Into the Wild & Wonderful
Experience a new era of modern luxury at three unique destinations where glamour meets African authenticity.
MOTHER EARTH
To many world travellers, Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve in South Africa is the ultimate safari destination. Deep in the African bush, the thrilling animal encounters are incredibly close and impeccably managed. The same could be said for the luxury lodge accommodations.
With decades of experience in hosting guests from around the world, the Sabi Sabi offering has evolved over time. Three uniquely individual lodges – Selati Camp, Bush Lodge and Little Bush Camp – reflect guests’ desires to enjoy classic safari accommodation, with stylistic nods to modern Africa as well as the heritage and romance of early explorers. Earth Lodge is different, lauded as a luxury safari lodge ahead of its time for the past 20 years. With the unveiling of the refurbished Earth Lodge luxury suites, the future of safari lodges has once again been reinvented.
The lodge is revealed in a magnificent ‘wow’ moment: on arrival by jeep, guests are led down a deceptively simple corridor to step into the stunning main lobby, where a panorama of uninterrupted bushveld awaits. Natural wooden sculptures by renowned South African artist Geoffrey Armstrong, combined with soaring ceilings, make a powerful statement, and a sense of welcoming serenity is immediately apparent.
Inside the 13 spacious suites, a fantasy has been created with animal skin rugs and walls resembling pressed earth. They also include every modern convenience imaginable including private plunge pools and a mini-bar stocked with bottles of Sabi Sabi’s own wine label. The outdoor patio is an inviting space for kicking back, with an oversized sofa and leather hanging chair. A full-length plunge pool is a cool escape from the heat of the day, offering unending views of the African bushveld.
Elsewhere at the lodge, guests will feel they’ve left real-world cares behind, except for the one pressing concern that they should have stayed an extra night or two. A secluded library, art gallery, meditation garden, holistic spa and underground wine collection of more than 6,000 bottles of rare wines tends to have that effect.
At Earth Lodge at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, guests are treated to a traditional South African barbecue, or braai, during their stay. Flame-grilled lamb chops, roasted corn, tender trout and potatoes dressed with chakalaka (a tomato-based relish) make for a satisfying feast, served under the stars.
Earth Lodge has been heralded as the future of eco-sensitive lodges in Africa. Architecturally designed to blend into the landscape, it becomes one with the nature that surrounds it. Inside, every conceivable luxury has been provided for the human habitat.
In between early morning and pre-dinner safaris, there’s plenty to occupy the mind, body and spirit. Start with the well-stocked library, art gallery, meditation garden and underground cellar of rare wines. Stretch your legs at the indoor gym, and be on the lookout for curious elephant observers. They like to peer through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
At the Amani Spa at Earth Lodge, holistic beauty and skin rituals are delivered with the utmost care and respect. Therapists use the organic Esse line of products, rich in prebiotic and probiotic active ingredients. During the Spirit of Africa Spa Journey, ancient African Rungu warrior sticks are kneaded deeply into muscles and tissues to release tension.
A PLACE BY THE RIVER
On the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, in the wild heart of Zimbabwe, you’ll find a hideaway for the true adventurers. Located just seven kilometres from that marvel of Mother Nature, Victoria Falls, Old Drift Lodge is a destination that truly captures the imagination.
The 14 suites are clad in white canvas and blend almost seamlessly with the African bush that surrounds them. Yet it would be unfair to compare the accommodations to glamping quarters – that simply does not do justice to the storybook quality of the luxurious permanent camp. Since when did glamping come with private plunge pools and outdoor clawfoot tubs within earshot of the splish-splash of hippos in the river?
Old Drift Lodge has rapidly become a favourite watering hole for guests of the two- and four-legged variety. Elephants stop by on hot days to drink from the pools. Cleared pathways ensure easy passage between the river and the Zambezi National Park for the hippos, buffalos, zebra and other wild beasts that call this place home. Inside the family-friendly accommodations, every comfort has been provided for, from full air-conditioning and brass basins in the bathrooms to billowing white mosquito nets around the fabulous beds. The lolly-pink sunsets will melt your heart, while the croc sightings will make it beat faster.
To sit on a picnic blanket by the entrancing riverbank, drinking South African wine and listening to the splash of elephant mums and their bubs, is to know Happiness. He’s one of the local rangers. olddriftlodge.com
LIVINGSTONE, I PRESUME?
When the MORE group acquired Stanley & Livingstone Hotel, a dynamic reinvention was set in motion. Set on a sprawling private game reserve in Zimbabwe, with just 16 luxury suites, the property is truly boutique: a first for the Victoria Falls area. Known for exquisite luxury lodges in Southern Africa, the MORE group works with some of the best architects and interior designers in the world to create outstanding properties that are quintessentially African.
And so it was with Stanley & Livingstone, a landmark hotel that had long reflected an old-fashioned, Brit-centric colonial style. When MORE took the reins, it immediately closed the doors to begin a year-long total renovation and refurbishment.
When it reopened in 2018 as Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel, the style had been completely updated to reflect a modern, easy-going approach to its location and heritage. It was out with the heavy, dark mahogany wood and cumbersome steamer trunks as coffee tables; in with playful black-and-white wallpaper depicting jungle scenes and upscale bath products by the clawfoot tubs. Contemporary paint colours create a cosy atmosphere. The beds are next-level dreamy, cocooned in light-as-a-feather white canopies. In the communal spaces, the sophisticated yet approachable design direction encourages guests to linger. Velvet couches in rich, jewel tones are arranged around coffee tables where conversation-starting books about local history and culture can be found. Guests at its signature restaurant have the option to dine inside, out on the terrace or in the gardens.
Most will take the opportunity to join a guided tour to marvel at the thundering Victoria Falls, just 15 minutes’ drive away. They return from the excursion wide-eyed and wonderstruck, eager to relive the experience over a juice or gin cocktail overlooking the wild game reserve.
At the hotel’s signature restaurant, creative ways with local produce place delicious Zambezi bream and smoked venison carpaccio on plates. Respect for classics ensures prawn cocktails and pan-roasted chicken won’t be leaving the menu any time soon. Effortlessly chic and stylish, the property is well located for visitors seeking a combination of time at the Falls with a luxury safari experience. A novel program gives guests the option to venture off on horseback safari. The experience of riding a former polo pony through a dazzle of zebra in the African bush is simply unforgettable. more.co.za/stanleyandlivingstone