We stayed at the Thawale Lodge and had the best time … so wish we could have stayed longer. It would have been good to have a day to just sit on the beautiful terrace, read a book and watch the animals come and go to the waterhole. Within minutes of us arriving, a herd of kudu came to graze close by, and then an entire herd of elephants came to the waterhole. They were so close, we got wonderful photos and really enjoyed just being with such magnificent creatures. There were a couple of cute babies too. Something to bear in mind is that the game rides ares shorter here than in Zambia, just two hours in the morning and three (I think) in the evening. My friend and I negotiated extra hours, and that was well worth it … made it a lot less rushed. We had superb sightings of cheetah (a little distant, on the riverbank, but still a thrill), and giraffes, my favourites, plus all the other regulars. All thanks to our fabulous guide and driver Samuel, a fount of all knowledge of the natural world, and brimming with as much enthusiasm as us. It was a joy to be with him. Our room was close to the dining/sitting/patio area, so we still had a view of the waterhole. We had a very attractive terrace, and the room was spacious and very clean. We were thrilled with it. After Flatdogs in Zambia, we were surprised that there wasn’t an extensive restaurant menu!! But of course, Flatdogs is exceptional. Then again, we really enjoyed our meals at Majete, and the staff catered for us vegetarians very well. You certainly won’t go hungry! Talking of the staff, we must recommend Jayne and Mary Grace. What lovely people. We were sad to have to say goodbye after just two nights, but we are already planning our return. There’s a swimming pool and little shop at the main gate, which is a ten minute drive away. We went for an hour or so, courtesy of Samuel. The restaurant at the pool looked very good. The shop has basics like soap and deodorant, and a range of safari shirts. They’re quite expensive but Samuel explained that their sale really benefits the park and the local community so I bought a very nice extra shirt, which I’m wearing as I write this. It’s good quality with a great Majete logo. Note there is no WiFi at the lodge. So, total recommendation from me. Go to Majete.

We had a wonderful stay at Thawale Lodge. The property was taken over by African parks a few months ago and you can really see the positive changes they’ve already put in place! Having stayed there previously I could instantly see and feel the difference this time around, particularly in their attention to detail and organization. The two managers, Kelly and Wayne, were absolutely fantastic and incredibly welcoming. They are really excited about their roles at Thawale and African parks and it was inspiring to witness such passion for both hospitality and wildlife conservation. They were super accommodating, friendly and well informed. The food was delicious and the meal ideas interesting and well executed (from tasting the food alone it was clear Wayne is a trained chef!). The rooms were immaculate and very comfortable- often comfort is secondary when staying in a game park setting, but not at Thawale, the mattress, pillows and bedding was all of a wonderful standard which made our stay even more luxurious. We will certainly be returning and have already booked in our next stay. If you haven’t stayed at Thawale since AP took over, I would hugely encourage you to take a trip- you won’t be disappointed!

We visited Majete in July 2019 and stayed at Thawale Camp under the management of African Parks. The hospitality was superb! What's so special about this place is the waterhole they have which basically brings all the animals right to you! While we also loved the game drive activities, just sitting at our room and at reception was such a treat. We can highly recommend chalet #6 which is on the edge of the camp next to a path that so many elephants walk and also has the most luxurious and fantastic indoor/outdoor bathroom. We really enjoyed the candlelit dinners next to the waterhole since many animals also came at night to drink. Our booking was full board and we enjoyed all our meals. Our guide Liwonde was wonderful and went out with us early on a morning game drive to track down lions we had heard all night. We definitely cannot wait to return here. Well done African Parks in restoring Majete and now running Thawale. We can't wait to return!