching the sun set.
Food at the Lodge was very good and there was a wide enough selection to suit even a picky eater (and we had one in our group.) The staff was great and our butler, Godfrey, provided exceptional service. We stayed at 3 lodges during our visit to Africa and of all of them, Thornybush is definitely at the top of my list.