A comfortable one-hour (120km) drive from Durban and 40 minutes from Pietermaritzburg, lying on both sides of the Umkomaas River, south of Richmond in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa is the 5-star Duma Manzi Boutique Eco Lodge & Spa. Set in 5 000 hectares of private game reserve in the lush Umkomaas Valley, Duma Manzi is the essence of luxury and tranquillity.

At Duma Manzi we pride ourselves on our meticulous attention to detail and strive to keep things simple yet exceptional. The emphasis is on luxury, romantic charm, and tranquility, combined with the priceless gift of privacy. Ideal for tourists, families and a perfect bushveld venue for conferences, weddings and other special functions.

Nestled in the forest along the river, with majestic views of the sandstone cliffs is Duma Manzi Boutique Eco Lodge, with Sandstone and Fish Eagle chalets. The chalets are in sync with its tranquil bush landscape, giving the guest a sense of peace.

With our guests’ personal delight a priority, our staff is on hand to tend to their every need. With a maximum of 20 guests able to be accommodated, guests can be assured of personal care and service.

The Chalets:

The exclusive Sandstone Chalets comprise of five luxury chalets, allowing guests the full privilege of inimitable tranquillity and luxury. Guests are able to settle into comfort and total privacy within secluded chalets that are well blended into the captivating beauty of the surrounding wilderness.

Elegantly decorated, the chalets each have their own plunge pool and glass doors leading from the bedroom and bathroom onto a wooden deck overlooking the river. Here you can while away those special moments in quiet seclusion. Each chalet has an en-suite bathroom, overhead fan, drink’s facility, safe, viewing deck and private plunge pool.

5 Luxury Rooms with Twin or King beds.

Fish Eagle Chalets are perfectly positioned with a breathtaking view of the mighty river and sandstone cliffs, where African Fish Eagles are frequently spotted.

The four beautifully decorated, open-plan chalets give guests total seclusion in relaxed intimate surroundings. The lodge has its own pool, to relax and take in the exquisite surroundings.

Dining is at our main complex where guests are able to mingle with guests staying at our other lodges. Positioned away from the main lodge complex, Fish Eagle chalets ensure guests have an “African bush experience” never to be forgotten.

Each chalet has an open en-suite bathroom, overhead fan, drink’s facility, safe and viewing deck.

4 Luxury Rooms - King Beds only.

Family Unit: Luxury family rooms comprise 2 adjacent bedrooms, each with their own en-suite bathroom. These luxury rooms have a private garden and rock pool that the 2 bedrooms share from sliding doors in each bedroom, allowing families the privacy to be together and enjoy the beauty of the river and sandstone cliffs. The beds in each luxury room can either be King or Twin.

2 Inter-Leading Luxury Rooms with King or Twin beds.

Communal Areas:

The main lodge is built on raised wooden platforms, with a spacious veranda. Luxuriously furnished in classical colonial African style, our facilities include a dining area furnished with Teak furniture and large tastefully decorated comfortable lounges that can be enjoyed in the ambience of such natural beauty.

An indoor bar, a TV lounge equipped with children’s videos and games, reception, curio corner and function rooms complete the main complex with its African ambience.

Dining during your stay at Duma Manzi Boutique Eco Lodge is either at the main lodge dining room, or in our open-air boma, which allows for elegant dining under the African stars. Guests can enjoy unique dishes with African flavours, accompanied by a selection of the finest South African wines to complement our delectable dishes.

A pristine malaria free wilderness of some 5000 hectares, access to the Duma Manzi reserve is restricted, enabling guests to enjoy the exclusive experience of tranquillity and the natural African bush. Our Reserve is a National Monument Site where Cecil John Rhodes and his brother Herbert farmed cotton in the 1870?s.

Topographically the reserve consists of plateaus, steep densely wooded slopes, valley bottoms, drainage lines and a large central basin. The main watercourses are the KwaNcibi, KwaJakaza, Mtungwane and Nkoxweni rivers. Large hills that are prominent include Sandluluba, Ndulwini and Spitz Kop.

The reserve is situated in the summer rainfall region with annual rainfall in the high-lying areas of about 800mm and 700mm in the lower lying areas. The range in altitude is considerable, varying from 820 meters above sea level in the southwest to 430 meters on the banks of the Umkomaas River.

Duma Manzi has a wide range of geological features, including outcrops of sandstone and dolerite, which give rise to the spectacular cliffs. There are also sedimentary rocks formed from melting glaciers (called glacial tillite), that have "drop stones" from the Witwatersrand Complex embedded in them. The soils derived from the above rocks, together with the steep slopes, river valleys and undulating hills and plateaus, result in variety of landscapes, which in turn supports many different plant and animal species.

The eco systems support more than 300 species of birds, among the "specials" on the bird list are African Fish Eagle, Ground Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Knysna and Purple Crested Tauraco (Loerie). A wide variety of butterfly species are seen in the woodlands and high lying grasslands and frogging is also high on the list with a variety of species found in the reserve.

Besides our prolific bird life and other animals, Duma Manzi is home to the following wildlife: disease-free buffalo, the elusive leopard, giraffe, zebra, blue wildebeest, kudu, nyala, bushbuck, impala, blesbok, oribi, grey and blue duiker, common reedbuck, eland, serval, striped polecat, banded mongoose, slender mongoose, water mongoose, white tailed mongoose, African weasel, aardwolf, African wildcat, honey badger, black-backed jackal, clawless otter, caracal, large-spotted genet as well as many smaller mammals, predators and reptiles.

After some of the finest game viewing, cuisine and views in the Duma Manzi reserve, guests can simply relax on pool loungers overlooking the river and majestic scenery. Your stay can be as relaxed or active as you desire - the Lodge caters for all.

• Duma Manzi EcoSpa
• Birding
• Butterflies & Frogging
• Game Drives and Self-Guided Walks
• Fishing
• River Rafting
• Golf
• Star Gazing
• Cub's Club for children and families.

Duma Manzi is the ideal setting for small to medium sized conferences looking for that unique and tranquil setting.

A 5-Star Conference Package is available mid week (Sunday to Thursday), entitled Network in Nature.

Merely a one hour drive from Durban and forty minutes from Pietermaritzburg, delegates can enjoy our luxury accommodation, game viewing experiences and team building facilities.

Formal or informal we can cater for all needs from as little as 2 delegates to 18 delegates.

All rates are quoted in South African Rand and are subject to change. Rates quoted are per person sharing, per night and inclusive of 14% VAT. Accommodation is fully inclusive, covering breakfast and dinner.

Please enquire about special offers, which are frequently available. Stays of 2 nights and longer are subject to a discount.