ACTIVITIES INCLUDED AT PHINDA
At Phinda, it is our passion to share our knowledge and understanding of the bush and its inhabitants with our guests. How we do this is up to you - choose whether you prefer to do your game viewing from the comfort of a safari vehicle, close up on foot or even from a boat or canoe. Our highly trained rangers and trackers will do their utmost to delight guests with a selection of the following activities:
• Twice daily game drives - conducted in an open air safari vehicle in the early morning and late afternoon / evening and accompanied by an armed ranger and Zulu tracker
• Interpretive bush walks - a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge to take in the sights, smells and sounds of the African bush, accompanied by an armed ranger
• Mzinene River canoeing - coast smoothly down the Mzinene River in a sturdy canoe disturbed only by the dipping of your oars and the occasional splash of a water bird. Take in the riverine vegetation and the local bird life, and, if you’re lucky, your quiet approach might earn you a choice wildlife sighting as the animals come down to drink
• Mzinene River boat cruise - glide down the river at sunrise or sunset, watching the smaller denizens of the bush perform their morning or evening rituals. Listen to birdsong chiming from the surrounding trees and watch the lazy splashes of hippo or crocodile as they wake from their slumber or settle down at the end of a busy day
A TYPICAL DAY AT PHINDA
At Phinda, the days are designed to thrill you with intimate wildlife encounters and the nights to delight you with the indulgence and romance of Africa.
• Morning Game Drive - As dawn breaks over the African bush, a gentle tap on your door will wake you to the delights of a new day. Your ranger will discuss what you hope to see that day over fragrant tea or coffee and morning biscuits or rusks. Phinda is renowned for its exceptional sightings of the elusive cheetah and the rare black rhino. There is also a number of resident lion prides and rangers will do their best to provides guests with a glimpse of all of these animals.
• Breakfast - Return to your lodge for a delicious breakfast, with platters of fruit and cheese followed by a selection of hot breakfast dishes. Choose from eggs, oats, waffles or a number of other options.
• Lunch - If you wish, you can walk off your breakfast on a short walk near your lodge, accompanied by your ranger, who will share his insight into the smaller animals and vegetation in the area, before returning in time for lunch.Â
• Afternoon Tea - Cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool, indulge in an afternoon siesta or simply watch the wildlife from your private veranda. Over a late afternoon tea, your ranger will discuss what you hope to see during the afternoon game drive.
• Evening Game Drive - This game begins in the late afternoon and lasts until after dark, when spotlights are used for a glimpse into the nocturnal bush life. Listen to lions roar in the dark or admire the small nocturnal animals. Enjoy sundowners in a scenic location as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon. If you prefer, you may be able to go on a boat cruise or canoe down the Mzinene River, watching the wildlife come down to drink.
• Dinner - A mouthwatering dinner is waiting for you at your lodge's boma or in a surprising bush location.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES OFFERED AT PHINDA ( costs not included )
PHINDA ADVENTURES
In addition to twice-daily interpretive game drives, nature walks, sunrise and sunset riverboat cruises, and canoe trips along the Mzinene River, guests at Phinda Private Game Reserve can also enjoy Phinda Adventures. With its unique location, Phinda is able to offer a choice of cultural and beach-related adventures, scuba diving and spectacular air safaris. Phinda Adventures are offered at an additional cost.
DEEP SEA FISHING
Equally renowned for fishing as for diving, Sodwana Bay is a deep sea angler's paradise. A quick flight and short drive will see you heading out to sea on a 25-foot fishing boat to try your luck for blue or black marlin, shark, sailfish, barracuda, yellow-fin tuna and kingfish. &Beyond supports a philosophy of catch and release.
FLIGHT OF THE FISH EAGLE
This hour-long scenic flight provides a bird's-eye view of Phinda's varying habitats. Watch mountains fade into rivers, marshland give way to savanna and forest roll gently towards the coastal dunes. Spot the massive grey bulk of elephant and the black silhouettes of whales and dolphins in the waters of the Indian Ocean
BEACH ADVENTURE / SCUBA SAFARIS
Take in the unspoilt beaches of Maputaland at leisure. Only a 20-minute flight from Phinda, followed by a 10-minute drive, revel in the golden sands of Sodwana Bay and spend a day swimming, snorkelling or simply soaking up the beach and sun. Sodwana Bay boasts some of the world's best dive sites, with more than 1 200 species of fish.
ISIKOLETHU ZULU CULTURAL TOUR
Witness ancient tradition mix with modern life in the Zulu communities surrounding Phinda. Visit a traditional homestead for a glimpse of daily life at the Mduli ancestral home. Watch the integration of tradition with modern medicine as you encounter a sangoma, or witch doctor, and visit an ancestral home or watch children at play at a modern creche
