Phinda Zuka Lodge, Phinda, South Africa

Our View

Phinda Zuka Lodge is found in the Western section of Phinda Private Game Reserve and is &Beyond's most simple and intimate lodge. For value for money, Zuka is hard to beat anywhere in Africa. Although the level of luxury and the range of facilities is not as prolific as other lodges in South Africa, the privacy and intimacy of Zuka makes it hard to beat.

Phinda Zuka Lodge - The Details

Zuka lodge is found in the West of the reserve, away from all of the other Phinda lodges. It is a four bedroom lodge that can double as a sole use lodge or house three different couples.

To maintain the private and intimate atmosphere on offer, if the camp is not used exclusively, only three rooms will be booked. Thus Zuka guarantees a maximum of six people in the lodge or on the vehicle during game drives.

Zuka has its own charm and although it certainly is not as luxurious as some of &Beyond's other lodges, there is an Italian villa feel which makes it stand out amongst other lodges in the area. The lodge has a very spacious open plan main area with dining room, sitting room and adjacent library giving you more than enough space to relax after game drives, and soak in the atmosphere of the African bush.

Additionally, the deck at the front of the lodge looks over a small water whole where an abundance of wildlife ranging from warthogs to elephants can often be seen. The small but attentive staff at this lodge will make you feel as though this really is your home away from home, making a stay here truly special.

The rooms do not have individual plunge pools, but a very inviting communal pool is located not far from the main lodge and also overlooks the water hole. There is a boma at this lodge too giving way for lovely evenings dining under the stars and exchanging stories of the days adventures around the fire.

The positioning of this Zuka is fantastic for exploring all areas of the reserve allowing guests to experience a variety of different habitats that Phinda boasts. Game drives are great for spotting the Big 5, and with &Beyond being the only operator in the reserve, seeing other vehicles is at a minimum.

What sets Phinda apart from other reserves however is their willingness to get guests involved in contributing to conservation. A number of different conservation experiences including chipping rhino, collaring elephant and tracking pangolin are available for guests to take part in. These extra activities do come at an extra cost, but they are certainly worth it. These activities must be pre-booked as it depends on the availability of a private vehicle and vet so please enquire with us beforehand if this is something you would be interested in.

Combining Phinda with a trip to Cape Town is one of the best value luxury safaris you can take in Africa. Apart from the extraordinary abundance of wildlife at Phinda and the beautiful lodges, Cape Town can provide and excellent city stay after an exciting and enthralling safari full of late nights and early mornings.

Whether you are a family or on honeymoon, Phinda and Cape Town can provide something for everyone and with transport links being great across South Africa, getting around the country is very straight forward and means it only take a matter of hours to get from A to B.