Luxury adventure company and tour operator &Beyond has reopened Phinda Zuka Lodge after a carefully planned refurbishment, welcoming guests back to a place that the company says now feels both familiar and new at the same time.

Emerging as a next generation private safari retreat designed for intimate gatherings, the lodge in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province is promoted as perfect for small groups, multi-generational families and milestone celebrations – a key destination shaped for life's most meaningful moments. 

According to &Beyond, Phinda Zuka has long appealed to travellers who want privacy and connection in equal measure, making it an ideal setting for milestone celebrations. With only four thatched suites overlooking a private waterhole, the accommodation has always felt like a shared home for small groups, rather than a public lodge, in the densely wooded Zuka Hills of the Phinda Private Game Reserve.

Drawing inspiration from the name Zuka, meaning 'dawn', the visual concept celebrates new beginnings while honouring the lodge's heritage as the home of one of the reserve's founding families, the company said. 

Inside, natural tones and handcrafted details celebrate African artistry and capture the shapes, colours and textures of the natural environment. Each suite now features a private sala, giving guests a shaded outdoor space for dining, reading or quiet time between game drives. A new family suite enhances the lodge's ability to host multi-generational families, creating shared moments that connect everyone to the bush.

While the interiors have changed, what remains the same is the feeling of being completely at home in the wilderness. A new firepit and boma now offer a more open, immersive setting overlooking the newly landscaped waterhole, which attracts regular wildlife activity for unobtrusive viewing. 

Days at Zuka are filled with experiences that balance adventure and calm. Guests can start the day with guided game drives in search of the Big Five, along with cheetah and black rhino, or venture to the nearby Indian Ocean coastline for scuba diving, marine safaris and seasonal turtle nesting experiences.  

Afternoons offer relaxed swimming in the pool, quiet observation at the waterhole, or hands-on encounters like family-friendly conservation and craft activities. Evening safaris and star-lit dinners complete the day, allowing guests to immerse fully in the rhythms of the African bush.

Rates start from ZAR 15,800 per person per night inclusive of all meals, twice-daily private game drives and guided walks. The lodge can be booked for sole use with a dedicated vehicle and its own ranger team, offering an exclusive safari experience. Guests can also take advantage of the Stay 4, Pay 3 at Phinda Zuka offer and Fly Me to Phinda offer, made to encourage a fuller immersion in the wilderness for less. 

&Beyond is a bespoke tour operator in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, South America and Antarctica. The company says it strives to deliver extraordinary travel experiences while caring for the land, wildlife and people where it operates. &Beyond also owns and manages 29 lodges and camps across three continents, as well as two luxury expedition yachts.

Zuka is one of six &Beyond lodges located in Phinda Private Game Reserve, which was established in 1991 when &Beyond began operations. The reserve's name, meaning 'the return' in Zulu, symbolizes the goal of restoring the area's natural state. It was the first private game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal and has since become a model for sustainable conservation through responsible tourism.

According to &Beyond, the reserve's history is marked by the rehabilitation of a degraded area, the reintroduction of large mammal species, and the return of land to its ancestral owners. Once a patchwork of farmland, the area has been carefully restored into 29,866 hectares (73,800 acres) of thriving wilderness. Today, cheetah sprint across open grassland and black rhino browse dense Tamboti thicket. 

Phinda's success has been highlighted in documentaries like Terra X from Germany's ZDF, showcasing its impact on wildlife and conservation efforts worldwide.

More information:

Luxury African Safaris | South America & Asia Tours | andBeyond

Photos: &Beyond