The Thornhill estate was established in 1823, when trekking Boers were awarded title to their properties by the British Colonial Government. At the time, vast herds of Springbok, often up to two million strong, would migrate through the Great Karoo and across Thornhill to their annual pastures.

Thornhill has strong natural springs and used to supply the British steam trains traveling north during the Boer War of 1899-1902. The river crossing nearby at the filling point has two historic British Blockhouses, built to to protect this supply...

The Thornhill Lodge is situated in the centre of prize winning garden with lush lawns and flora.

The main lodge is Cape Dutch style architecture and houses only four suites. This serves to limit occupation numbers and keep intimate the interaction between man and beast which is, in the Thornhill philosophy, the whole point of game viewing.

The interior has been upgraded substantially, but care has been taken to preserve the charm of the bushveld.

All rooms have full en suite comfort with bathroom facilities together with vintage wooden roofing and floors. Thornhill believes that comfort at bedtime is a prerequisite to fine living and all rooms have a complimentary decanter of port and brandy (refilled daily). Enjoy.

The Bush Camp is situated about eight miles from the main lodge, upstream in the heart of the canyon. Sitting alongside a perennial river, the camp is comprised of three huts, hand built from natural rock found in the area, with thatched rooving. The camp sleeps eight and has its own separate kitchen, cooking and dining areas. Its outside fire pit (traditional bouma in South African terminology) looks out on a six hundred foot sandstone cliff made up of contrasting sediment deposited over millions of years. The camp is fully serviced with the exception of electricity. Everybody should spend at least one night in Africa, sleeping without electricity.. Primitive lamps abound.