Fall in love with the Phinda Safari experience and enjoy the very best Safari and amazing overnight adventures
Ready for your next adventure?
Explore the beauty of Southern Africa with our luxury trains and safaris. Each journey is designed to immerse you in breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures. Whether you’re embarking on a scenic train ride or a thrilling safari, we ensure an unforgettable experience tailored just for you.
Phinda Safari is a renowned private game reserve located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Established in 1991, the reserve spans over 70,000 acres and is part of the conservation efforts in the region.
One of the standout features of Phinda Safari is its commitment to community empowerment and engagement, emphasizing the importance of local involvement in conservation efforts.
Furthermore, Phinda Safari works closely with local communities through education, healthcare, and sustainable development projects. It’s known for its diverse habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and rare sand forests, which support a wide variety of wildlife. The diverse landscape contributes to an abundance of wildlife, making it a prime destination for safari enthusiasts.
Key Phinda features and attractions include the Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinoceroses, with high success rates in cheetah sightings. Moreover, the reserve’s conservation programs have been instrumental in reintroducing species like cheetahs and pangolins. The reserve also hosts rare and endangered species like black rhinos, sunis, and red duikers.
For those seeking a more immersive experience, guided night safaris provide a unique perspective on the nocturnal activities of the wildlife. Birdwatchers can enjoy over 400 bird species, and guests can stay in luxury lodges with unique charm and amenities. Additionally, guests can participate in conservation activities such as rhino tracking and bush clearing, contributing directly to the reserve’s preservation efforts. Experienced guides lead game drives and bush walks for the best wildlife viewing opportunities, and Phinda supports various conservation initiatives to protect wildlife and habitats.
Visitors can also indulge in spa treatments and enjoy traditional South African cuisine as part of their luxury safari experience. Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, a nature lover, or a luxury traveler, Phinda Safari offers something truly special for every visitor..
With its breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity, and commitment to sustainability, Phinda Safari presents a truly unforgettable African adventure.
What our customers say about Phinda

Sandy Herz2025-07-10Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We're not sure there's anyone better than Tertius Bester and his team from Luxury Trains and Safaris to plan a trip on Rovos Rail or a visit to South Africa. Do you want an honest person with integrity? Tertius is it. We traveled on Rovos Rail from Walvis Bay, Namibia to Pretoria, South Africa followed by a week in Cape Town. Tertius made the booking for us on Rovos, but it should be noted that once you're on the train that part of the trip is the responsibility of Rovos Rail and not Luxury Trains and Safaris. Tertius made all of our "before the train" and "after the train" arrangements and there were many of them. When planning a trip, Tertius is very diligent in listening to his clients, asking about their interests and what they might like to see or experience. He is also a good reference for suggestions. When arriving at an unfamiliar airport in an unfamiliar country, it's such a relief to see the person who's supposed to meet you, actually be there waiting with a smile...just like Tertius said they would. While in Cape Town Tertius arranged for Chris from Big 6 Tours to be our driver. Chris spent several days driving us to the sites we were interested in seeing. What a terrific guy. He is funny, interesting and very knowledgeable of the area. When planning the trip you can count on Tertius to answer your countless questions promptly. Emails flew back and forth daily, especially as the trip got closer. Tertius provides a detailed printout of the itinerary and costs. A trip like this involves multiple reservations and small details. Tertius confirms reservations and checks and double checks the very smallest detail. The drivers he uses for tours and pick ups are extremely qualified, reliable and professional. Anything that was under Tertius' control was well covered and made for a pretty stress free trip and that can't be said very often about travel these days. Thank you Tertius for the best trip yet! Look forward to the next one! Mike and Sandy Ed Gellner2025-06-12Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. LT&S put together a fabulous trip for us! This was our third trip with them and each has been better than the last. It is unusual to have a trip with no loose ends, but Tertius is somehow able to pull it off....and at a remarkably moderate cost! We will use LT&S whenever possible to manage our travel adventures. Tim Galpin2025-05-02Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Couldn’t recommend highly enough. Provided a discount on our rail journeys and attentive from beginning to end. Yvette was constantly in touch with us to ensure all went smoothly and it did!👍👍👍 Suzanne Pyne2025-03-26Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Has a wonderful 3 night journey on the train from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. We booked it through Yvette Lawson at Luxury Trains South Africa who was extremely helpful in organising our tour, pick ups and explaining everything to us. Would definitely book again Mai Van riel2025-03-02Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very nice traintrips, full of luxury. Perfect service and the food and wines very good. Philip Mayor2025-01-07Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I very rarely leave online reviews, but felt compelled to do so to vouch for Tertius and his company. Tertius was, quite simply, excellent in helping me and my family plan our two week trip to South Africa. I first encountered Tertius when I needed assistance booking a trip on Rovos Rail, whose own bureaucracy made it hard to book directly. Tertius was awesome in helping guide me through the process and followed up repeatedly in the months after I booked to make sure things were going smoothly. He also went above and beyond to help with the rest of our trip. Even though we booked our lodging and safari travels independently, Tertius voluntarily helped arrange shuttle and travel details--while refusing a further commission, no less--and checked in with me multiple times during our trip just to see if everything was going smoothly. I couldn't recommend Tertius more highly. Heather Cullimore2024-12-03Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The Rovos train was a ‘bucket list’ trip for us & we feel very lucky to have been able to do this. Yvette from Luxury Trains & Safaris made the process so easy, and any questions or issues we had were very promptly sorted out. We were travelling from NZ and going on safari beforehand so were a little hesitant about the process of ticketing, luggage & accomodation. Yvette helped us throughout and kept in great contact. We would not hesitate to recommend this company if travelling to South Africa. Sergio Perrella2024-11-15Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My wife and I spent around 10 days in SA, starting from CapeTown and then crossing to Pretoria traveling the Blue Train. The train trip by itself is a lifetime experience . Nice people, nice accomodtions and nice food. Two nights crossing SA was fantastic.. Returning to CapeTown we spent a week walking around in the wonderful city, with goegeous views and places to visit. Thanks to Mr. Tertius Bester from "Luxury Trains & Safaris" we stayied in nice hotels with fantastic location. Thank you again "Luxury Trains and Safaris. We will come back. nancy paton2024-10-29Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Tertius of Luxury Trains and Safaris booked my safari in October 2024. He was a joy to work with. He was knowledgeable about the different lodges and had great suggestions on itineraries. He even suggested adjusting the timing of the trip to get us better pricing. He double-checked our reservations before we arrived and kept in touch all the while we were on the trip. I will definitely use Tertius and Luxury Trains and Safaris again and I highly recommend his services.

Tertius Bester is a travel expert who specializes in luxury trains and safaris. He has organized journeys for over 20 years, combining rail travel with wildlife encounters. He can help plan trips to South Africa, Botswana, or Zimbabwe. He takes care of every detail from tickets to accommodations and activities. Enjoy the finest service aboard luxurious trains like the Blue Train, Rovos Rail, or Shongololo Express. Experience amazing safaris and see the Big Five with Tertius Bester as your travel planner. Yvette Lawton joined the team in 2023 with a railway background, motivated to provide the best customer service you will experience.

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