Perched on a hilltop with wonderful views over the reserve, Mountain Lodge offers spacious suites nestled amidst the bush covering the slopes. The immediacy of the bush combined with the breadth of the view makes for an appealing contrast. The suites are tastefully decorated in contemporary colours drawing on local designs and architecture for inspiration. Up at the main lodge building, extensive decks give a variety of places to dine, relax, and enjoy the reserve spread out below you.

Phinda Private Game Reserve, part of the outstanding &Beyond family, was conceived in the early days of KwaZulu-Natal eco-tourism and became a flagship project for &Beyond. 23,000 hectares of pineapple and cattle farms were turned over to conservation and restocked with indigenous game. Today the game is flourishing, including the Big Five, and Phinda is also well known for its cheetah sightings, probably the best place in the province to see these sleek speed merchants. Phinda also covers an impressive seven different habitats, including the very rare sand forest.