Call 01306 744 656 or
Call 01306 744 656 or
With the Indian Ocean just there, it’s a matter of minutes until you’re plunging into the water with dolphins…
At Thonga, we have a carousel of activities according to each season. July to October is for spotting southern right whales and humpbacks – two members of the Marine Big Five. November to March is turtle nesting season. I’m talking great big leatherbacks weighing in at about 800 kilograms and loggerheads too. During the day they haul themselves up on the beach sometimes only 100 metres away from the lodge. Our ‘turtle drive’ is quite thrilling, stealing out in the cooler hours of the evening (sometimes 2am!) to drive up the beach and see them under torchlight laying their eggs.
From April to June the weather is just amazing; perfect for open ocean-guided adventures – seeing creatures such as turtles, hammerhead sharks, manta ray, reef sharks, eels and a ton of brightly coloured fish. Scuba diving is a thing here with our very own marine centre and in-house team who can kit you out with masks, snorkels, suits, flippers and tanks. Unlike the big commercial dive operations, we offer intimate excursions for all levels of divers whether you’re a novice or advanced. As for snorkelling, the nearby rock pool is renowned for its size, calm water and stunning coral housing octopus, fire fish and moray eels. If you do one thing only, don’t miss the chance to swim with wild bottlenose dolphins. They’re so playful and come right up to you – it is one of my top life experiences.
On land there’s fishing, fat biking, forest walks and scorpion-spotting at night in the ultraviolet light. Lake Sibaya stretching for 100 kilometres is 10 minutes away and there’ll be the opportunity to meet local people from the rural communities going about their day. There’s nothing like kayaking on its flat, gentle water listening to the sounds of birds and snorting hippos. Embrace the tranquillity as the sun melts over the water and you savour your first sip of cold gin and tonic.
Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.
Freephone an expert 01306 744 656
