Upcoming Lodge Visit | Umzolozolo

Umzolozolo, Nambiti Private Game Reserve

The Ripple Begins Again at Umzolozolo

In less than 48 hours, I’ll be heading to one of my favourite KwaZulu-Natal lodges: Umzolozolo Private Safari Lodge, tucked away in the Nambiti Private Game Reserve.

Nambiti sits near Ladysmith, around two and a half hours’ drive from Durban, and spans approx 23,000 acres of Big Five wilderness. It is home to a number of privately owned lodges, including Elephant Rock, Springbok Lodge, Nambiti Hills and Cheetah Ridge—each bringing its own personality to this remarkable piece of KZN bushveld.

But Umzolozolo has always held a slightly different place in my story.

Back in 2009, my wife and I spent our honeymoon there. At the time, it was only our second luxurious safari lodge experience, and much of that first holiday experience has stuck with me.

A lot has changed since then.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to build up a great deal of wildlife and lodge experience—visiting incredible places, meeting amazing people, and gaining a much deeper understanding of what makes a safari experience truly special. So, returning to Umzolozolo now feels like a full-circle moment. It is a return to one of the places where this part of my journey really began, but with a completely new perspective, and in some ways where a new journey is beginning.

Interestingly, this visit has come about through a chain of connections that started on my recent visit to Makongo Hills. I was contacted by Amy White, sister to Meg from the Tantalizing Twins, and since then a number of exciting conversations, collaborations and business opportunities have started to take shape.

Which brings me to this week.

Through the Tantalizing Twins’ relationship with Umzolozolo, and an exciting new collaboration that we are beginning to explore, I had the opportunity to meet with Ray and Neil from Umzolozolo this morning. What began as a conversation quickly became an invitation to join them at the lodge this Wednesday and Thursday.

So this will not simply be a return visit as a guest. It is a chance to see Umzolozolo through a different lens—as someone returning to an important part of my own story, alongside new friends, and as a potential partner in an opportunity that could have meaningful ripple effects within the private-lodge industry.

Will be back with my thoughts & experiences from my visit is the not too distant future.