At Thornybush, conservation and sustainability are the foundation of our business. We operate in wilderness areas with a clear mission to protect biodiversity, reduce our footprint, and deliver authentic nature-based experiences. As part of the Thornybush Nature Reserve, an associated private nature reserve within the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, we are integrated into one of the most important wildlife ecosystems in southern Africa, spanning more than 2 million hectares. Conservation management in these reserves is undertaken by professional bodies guided by approved management plans, yet we hold ourselves directly accountable for our own footprint and the impacts of our operations.
In 2023, Thornybush became a member of The Long Run, a global group of nature-based tourism businesses working to protect the wild places their guests come to experience. We’re committed to running Thornybush as sustainably as we can, in partnership with our team, our suppliers and the communities around the reserve. We believe you can have the perfect safari and still tread lightly on the land that makes it possible.
The choices we make on the reserve add up. In how we use energy and water, how we handle waste, who we buy from and who we employ, we try to leave Thornybush and the Greater Kruger better than we found it, for the wildlife, for our neighbours, and for the guests who’ll come long after us.
Across the network, Long Run members help safeguard more than 23 million acres of wilderness and support the livelihoods of 750,000 people. Our own work is closer to home: the conservation and community projects we run across Thornybush Nature Reserve, in the Greater Kruger.
In every decision, we weigh the impact on the land and the animals that live on it. We focus where we can make a real difference: energy and climate, water, waste, and keeping our rhino and other wildlife safe from poaching. Working alongside local communities, we’re always looking for better ways to use the resources we have.
The future of this place depends on the people who live around it. Through Thornybush Community, we support our neighbours with youth bursaries and hospitality training, helping grow local talent and open real careers in tourism, so the benefits of the reserve reach well beyond its fences.
"Joining this select network allows us to collaborate, innovate, and prove to our guests that our actions truly match our words."
Andy Payne, CEO, Thornybush
The Long Run defines responsible tourism through four commitments: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. For Thornybush, these are the principles we’re working towards, guiding how we run our lodges and shaping the partnerships we build with the communities and wilderness of the Greater Kruger.
Revenue reinvested into protecting Thornybush Reserve’s biodiversity, safeguarding endangered species, funding K9 anti-poaching unit, and supporting wildlife research partnerships.
Revenue directed toward community investment — from early childhood development and local school initiatives to a youth bursary programme that builds a pipeline of local talent into hospitality and tourism.
Celebrating and preserving the cultural heritage of the communities around us. We work hand in hand with local partners to honour traditions and share stories — including our team choir, which celebrates Shangaan cultural music heritage.
Proving that luxury travel and sustainability can go hand in hand — through responsible sourcing, renewable energy investment, and building and mentoring local community enterprises.
Thornybush is working toward Global Ecosphere Retreat® (GER) accreditation — The Long Run’s most rigorous standard, requiring us to meet 91 sustainability criteria with independent, third-party verification.
By pursuing GER accreditation, Thornybush reaffirms that our purpose extends beyond hospitality. We are shaping a model where luxury travel and conservation leadership go hand in hand, creating measurable, lasting benefits for nature, communities, culture, and commerce.
The GER® certification process requires an honest audit of every aspect of our operations — from energy and waste management to community investment and conservation impact. Independent assessors verify our performance against each of the 91 criteria before accreditation is granted.
The GER® standard is officially recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) — aligning Thornybush with the global benchmark for responsible travel. When you stay at Thornybush, your experience is validated not just by our word, but by an internationally recognised framework.
Sustainability at Thornybush is not a policy document. It is a set of daily decisions made by every member of our team — from the kitchen that sends zero wet organic waste to landfill, to the ranger who reports an alien plant infestation, to the lodge manager reviewing the monthly solar energy report.
Thornybush is steadily expanding its use of solar energy, with further installations underway as part of our long-term commitment to reducing reliance on conventional power sources.
Plastic bottles and other recyclable materials are diverted from landfill through active waste separation across all our lodges. We aim to treat waste not as an endpoint, but as a resource that can be recovered and redirected.
Wet organic waste from our lodges is donated to local pig farmers, while produce is sourced through a Black female-owned farm-to-fork business—helping to reduce food miles and support the local economy.
85% of the Thornybush team is employed from our local area. We have built, mentored, and invested in three local community businesses. Cultural experience tours for guests are facilitated through these local enterprises.
Thornybush supports children through Early Childhood Development Centres and local school initiatives, while providing tourism students with valuable workplace experience through lodge internships.
By staying with Thornybush, you help us continue making more responsible choices across our lodges, while supporting the conservation of the wild places around us and the communities who call this region home. To learn more, explore the conservation projects led by Thornybush Nature Reserve or discover the work of Thornybush Community.
Membership signifies that we are part of a global network of nature-based businesses committed to protecting biodiversity and improving the lives of local communities — validated by an independent international framework and recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
The Global Ecosphere Retreat® (GER) is The Long Run’s most rigorous standard, requiring us to meet 91 sustainability criteria with independent, third-party verification. It provides credible external proof that our sustainability claims are real — not marketing.
We prioritise local suppliers and work with community-owned businesses wherever possible. These include a 100% Black female-owned farm-to-fork business, as well as local enterprises we support through mentorship, investment and guest cultural experiences.
Yes. The GER® standard is officially recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) — the international body that sets the baseline for sustainable tourism accreditation globally.
