Thaba Metsi Private Game Lodge

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Thaba Metsi Private Game Lodge

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Thaba Metsi Private Game Lodge is more than a safari destination it is an experience of refined tranquillity.

Here, untamed nature meets understated luxury, offering a place where time slows & every detail is thoughtfully curated for your comfort.

02/11/2026

The Big Five usually get all the headlines, but a vervet monkey in a playful mood can easily steal the show.

A truly unforgettable safari isn't just about ticking the iconic animals off a checklist. We believe it’s about those unexpected, candid moments that make you laugh out loud. A troop of vervets leaping through the branches, chasing each other, and showing off their acrobatic skills can turn an ordinary game drive into a comedy show.

That’s why our guides at Welgevonden Game Reserve always pull over for these little entertainers. They know that the magic of the African bush lives just as much in the small, joyful moments as it does in the footprint of an elephant or the roar of a lion.

Next time you’re out on a drive, don’t forget to look up into the trees!

31/10/2026

Lily Pond Moments 🪷

The pond beside our lodge has a regular drinker. A bull elephant who has made it his quiet spot.

Size matters to elephants, and for them it comes down to respect. Smaller bulls tend to give way to larger, dominant ones, and the biggest of them demand it and will force the issue. This big guy expects everyone else to move too.

He is definitely not a fan of competing visitors and does not like to share. The buffalo seem to know the rules of weight and quickly clear out when he arrives. Out here, he decides who stays and who is just a visitor.

29/10/2026

The closest sightings on Welgevonden are never rushed.

Your guide stops the vehicle and lets the animals decide how near you get, and when an elephant, zebra, giraffe or rhino decides to stay, you see what you would miss from further away: the long lashes of an elephant, the blue eye of a zebra (a rare variation in pigment), the coat of a giraffe with an oxpecker on its neck and the folds of a rhino’s skin with another perched on one of its horns.

It takes a little patience, and that is how the closest sightings happen.

26/10/2026

Partway through the evening drive, your guide stops the vehicle somewhere with a view, sets up bush bubbles and pours the glasses.

In front of you are an African sunset and the vast stretch of the Waterberg mountains and valleys, and for a couple there is nothing to do but enjoy it.

It is part of every Slow Safari, so nobody is in a hurry to head back.

22/10/2026

Rush hour on the road, Welgevonden style.

One rhino has the right of way, and everyone else waits. Welgevonden is home to one of the largest populations of white rhino on any private reserve in Africa, so they are in good company.

A rhino weighs well over 900 kg, and big plant-eaters like them help look after the grassland and woodland they move through.

20/10/2026

Hours before the first stars appear, our dedicated team is deep in the remote heart of the bush, getting everything ready for your evening.

From lighting the fire and carefully laying the table to ensuring the w**e is perfectly chilled as you take your seat, they are the true magic behind the experience.

While the night is planned for under the canopy of the stars, it all begins in the afternoon sun.

18/10/2026

Lily Pond Moments 🪷 - Oasis in the Valley

Because Thaba Metsi is located at the bottom of a valley along a riverbed, it becomes a true magnet for wildlife before the summer rains arrive. Mountaintops dry out while our valley stays comparatively lush and green, offering precious pools of water to quench thirst.

A familiar face at the pond! This magnificent bull is a regular visitor, and we love his company 😊

The Lily Pond right next to our lodge is a favourite hangout for the elephants to drink and cool down. Did you know that an elephant draws water up into his trunk and either squirts it into his mouth or sprays it over his back? This makes a hot day at the pond a drink and a shower in one visit!

15/10/2026

Every year, millions of birds make extraordinary journeys across countries and continents. Some are long-distance travellers and some move regionally, and here are five that call Welgevonden their summer home.

• African Pygmy Kingfisher: a tiny insect hunter in violet, blue and orange
• Woodland Kingfisher: its blue feathers and piercing trill announce that summer is back
• Wahlberg’s Eagle: flies thousands of kilometres from Central Africa to breed in our skies
• Blue Crane: South Africa’s national bird, moving to the open plains as the warm months set in
• Common (Steppe) Buzzard: flies in from Europe and Asia to spend the northern winter in the sun

Which is your favourite?

13/10/2026

Early morning in Welgevonden. After an hour or two on the vehicle, your guide pulls over in a quiet clearing.

Engine off.
Feet on the ground.
A mug filled with filter coffee and hot chocolate with a generous dash of Amarula, whipped cream, and chocolate flakes. All paired with yummy fresh biscuits from our kitchen.

No rush, no schedule. Just a warm drink and whatever the bush decides to show you next.

"

12/10/2026

Hear that? That is the sound of absolute power.

A male lion's roar clocks in at a massive 114 decibels, which is about 25 times louder than a lawnmower! This ground-shaking sound can carry for up to 8 kilometers (5 miles).

Why do they do it? It is a lion's ultimate long-distance communication tool. Males roar to advertise their peak physical condition, warn rivals to stay away, and call their pride back together.

Considering a southern African male lion weighs between 186 and 225 kg and spends about 20 hours of the day asleep, catching a moment like this is pure magic.

On The Slow Safari, we do not rush perfection. With no rigid timetables to keep, your guide will happily pause the clock so you can sit, watch, and earn a front-row seat to the king's announcement.

Address

Stand 13, Welgevonden Game Reserve, R517
Vaalwater
0530

Telephone

+27792635743

Website

http://thaba-metsi.com/, https://book.nightsbridge.com/39317?nbid=337

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