Serondella symbolises reuniting families, slowing down, and finding moments to deeply connect with children, parents, friends, and self.
Here, we disconnect from the demands of everyday life and embrace the pace of the elephants.
Serondella is about coming together in a place that is special in all our hearts. Where everyone we love – family, and friends who are like family – gather in a space that draws us together, takes us out of our comfort zones, and teaches us something new every day. It is about experiencing nature in its purest form.
It has always been a place where our family has celebrated meaningful milestones – our weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. It’s a place where parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren come together and connect on the same level, loving the same scenery, the wildlife, and being present in a moment.
As a family, we have been visiting Thornybush for over 20 years, and now the third generation is learning about the role they play in conserving this piece of wilderness. Serondella became an anchor for our family connection, a home away from home where our children can have roots in nature, among elephants, from whom we can learn so much.
In the decades that have passed, this place has evolved from our special family home into a place where guests from all over the world can come to find peace and fulfilment in an African paradise. We saw first-hand how powerful it is to be together here, and there is no greater pleasure than sharing that magic.
Serondella Values
We are family-centric
Whether visiting as a family or becoming a part of our family, Serondella is designed to be a place that feels like home. Guests will feel a sense of familiarity, and a sense of reunion.
We are purpose-driven
As custodians of this land, we embrace a greater purpose and responsibility. Giving back and supporting conservation and the local community is woven into how we operate, how we source, and how we run our business.
We care about your wellbeing
We believe in fostering a sense of wellbeing for our guests. We encourage a holistic approach which is demonstrated in the experiences we offer, food we serve and facilities we provide.
We believe in true immersion
Genuine depth of experience is created through immersive time in the African bush. The proximity to the waterhole and layout of the lodge is designed to allow our guests to feel connected to the natural ecosystem we are privileged to be a part of.
Meet the Team
Our team is at the heart of the Serondella experience, embodying a sense of home and a feeling of family that we are synonymous with.
Every member of the Serondella family fills their position with professionalism and brings warmth to the hospitality experience. Our expert guides are led by the Safari Guide of the Year 2021; our kitchen is headed up by an inventive and astute chef; and our front-of-house host pieces every element of your stay together with personal attention to detail. We can’t wait to welcome you.
Alison’s career in the prestigious South African safari scene has led to a lifestyle she loves and one she loves to see her children growing up with. It has brought her ample experience to oversee the entire operational workings of the lodge, and gives her the belief and perspective that the magic of Serondella lies firmly with the incredible team working both behind the scenes and at front-of-house. Inspired by the untouched corners of the natural world, and drawn to rare and unique wildlife, Alison is at home in her daily surroundings at Serondella.
Lorna comes from a family of conservation leaders and South African safari legends. Having grown up in the Kruger National Park since birth, she went to school at Skukuza while her parents worked as an integral part of the park’s research and conservation programmes until their retirement. Lorna’s fascinating background formed the foundation of a life in the bush, and a passion for conservation, which is still part of her daily life. Lorna’s welcoming presence encapsulates the warmth of the lodge and her dedication to wildlife conservation is synonymous with the essence of Serondella.
Tanya was born a city girl, but is a self-proclaimed bush baby by now, and what she loves most about her life at Serondella is the connection she finds in her surroundings. This is something she shares naturally with guests, immediately understanding and responding to the human desire to restore in and quiet. Tanya is a warm and intuitive host, working seamlessly between the Serondella team and our guests to facilitate personalised, thoughtfully put-together experiences.
Girly trained as a Butler at Serondella, but her professional background and qualifications in tourism and hospitality made her an already-invaluable member of staff, and she quickly progressed to Front-of-House. She’s a self-proclaimed Jack-of-all-Trades and she believes it's important to keep learning, and to love what she does, which is creating memorable experiences for guests who are visiting this corner of the world she calls home. “Come as friends, leave as family,” she says.
Bongi leads the Serondella wellness experience, with an energy that is revitalising in itself. She is our spa therapist, with hands that heal, and she is a joyful presence around the lodge. She is passionate about the benefits of being aligned in mind, body, and spirit, and is the first to remind us that being in an area of natural beauty and abundance lends itself to the relaxation we so often crave. Guests will leave Serondella feeling in tune and at peace thanks to Bongi’s vibrant spirit.
Togara Charingira (TJ) is an award-winning Field Guide who earned the title of FGASA Safari Guide of the Year in 2021. He hails from Zimbabwe and has a well established guiding history in both his home country and in South Africa. He is engaging, enthusiastic, and full of conversation and wildlife wisdom that will make all our guests - young and old - fall in love with the bush.
Benjamin Solms is a Field Guide at Serondella. Born in Zululand, his family has a prominent history in the South African farming industry that has always kept his heart close to nature and in tune with conservation. Benji spent time in the USA before returning to pursue his journey in the bush and spend many hours on foot training as a Trails Guide.
Alfred Ndlovu is a Field Guide with a wealth of experience under his belt. He graduated from a prestigious guide training school and worked in the industry’s most revered safari establishments. His professional journey has also seen him fulfil a role in community projects, facilitating the critical connection between local people and wildlife tourism.
Jeffrey Mabasa is an expert Tracker whose sense of persistence and determination brought his childhood love for the bush into the professional role he has today. He was selected to train with the Tracker Academy and went on to work as an on-screen Tracker with the live screened safari, Wild Earth, before arriving at Serondella in 2016.
With over two decades of animal tracking under his belt, Aubrey is an encyclopedia of Kruger Park bush knowledge. Having studied the signs left behind as wildlife moves through the wild terrain, he can trace and project the behaviour of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects using senses that are truly trained to the wilderness. From elephants to caterpillars, and from paw prints in mud wallows, Aubrey can describe an event he wasn’t even there to witness.
Arnold Godi is one of our Butlers and he makes sure our guests always have exactly what they need. He is most at home at the lodge, where he works alongside his wife Busi, and enjoys meeting everyone who walks through the Serondella doors. His helpfulness makes him indispensable and his easy-going nature is an incredible asset to the team.
Wilfred Ndlovu is a Butler at Serondella, with a hospitality service qualification from Lobster Ink. He grew up on our doorstep, and upon finishing school, sought out a job in the Sabi Sand, which kick-started his career in the lodge industry. His love for the bush drove him to pursue his certification in front-of-house service so that he could continue a career in the bush.
Thomas Matoworenyi is our Head Chef. His tableside manner is full of personality and his approach to food is seasonal and flavour-focused. Thomas - inspired by his late Mother’s cooking - trained at the International Hotel School and has worked as an Executive Chef at prestigious safari establishments, honing his skills before joining us at Serondella in 2021.
Busi Mambana is our Sous Chef and there is no doubt she was born for this role. Her passion for cooking shows not only in her expert knowledge of ingredients and flavours, but in her face, which is never without a smile. Busi followed her dream, trained at the Transvaal Cooking School and gained experience in some top safari kitchens. She is particularly at home in the pastry kitchen!