South Africa’s luxury safari market has a new addition, with Hungry Lion CEO Adrian Basson opening Tsholo Safari Lodge in the Black Rhino Game Reserve, combining Big Five game drives, fine dining, spa treatments and exclusive accommodation in the Pilanesberg region.

The 20-bedroom lodge offers an upscale wilderness escape within reach of Johannesburg and Pretoria, with 14 suites, two swimming pools and elevated viewing decks overlooking the surrounding landscape.

Electric safari vehicles, in-house chefs and a forest-set spa are central to its offering for travellers seeking privacy and comfort in the bush.

The venture also extends a family legacy built around Shoprite, the retail giant transformed by Basson’s father, Whitey Basson, from a business with eight stores into Africa’s largest retailer.

After helping grow Hungry Lion into a major African fast-food chain, Adrian Basson is now turning his attention to luxury tourism and South Africa’s premium safari experience.

A luxury retreat in the Pilanesberg

Tsholo Safari Lodge is located in the private Black Rhino Game Reserve within the broader Pilanesberg region of South Africa’s North-West province.

Its setting gives guests access to the Big Five — lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo — alongside the comfort of a high-end hospitality property.

The lodge features a spa within a Tambotie forest, with three treatment rooms offering views over the Pilanesberg.

Three elevated viewing decks and two swimming pools add to the experience, while in-house chefs prepare menus paired with a selection of South African wines.

Early-morning and late-afternoon game drives use electric safari vehicles, offering a quieter way to explore the reserve. Basson said he wanted to create a place where guests could see wildlife in the morning, spend a relaxed afternoon and enjoy exceptional food at night.

From Shoprite stores to Hungry Lion

The story behind Tsholo is closely connected to the Shoprite empire. Adrian Basson leads Hungry Lion, which was launched under the retailer’s umbrella in 1997, when American fast-food brands were expanding their presence in post-apartheid South Africa.

The first Hungry Lion outlet opened in Stellenbosch. Shoprite’s retail footprint helped the chicken restaurant brand expand across South Africa and into Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, with outlets initially benefiting from space attached to the retailer’s stores.

By 2008, Basson had recognised that Hungry Lion needed a distinct identity to grow beyond locations associated with Shoprite. The business revamped its stores, developed its own supply chain and opened standalone outlets. Shoprite eventually sold its interest in the chain in 2018.

A new direction for the Basson legacy

Hungry Lion has since expanded to 500 stores across eight African markets, employing 10,000 people. It is targeting 750 stores by the end of 2026, extending the business that helped establish Basson’s career.

His father, Whitey Basson, led Shoprite’s transformation from eight stores into a retail group that now operates 3,710 stores across Shoprite, Usave, Checkers and OK Foods.

Tsholo represents a different side of that legacy. Rather than serving millions of everyday shoppers, Adrian Basson’s latest venture targets travellers seeking exclusivity, wildlife and refined hospitality — an offering that places South Africa’s natural environment at the centre of a luxury travel experience.