YOUR TOUR GUIDE

THANDA SAFARI

Thanda Safari is part of the Leading Hotel of the World group and has won countless luxury awards. With 14 safari tents nestled into the trees, this is the ultimate in glamping.

ROOMS (above) Think Hemingway-style safari tents – polished-timber floors, crisp linens, colonial furniture and fixtures, candles and brass details in the bathroom.

FOOD Help yourself in the morning and table service by night. Dining by candlelight in the evening and retiring to the bar or fire pit, which sit above the pool, is just magic. www.thanda.com.

KWANDWE GREAT FISH RIVER LODGE

When it comes to atmosphere, dining, staff and decor, this is the quintessential South African safari experience. Set above a river, its design is colonial in that South African organic-yet-refined way.

ROOMS (below) Small luxury huts dotted along a narrow gravel path. Think wood, thatched ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glazing with views to the bush. Sink-into-me beds are dressed in white linens and you can bathe indoors or out.

FOOD Incredible European (croissants, soufflés, seafood) and safari dishes (warthog salami, springbok carpaccio, impala steaks) served up in elegant colonial style. www.kwandwe.com.

SAFARI KNOW-HOW

ORGANISATION Our itinerary was devised by Encompass Africa, a specialist tour operator with expert knowledge of Africa. A six-night stay taking in Thanda Safari and Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge costs from $4565/pp, airfares not included. encompassafrica.com.au.

DRESS Look to neutral-toned outfits that are appropriate for climbing in and out of a vehicle; wide-brimmed hats that will stay put in the open air; shoes for gravel pathways and a bag.