Community walking tour enriches Thornybush experience
Guests explore Makrepeni village near Hoedspruit, meeting locals, sharing traditional meals, and visiting community upliftment projects.
LIMPOPO – One of the most meaningful and immersive experiences offered to guests at Thornybush lodges is the opportunity to take part in a walking community excursion to a neighbouring village.
This tour offers a chance to connect with local people, discover their stories and engage with the culture and food that shapes the region.
More than just a cultural exchange, this tour is also a gateway to making a difference through volunteerism in community programmes.
Thornybush guest Jane Garfoot recently took the tour through Makrepeni village, just outside Simbambili Game Lodge.
“Her excursion began at Nourish, where she explored the Sediwa (Sustainable Enterprise Development in Wildlife Areas) Hub. Here, she witnessed the real-world impact of programmes such as the digital skills computer lab, a locally crafted goods shop, a hydroponics garden and the GreenKidz after-school centre. Jane rolled up her sleeves and joined the gogos to chop up vegetables for the GreenKidz lunch and got involved in some gardening work,” said Busisiwe Chauke, Thornybush’s general manager.
Of the many people Jane met along their stops was a gogo who makes grass woven mats, known as masangu or switheve.
She also had an engaging conversation with a local traditional healer, who narrated the story of his days as a lodge employee, leading up to his transition into traditional medicine.
“We then took a short lunch break and enjoyed a traditional meal made of pap, spinach and cow-head before making our final stop at Hananani Primary School.
Here, Jane met Keysman Nkuna, the dedicated caretaker of the Thornybush community sustainability garden that supplies over 56 000 meals annually, through the school feeding programme. She was a big hit as she walked through the school premises and was met with hugs from the excited children. These are the faces behind the impact that every Thornybush guest community levy makes,” Chauke concluded.
To learn more about community experiences at Thornybush lodges and their programmes, email busisiwe@thornybush.com.
