After an unforgettable experience at the off the grid tipi in Knysna for my birthday (see post here), a romantic weekend at the four-star Thunzi Bush Lodge was a great addition to our birthday month! Thunzi Bush Lodge is a mere 30 minutes from central Port Elizabeth, in the direction of Jeffreys Bay (see posts here and here). The experience at the lodge was perfection. We have recommended it to our family and friends, as we will definitely be returning at some point.
Morning start
Our day started with a relaxing homemade and wholesome breakfast. On our way out to Thunzi, we stopped at the Bohemian Market (Villiers Road, Port Elizabeth – see post here) and treated ourselves to yummy potato samosas, pancakes and coffee.
We headed to Thunzi along the scenic Seaview Road. We really do suggest taking this drive if you are new to the area or haven’t been in a while – our Port Elizabeth coastline is beautiful.
Upon our arrival, we were immediately treated like royalty. The woman at reception was very friendly and welcoming. We checked in and our self-catering chalet was shown to us, along with our personal fire pit and picnic area, by another very friendly employee. The cabin and picnic setting were wonderful: A little piece of heaven outside the city.
Heron Chalet
The Heron cabin chalet was inviting and had everything that you may need during your stay. The bed was huge and comfortable. The bathroom was great – the shower head was fantastic and the bath was perfect for relaxation. There was also a heated towel rack along with bathrobes and slippers. There was a TV with numerous DSTV channels and a desk area. The kitchenette was advertised as well-equipped – and it was! The balcony and view over the reeds and onto the hills were incredible. All in all, the accommodation was so great that within minutes you felt like never leaving.
Bringing your own alcohol is not permitted for day visitors. Overnight guests can bring their own beverages or alcohol along.
Picnic
Our enchanting picnic area was next to our wooden cabin, surrounded by trees. Cushions and blankets were provided by the small picnic table. We sat on the floor and laid out our food selection. The food was fresh and absolutely scrumptious! We enjoyed everything that we had selected. The champagne was perfection. After filling our bellies to capacity, we lay down under the trees and listened to the rustling leaves and chirping birds. Perfectly sublime.
To note: Our food was selected from Thunzi’s Picnic Menu several days before our visit. See the PDF Menu on their website (page link here). Picnics offered Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm.
Nature walk
The Thunzi property has a gate to the Maitlands Nature Reserve. Once our food was settled, we went for a short walk and were amazed at the beauty of the reserve. It is the perfect place for nature lovers to spend some time. The lakes, trees and hills were beautiful! There are small boats at the lakes that you can use to explore the waterways and fish from. The paddles and fishing rods are available at the lodge reception.
Fire pit and dinner
We spent the early evening enjoying the last of the day’s light around the fire. Being winter, it became chilly fairly early. We took the pillows from the picnic area to the chairs by the fire pit. The chairs were made from tyres but were unbelievably comfortable (a fantastic upcycling idea). The lodge is self-catering so we prepared some dinner and ate it next to the fire.
Pool and playground
The pool area was wonderful! There are loungers around the pool and the view onto nature is superb. There was a jungle gym, swings and a chess board to keep your children (and yourselves!) entertained while staying at Thunzi.
Day picnics
Don’t want to stay over but want the picnic experience? No problem! There are various picnic spots for day visitors. Your experience will be no less than that of the overnight guests. You can also use the pool and explore on the nature walk. It is guaranteed to be a magnificent day, even if you don’t stay!
Day of check out
Check out was at 10 am. Our body clocks are set to 6:30. I know, pretty sad considering we could have slept in. We enjoyed breakfast and coffee in bed while looking onto the mountain and reeds in front of us. We packed our belongings and moved everything into the car. We went for a quick walk before checking out. When we went to reception to check out, we were informed that we could stay on the property as long as we wanted. We thought this was wonderful, allowing guests to still make use of the pool, playground and nature reserve. The place has so much to offer!
We will definitely be back! The only question is, for a day picnic or another overnight stay?
Would you like to stay at Thunzi bush lodge or enjoy a day’s picnic here while enjoying all the perks? Comment below and let us know. If you go, let them know it was through this blog.
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Thanks once again for a wonderful blog post….I will definitely visit here when next I am in the area. Keep up the wonderful posts 🙂
Thank you! It will be a fantastic experience 😄
Sounds fantastic certainly going to make a plan for a get there
We hope you can! 😊 Can definitely see you strumming away on the balcony
It looks amazing there. I like how they have the picnic spots! 🙂
We also loved the picnic spots scattered around, and the privacy that they each have 🙂