FIVE BUSH READS THAT’LL TRANSPORT YOU

Whether you’re the style-hungry safari goer, the game-drive know-it-all or the lodge lover who insists on a community- and conservation-first approach, each of these must-read books deserves a place on your coffee table. Travel to breathtaking camps, lodges and reserves in the North West, Botswana and even Rwanda and Morocco. Learn about the site-specific designs of Africa’s most desirable lodges and how Dinokeng Game Reserve has defined itself in a its short history. Or dip into a grassroots ecology guide that answers some of our most pertinent questions. And for those who love compelling photography and gobsmacking interiors, we’ve got you covered.

SAFARI STYLE AFRICA (Quivertree Publications)

Featuring a glut of gorgeous African lodges, Safari Style Africa reveals the thumbprint of safari luxe across the continent. Fusing luxury, high-end design and traditional craft with the African bushveld, Annemarie Meintjes makes us yearn for dusty roads, canvas tents and the stillness of the wilderness. In the Waterberg region specifically, the Mabote, Leobo and Marataba lodges offer nature lovers stylish and deeply grounding experiences in the South African bush. quivertreepublications.com

GREAT ESCAPES AFRICA: THE HOTEL BOOK (Taschen)

Captured with the characteristic glamour of Angelika Taschen’s renowned coffee-table books, Great Escapes Africa is a notable hotel offering. In it, you will be taken on a lavish journey to some of the continent’s most spectacular establishments in various sought-after destinations. Depicted with beguiling photography, all have that X factor that has rendered Taschen’s eye so noteworthy and all come with cleverly resourced extras, such as reading lists and essential information.

DINOKENG (HPH Publishing)

As the free-roaming Big-Five destination closest to Gauteng, Dinokeng Game Reserve has unavoidable pull for weary city dwellers. Marking the first decade since its opening in 2011, the book celebrates its developments, including the reintroduction of key species, biodiversity efforts and anti-poaching endeavours. Through a spellbinding photographic and written account of the area’s diverse wildlife and pristine habitat, readers get a first-hand experience of this ambitious game reserve and the course of its evolution. hphpublishing.co.za

AN ECOLOGICAL GUIDE TO THE BUSH (Jacana Media)

Taking a refreshing angle on the traditional reference book, Dr Bruce McKenzie’s An Ecological Guide to the Bush traces the flow of energy through the bushveld. Looking at energy expenditure and replenishment among plants and animals, questions such as “How much energy does a bird expend flying?”, “How have snakes adapted to an unfavourable body shape?” and “Why does the giraffe only feed on tree leaves?” render accessible ecology and the often-overlooked systems that support life in the bush. jacana.co.za

SAFARI STYLE (Vendome Press)

A smorgasbord of 21 luxury and eco-safari lodges handpicked by author and luxe travel company CEO Melissa Biggs Bradley, Safari Style captures the lure of the ultimate African encounter. From South Africa and Zimbabwe to Kenya and Rwanda, the camps and lodges in this book have been chosen for their commitment to conservation, community involvement, five-star offerings and aesthetic cred. All are qualities that, according to Biggs Bradley, define the new generation of lodges. Trust us, it’s a recipe for safari longing. vendomepress.com –