AndBeyond Phinda game Reserve
Another overdue blog about our travels but now is as good a time as any. Our love of Kwazulu-Natal has us going back regularly as it’s so easy to combine beach and Bush as there are great reserves and then stunning secluded beaches that offer such great experiences.
In March we had combined Makakatana Bay Lodge and Thonga beach lodge which was fabulous so we decided to combine Phinda Game Reserve with White Pearl resort which is just across the Kosi Bay border in Mozambique.
We flew to Durban from Cape Town and then drove the 3 hrs to Phinda game reserve , we chose to stay at Phinda Forest Lodge which is beautiful.As we are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) we needed to book 2 rooms but once there we chose to only use 1 room as we all wanted to be together and are happy sharing. The rooms are all glass but positioned that you cannot see any of the other rooms. They are stunning and it’s beautiful to be able to sit in your room and watch nature.The meals are divine with so much variety.We are not an easy family to cater for as our kids are fussy and none of us eat any game but there was always lots for us to eat. The kids were excited to receive their kids on Safari bags which AndBeyond offers at most lodges.
We had our own Game drive vehicle which comes with Swarovski binoculars , this is a real treat.As we have been on many safaris our requests are not necessarily ticking off the Big 5 but enjoying the smaller animals and I am sure most Rangers aren’t that excited to see us as our requests are not easy to find.After we were there they started a Pangolin conservation project which I look forward to seeing in the future.
We had such fabulous sightings of cheetah and spent a lot of time with them. We also had a great sighting of a leopard in a tree and 2 lions sleeping underneath as she had made a kill and then the lions took it from her and she was hiding in the tree. Every drive was an experience and the Ranger and lodge staff were always accommodating and great with our kids.
WHITE PEARL RESORT – Mozambique
After 3 nights at Phinda we set off on the 2-3 hour drive to the Kosi Bay border to visit White Pearl Resort, if you are driving yourselves you can park your car on the SA side and your transfer will collect you there.This was our second visit to White Pearl in Mozambique as we had loved it our first time.That view when you arrive at the lodge, the long endless beaches and the superb always smiling staff make you want to return again and again.You are assigned your own Butler on arrival , he will always serve you and help with booking activities and anything else you might need.
My kids fell in love with our butler and we looked forward to spending time with him. They are as available as you would like so if you prefer to be left alone they will not be in your way at all but they get to know your tastes and likes and are so friendly and happy. The meals are really great with lots of variety and your meals are at different areas of the lodge.They have sundowners at the bar from 6pm and some nights they have local dancers which is a great experience.You can do as much or as little as you want , some of the activities are Horseriding, diving, lake sundowners, swimming with dolphins etc.The rooms are gorgeous , we loved the view, the fish eagles and the swimming pool.
You will definitely want to visit again!
