Overall Impression It had been several years since our first stay at Singita Ebony in South Africa’s popular Sabi Sand Reserve. We knew Singita had refreshed the décor and were curious about the changes. As we walked across the bridge from the arrival parking area and our host showed us around I remembered the two level swimming pools steps from the open air main building. My eyes were immediately drawn across the new bar to the Sand River. The deck, perched on the edge of the property facing the river looked familiar, but not the same. Our friendly host explained that the deck was larger as the property had expanded the multilevel platform. And, in lieu of the bright hues of the past the color theme was neutral bush tones.

Minutes later we were exploring our double suite, a stand alone structure only steps away from the main building and adjacent deck. It instantly became a favorite. A shared glass enclosed entry foyer provided privacy while maintaining a sense of openness to the bush around us. Inside, the two 56 square meter rooms, each with its own deck and heated plunge pool, were spacious and well appointed while at the same time homey. The river and bush fronting setting was fantastic. Every day we made time to take a dip in the heated plunge pool, enjoying the solitude while soaking in the views and serenity of the nearby wilderness. With difficulty I tore myself away from my luxurious cocoon for the twice daily game drives, to swim laps in the full size swimming pool, workout and enjoy a treatment at the spa, and visit the well stocked gift shop and art gallery a short drive away.

Immediately before the afternoon game drive there was an elaborate tea service with a choice of beverages and petit fours. Thirty minutes was scarcely enough time to meet new arrivals, engage in conversation and indulge in the variety of treats. We headed out on the game drive with hearts and bellies content, eager for a Big Five encounter.

In addition to the natural setting, Big Five (and cheetah) sightings, stylish furnishings and my suite, what I most remember was the efficient and friendly service. When a well worn flip flop broke we attempted to purchase a replacement at the Singita shop only to discover there were none available. On hearing about it the staff volunteered a temporary solution. A resourceful staff member glued it so well it lasted through the end of the trip.

We liked the refreshed décor, including the new deck space, especially the shady corners during the hot lunch hours, facing the partly dry riverbed. From the chocolate in the mini bar (a rare find on safari) and watercolor kit in the riverside room, to the attentive service and posh accommodations Singita Ebony set a high bar for safari luxury.

Children The property welcomed children of all ages without any restrictions.

Class of Accommodation Luxury Safari Lodge

General Manager Chantelle Maritz, who was there during our stay, and Kobus De Kock

Handicapped Access The property welcomed blind, deaf and wheelchair bound guests.

Length of Stay Three nights

Location In the Singita Reserve within the western Sabi Sand Reserve, which is adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

Number of Employees About 80

Owned and Managed Luke Bailes

Size The lodge had 12 rooms. The Singita Reserve, shared by Ebony and Boulders lodges and Castleton Camp was 6,000 hectares in size. The total traversing area was 18,000 hectares. The Singita Reserve was situated within the 45,000 acre Sabi Sand Reserve which was adjacent to and fenceless from the Kruger National Park.

Year Opened and Date of Most Recent Renovation The lodge opened in 1993 and the most recent renovation was in 2015.

Lobby and Common Areas The décor had changed significantly since our previous visit years earlier. Open air spaces dominated during our spring stay when hot temperatures ruled the day and the thermometer dipped thirty or more degrees fahrenheit in the evenings. Decorative features included still-life collections of antiques and artifacts, vintage campaign furniture from the Bailes family collection, wood, iron, steel and aged bronze reminiscent of the 19th century, oversized sepia photography, leopard and zebra print upholstery selected to complement bold graphic tribal patterned murals. Canvas and glass replaced internal and external walls to create safari tent-style rooms.

Bathroom One of my favorite features of the bathroom was the views of the deck, riverbed and bush it offered from almost every spot thanks to the glass walls of the room. The bathing area of the bathroom was two steps away from the bed without doors dividing the two spaces. There were twins sinks, each on a wood stand, on opposite ends of the bathroom. One set against the back wall had a large framed mirror. One set against a glass wall had a hanging, round framed mirror. A square leather stool took up the center of the bathroom. There was a clawfoot bath tub against the glass wall facing the side terrace and outdoor shower. A wood towel rack was to next to it in the corner. In the opposite corner there was a glass enclosed shower. Half a level below, reached by a few steps, a separate room at the end of the walk-in closet housed a toilet and sink.

Room I loved my room with its glass walls, doorless interior and inviting terrace, especially the heated plunge pool. Facing the main lodge building we turned left, walking at a slight upward angle on a brick path, to reach our thatched roof rooms. We stayed in adjacent Rooms 8 and 9, the Singita Ebony Lewis Suites, which shared a convenient entrance foyer with glass doors. The foyer was large enough to house two comfortable and cushioned armchairs. It provided a convenient place to wait for our staff escort at night. Oversize, self locking and swiveling wood doors lead into two Sand River fronting rooms.

The rooms, 56 square meters each, were divided into two main areas: An indoor space without interior walls and an outdoor terrace. Indoors, there was an entrance foyer and desk area, a bedroom, a bathing and ablutions space, a large walk-in closet, and a separate room with the toilet and sink. Two sliding glass doors provided access to the terrace, one next to the desk opened onto the sitting part of the porch. The other in the bathing area opened in front of the plunge pool. Outdoors, the terrace was a continuous doorless space. One side, under roof, had a comfortable sofa and two armchairs. The other had a plunge pool, two adjustable cushioned lounge chairs and a sun umbrella. In the back there was an outdoor shower. There were several vervet monkeys on my terrace the day I arrived.

The room, decorated in earth tones with safari accents, was made with a combination of concrete, glass, and canvas. The floors were of polished concrete with area rugs. The terrace floors were wood, except for the stone outdoor shower. The area of the room facing the river had glass walls, affording a river view from almost every angle. It was possible to lower a canvas cover for privacy or to shut out the daylight. The temperature was controlled via two wall-mounted air conditioning and heating units. There was also a fireplace near the desk. One night during my stay the staff surprised me with a lit fireplace on my return from the game drive. Framed photos, one oversize, on the walls broke the visual silence. There was ample lighting in the room during the day and night; during the day from soft sunlight and at night from lamps, indoors and outdoors, including a pool light. Sunlight filtered through a skylight in the darker than the rest of the room walk-in closet.

The entrance foyer had a hat stand with two hats, two cotton wraps, and a bag for guest use during the stay. Two steps led down into the desk area, which had the working fireplace, a cabinet housing the minibar and snacks, and a river facing desk with two armchairs. The staff instructed us to always lock the cabinet and minibar as the monkeys and baboons were prone to break-ins to steal the snacks.

The center of the bedroom was taken up by an oversize fourposter wood bed (from two individual side by side beds) framed by two identical round metal night tables with adjustable metal lamps. One of them also had a telephone and the air conditioning remote control. Above them hung a mosquito net from the ceiling, which the staff spread around the bed at night during the turndown service. Scent-less white linen sheets and a white duvet covered the bed. There were complemented by three pillows of different sizes and materials. The two rooms were very similar in style and furnishings. There were two animal print style armchairs, each with a cushion, on either side against the glass wall in Room 8. In Room 9, the same space was occupied by a daybed.

Beyond the two steep steps that connected a toilet room and the walk-in closet there was ample space for luggage on both sides of the doorless entrance. Above the luggage rack there were rods for ponchos and outdoor gear. An armoire also provided hanging and shelf space as well as an electronic safe. The toilet room was at the the end of the closet. A frosted window with blinds meant there was soft sunlight there. There was another window on the opposite side in the closet.

Food Mealtimes revolved around safari activities. Kitchen staff were able to adjust to food allergies and preferences with ease. In the morning, before going out on game drive there were hot beverages and muffins. Breakfast, served after the morning game drive, included several juices, such as mint apple, fruit smoothie, and kambucha with the option of powdered wheatgrass. Although there were a few items on display in the outdoor deck our servers insisted on bringing our order to the table. When breakfast was served indoors our final morning there was a self serve buffet for the cold items. There was yogurt cereal and fruit coolie as well as a fruit platter and several whole fruits available. A hot made to order menu consisted mainly of eggs with sides such as asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, sausage (pork, beef, ostrich) in various styles of preparation. There were also oatmeal, pancakes, and French toast.

The lunch and dinner menus varied daily. There were salad options with fresh and crispy greens, tacos, fish, beef, lamb, and curry dishes. We loved the Sand River riverbed views from our table at breakfast, lunch and tea.

Amenities Nightly rates included twice daily game drives, meals, snacks, and house beverages. Our rooms had many amenities including: scale, vanity mirror, complimentary water, toiletries, slippers, electronic safe, complimentary mini-bar with coffee and tea service. I particularly liked the gourmet chocolate and homemade fudge.

Facilities Work out and spa building, wine room, Singita Boutique & Gallery gift shop (a short drive away and shared with sister properties).

Pool There were two adjacent outdoor swimming pools about twenty feet long by ten feet wide and about four feet deep with a waterfall feature. Because they were in the shade the water was bracingly chilly even at midday when it was warm. There were a handful of lounge chairs and towels. I loved having a heated plunge pool in my room (about ten feet long, three feet wide and four feet deep). I also enjoyed a swim during the day in the main swimming pool. It was an outstanding combination of pool amenities.

Shop There were Africa and South Africa souvenirs, including a large selection of upscale clothing, art, jewelry, and home furnishings.

Spa I had a good spa treatment with Nonkukuleko. The spa staff were friendly and attentive.

Game Viewing Joshua Bell, who had been guiding for four years and had a Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) Level 2 trails guide qualification, was our guide. Joshua completed his degree in Environmental Sciences at a university in Leeds, United Kingdom. Our tracker, Emmanuel Makhubela, had been tracking for over 18 years, and with Singita for over 10 years. On a previous stay he had also been our tracker. He held a FGASA Tracker Level 3 qualification. We saw the Big Five and cheetah as well as other animals, birds, trees and shrubs.

We saw the following animals during our stay: baboons, buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, bushbuck, cheetah, civet, common duiker, dwarf mongoose, elephant, giraffe, grey duiker, hippopotamus, impala, klipspringer, kudu, leopard, lion, nyala, scrub hare, spotted hyena, tree squirrel, vervet monkey, warthog, white rhinoceros, wildebeest; and flap-necked chameleon.

We saw the following trees and shrubs: Russet bush willow, marula tree, jackalberry, knob thorn, large fruited bushwillow, sycamore fig, roundleafed teak.

We saw or heard the following birds: African hoopoe, bateleur eagle, bearded woodpecker, Cape glossy starling, Cape turtle dove, crested francolin, crowned lapwing, dark chanting goshawk, fork-tailed drongo, golden-tailed woodpecker, lilac-breasted roller, magpie shrike, rattling cisticola, red-billed quelea, redbilled oxpecker, sombre greenbul, southern yellow-billed hornbill, yellow-front canary, Eagle snake brown, Black-bellied bustard, black-shouldered kite, Senegal lapwing, black-crowned night heron, ostrich, stork black.

Activities Dawn and dusk game drives in an open Toyota LandCruiser were included in the nightly rates at the lodge. We shared the vehicle with two or three other guests during our stay.

Other The only sour note were over aggressive monkeys that stole food from tables and one group that intercepted me as I walked back to my room from the spa, stealing my carton of juice with practiced ease. At meal times there was a dedicated staff member tasked with guarding the dining deck from monkeys. The Singita Sabi Sand Reserve properties were Travel + Leisure No. 3 Safari Lodges in Africa in World’s Best 2016 and No. 7 in Middle East, Africa & the Indian Ocean. The property had also received Readers’ Travel Awards 2016 (United Kingdom) of Conde Nast Travellers, No. 7 in Africa Readers’ Choice Awards 2016 (United States).

Cleanliness Excellent

Date of Last Visit May 2017

Reviewers

Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Staff members were friendly, helpful, and guest oriented almost without exception. I appreciated the thoughtful touches like lighting my fireplace one night, repairing my travel partner’s broken flip flop, petit fours at dinner on request, stocking extra fudge in my room and insights on nearby specialty shops. Singita stands out among all the five star properties in that trip for its excellent service. Kennedy, Sara, Auto, Abby and Tom were among the staff who looked after us in one way or another during our stay. Our rooms were serviced twice daily.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression Earth Lodge, one of four safari properties within the Big Five Sabi Sabi Reserve in South Africa’s well known Sabi Sand Reserve, offered a balanced combination of outstanding and quality game viewing, well appointed rooms designed for comfort, luxury facilities and amenities, a gourmet orientation and friendly attentive service. I appreciated the availability of onsite spa treatments and the workout room with glass walls facing a water feature. In the early morning, dozens of twittering birds drew my attention during my exercise hour.

The name of the reserve, Sabi Sabi, was derived from the name of the Sabie River, which forms the southern boundary of the property. The word sabi is derived from the Shangaan (a local language) word “savu” which means “fear,” referring to the dangers associated with the river such as crocodiles and hippopotamuses as well as floods; and indirectly the name means “fear fear,” a spokesperson explained. Although there was no barrier separating us from the surrounding wildlife we felt no such apprehension. From the comfort of our seats in the dining room we watched a warthog family eating grass almost within touching distance. Later during our stay, a herd of elephants quenched their thirst from the water feature while we watched their antics from the shade of the main building. We looked forward to the twice daily game drives with Franscois Rosslee, our energetic and enthusiastic ranger. In his company we saw four of the Big Five and the elusive wild dogs.

Conradie Kruger, head chef, and his staff dedicated much effort to food preparation, presentation and dining location. For example, on our first night they surprised us with a semi private dinner shared with another couple and our ranger in the cellar. The following night we enjoyed cocktails by the fire pit and dined on the lawn beneath a starry sky. We looked forward to meal times and not just for the settings.

At Earth Lodge time disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving me wanting to linger longer by the main area water feature, in a comfy hanging lawn chair with an expansive view of the bush and any four legged visitors or poolside in my spacious and secluded Amber Presidential Suite. It was with regret that we left after two nights, and we look forward to returning in the future.

Children The lodge welcomed children 13 years old and older. Families with younger children were welcome if they booked the entire lodge exclusively. There were only adults at the lodge during our stay.

Class of Accommodation Luxury Five star Safari Lodge

Connectivity There was complimentary WiFi. Because of the location of the lodge, the signal could be interrupted due to wildlife influences or inclement weather.

General Managers Bridget and Heath Thompson

Handicapped Access No, there were no designated handicapped friendly rooms or facilities. To reach our rooms we walked down dirt pathways. From the main pathway several steps led to the room entrance.

Length of Stay Two nights

Location Earth Lodge was within the Sabi Sabi Reserve, which in turn was within the Sabi Sand Wildtuin, a private wildlife conservation area. The nearest airport was in Skukuza in the Kruger National Park, about 60 minutes drive from Earth Lodge. There was also a private airstrip on the reserve about 10 minutes drive from the property.

Managed African Cultural Tours (Pty) Ltd., Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

Number of Employees 52

Owned Hilton and Jacqui Loon

Size Vehicles from the 6,000 hectare Sabi Sabi Reserve were able to traverse 4,500 hectares of game viewing land. There were 12 Luxury Suites and one Amber Presidential Suite.

Year Opened and Date of Most Recent Renovation Earth Lodge opened in 2001. The lodge was fully refurbished in 2010 with continuous upgrades through 2016. Recent work included soft upgrades, new décor and furniture, a new wine cellar, and a new fire pit lounge.

Lobby and Common Areas It is difficult to do justice to the property’s architectural and distinctive decorative style. Photos provide a partial impression. We especially liked the central garden and water feature and the lodge’s bush fronting unobtrusive open air design and comfortable yet stylish furnishings. A salient feature in the main building were chairs in a shallow pool of water. They were popular in the summer our hosts explained when I asked about them. Promotional materials described Earth Lodge as “a masterpiece of innovative architecture, organic design and dramatic minimalism which are the cornerstones of this award-winning and internationally renowned game lodge,” and a “true reflection of an African lodge, Earth Lodge embodies the spirit of South Africa and takes its cue from the vast mineral wealth of the country, with veins of these elements subtly reflected in décor and furnishings throughout the lodge.” It had original handcrafted works of art in the main areas and in the guestrooms.

Bathroom From the bedroom a few steps to the left there was space for luggage, a walk-in closet and a doorless bathroom. To the right of the entrance there were twins sinks built into a earth tone base and set beneath a rectangular frameless mirror almost the length of the wall. Next to the sinks in the corner was a doorless shower. It had a glass wall facing the bathroom and a partial glass wall facing the back terrace, the pool and the bush. Opposite the sinks was an over large, polished concrete oval shaped bathtub. Sliding glass doors opened the bathroom onto the back terrace and pool. The toilet was in its own room with a door. Outside, to the left of the terrace there was an outdoor shower.

The Presidential Suite main bathroom had twin sinks, twin showers in a doorless space with a glass wall facing an inner sand garden, and outdoor shower. The bathroom also had an oversize, oval concrete bathtub next to a a glass wall facing the bush. There was a second bathroom in the hallway with a shower.

Room We stayed in Room 4, an 80 square meter Luxury Suite, and in the 220 square meter one-bedroom, two bathroom Amber Presidential Suite. Both were in standalone structures, had polished concrete floors, area rugs, large bead chandeliers, private plunge pools and the same type of décor and art work as the lodge common areas. The furniture was comfortable and pretty. It was pleasant to spend time between game drives in our rooms.

From the main building dirt pathways led to the rooms. From the pathway the conical shape of the top of Room 4 was visible. The rest of the room was built into the landscape. Several concrete steps and walls led to the wood entrance door. The entrance foyer had a high thatched roof ceiling with a modern twig design lamp hanging in the middle of a sitting space atop an area rug. It was furnished with two cloth armchairs with a round table between them. To the left there was an upright fan. To the right an armoire housed a mini bar with a mini refrigerator and a hot beverage service. Expansive windows faced the covered back terrace, pool and bush.

Behind the sitting space was a second sitting area with a cloth sofa framed by identical upright lamps. In the center there was a rectangular glass and metal coffee table atop a cowhide. Opposite the sofa a large wood piece attached to the wall served as a desk. There was an armless chair next to it. There were snacks, a telephone, informational folders, sherry and a one liter bottle of still Aqua Pure spring water on top of it.

A large bed atop an area rug, framed by identical rectangular night tables with lamps, was set against the back wall. The temperature was controlled by a ceiling air conditioning unit and a fan. At night, there were plenty of lights providing ample lighting. During the day, sliding glass doors, windows, and two skylights filled the room with soft sunlight.

The Presidential Suite had a bush and pool facing master bedroom, spacious en suite bathroom and oversize walk-in closet. There was also a second full bathroom, library, living room, dining room and kitchenette.

The living room had a fireplace, sliding glass doors leading to a covered terrace that ran the length of the suite. Next to it the dining room had seating for six. The library had a glass top desk and an armless wicker chair as well as sliding door access to the covered terrace.

Food With the exception of one dinner we dined alone at our own table. Following a wake up call at 5:30 a.m. we gathered in the main building for tea and rusks (extra crunchy mildly sweet cookies good for dunking) before our game drive. We had breakfast after the game drive (at around 9 a.m.) and lunch at about 1 p.m. in an open air dining room. High tea, served at 3:30 p.m. immediately before the game drive, was elaborate with a variety of tempting treats and beverage options. It was a favorite. Dinner was at 7:30 p.m. The kitchen adapted exceptionally well to dietary restrictions and preferences for meals and snacks. For example, the chef kindly prepared a separate tray of gluten free items for the afternoon tea service. And whenever there were snacks he prepared separate gluten free snacks.

The reserve’s meal philosophy was “Simple Done Well” defined as “Simply prepared but executed with class and focusing on flavour over fuss.” According to a spokesperson, the chefs took “great pride in keeping menus fresh and updated on a regular basis, matching seasons and trends;” featuring well known ingredients, such as beef, pork, lamb and chicken and venison dishes such as kudu, impala and gemsbok; they designed menus to suit many palates; as far as possible the chefs “try their best to stick to grass fed and pasture raised options despite the remote location.”

Amenities Included in the nightly rate were twice daily game drives, “environmental awareness walking safaris,” meals, snacks and water. In the room there were Keet & Monks bath products (shower and bath gel, shampoo, body lotion, conditioner); slippers; bathrobes, electronic safe, complimentary bottled water, Nespresso machine, vanity kit, hot beverage (tea and coffee) service, air conditioning, hairdryer, and sherry. There were also animal check lists for guest use.

Facilities Amani Spa, Boutique Shop, Gym, Wine Cellar, Bar, Library and Lounge.

Fitness Center and Spa There was an air conditioned workout room in a standalone building facing a water feature. It housed two treadmills, rowing machine, spin bicycle, weight machine and small circuit area. Steps from the main building a garden of succulent plants signaled the beginning of the lodge spa.

Shop Behind reception there was a shop with items sourced predominantly from South Africa including branded clothing (limited selection of sizes), jewelry, coffee table books, art, and accessories.

Game Viewing Our ranger, Franscois Rosslee, had six years of experience and was certified as Full Trails Guide Level 2 by the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). Our tracker was Louis Mkhansi.

Our guide showed us several plant species, including Russet bush willow, Apple leaf, Marula tree, Knob thorn, Sycamore fig, Leadwood, Silver cluster-leaf, Red bushwillow, Devil’s thorn. During a sundowner drink stop one evening, he used a special light to show us the yellow-legged-tree-scorpions that infested dead trees.

We saw the following animals: rock monitor, buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, dwarf mongoose, elephants, giraffe, impala, kudu, leopard, lion, nyala, scrub hare, side-striped jackal, spotted hyena, tree squirrel, warthog, waterbuck, wildebeest, wild dog.

We saw or heard the following birds: African fish eagle, African hoopoe, arrow-marked babbler, blue waxbill, Burchell’s starling, Cape glossy starling, Cape turtle dove, common scimitarbill, crowned lapwing, fork-tailed drongo, go-away-bird, greater blue-eared glossy starling, green woodhoopoe, grey heron, grey-headed bush-shrike, hammerkop, magpie shrike, Natal francolin, pearl-spotted owlet, red billed hornbill, southern yellow-billed hornbill, spotted eagle-owl, Swainson’s spurfowl, tawny eagle, Verreaux’s eagle owl, Cinammon-breasted bunting, Pied crow, African mourning dove, Purple roller, Lesser striped swallow.

Activities There were two daily game viewing drives in an open Toyota LandCruiser safari vehicle, in the early morning around dawn and in the late afternoon around sunset. We went on four game drives and one bush walk during our stay. During that time we shared the vehicle with two other guests for three out of the four game drives.

Other As with all the safari properties we visited in South Africa, Earth lodge required that we sign an exhaustive indemnity release as part of the check in process. After dark a staff person escorted us to and from our rooms. The Sabi Sabi Reserve properties, including Earth Lodge, were members of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World. In 2016, the reserve received two stars for Best Design and Most Original Wine List by The World of Fine Wine, a magazine, website and app.

The majority of the staff were from and lived in the local communities of Huntington, Lillydale and Justicia. The Sabi Sabi properties community projects focused on ecotourism, education and community with and eye on sustainability, ownership and accountability, according to promotional materials.

Cleanliness Very good

Date of Last Visit April 2017

Reviewers

Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our rooms were serviced twice daily. Our ranger and tracker, the managers, and chef were pleasantly friendly and service oriented.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression Built on the banks of the Manyeleti River facing the Manyeleti Plains in the north of South Africa’s famed Sabi Sand Reserve, Simbambili Game Lodge offered very good game viewing, luxury amenities and facilities, attentive service, tasty meals, and comfortable rooms with outdoor decks and private plunge pools. It was named, from the Swahili word simba for lion and mbili for two, for a Bremen, Germany adventurer of legend who was said to have been attacked by two lions on his first night in the bush.

We enjoyed game drives in an open safari vehicle in the company of Enoch Temba, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide, Derrick Mninsi, our tracker, and two to four other guests. In his company we explored the roads of the Big Five reserve (Big Four for us as we saw no buffalo) twice daily, at dawn and dusk. Also, we occasionally sighted game by the water hole across from the dining room and common area deck. The search made meal times especially engaging.

Another highlight of our stay was an excellent bush massage, with an all natural South African product line, performed in the spa shed next to the dry riverbed. Given the abundance of food on safari and the restriction on places to walk I appreciated the availability of a fitness room. Simbambili will be on our short list of safari properties in the northern end of the Sabi Sand Reserve thanks to its combination of rewarding game viewing, luxury amenities and facilities.

Children The property welcomed children 16 years of age and older without any restrictions.

Class of Accommodation Five Star Luxury Safari Lodge

Connectivity There was complementary high-speed WiFi via a four megabyte satellite connection.

General Manager Mike and Tania Cowden. They were on leave while we were at the property. The relief manager was Ronel Jacobs.

Handicapped Access No. There were steps between the entrance and the dining room and bar as well as between the main area and the path leading to guest rooms.

Length of Stay Two nights

Location In the Simbambili Reserve in the northern Sabi Sand Reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park in South Africa. The only entrance was through the Gowrie Gate. The lodge was 90 kilometers from Hoedspruit and 103 kilometers from Eastgate Airport. The global positioning system coordinates were S24.46.389 E31.28.590.

Managed The Thornybush Collection

Number of Employees 36

Owned Simbambili Game Lodge Pty (Ltd)

Size The 500 hectare Simbambili Reserve had nine rooms: seven regular rooms, one honeymoon room and one luxury waterhole room. It had traversing rights to 7,000 hectares.

Year Opened and Date of Most Recent Renovation The lodge first opened for guests November 1997 and in 2000 was incorporated into The Thornybush Collection. Following a year of construction during which the property was completely redone it reopened December 2001. In late 2005 there were renovations and in 2007 soft refurbishing work took place. Renovations were ongoing, a staff person indicated, including recent visible maintenance work on walkways as well as decks, bathrooms and soft renovations to room interiors and main areas.

Lobby and Common Areas The property was decorated in a Classic African Safari Style.

Bathroom A sliding wood door and a partial wall led to the bathroom on the left side of the room. There was an earth tone, polished concrete oval bathtub immediately next to the entrance. There were toiletries atop a small round table next to the bathtub. Across from it there was a door-less shower. Against the back wall there were twin ceramic sinks set on a built-in polished concrete block beneath twin rectangular framed mirrors. A separate room in the corner housed the toilet. On a built-in shelf there were khaki colored clean smelling linen (bath and hand towels, floor mats and pool towels). Next to the shelf there was a built-in vanity with framed mirror and stool. There was a water conservation message inviting guests to shower instead of bathing and to reuse their towels. Curtain-less sliding glass doors like the ones in the bedroom faced the open deck.

Room We stayed in Suites 2 and 5, which were nearly identical except for their distance from the main building. We reached the 50 square meter rooms by walking down brick paved walkways from the main lodge buildings (reception, gift shop, dining room, bar, lounge and deck). I liked that the pathways were brick because it was even to walk on and if I wore open shoes during the hot hours of the day my feet didn’t get dirty as they did on dirt pathways in other properties. To enter we inserted the key and pushed hard on an oversize wood swiveling door.

Each of our air conditioned rooms was in a stand alone building with a back terrace including a small covered outdoor area and private plunge 2 meter by 2.5 meter pool, which was 1.8 meters deep. Features included polished concrete floors with brick accents around the edges, high ceiling and thatched roof. The walls had a rough finish and a color matching the floor. During the day sunlight filtered in through the sliding glass doors. At night, there was ample lighting. The room was sprayed liberally with insecticide on a regular basis making it mostly it insect free.

One side was fenced in for privacy so that each room faced the bush and the next room’s fence. Inside, the rooms were shady and cool thanks to wall-mounted air conditioners with heating capacity. There was a concrete table with twin lamps in the foyer and beyond it the rest of the room and the outdoor deck could be reached and seen. Mosquito netting (with two repairs on the one in my room) hung gathered above the queen bed. The staff spread it around the bed at night.

To one side of the entrance, there was a built-in concrete luggage wrack. To the other there was a wood closet built into the wall. The right side of the closet had shelves, and an electronic safe as well as a laundry bag and some amenities (mosquito repellent, flash light, blow dryer). The bedroom could be reached through the left and right of the entrance.

The center of the room was occupied by a large bed (two individual beds set together) with matching rectangular wood night tables and lamps on either side. It was covered with a duvet and four synthetic pillows, two with the name and lion logo of the lodge embroidered on them. To one side of the bed, against the corner, there was a built-in concrete cushioned day bed. Black out red curtains from the floor to the top of the wall covered the sliding glass doors with screen that opened on to a large wood deck. The doors had to be locked at all times to keep baboons (who would steal anything they could, we were warned by the staff) out of the room. A large baboon was capable of opening the front door if the lock wasn’t turned.

Decorative accents included wood and glass framed fabric pieces on one side and similarly framed drawings by Hardi; and wall inset shelf space that contained ceramic artifacts. On one side of the room there were three vertical “windows” with an amber color material in the center.

In the corner of the room, there was a built-in concrete table facing the wall, an armless wicker chair, and a rectangular window facing the bush. On the table there were several amenities: telephone, lamp, (one room had magazines), vase with a green leaf arrangement, folder with lodge information, hot beverage tray (with coffee, hot water pitcher and beverages basket), individual size Nespresso machine and second tray with glasses and a small quantity of what looked like sherry, bottle of red wine, three individual size bags of The Treat Company snacks (peanuts, dried fruit cubes, juicy treats and gum drops), and cutting board with a knife, ginger root and a lemon from the minibar. Below that tray, under the table and behind a wood and metal door (that matched a similar designed metal piece set onto the concrete table at the entrance) there was a mini refrigerator with beverages for sale.

The outer deck faced the bush and the dry riverbed of the Manyeleti River and reached from one end of the room to the other. There were matching adjustable lounge chairs with cushions. To the right of the chairs there was a square plunge pool with clear water (a troop of baboons visited the deck the day of my arrival and drank out of the pool). A few steps away there was a bush facing shady area with a double cushioned day bed next to the privacy fence. The in-room folder warned us not to sleep there at night. From the room I could hear the sound of birds and animals.

Food We sat at a table by ourselves for all meals except one dinner. Most meals and afternoon tea were served on the open air deck. Breakfast, served on our return from game drives, was a small buffet with cereal, yogurt, fresh sliced fruit and made to order hot dishes, mainly eggs and sides. Lunch, served at 1:30 p.m., was buffet style the day we arrived and a set menu served in a tray at our table the second day. Beverages and a cake were available at 3:30 p.m. before departure for the 4 p.m. game drive. Dinner, served after our return from the game drive, was plated in a small boma (enclosed open air space) setting with a single semicircular table for all guests and guides the first night, and plated at private tables the second night. Meal related training and new recipes were introduced on an ongoing basis, according to a spokesperson.

Amenities There were Africology made in South Africa toiletries in refillable plastic bottles (hand and body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion), vanity kit, sewing kit, shower cap, and bath salts. There was an electronic safe, umbrellas, insect repellent, flashlight, hairdryer, two white cotton bathrobes hanging in the shower and two sets of slippers. In the bedroom there was a hot beverage service (tea and coffee), a mini bar with items for sale including white and red wine and other alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, three packages of The Treat Company snacks (there was a price list in the room folder). There was a game and bird identification checklist for guest use. At turn down the staff left a printout of a short story (Tortoise and the Hare).

Facilities Gift shop, fitness room, treatment room, television room, boma (enclosure for al fresco dinners), bar and lounge with fireplace.

Shop There was a small selection of locally produced curios, ornaments, costume jewelry, gift items and branded clothing (few sizes and a limited selection of fabrics available).

Spa There was a single 20 square meter treatment room between the Gym and Room 5 facing the Manyeleti River dry riverbed.

Game Viewing Enoch Temba was our ranger and Derrick Mnisi was our tracker. Enoch had 23 years of experience and the following qualifications: Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Guiding Level 1, Tracking Level 3 and Full Trails Guide. He had worked as field guide at Ululapa Sabi Sands (between 1994 and 2000), Lion Sands Sabi Sands (between 2001 and 2015), and Waterside Lodge Thornybush Game Reserve (from 2016 to the date of publication). Derrick had 17 years of experience and was a FGASA Level 2 Tracker.

Our guide showed us the following trees: Weeping Boerbean, Marula tree, jackalberry, Leadwood.

We saw the following animals: Baboons, Burchell’s zebra, bushbuck, elephants, giraffe, grey duiker, impala, kudu, leopard, lion, nyala, scrub hare, side-striped jackal, steenbok, tree squirrel, warthog, waterbuck, white rhinoceros, wildebeest, wild cat, bat insect, serrated hinged terrapin, agama southern tree.

We saw or heard the following birds: African scops-owl, arrow-marked babbler, bateleur eagle, black headed oriole, blacksmith lapwing, bronze-winged courser, Cape glossy starling, Cape turtle dove, crested barbet, crowned lapwing, fork-tailed drongo, go-away-bird, hadeda ibis, helmeted guineafowl, magpie shrike, Natal francolin, redbilled oxpecker, southern yellow-billed hornbill, tawny eagle, Eagle martial, Fiery-necked nightjar, Barn own, Common scimitarbill.

Activities The activities on offer were morning and afternoon game drives. We went on four game drives during our stay and shared the Toyota Landcruiser with two other guests on the first two drives and with four other guests for the final two drives. There were many branches along the roads and we had to be mindful to avoid being struck by thorny branches as we drove along.

Other As with all the safari properties we visited in South Africa, signing an exhaustive indemnity release was a required part of check-in to the property. After dark a staff person escorted us to and from our rooms.

Check out was at eleven 11 a.m. As part of the Inzalo community project local farmers grew Thousand Herbs and Vegetable Garden, which supplied the Simbambili kitchen among others properties in The Thornybush Collection.

Cleanliness Good

Date of Last Visit May 2017

Reviewers

Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our rooms were serviced twice daily. The relief property manager was service oriented. Our butler in the dining room was friendly and attentive as were our ranger and tracker and other staff we encountered.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression Situated within the Sabi Sand Reserve, one of South Africa’s premier game viewing reserves, the 300 hectare Chitwa Chitwa Private Game Lodge offered an excellent combination of dam front setting, service, intimate ambiance, original art, quiet rooms, luxury accommodations and features, gourmet orientation, and good game viewing with a strong emphasis on the Big Five.

As with our first visit, we liked the comfortable and well furnished rooms with outdoor decks, private plunge pools and distant water views. Made to order meals, dining at a private table and sharing space with only a few other guests enhanced our sense of seclusion. Its dedicated work out and spa treatment rooms as well as a swimming pool were bonus well being amenities we appreciated. We also liked the property’s amply stocked gift shop. For short periods we braved the blistering midday heat to spend time on the main deck, where there was good bird viewing on the trees adjacent to the deck and game viewing of the animals that made their way to the dam. While at the property we had excellent photography opportunities. The downside? The only internet access was in the library and office and it was excruciatingly slow. Because we needed to confirm our international flights it was inconvenient. At a time when we want to disconnect from the internet that would not necessarily be a draw back.

We liked Chitwa Chitwa’s artistic style, private ambiance, guest focus and foodie orientation, well appointed accommodations, amenities and facilities, including in-room private decks and plunge pools. We would recommend the lodge to friends and acquaintances who are fans of boutique safari properties, fine meals with a liberal dose of hot spices, and Big Five game viewing.

Children The property welcomed children older than six on safari drives with other guests. Families with younger children were able to hire a private vehicle.

Class of Accommodation Five Star Lodge

Connectivity There was very slow Wi-Fi access in the central area of the property. There was a computer in the library connected to the internet for guest use. On the third day, I was able to connect and download emails.

General Manager Chantal and Stefan du Toit

Handicapped Access The property had ramps for wheelchairs.

Length of Stay Three nights

Location On the northern side of the Sabi Sand Reserve in South Africa.

Owned And Managed Charl Brink

Size There were eight rooms (six double and two two-bedroom rooms) in the 300 hectare property with 42 employees.

Year Opened and Date of Most Recent Renovation The property opened in 1992 and the most recent renovation was in 2009.

Lobby and Common Areas A property representative described the decorative style as Unique with original artwork by Maria Brink, the owner’s wife, peppered thought the common areas and rooms.

Bathroom In Room 9, just past the vanity a wood door lead to a bathroom with polished concrete floors, a white and silver color theme and a beautiful view of the bush and the dam in the background. Because there was no air conditioning device inside the bathroom it was warmer than the room from which it was separated by a partial wall that did not reach the ceiling. The walls were covered with tiny tiles. It had two metal sinks across the room from each other, a doorless shower with two shower heads pointing at each other (not a favorite in part because the water pooled in the middle), a separate bath adjacent to an oversize window facing the bush and dam, and a toilet and bidet behind a glass brick half wall. There was a leather armchair in front of the bath tub and a wood cabinet for towels. There was another small wood cabinet with toiletries in the toilet and bidet section.

The bathroom in Room 1 was divided into a walk-in closet, a water closet and an ablutions area. The water closet was adjacent to the walk-in closet. Behind the closet there was a single space facing the deck and bush. It had a doorless shower with a pretty flower tile design on the bottom half of the wall, stand alone oval bathtub, and twin oval sinks beneath a large square mirror. Glass walls and a door meant clear views of the bush and the deck from that area.

Rooms We stayed in neighboring Deluxe Rooms 1 and 9. They were in separate buildings set thirty feet apart at their closest point, ensuring privacy and quiet. They were the first two rooms from the game viewing arrival and departure parking and reception area. From the main wood decking that connected the main building and the reception area a narrow dirt path lead to Room 1.  Room 9 was further down, to the left and slightly up via the same dirt path.

Both rooms were furnished in elegant contemporary safari style. They had expansive bush views. The dam could be seen in the distance as well. They had air conditioning (at times the cooling units struggled to keep the rooms cool during our summer visit), polished concrete floors, thatched roofs, over long gauzy see-through white curtains and wood shutters, and comfortable furniture. They had original artwork, including oil paintings and framed photos. Each one was divided into four main sections, a living area, a sleeping area, a bathroom, and a covered outdoor deck with a plunge pool. The living and sleeping areas were in a single continuous space without any walls or dividers.

My room, Room 9, the first room built, was spacious and comfortable although it was showing minor signs of aging in styling and wear. I particularly loved its expansive and elevated views of the adjacent bush and in the distance the dam. Although it was near reception and a two-minute walk from the work out and spa rooms the room offered privacy and quiet. Raised up somewhat from the ground and surrounded by boulders it had a striking side view, through the glass doors, of the bush and dam from the bed, sitting area, bathroom, and especially from the plunge pool deck.

Immediately to the right of the door there was a sitting room furnished with a vanity. To the left there was a walk-in closet and before it a tall wood table. In the center, there was a black leather sofa framed by a wood cabinet on one side and a stone and metal side table and lamp on the other. There was also a rectangular metal and glass coffee table, a white leather armchair, and a wood side table with a lamp.

Four glass and wood door sets lead onto the pool deck, one from the bathroom, one from the living area, and two from the sleeping area. There was a colorful area rug in the living room and a putty color area rug in the sleeping area. Rectangular framed mirrors of various sizes hung above three of the cabinets and the fireplace.

Past the sitting section there was a double bed set against a large wood headrest, which was about 15 inches thick and wider than the bed itself. At night, the staff used the twin silver tone lamps atop it and wood extenders to set up the mosquito netting around the bed. The mosquito net had several holes. There were spiders and other insects climbing around in the net. Tiny bits of thatch fell on the bed sheets. There were six feather pillows, and a thin blanket sandwiched between sheets. During the day, the bed was dressed with a white on white cotton bed cover.

A built-in stone fireplace took up the far wall. Across from it there was a wood cabinet housing a hot beverage service with rusks (South African style hard cookies). At the bottom there was a mini refrigerator stocked with complementary beverages (refillable glass bottles of still water, Coca-Cola and Coke Light, Parmalat individual size milk cartons), two limes and snacks (two candy bars and two 47 gram containers of Pringles potato chips).

The wood deck was a wonderful place to spend time, relax, watch for birds in the neighboring trees and with binoculars for animals in the dam. When it became too hot the plunge pool was refreshing. The deck had two to sides connected to each other, one to the left of the room and one immediately in front of it. To the left there were two comfortable armchairs as well as one large and one small wood table. The other side of the deck housed a round plunge pool, two lounge chairs and an outdoor shower affixed to a tree (a favorite).

Room 1 had a wood and opaque glass door that slid inward when it opened. The entrance to Room 1 led to a round wood dining table and two cushioned cloth armchairs. To the left and up a step on the polished concrete floor there was a large bed, framed by twin wood and glass tables with identical lamps, set against an oversize headboard. At night the staff spread the mosquito netting that hung from the ceiling around the bed. At the foot of the bed there was a two tone bench. On the side there was a wood cabinet beneath a framed wood mirror.

The living area across from the bed was furnished with charcoal gray sofa framed by twin metal and glass end tables, cloth and wood armchair, wood and glass coffee table and stool, all of which faced the stone brick built-in fireplace. A lamp with a huge lampshade hung above the sofa. There was a full size mirror and a stool in the corner next to a table with a phone. A cabinet with a hot beverage service and mini refrigerator, pre-stocked like mine, took up the corner. There were area rugs in the bedroom, dining and living areas. Next to the dining area an armoire housed an electronic safe and some amenities.

Glass and wood doors led onto the deck. Deck furniture blocked one door and the other door did not close well so it was easier to access the deck from the bathroom. The spacious deck, with ample shade, looked onto the bush in the foreground and the dam in the background. It was furnished comfortably with a gray futon, two beige cloth armchairs, a faux snake patterned round table and a wicker table atop an area rug in the covered part of the deck. On the left side there was a cushioned adjustable wicker lounge chair for two near the pool. On the opposite side of the deck there was an outdoor shower.

Food Breakfast was served at 8 a.m., lunch at 1:30 p.m. and dinner at 8:15 p.m. Lunch and dinner were plated and made to order from a set menu. The dinner service included silver cutlery and crisp white linen napkins. Most dishes were made with a liberal dose of hot spices.

We were seated at our own table placed at enough distance from neighboring tables to permit private conversation. Breakfast and lunch were served in the Lapa, a dedicated shady area set to one side of the main building and facing the dam. It meant we could enjoy our meals while observing game and birds visiting the dam. Dinner was served twice on the main deck beneath the stars and once in the boma. The staff provided us special cotton wraps to don for the boma dinner. They were available for purchase should we wish to support the nonprofit organization that made them.

Breakfast consisted of a generous gourmet cold buffet of two fresh squeezed juices (orange and pomegranate), fresh sliced fruit (cantaloupe and watermelon) and whole fruit (oranges, plums, pears), several types of dry cereal, several types of yogurt, dried goji berries, mango and dates, separate cheese, salmon and deli plates, and several varieties of sliced bread. One morning there were mini sticky buns (a favorite). Hot breakfast options included eggs, bacon, rocket, avocado, mushrooms, tomato, tomato and onion sauce, and spicy chorizo.

A light lunch menu with three options was offered in the morning for us to order in advance. The day we arrived, they served us lunch on our room deck. We had small hamburgers with french fries. We especially enjoyed the seclusion and views of the dam. For the first night we were offered a printed menu during the day in order for us to select our choice from one of two appetizers and one of two main courses. On the second night, they served a grilled buffet dinner in the boma of chicken, kudu, pop (a corn dish), roasted zucchini and squash, roasted potatoes, creamed spinach and chickpeas. Most of the main dishes were seasoned with chili or hot spices, including the hamburgers at lunch. The second day my travel partner ordered Satay pork dish and I ordered the deli platter. It came with chicken liver pate, sweet pickled onions, radish and cucumber salad, three types of cheese, semi crunchy crackers, strips of dried beef and sliced salami.

At tea there were fresh fruit such as cherries as well as cake (coffee cream cake, cheese cake with a caramel topping). In the morning before the game drive, there were fruit smoothies, fresh fruit, two types of hard cookies (rusks), oatmeal squares and granola bars with dried fruit. It was our favorite of the nicest pre game drive services during out month long safari trip.

We had two elaborate sun downer evenings shared with guests from other vehicles and visitors, one with a gin and and tonic theme and the other with a craft beer theme (beverages were charged separately). There was a great number of snacks from cured meat to honey and aged cheese, cheese and chili samosas, biltong (dried cured meat strips), mozzarella cheese and tomato skewers, dried sausage, olives,

For dessert at dinner, we had pudding made with evaporated milk and vodka. There was also a banana meringue tart, and on the final night we had Amarula (a berry liqueur) and chocolate pie with Amarula.

Amenities Twice daily game drives, meals, snacks on game drives, and laundry were included in the nightly rates. There was a stocked mini bar filled with cold beverages, including bottled water, soft drinks, wine and snacks. There were white cotton bathrobes, slippers, adapter plug, umbrellas, electronic safe, Mohoni orange and sandalwood vanity kits, shower caps, dental kit, mosquito repellent, insect spray, toiletries in refillable sizes (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion), one small bar of soap, scented bath salts, blow dryer and game viewing check list. In the game viewing vehicles there was rain gear. In the rooms, there were also full-size and tea size candles, sewing kit, tissues, plenty of bath towels, and sherry.

Facilities Library, bar, spa room, work out room, outdoor swimming pool, boma (outdoor dining enclosure), and gift shop.

Fitness There was a 30 square meter workout area with an exercise bicycle, home gym, treadmill and elliptical trainer.

Pool There was an outdoor 1.8 meter deep infinity swimming pool in the main area overlooking the dam (a favorite for short laps). It was 5 meters by 3 meters large. Next to it there were two fixed position synthetic weave and metal lounge chairs. Rolled up towels were stacked on a stool on the side of the pool. A tree provided partial shade. Each suite had a 1.8 meter deep pool. The one in my room was round while my travel partner’s pool was rectangular.

Shop Across from reception there was a single room curio shop selling branded clothing, children’s games, locally made souvenirs (the sale of some items benefited a local nonprofit), scarves, a few costume jewelry pieces, crystals, and decorative items. Prices ranged from 40 rand for a postcard to 6000 rand for a beaded wall hanging of the Big Five. To visit it was necessary to ask a staff person to open the shop.

Spa The spa treatment room was 20 square meters large. There was air conditioning, but during our summer visit it barely cooled down the room. On the first day there were no spa treatments available because the therapist was out sick. On the second day, there was so much pent-up demand for spa treatments I had to have lunch an hour early in order to squeeze in a massage before our afternoon game drive. I had a 90 minute deep tissue massage with Tandi. She cleaned the soles of my feet with a moist towel before beginning the treatment.

Game Viewing We went on five game drives during our stay. There were four of us in our game viewing vehicle, a LandRover Defender with a three bench configuration. The maximum number of guests per vehicle was eight. The sound of lions calling at night during cocktails and dinner enhanced our experience. Our guide was Rodney and our tracker was Ransom.

We saw the following animals during our stay: buffaloes, cheetah, elephants, giraffe, scrub hare, hippopotamus, spotted hyena, impala, kudu, leopards, lions (including lions mating, and lions with a young buffalo), elephants, dwarf mongoose, vervet monkey, nyala, white rhinoceros, tree squirrel, steenbok, waterbuck, wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, and leopard tortoise,

We saw or heard the following birds: arrow-marked babbler, black-collard barbet, little bee-eater, jacobin cuckoo, fork-tailed drongo, African fish-eagle, tawny eagle, Wahlberg’s eagle, grey go-away-bird, Egyptian goose, helmeted guineafowl, African grey hornbill, red-billed hornbill, yellow-billed hornbill, woodland kingfisher, red-crested korhaan, Verreaux’s eagle-owl, lilac-breasted roller, green sandpiper, wattled starling, saddle-billed stork, white-backed vulture, land esser-masked weaver.

Activities There were twice daily game drives. On request there were walks after breakfast. Our guides communicated with other guides from our property and properties where Chitwa Chitwa had traversing rights using a silent radio. That meant there was no radio static during the game drives. The policy in case of rain during a drive was to continue the drive in the rain. There were four guides and three safari vehicles.

Other Although there was a fence designed to keep elephants out of the property the large mammals trespassed with ease and other animals walked around often, especially after sundown. One of the elephants visited our rooms at midday, curious to explore and almost having a drink from our plunge pools. At night we had to be escorted by a staff person, usually our guide, to and from our rooms. It was possible to call between rooms and to reception. For local and international calls it was necessary to call reception. There was spotty cell reception within the property. Smoking was allowed on the deck of the rooms, in the boma, and on the main deck.

The source of electricity was municipal and there was a back up generator. The tap water, sourced from a borehole (well) and filtered, was potable. It had a slightly salty taste. The property hired local staff. Laundry for underwear was not available. The property was recognized as winner of the 2015 World Luxury Awards African continent Luxury Game Lodge.

Cleanliness Very good

Date of Last Visit December 2015

Reviewers

Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our rooms were serviced twice a day. Staff were attentive, many of them friendly and service oriented. In addition to the managers, the staff members we met were Busi, Pinkie, and Tandi. Eucan. On our return from the game drives the staff handed out moist refresher towels. On arrival and departure there were Chitwa Team welcome and good-bye notes in our rooms.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression Over the years we have had excellent stays with Big Five game viewing at Rattray’s on MalaMala. Before our most recent visit we wondered how the ownership and management changes of the property might have affected it. We need not have worried. Once again the property delivered an outstanding luxury safari experience with optimum game viewing opportunities aboard an uncrowded vehicle, while at the same time providing accommodations, service and amenities designed to enhance our well being in the bush.

The facilities we remembered such as fitness room, massage room, riverside infinity swimming pool and viewing deck, and library were functional and well maintained. There were also many amenities we liked. In the scorching heat, the thermometer reached 45 degrees Celsius while we were there, our spacious air conditioned room fronting the Sand River with two bathrooms, and a private veranda with a plunge pool and outdoor shower, was a cocoon of comfort.

Among the features we liked most was the smooth ride in the topless Landrover Defender Puma game viewing vehicle; well maintained roads without runaway branches; limit of four guests per game viewing vehicle and three vehicles per sighting; and the freedom to walk around the property from our rooms to the main building and back after dark thanks to its (electric) fenced and gated environs.

We also appreciated our guide’s knowledge of the reserve as well as his amenable guest centered attitude, ability to show us the Big Five, excellent off-road driving skills, and willingness to stop for the lesser known fauna and flora, including birds, when we expressed interest. We liked the diversity and quality of the game viewing. In addition, we liked the property’s responsible tourism and environmentally friendly practices. Rattray’s on MalaMala remains among our all time favorite safari properties for its combination of quality Big Five game viewing and indulgence in the bush.

Camp Manager Dave Landey was the relief manager when we were there. Alex Burgess and Nerine Madden, who were away, were the managers.

Children There was an age restriction of 16 years and older for guests.

Class of Accommodation Five Star Safari Camp

Connectivity There was complimentary slow WiFi (download speed was on average 2.92 megabits per second, and upload speed was 1.3 megabits per second) in the room and in the common areas. There was cell phone coverage from MTN, a South African service provider. Our welcome materials requested we only use cellphones, iPads and iPods in our room and not on game drives and common areas. Our guide asked that we not use smartphones or tablets to take photos of rhinos.

Handicapped Access The property welcomed handicapped guests. MalaMala Main Camp, a sister camp 10 minutes away, had a designated handicapped accessible room.

Length of Stay Three nights

Location Rattray’s is situated inside the MalaMala Reserve, which is within the Sabi Sand Reserve and adjacent to Kruger National Park. Rattray’s was only a few minute’s drive from the MalaMala landing strip. It was 120 kilometers from Nelspruit, the nearest city, and 500 kilometers or about a six hour drive from Johannesburg.

Number of Employees 24, including four safari guides.

Owned and Managed The MalaMala Game Reserve where Rattray’s is located, was a partnership between the N’Wandlahmari Community, Michael Rattray and Stephen Saad.

Size The 33,000 acre (13,500 hectares) property had four safari vehicles and could accommodate a maximum of 16 guests in 8 rooms called Khayas (the Zulu word for home).

Year Opened and Date of Most Recent Renovation In 2005, Harry’s Camp, which had 12 twin rooms with capacity for 24 guests, closed. The site was renovated and renamed Rattray’s on Mala Mala with eight luxury rooms and opened November 2005.

Lobby and Common Areas After passing a gated entrance with double concrete walls we arrived at a porte cochere were staff awaited us. A wood step stool made it easy to embark and disembark from the vehicle. A covered walkway led to the cool interior of the main building. We signed disclaimer forms at the reception desk on the right in front of an oversize framed photo of a red billed stork. Across the room cloth furniture was centered around an unlit fireplace (we visited in summer). The common area bathrooms were on either side of the sitting area. A small gift shop was to the right of the reception desk. Down a short hallway from the reception desk, there was an inviting library with a coffee table, rare Africa volumes and fiction books.

An open door on the opposite side of the entrance led to a large viewing deck, partly under roof, facing a lawn with large shady trees fronting the mostly dry Sand River bed. The expansive views of the river drew our eyes. We had meals on the open deck or when it was too hot in the air conditioned dining room. There was a small wine cellar and bar next to the dining room. Many photographs of the early safari days of the area and its pioneers hung in the bar, where we went for pre-dinner drinks and conversation. Sliding glass doors at the bar led onto a covered porch with cushioned cloth furniture and river views. From there a ramp led to the swimming pool deck, workout, steam and massage rooms.

The lodge was decorated in elegant classic safari style designed to provide visitors “A glimpse of a luxury era long past.” Examples were the huge ivory tusks in the dining room as well as the framed historic photos of past guests, black and white animal photos, antique Africa style artwork, oils, pastels, watercolors, and safari mementos peppered across the common areas and in our room.

Bathroom We loved that there were two nearly identical bathrooms, one on either of the room, with bush views. Having a bathroom for each was extra convenient in the early morning when getting ready for our first game drive of the day. They had yellow walls, off white tile floors and large windows. One had a spacious double shower with a glass door and dual shower heads. There was also a wood table with two shelves and a laundry basket. An oversize framed mirror hung on the wall. The other was home to a plastic bathtub set next to a river facing window. Both had see through privacy screens. There was another wood table with two shelves with washcloths, bath salts and toiletries. There was a separate room with a sink atop a stone base and a toilet in each bathroom. There was also an outdoor shower adjacent to the plunge pool (a favorite).

Room We stayed in Khaya 2, a well appointed and comfortable room conveniently located near the main building. To reach it we walked down the main dirt path that connected all the rooms to turn into a private path to a standalone building. Wood was the predominant material. It had high wood white ceilings, dark wood floors and yellow walls. At the entrance there was a foyer with a long rectangular table where we placed our game viewing items such as cameras and binoculars for easy reach on our way to and from the twice daily game drives. We could enter the rest of the room from the left or from the right side of the foyer. The 128 square meter air conditioned room was well lit and included two walk-in closets and two full bathrooms as well as a 51 square meter pool deck, a 6 square meter private plunge pool and an 84 square meter covered back porch.

The temperature was controlled via twin ceiling fans and a ceiling thermostat controlled air conditioner. There was also underfloor heating. Sunlight entered through large glass and wood windows and doors. There were recessed lights in the ceiling and multiple lamps, including night table lamps.

A double bed with a wood headboard and twin night tables occupied the center of the room. Mosquito netting hung from a wood frame above the bed. We had no need of it during our visit as there were no mosquitoes. In front of the bed there was a desk. To the left of the desk, there was a wood cabinet with a hot beverage service and a mini refrigerator stocked with two bottles of house brand water. To the right of the desk there was a large wood cabinet with a satellite connection and Pvision television. Behind the desk there was a living area with a comfortable cloth sofa in mustard and off white with a pattern facing the porch. There were identical glass topped tables on either end of the sofa. A olive bench occupied the center. There were rattan and leather armchairs on either side of the bench and a large leaf pattern rug in the center.

To the left, there was a small dining corner with a round wood table and twin wood armchairs. To the right, there was a single bed in the corner with a night table and lamp. Reed and cloth shades provided respite from the hot summer sun. The shades and thick curtains covered the glass and wood doors and walls leading onto a covered porch that faced directly onto the Sand River dry river bed. From the shower side of the bathroom a hard to open and close wood door led to the deck. A plunge pool, an umbrella and two cushioned lounge chairs with a view of the river occupied the left side of the outdoor porch. The plunge pool was mercifully cooling in the heat of the afternoon between game drives.

Food Meals were buffet style. We appreciated the private seating with our guide (or on request with the guests sharing our vehicle) available outdoors on the deck overlooking the river bed or indoors in an air conditioned dining room adjacent to the buffet table. Dinner in the boma (South African style enclosure) on our third night was particularly hot and there were many insects on the table. There was always plenty of food for seconds. Before our game drive at 6 a.m., there were hot beverages, pastry squares and muffins (for example, blueberry and lemon with poppy seed). Breakfast was available on our return from the game drives. Lunch was served at 1:30 p.m., tea at 4 p.m., dinner at 8 p.m. The first course or two were plated as was dessert. Everything else such as mains and sides were self serve at the buffet table.

For breakfast there was a cold buffet and made to order hot dishes. Curry dishes frequently appeared on the menu as did salads, deli meats, rice, pies, quiche, cheeses, and fruit salads.

According to a property representative, the food they serve is wholesome and fresh. With advance notice the property offered to “meet any dietary requirements that our guests might have.”

Amenities Meals (without bottled or canned beverages), snacks, game viewing activities and laundry (up to 12 items per room per day) were included in the nightly rate. In the room, there were two bathrobes per guest, slippers, clothes brush, electronic safe, direct dial telephone, hot beverage service, satellite television, DVD player, hairdryer, insect repellent, insect killer, flashlight, candles, matches, stationary, and postcards. There was a fruit bowl with two nougats and two plastic bottles of house brand still water. At turn down, we received different animal themed paper book markers to take home each night.

In the bathrooms, there were bath salts in a bowl next to the bathtub, shower caps, a bar of soap by each sink, and Molton Brown body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion in individual size plastic bottles (50 milliliter). There was a scale and a vanity mirror attached to the wall. On request there were adapters. Each side of the room had a walk-in closet with benches and full length mirrors.

On arrival and after the morning game drive the camp manager and a staff member greeted us with scented moist towels. There were blankets and rain ponchos in the safari vehicle. Although we did not see them, rangers had sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and comfort packs (for ladies and laptops and binoculars were available for guest use. There was a booklet with information about the reserve and flora and fauna checklists we used to track what we saw on the game drives. It included the source of the information for mammals, birds, trees, snakes, other reptiles, frogs, and flowers. As we departed, the manager handed us rolled up Big Five MalaMala Game Reserve certificate souvenirs to take home.

Facilities Library containing rare African books, air conditioned dining room, historic themed bar, wine cellar, fitness, massage and steam rooms, gift shop, boma (circular enclosed outdoor dining area for evening meals), wooden deck with outstanding river views and main pool.

Fitness Center and Spa The was a 5 square meter fitness room by the main pool, housing sit up benches, free weights, mats, steam room, Strengthmaster TR5000 3 horsepower Commercial Treadmill, Stelleflex 8300 Stationary Bike, and Body Solid Multi Station Gym. There was a 3 meter by 5 meter room next to the pool set aside for massages. Judith, a locally trained woman from a nearby village, offered 15-minute, 30-minute, 60-minute, and 90-minute relaxation massages.

Pool There was an outdoor infinity swimming pool with filtered chilly refreshing water with very good clarity. It was 1.5 meters deep and 4 meters by 15 meters in size. There were four cushioned lounge chairs and two umbrellas facing the pool and four rattan chairs facing the Sand River. The plunge pool in our room was 6 meters by 2 meters large and 1.5 meters deep.

Shop The property shop sold branded clothing such as t-shirts, hats and pants, South Africa books, including It’s Mammals, It’s Birds and It’s Trees; locally handcrafted cutlery and jewelry, crocodile skin products, and curios including silver and a few items of gold jewelry.

Game Viewing During our three night stay were went on five game drives. A 9:15 a.m. departure for our bush flight meant there was no opportunity for a game drive without inconveniencing the other two guests in the vehicle so we had to forgo a final morning game drive.

The reserve had a limit of three vehicles per sighting. If it rained during a drive and guests were 100 percent comfortable staying out in the bush, the ranger would continue with the safari unless the ranger felt that it was unsafe to continue (in case of hail and thunder storms, for example).

The staff assigned a maximum of four guests to each Landrover Defender Puma game viewing vehicle. Our vehicle had its windshield down. Our guide wore headphones to communicate with other guides on the reserve, which increased our chances of sightings. Thanks to the headphones there was no radio chatter as in many other safari properties. At times there were many flies.

We saw the following us animals during our stay: Klipspringer, impala, Cape buffalo, kudu, nyala, bushbuck, waterbuck, baboons, vervet monkeys, elephants, zebra, leopard, lions (multiple sightings), giraffe, hippopotamus, hyena, scrub hare, white rhino (multiple sightings), tree squirrel, warthog, large spotted genet, slender mongoose and dwarf mongoose. We also saw a longhorn beetle with an iridescent green color and long antennae, a large copper dung beetle, hippopotamus with a turtle on its back, and rock monitor. We heard: eastern olive toad, painted reed frog, bubbling kassina, brownbacked tree frog, snoring puddle frog, and tremolo sand frog.

Birds: Arrowmarked babbler, European bee-eater, whitefronted bee-eater, redeyed dove, green pigeon, forktailed drongo, Egyptian goose, spurwinged goose, tawny eagle, steppe eagle, African hawk eagle, African fish eagle, bateleur, African paradise flycatcher, crested francolin, helmeted guineafowl, grey heron, great egret, African grey hornbill, redbilled hornbill, southern yellow-billed hornbill, hadeda ibis, woodland kingfisher, grey go-away-bird, freckled nightjar, blackheaded oriole, redbilled oxpecker, yellowbilled oxpecker, threebanded plover, blacksmith lapwing, lilacbreasted roller, reckbacked shrike, magpie shrike, blackbacked puffback, southern greayheaded sparrow, wattled starling, violet-backed starling, Burchell’s starling, greater blue-earled glossy starling, wollynecked stork, saddlebill stork, barn swallow, kurrichane thrush, hooded vulture, whitebacked vulture, African pied wagtail, red billed buffaloweaver, cardinal woodpecker and beareded woodpecker.

Plants and flowers: Mexican poppy, large yellow large hibiscus, jackal berry tree, hairy guarri tree, weeping boer-bean, marula, Natal mahogany and river pumpkin.

Activities There were early morning, departing at 6 a.m. and returning at 9 a.m., and late afternoon, departing at 4:30 p.m. and returning at 7 p.m., game drives. Optional walks with a guide were available after breakfast. There were two of us in the vehicle for the first two game drives, and four after that. Our vehicle had three rows of seats in the back. Each seat was continuous and could accommodate a maximum of three people. The seats were comfortable and the viewing good in all three rows. It was difficult to hear our guide in the back row. There were blankets on the seats and additional blankets when it was chilly. There were pockets with rain ponchos in front of the seats.

Gordon Fordyce, our guide, driver and companion at meal times, was a native of Durban, South Africa. He had been a ranger at MalaMala for eight years. Before joining the team he obtained a National Diploma in Game Ranging and Lodge Management. He carried a rifle when he was on foot. The refile remained within easy reach on the vehicle dashboard the rest of the time.

Other The name of the property originated with the words Ximphala Ximphala, the Shangaan word for sable antelope. In 1864, when the surveyor was marking out the land he asked a local assistant the name of the beautiful antelope he saw. His assistant provided him the Shangaan name. The surveyor wrote down malamala and that has been the name on the property title since then.

Check in was at 3 p.m. and check out at 11 a.m. The staff sang three songs toward the end of dinner on the second night of our stay.

The property used an energy efficient infrastructure complimented by modern sewerage and effluent filtration systems, environmentally friendly bio-degradable chemicals, and responsible hospitality waste sorting and recycling. Most of the staff were from neighboring rural communities and settlements.

Although the property’s main source of power was municipal electricity, there was a large back up generator capable of powering the entire camp in case of a power failure. The property pumped water from the Sand River to a sophisticated onsite water filtration plant. All water in the camp was filtered to the highest standards which the property guaranteed was safe to drink.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date of Last Visit December 2015

Reviewers

Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our room was serviced twice daily. Although we arrived at 12:15 p.m. and prior to check in time our room was ready and we were able to settle in before heading to lunch. Staff members were attentive, helpful and service oriented. Trevor from the bar stood out for his diligence and attentiveness as this did, Gordon, our guide, Goodness at reception and in the gift shop, and Dave, the friendly relief manager.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression To reach the famed Sabi Sand Reserve in South Africa we flew Federal Air from OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg’s main airport. Once at the reserve we flew between two of the properties and back to Johannesburg at the end of our stay. The flight service was well organized, mostly punctual, and overall a great deal more convenient and significantly more pleasant than the alternatives of driving from Johannesburg or flying to an airport near the reserve and driving or being transferred from there to the properties. The young pilots were friendly and always took a moment to introduce themselves and outline the safety features of their plane.

While the flights stopped to pick up and drop off passengers en route to our landing strip, flying in small planes meant we shared space with few passengers. The ground staff was efficient and speedy processing arrivals and departures. Panoramic views of Johannesburg, the bush, and some of the safari properties from the plane en route to and from the Sabi Sand Reserve was a bonus. From our window side seats it was fun to search for game and speculate as to which particular lodge we had sighted at any given moment. The best part was that we landed minutes from the properties, allowing our safari guides at each property to pick us up and drop us off quickly and easily. With a minimum of ceremony we climbed down from the plane, met our guide and hopped on his safari vehicle moments after landing. We arrived safely at our destination within minutes of landing. For example, half an hour after landing we were settled in our suite at Rattray’s in the Mala Mala Reserve.

The down side? There were last minute changes in the departure times, strict luggage weight and bag type requirements (only soft sided bags without wheels were welcome), and hot weather caused some minor shaking during one of the flights. Compared to the advantages the inconveniences were relatively minor.

We especially appreciated the Federal Air lounge at the airport in Johannesburg. Because the airline was in its own separate building, reached directly by car or by shuttle from the main airport buildings, the only passengers in the lounge were fellow Federal Air passengers. As a result the ambiance was relaxed, our gate and our plane were steps from our seats in the lounge, and check-in, departure and arrival were speedy and incident free. Without a doubt the next time we travel to the Sabi Sand Reserve Federal Air will be our first choice.

About the Airline The company offered shuttle services to safari lodges, scheduled services with local and regional flights and charter services.

Aircraft The airline had 20 aircraft in its fleet: Embraer 145 Regional Jet, Cessna Citation Mustang, Beechcraft B1900D Airliner, Beechcraft B200 King Air, Cessna Grand Caravan, Pilatus PC-12, Piper Navajo, and Beechcraft Baron 58.

Children Children two years of age and older were welcome.

Handicapped Access Yes. According to a spokesperson the airline was capable of flying disabled guests.

Number of Staff There were 150 employees, including 52 pilots

Owned and Managed Rudi Van Schalkwyk, chief executive officer, owned the airline. Nik Lloyd-Roberts was the commercial manager.

Pets Yes, the airline could transport live animals. Passengers had to purchase an additional seat for their pet.

Year Established 1996

Common Areas As Federal Air Shuttle service domestic passengers we had access to the company’s airport lounge in a separate building near the main OR Tambo Johannesburg International Airport. The 500 square meter airline lounge in Johannesburg, the company headquarters, was decorated in a “chic contemporary meets warm African” safari style. It had indoor and outdoor seating, and a gift shop. The gift shop sold safari clothing and accessories, leather goods, and souvenirs. There were items from the shop on display in various tables around the lounge. The day of our departure there were hot and cold beverages as well as butter cookies. Only a few light snacks mini sandwiches and sliced fruit remained in mostly empty platters. The day we returned there were hot and cold beverages and butter cookies.

Bathrooms The planes we flew on had no restrooms on board. The airport lounge in Johannesburg had restrooms.

Amenities The Johannesburg lounge offered complimentary WiFi, excess luggage storage, private showers (the one I used was moderately clean), and bathrooms. One of the staff handed me a toiletry kit with soap and towels when I asked about using the shower. There was a complimentary shuttle service between the lounge and the main airport. There were complimentary hot and cold beverages and on departure there were also a few light snacks. There were individual size bags of potato chips and other snacks as well as chilled beverages in coolers aboard the planes for self service when we boarded.

Shuttle Services At the airport there were tickets, luggage tags, and security checks as with any airline. The planes we flew on were clean and appeared to be in good condition. We boarded via drop down staircases. The airline’s most used planes were: The 1900 (18 seats) and PC12 (8 seats), pressurized aircraft that flies at around 25,000 feet above sea level; and the Caravan (12 seats), a non-pressurized aircraft that flies at around 12,000 feet above sea level. Thanks to the relatively slow flying speeds and low altitude the Caravan lends itself well for nostalgic safari flights, allowing travelers to see the landscape when flying across the country and offering the opportunity to spot game as the aircraft lands, a spokesperson explained. The pressurized aircraft offered a faster and more executive style experience than the Caravan, making the flight from Johannesburg pass by quickly. Some of our pilots were Mal, Rian, Wayne, Pieter.

Luggage The passenger allowance was one soft sided bag with no rigid sides “smaller than a typical airliner,” weighing a maximum of 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of checked luggage and an additional standard piece of hand baggage weighing a maximum of 5 kilograms (11 pounds). Because we were told hard sided luggage and wheels on the bags were not allowed and the policy would be strictly enforced we made special arrangements for our wheeled luggage. During the flights we came across passengers traveling with suitcases that had wheels. The airline suggested luggage size was 40cm (16 inches) wide x 30cm (12 inches) high x 60cm (24 inches) long.

Luggage that exceed the limitations in weight or size could be left in a complimentary luggage storing facility. We took advantage of that amenity. Passengers with excess luggage could book and pay for an additional seat in advance on the shuttle flights. Waiting until the day of departure could mean the option might not be available. The extra seat included an additional 60 kilograms of luggage allowance, a convenient option when traveling with extra luggage such as cameras with heavy lenses and binoculars.

Other The airline supported the efforts of Siyavuma, a South Africa nonprofit organization, which provided employment to local underprivileged communities by making travel bags, briefcases and novelty items. The Johannesburg lounge gift shop sold those items, which were also accepted on Federal Air flights.

On our return flight we were unable to board the shuttle that was departing to the main airport buildings because we had to collect the luggage we had left in storage and repack. The next shuttle left about two hours later.

Route and Flights We flew three domestic flights, two with two stops en route on flights to and from Johannesburg and the reserve, and one nonstop flight between Sabi Sand Reserve properties. The first flight, aboard a 1900D Raytheon aircraft, was from Johannesburg to the Mala Mala Reserve. It was comfortable with a minimal amount of bumpiness. It stopped at Ulusaba, Londolozi and Mala Mala.

The second and the only nonstop flight was from the Mala Mala Reserve to the Arathusa Reserve, two properties located within the Sabi Sand Reserve. A road transfer between the properties would have required a multi-hour drive. The last one was from the Arathusa Reserve back to Johannesburg. On that flight, rain the previous day precluded a departure from our originally scheduled landing strip. That in turn resulted in a change in our departure time (earlier than announced the previous afternoon) and location. Because of the early departure we gave up the morning game drive. In between flights it was necessary for us to wait a few minutes in a shady partial enclosure for an arriving flight to pick us up. We waited again at the next landing strip while we picked up passengers before departing for Johannesburg.

Date of Review December 2015

On Board Service The only staff aboard the small aircraft were two pilots. Ground staff and our guides made sure we and our luggage made it on and off safely and with alacrity. In the airplane cabin, near the entrance there was a cooler filled with water and cold drinks on offer as well as a basket with potato chips and small snacks. Each time we landed one of our pilots announced the location of the landing strip for arriving passengers and destination of the flight for departing passengers. Arriving passengers deplaned and a few minutes later departing passengers boarded. After a brief welcome and safety announcement we took off.

Reviewers

Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Would You Fly With Them Again? Yes

Overall Impression This boutique property in the northern Sabi Sand Reserve was a gem. Built lovingly on a former family farm the lodge was ideally situated on the banks of the Chitwa Dam, providing a magnificent birding and wildlife setting. In addition to very good wild life viewing with a personable ranger we enjoyed the many qualities of the property itself.

Our accommodations, the service and the facilities were so nice that time between game drives flew at the lodge. Although we did not meet the owners we noticed their hand in the decorative touches and the happy staff who introduced themselves and welcomed us warmly during our stay. We looked forward to meal times as much for the yummy food as for the dam side setting where we enjoyed them. And we throughly enjoyed our spacious and well appointed rooms each with a private plunge pool and a view of the dam.

Chitwa Chitwa’s outstanding combination of a stunning waterside location, beautiful room, Big Five game viewing and luxury features made it a Sabi Sand favorite. We look forward to returning at the first opportunity.

Children The lodge welcomed children of all ages.

Class Of Accommodation Boutique safari lodge

Connectivity The only internet access at the property was on the staff computer at reception. The manager kindly invited me to borrow it which I did on one occasion to check quickly for any urgent issues at home. A property wide system was in the works, she explained.

General Manager Charl Brink

Handicapped Access The property welcomed handicapped guests. There were steps scattered throughout the common areas and our suites.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location The lodge is in the northern Sabi Sand Reserve near the Gowrie Gate. It is about 500 kilometers from Johannesburg including a 25 kilometer stretch on gravel roads which were, we were told, generally in good condition. The lodge estimate for the drive was seven hours.

Lodge Manager Shannon Mc Clean

Owned Charl and Maria Brink

Pets Allowed No

Size Forty-two employees worked at the 2,500 hectare property with traversing rights to 6,000 hectares. There were eight rooms including Chitwa House.

Year Opened-Renovated In 1979, Chitwa Chitwa was built on a farm owned by the Brink Family. In 1991, the family decided to open the property to paying guests. The property, as it today, was established in 1994 and the most recent renovation took place in 2008.

Lobby And Common Areas The arrival hall housed two small buildings, a reception room on the left and a gift shop on the right, connected by a covered entrance where a large and unusual animal bone chandelier reminded us we were in the bush. A wood path led down a slight incline from the reception to the rooms and common areas. A fitness room and spa were a few steps to the left down from the arrival area. The path was lined on both sides with landscaping and water features, creating a soothing and attractive track to the lodge. Past the fitness room and spa and further down on the left was a lapa, an open dining area with a roof, facing the Chitwa Dam. The property had a pretty silver silverware service and lovely tableware including different place mats and napkins for every meal during our stay. On the right side of the path there was a library and television room with a variety of Africa and sundry titles and a large flat screen television.

Straight down from the library there was a large open deck facing the Chitwa Dam next to a large indoor area with soaring ceilings that housed a winter dining room, a lounge, and a bar. The deck was home to an open sitting area under roof peppered with comfortable furniture in front of a swimming pool that looked onto the dam.

The property was designed in a Euro-Chic style. Maria Brink, an artist who has exhibited her work in international galleries, had many of her paintings at the lodge. There were also antique west African sculptures and masks in the interior walls.

We noticed whimsical accents around the property and modern large oil paintings. Noteworthy decorative elements included giraffe, elephant and kudu bone chandeliers, table top decorations and stand alone pieces scattered throughout the lodge. There were also beautiful lamps and tables made of leadwood, South Africa’s third heaviest wood. The open deck main area was one of our favorite places to spend time, watching the animals and birds that congregated by the dam. The bar area, with plenty of indoor seating, was adjacent to the furthest wall. There was an indoor dining area in the back of the building and ladies and gentlemen’s bathrooms on the left past the bar.

Bathroom In my room, to the right of the dining room two steps led to a walk in doorless closet facing an inner courtyard behind a glass wall. The back wall of the closet was a mirror and in front of it there was hanging space. To the right of the closet there was a water closet with a bidet and a view of the same inner courtyard. The rest of the doorless bathroom was to the left of the closet. First, there was an oval bathtub with a wood butler holding a plexiglass platter with toiletries and a round wood table that held tissues. A bit further down there were twin sinks below a square framed mirror. Across from the sinks a table held crisp scented white towels. A doorless indoor shower area was against the far wall. Glass walls along the bush side of the bathroom provided a view of a small garden, the pool deck and the bush beyond. The outdoor shower could be reached through a bathroom door unto the back deck and from the deck area itself as the shower was to the right side of the deck behind the lounge chairs.

My travel partner’s bathroom was slightly different from mine. The bathtub was parallel to the window (mine was next to an inner wall although it had a view through the glass walls), facing the pool and the dam beyond. The outdoor shower was next to the wall (mine was next to the pool).

Room We stayed in Suite 1 also known as Makanyini, the nearest room to the arrivals area and reception, and Suite 5 also known as Pangolin, the first room to the right of the main building. Both were stand alone spacious rooms with a view of the Chitwa Dam. The interior had an open design featuring living area, dining table, spacious open design bathroom with outdoor shower, and private plunge pool with dam facing pool deck. My room had an inviting sitting area in the pool deck and a small table where I could have a snack and place my computer. I much enjoyed taking notes on my computer and glancing at the scenery before me, the pool deck, lawn with antelope and birds prancing about and Chitwa Dam in the background. Rooms ranged between 130 and 180 square meters.

My room, Makanyini, was to the left just past reception down a sandy path. It offered an excellent space to spend time between activities and was so comfortable and pretty that it was tempting sometimes to just relax in the room or by the plunge pool. Thinking of the quiet oasis of my room I didn’t feel nearly enough regret when our afternoon game drive was cancelled due to a heavy downpour. The bush facing room with a soaring thatched roof was decorated in earth tones. There was a cow hide in the middle of the room as well as large fibre carpets in the living and sleeping areas set over polished concrete floors; there were colorful rugs in the dining corner and atop the wood floor in the covered area of the outdoor deck. The room had off white walls and a shady indoor ambiance with an emphasis on the bush view. The decor was a mix of Africa with animal elements and eclectic modern touches like an oversize lamp shade lamp above the living area, animal bones, black and white framed photos of oversize insects (a similar set was in the bathroom above the bathtub). The living area was centered around a tall stone fireplace.

In the corner, diagonal from the entrance, there was a mini refrigerator filled with beverages and three small bags of salty snacks. Next to it, on a wall side table, there was a cold water pitcher on a platter and a self service hot beverage set up.

The sleeping area was two steps up the concrete floor behind the living area. A comfortable queen bed with leatherette headboard and fresh scented sheets stood below a square mosquito net frame which was spread around the bed at night. There was a brown bench at the foot of the bed and wood and glass square night tables with lamps on either side of the bed. There was also a wood dresser and a small rectangular wood framed mirror to the right of the bed. I especially liked that from the bed I had a clear view through the living area, past the sitting area of the deck and plunge pool to the bush and the dam beyond.

A remote controlled unit allowed me to turn the air conditioner on and off and adjust the temperature. At times, especially when the outside temperatures were cool, I enjoyed shutting it off and listening to the birdsong and bush sounds. It was also helpful to keep the temperature similar to the ambient outdoor temperature so my camera would not fog up during the game drives. When the blazing sun rose it was necessary to turn the air conditioner on to take refuge from the worst of the midday summer heat.

Immediately past the entrance there was a round wood dining table and two chairs; to the left of it there was a living area facing a fireplace. A cloth sofa faced the fire place, next to it there was a small table and behind it a bench. In front of it there was a square coffee table and on either side of the table there were two armchairs. A tall framed mirror leaned against one corner next to a narrow rectangular glass top table with two lamps, and there was an iPod dock with speakers and a telephone across the room from the mini bar and hot beverage platter. In the center of the room, above the sofa and bench, there was a hanging lamp with an oversize lamp shade that matched those in the common areas of the lodge. Gauzy see through white curtains were tied at either end or could loosened. I left them tied to enjoy the view of the bush and dam.

Wood and glass doors opened on to a partially covered outdoor deck, my favorite corner of the room. In the covered area which was under the same thatch as the suite, and right in front of the doors, there were two comfortable cloth khaki colored armchairs facing a rectangular wood coffee table. To the left there was a round wood table with two wicker armchairs. The area that remained was occupied by an open deck next to a small swimming pool, and two metal cushioned and adjustable lounge chairs with a stump of wood in between in place of a table. From the deck I had an unobstructed view of Chitwa Dam and of the back left corner of the Lapa where we had breakfast and lunch.

My travel partner’s room, although similar in décor, seemed slight larger indoors and had a different layout for the room and the bathroom, a dining table for four, oil paintings (mine had oversize insect illustrations) and two adjustable lounge chairs in the shade (without an outdoor sitting area like mine).

Meals At Chitwa Chitwa meals were served with care and attention to detail. We had breakfast and lunch in the dam facing Lapa a most desirable setting every time. During our first lunch, we observed waterbuck being attacked by a crocodile, elephants bathing on the shore and countless birds. Breakfast consisted of a buffet of fresh fruit (citrus, prickly pear, papaya, and melon), several cereals, two types of yogurt, two fruit juices, white and brown toast, roast tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, gammon (cured and cooked pork akin to bacon) and sausage as well as made to order eggs and hot sides.

At 1 p.m. a set plated lunch (there were two main course options, an appetizer and dessert) was served. Lunch one day, for example, was a nice Caprese salad followed by a chicken kabob (a favorite) and side salad with tiramisu to wrap up the meal.

A plated dinner, served outdoors on the wood deck under the shelter of the roof, was from a set menu with two main course options: a spicy ginger soup for the starter and for mains steak with a small salad and a mustard dressing (or chicken) with mushroom risotto; for dessert there was grenadilla pudding. Dinner on our second night was on the moonlit deck. There were two groups totaling eight guests and two rangers sitting and chatting under the stars. We had potato and leek soup with tasty croutons followed by a twice cooked cheese souffle; for mains there was fried dorade (fish) or ostrich kebab and for dessert there was chocolate tart. We had been eating so much that we skipped dinner the third night.

Amenities Room amenities included blow dryer, two linen bathrobes, slippers, umbrellas, adaptors, mini bar, Phillips iPod docking station, hot beverages and Mohoni toiletries (orange and sandalwood scented soap, body lotion, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner), shower caps and vanity kit. There was insect repellent and insect spray in the closet. At turn down there were two morsels of yummy cake with icing and complimentary bottled water.

On return from the night game drive one of the staff offered us a Springbok drink, peppermint liqueur at the bottom and Amarula liqueur on top.

Facilities Guests had access to a main swimming pool, Lapa (outdoor roof covered dining space), deck dinning area, bar, gift shop, fitness room and spa.

Fitness center and spa There was a small sunlit gym with several machines, art and a glass wall. Next to the work out room there was a spa area with an indoor treatment area, a bathroom and a patio.

Pool In addition to the private pools in our rooms there was a swimming pool (about 10 meters long by 4 meters wide) beneath a large tree on the open deck of the main area.

Game Viewing Tristan Dicks, the property’s head ranger who had three years of experience, and Andries Mathebula, our tracker, accompanied us during our twice daily drives in a topless Land Rover. Tristan, a keen wildlife enthusiast, wore headphones making the drives devoid of radio noise. We observed birds, reptiles, trees and insects during our drives and one bush walk.

Wake up was at 4:45 a.m. for a 5:30 a.m. departure. In the afternoons, we would meet for tea at 3:45 p.m. for a 4 p.m. game drive departure. At most there were three vehicles per game sighting. There were six game viewing staff and three game viewing vehicles.

The maximum number of guests per vehicle was six or seven depending on lodge occupancy. The first game drive was cancelled due to heavy rains and we skipped the second one because of the rain (although other guests went out). For the afternoon game drive we met up at 3:45 p.m. for tea and returned to the lodge at 7:45 p.m. Wake up the second morning was at 5 a.m. followed by tea and a game drive. We returned at 9:20 a.m. Smoking and cell phones were unwelcome during game drives.

During our four game drives we saw the following animals: Cape Buffalo, bushbuck, African civet, elephant, large-spotted genet, giraffe, scrub hare, hippopotamus, impala, side-striped jackal, kudu, leopard (two females fighting for territory), lion, banded mongoose, dwarf mongoose, vervet monkey, white rhinoceros, tree squirrel, warthog, waterbuck, blue wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, golden orb spider, community spider, female diadem butterfly, and olive toad.

Birds we saw (or heard) included: crested barbet, southern carmine bee-eater, European bee-eater, dark-capped bulbul, golden breasted bunting, grey headed bush-shrike, orange breasted bush-shrike, kori bustard, yellow-fronted canary, red faced cisticola, Burchell’s coucal, jacobin cuckoo, spotted thick-knee, water thick-knee, Cape turtle-dove, emerald-spotted wood-dove, white faced duck, African fish eagle, tawny eagle, Wahlberg’s eagle, southern black flycatcher, crested francolin, Natal spurfowl, Shelley’s francolin, Swainson’s francolin, Egyptian goose, common greenshank, white-crested helmet shrike, green backed heron, African hoopoe, African grey hornbill, southern ground-hornbill, red billed hornbill, hadeda ibis, pied kingfisher, woodland kingfisher, black bellied bustard, go-away-bird, yellow throated longclaw, fiery necked nightjar, square-tailed nightjar, black headed oriole, red billed oxpecker, brown headed oxpecker, bushveld pipit, blacksmith lapwing, crowned lapwing, Senegal lapwing, black-backed puffback, red billed quelea, European roller, lilac breasted roller, double banded sandgrouse, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper, lesser grey shrike, magpie shrike, red backed shrike, sparrow, Burchell’s starling, Cape glossy starling, greater blue eared starling, barn swallow, red breasted swallow, black crowned swift, groundscraper thrush, white backed vulture, African pied wagtail, African reed-warbler, blue waxbill, red billed buffalo-weaver, village weaver, and Bennett’s woodpecker.

Reptiles we saw: southern tree agama, Moreuau’s tropical gheco, Turner’s thick-toed gheco, giant plated lizard, Nile monitor, rainbow skink, serrated hinged terrapin, leopard tortoise, bushfeld lizard and Nile crocodile.

Activities In addition to twice daily game viewing the property offered guided walks, spa treatments and tours to the Dixie Village. Two of us accepted our ranger’s invitation for a bush walk. Although it was very hot we throughly enjoyed the midday walk.

Other In the evening, after our return from game drives, we were asked to only walk about the property with a staff escort. The idea was to have a staff person trained to respond appropriately in case we encountered wild animals since the lodge property was not fenced in anyway making it possible to animals of all types access the grounds. Predator tracks, we were told, were seen on a regular basis. When we disembarked from the game viewing vehicle at night, we were escorted to our rooms by one of the staff to freshen up and a few minutes later we were escorted to the dining area. After dinner, a staff member would once again, accompany us to our room.

Check out time was at 10:30 a.m. I filled out a laundry form and left it in the laundry basket the afternoon of my arrival. It was returned by the time I returned from my game drive the following day. No underwear was accepted by the laundry service.

The lodge ran on regular electricity although there was a back up generator in case of a power failure. Water was from a borehole beneath the property. Once on the surface the water was purified and made potable. In 2008, the owners of the property established The Chitwa Chitwa Trust, a non profit organization, to raise funds toward “conservation and community upliftment.” The two main projects centered on the Dixie Cultural and Skill Development Centre to support the local community and orphans and establish a 600 square meter center for them; and the Dixie Shelter for the Homeless, a facility for the children of the Dixie village that had become orphans due to AIDS. Plans were underway to build a 3 million rand shelter for them.

Sustainable Tourism The property adopted green initiatives and was committed to operating a sustainable lodge. The concept the owners strived for was that a guest stay at the lodge have as small an impact on the environment as possible.

There was LED (light-emitting diode) and compact fluorescent lighting in 75 percent of the property. Eighty percent of the rooms had solar water heating systems controlled through “geyserwise” intelligent electronic devices to improve their efficiency. Exposed piping had been insulated for maximum heat retention. Pool pumps were replaced with “VF Intelliflow” variable speed pumps reducing the power consumption by 90 percent.

A gray water recycling system allowed laundry water to be recycled for garden irrigation. Chitwa Chitwa recycled glass and plastic and waste was removed weekly to reduce the property’s carbon footprint.

Air conditioners were fitted with “airco saver” energy savers designed to reduce the energy consumed by the units by between 20 and 35 percent. The cleaning materials used were environmentally friendly and washing powders were free of phosphates. The property relied on Natal highveld grass roofs as an insulation layer to reduce heat in summer and heat loss in winter.

Cleanliness Very good

Date Of Review March 2011

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photographs by Gary Cox

Service On our return from the evening game drive the staff offered us sherry. Our rooms were serviced twice daily. Clarah in the Lapa shared a Kuamukele (welcome in Shangaan) greeting the first day we arrived and introduced herself, smiling and shaking my hand. Claudioninho in the bar also introduced himself and offered to share a few words of Portuguese prompting me to ask if he was from Mozambique (he was). Shannon, the property manager, and Phila, a proud Zulu therapist, greeted us on arrival.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression One minute we were heading out on a game drive and the next the adrenaline was pumping as we raced to a sighting. We heard there were wild dogs in the area and that if we were lucky we might be able to see them. Our energetic guide had a reputation for being able to stay close to a wild dog pack so we had high hopes we might see the elusive animals. A wild dog viewing is a rare reward on a game viewing trip. Everyone in our game viewing vehicle was excited at the prospect of seeing them.

By the time we arrived at the place in the bush where local rangers had seen the wild dogs, believed by some experts to be highly efficient hunters with a success rate of 80 percent, they had caught a large antelope and consumed almost the entire carcass. They were so full (it was a small pack) they walked away without finishing their meal. Although we missed the feeding arriving when we did allowed us to spend time with the pack following the meal when they were relaxing by the side of the road with their bellies full. We spent a good while parked on the edge of the gravel bush road with three other vehicles, enjoying quality time with the pack; observing the dogs including the two alphas as well as interaction between the dogs, and listening to the distinctive sounds they made.

On another game drive we encountered a lion family with cubs. We followed them for a few minutes until the bush became so thick we thought we had lost them. Our intrepid ranger and tracker team persevered, parking the open vehicle on the edge of a dry river bed the lions had chosen for an afternoon nap. The adults settled in almost instantly but the cubs lasted longer awake, climbing on top of their father and playing while we watched enthralled.

At Dulini, named for an aardvark burrow believed to have existed on the property at its inception, we stayed in a spacious and well air conditioned stand alone room on the bank of the Mabraak River, a non perennial river. Our Suite had a spacious bathroom with a bush view, a separate living area, an outdoor terrace and our own plunge pool facing the river bed.

During our stay we enjoyed tasty meals, went for a swim in our private pool and the full size swimming pool and visited the lodge’s small gift shop. We watched a surprise staff singing and dancing performance following an evening game drive. I took advantage of one of the massages on offer and checked our messages from home on the complimentary WiFi in the main area of the lodge.

I appreciated the lodge facilities, pretty riverside setting and luxury oriented amenities. What I will remember best as time passes will be the extraordinary game viewing with extended wild dog and lion sightings. That after all is the main reason I love game viewing.

Children Although children aged 6 to 12 were welcome at the lodge, the family friendly property welcomed children 12 and older on game drives at the ranger’s discretion. Children between the ages of six and eleven required the lodge manager’s permission to go on game drives. There was a babysitting service for children younger than six. Children 16 and older were able to participate in bush walks. There were services for children including baking, fishing, and workbooks to learn about ecology. It was possible for children to remain at the camp under staff supervision.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury safari tented camp

Connectivity There was complimentary WiFi internet access via satellite in the main area. It was very slow and we only managed to download and reply to a handful of messages. Just before leaving we found out there was a faster data cable connection in the gift shop that could be made available to guests.

Handicapped Access The hotel had welcomed handicapped guests in the past.

Length Of Stay Two

Location In the Dulini Reserve in the western part of the Sabi Sand Reserve and adjacent to Kruger National Park.

Lodge Manager Leisha Parsons

Managed &Beyond (formerly CCA)

Owned Stephen Saad

Pets Allowed No

Size There were six spacious rooms at the lodge which employed 36 staff and was situated in a 856-hectare reserve. The property had traversing rights to 10,000 hectares.

Year Opened-Renovated The lodge was established in the late 1990s, In 2003, it was purchased by the current owner who conducted the most recent renovation that year. At that time, pools were added to the suites and the common areas were rebuilt with luxury in mind. When &Beyond took over management in 2006 the property underwent a soft refurbishing.

Lobby And Common Areas An aardvark sculpture and a sign with a list of lodge guidelines welcomed us to the lodge. The lodge main area, decorated in a Colonial Africa style, was built around a river bed with a main area in the middle. There were four suites to the left of the central area, and two suites to the right of it. Tall jackleberry, knobthorn and leadwood trees provided shade over a large lawn area, swimming pool and inviting outer deck. We enjoyed lunch in the lawn on our first afternoon and on the wood deck facing the dry Mabraak River bed the second day. In the morning we sat in a covered area with a large fireplace where we had breakfast. Next to it there was a sofa and two armchairs around a desk facing the lawn, the pool area and the bush.

To the left side there was a gift shop neighboring a small wine cellar. The public restrooms were on the other side of the gift shop. Further along the same side of the building there were several comfy armchairs with foot stools in a covered terrace and one wood table with two chairs. Behind the chairs, inside, there was a small library and sitting area with two sections each with a sofa and two armchairs centered around a coffee table. It looked like a cozy area to sit in the winter. In the center of the back stone wall there was a fireplace.

Past this section to the left was the boma, an enclosed outdoor area where meals were sometimes served at night. To one side of the deck there was a hanging bridge where guests could see both sides of the river bed area. Although the bridge shook a lot, especially if other people were crossing at the same time, it was worth traversing if only to see the property from the opposite river bank. To the right of the covered area where we had breakfast there was a tall termite mound with a water feature which we passed on the way to our suites.

Although there were signs of weathering like chipped paint, stained sink in the bathroom, stained cloth stool next to the bathtub, and a worn hanging bridge everything was in working order and clean.

Bathroom A curtain rod with thin white curtains divided the bedroom from the bathroom. To the left there were twin oval sinks below matching rectangular framed mirrors. Hanging on the wall to the right of the entrance there were matching linen bathrobes and next to them a small wood table, under a rectangular wood framed mirror, held shower caps in boxes, candles, and toiletries. The table was conveniently adjacent to a bush facing claw foot bathtub in the middle of the bathroom. A glass wall enhanced the sense of space and provided a lovely outdoor view from most areas of the bathroom. To the left of the bathtub there was a doorless shower next to a dry wood trunk. The same glass wall in front of the bathtub continued into the adjacent shower providing an indoor shower bush experience.

Room We stayed in Suite 5, the first room to the right of the main swimming pool. The stand alone building under the shade of a tree faced the dry river bed. The first feature we noticed was its divided horizontal wood door at the entrance. The interior space was divided into three distinct areas, a living area in front of the entrance, a sleeping area to the left and a bathroom past the sleeping area. An exterior deck extended outward toward the river and was divided into a sitting area, a pool area and an outdoor shower cove.

From the bed our north facing room had a lovely view of its own infinity plunge pool, deck and bush. There were hardly any insects inside the 95 square meter large room (including the terrace) which was fumigated once per month. The management strives to balance natural measures, a local manager explained, saying that many guests were comfortable encountering predators on drives but intolerant of insects within their rooms.

Suite 6 was about 40 feet away and visible from our deck. A reed screen provided privacy on the deck. Inside there was a cozy sitting area facing the outdoor deck, the river bed and the bush beyond. It was furnished with a plush comfy love seat, a rectangular wood coffee table with a platter (with decanted sherry in a glass bottle and two small glasses), a side wood table, a shiny khaki armchair and a wicker cushioned armchair. There were two bicolor pool towels atop a wicker table set against the side stone wall. To the right of the wicker table, in the corner and against the same wall, there was a mini bar. The top held varied beverages like red wine, J & B whiskey while the bottom housed a mini refrigerator filled with cold beverages including sodas and beer. A set of matching lamps hung from the ceiling and walls. The right wall was stone with an air conditioner (there was another air conditioner above the bed) and two small framed prints. A rectangular red and black carpet in the sitting area covered khaki colored polished concrete floors. The roof of the entire building was of thatch, making the ceiling extra tall. Thick beige curtains covered three glass and wood areas with outdoor views (there were similar curtains in the bedroom).

In the middle and back of the room there were double sliding screens and sliding glass doors leading on to the partly covered deck area. Near the entrance of the room, the deck had two wood armchairs with cushions facing each other across a square wood table with a view to the dry riverbed. To the right, where the deck ended, a reed screen obscured the view of our neighbor’s room. To the left the deck, wider and roofless, was home to a 1.5 meter deep round bush facing infinity edge plunge pool and two cushioned lounge chairs. At the far end, down a handful of steps, there was an enclosed outdoor shower.

A small space to the left of the sitting area was home to a wood upright closet with hanging space. Across from it set against the wall there was a rack where we set our luggage. The second half of the suite housed a sleeping area with twin beds set against a wood headboard and matching night tables. There was a duvet and two full size synthetic pillows as well as several throw pillows on the bed. The night table on the right side had a telephone and a lamp. At the foot of the bed there was a bench and to the right there was wood dresser. There was a reed colored rug and a runner with colors that matched the carpet in the sitting area. Screen doors and glass and wood sliding doors like those from the sitting area led onto the pool area on the deck.

Meal Lunch the day we arrived, served at between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the shady areas of the lawn, was a cold buffet of corn salad, rocket and pear salad, ostrich kebabs, artichoke hearts, pickled red peppers, pickled grapes, and feta cheese followed by a delicious creamy passion fruit dessert cup. At 4 p.m. we met in the main area for a glass of iced coffee or iced tea and milk tarts before heading out on the afternoon game drive a few minutes later. We returned about three hours later. The security guard escorted us to our suites where we had a 15 minute break before drinks and a plated dinner in the boma . Once we sat down at our individual tables the cook came out and shared the set menu. There were two options for starters and mains and dessert. We chose the carrot and cumin soup (the other option was springbok carpaccio) and the lamb tajeen.

In the morning we received a wake up call at 5 a.m. After a hot beverage and greeting other guests and our ranger tracker team we went out on our morning drive. When we returned from the drive, we had breakfast in the shade of the dining area. Breakfast consisted of a platter of cold items (cheddar cheese, salami, fresh fruit, muffins), a muesli and yogurt glass and a hot beverage. It was also possible to order eggs with sides (sautéed mushroom, sausage, tomato, and bacon).

For afternoon tea the second day there was orange cake. Lunch that day was a buffet on the pool side deck overlooking the dry river bed: barbeque ribs, green salad, beet salad, carrot salad, zucchini and feta cheese salad and bananas with chocolate sauce for dessert.

Amenities There was an electronic safe, two umbrellas, mosquito repellent, insect spray, a hair dryer, a minibar, shower caps, Africa Touch toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, soap suds for in room laundry, and body lotion). There was also sherry and on arrival there were two bite size morsels of fudge. There were bird and animal informational booklets and check lists.

There was a cloth laundry bag in the closet with a laundry list to be completed. According to the information booklet, the laundry was hand washed and dried naturally then returned the following day at the same time.

Facilities There was an indoor sitting area, boma (African style outdoor dining enclosure), covered dining area, wine cellar, gift shop, full size swimming pool and river facing deck.

Gift Shop Near the entrance to the lodge, sandwiched between the restrooms and the wine cellar there was a small gift shop. There were &Beyond branded clothes like caps, t-shirts, and shirts, books, jewelry and other souvenirs.

Massages An onsite masseuse was available to provide aromatherapy, back and neck and Swedish massages. Tuli, a relief masseuse from Johannesburg, gave me a 60 minute massage on the deck. The massage services were provided by Massage Corporation Africa (MCA ), owned by Jessica Linley who trained her staff.

Pool The main pool was a free form swimming pool painted black ranging in depth between 1.1 meters and 1.7 meters. There were two lounge chairs and one umbrella next to it. I appreciate the soft and clean smelling pool towels and glass of water one of the staff members brought, at my request, when I went for a swim.

Game Viewing Rob Braum was our ranger and Issac Mkhansi was our tracker. Rob explained when we met that he was usually based at Ngala, a sister property in a reserve north of Dulini, and was only at Dulini to help out while the regular ranger was away. During our visit there were six of us in the vehicle, the maximum number of people allowed per vehicle at Dulini; we shared our safari vehicle with four other guests including a boy. During game drives, a maximum of two vehicles were allowed per sighting (except for wild dogs when a third vehicle was permitted). If one or more vehicles were waiting to see something the vehicles at the sighting would head out and allow one of the waiting vehicles to take their space. Drives were very bumpy at this property.

There were booklets in our suite such as Game Plan (28 pages) and Winging It Introduction to Birding (33 pages) with information about the area of the Sabi Sand Reserve we were in, the flora, fauna and check lists that made it easy to keep track of the animals and birds we saw (or heard) during our twice daily game viewing drives.

Game we saw during our visit: Chacma baboons, leopard (female, cub), lion (two males, females and cubs), wild dogs, elephants, buffalo, hippopotamus, impala, kudu, nyala, rhinoceros, warthog, wildebeest, marsh terrapin, boomslang (tree snake), golden orb spider,

Birds we saw or heard during our visit: saddle billed stork, hadeda ibis, African fish eagle, Wahlberg’s eagle, brown snake eagle, gymnogene (African harrier-hawk), dark chanting goshawk, helmeted guineafowl, red-crested korhaan, three-banded plover, Senegal lapwing, woodland kinfisher, little bee-eater, eurasian roller, lilac-breasted roller, red-billed hornbill, rufous-naped lark, magpie shrike, red-backed shrike, white helmetshrike,

Our vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, had a metal cage atop the back that allowed the staff to attach a top if guests were hot or it was raining. We came to dislike the cage because it got in the way of game viewing and photography; we never had a top on it.

Wildwatch.com listed wildlife sightings at &beyond camps.

Conservation And Responsible Tourism The property supported a local community project to recycle food to feed animals. Glass, plastic and cardboard were recycled. Other green efforts included installing solar heaters in the staff area, water recycled in stages, and resource consumption measurement. The Africa foundation worked with local organizations, supporting local villages via labor, tools and materials. There were also conservation lessons for the children about saving the local environment.

Other Since the tap water was not always safe to drink (the water supply was a borehole) there was a bottle of house brand water in the bathroom which we used to brush our teeth. The company supported the Africa Foundation which was dedicated to neighboring community projects. There was a no smoking policy in place in the lodge and in the vehicles. Guests were asked to use their cell phones only in their suites. The bird in the logo of &Beyond was a juvenile bateleur eagle.

Monkeys were highly aggressive and we had to be vigilant during breakfast to keep them from stealing food off our table. A couple of monkeys were so aggressive a staff person had to stand on alert with a sling shot and sticks to keep them out of the dining area. One monkey stole my bread roll and another guest’s roll during lunch on the deck the second day.

It was raining on our return from the drive on the second night and the boma dinner had to be relocated indoors. The staff responded quickly to the inclement weather by moving the dinner set up out of the rain. They offered us hot soup and rolls and to our surprise a musical performance by eight of the staff ladies dressed in colorful red outfits. To guests’ delight they sang in their native language and danced to the beat of a drum. It was a lovely performance.

Cleanliness Very good

Date Of Review March 2011

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photographs by Gary Cox

Service As soon as we arrived Jessica, the relief lodge manager, greeted us warmly and escorted us to the main area of the lodge where she offered us welcome drinks and had us sign the mandatory indemnity forms.There was twice daily turn down service. Many of the staff introduced themselves when we arrived. Gift was the acting manager while the lodge manager was on leave. Our “butler” was Octavia. During our visit we met Brendan Streak, who managed the three &Beyond lodges in the western Sabi Sand Reserve (Dulini, Exeter River, and Leadwood).

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression After a warm greeting from Tom Rutherford, the lodge manager, we walked from the parking area down a few steps and across a paved pathway through a garden to the doorless entrance of the main building of Singita Ebony Lodge. The first thing I noticed as we walked past the comfortable and worn looking colorful furniture in the main area was the memorable view of the Sand River across the room and the ebony tree for which the property was named that pierced through the wood deck. From where we stood we could see the ochre colored river snake by on its journey east and later south across the Sabi Sand Reserve.

Our location on the banks of the river meant, I thought right away, game viewing opportunities from the comfort of the lodge deck and from our suite. Sure enough during our stay we sighted a number of birds and animals right from where we were standing the day of our arrival. Ebony, Tom shared, was the first of the properties in the Singita bush portfolio and was maintained as much as possible as it was when it was founded.

A short while later we were comfortably settled in our spacious and comfortable suite a few steps from reception. The suite had a private plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers and a bush facing outdoor deck with Sand River views. That afternoon at tea we met Shelley Alkema, our New Zealand born guide, and Emmanuel Makubela, our local tracker, and the other guests on our shared safari vehicle.

In their company we looked forward to our dawn and dusk game drives when we searched for the Big Five and other animals. One of the more fun game viewing experiences was the time we spent watching a lion pride stalking a heard of buffalos. We also saw elephants socializing and visited a hyena den.

During the day, there were plenty of things to do not the least of which was enjoying our suite and pool. At Ebony, there was a fitness and spa building. For oenophiles and South African wine aficionados there was a small wine cellar behind the bar in the main area. I found time to visit the gift shops shared by Ebony, Boulders and Castleton and heard from fellow guests about organized visits to the neighboring townships.

Ebony had a gourmet orientation and meal times were enjoyable. The night of our arrival we participated in a fun and educational South African wine tasting before a tasting menu dinner. Romance too was in the Ebony air. On our second night after dinner we returned to our suite to discover a bottle of sparkling Viliera wine in an ice bucket, a drawn bubble bath and dozens of rose petals strewn about and in the shape of a heart in the bathroom. It was a lovely way to end the evening.

Thanks to our luxurious and spacious accommodations and facilities on the banks of the Sand River, shopping, fitness and spa options, convenient in-room internet connectivity, romantic touches, gourmet dining and wine tasting, and Big Five experience, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this family friendly Big Five safari property in the heart of South Africa’s prime game viewing area and would gladly return.

Children A family with small children checked in the same day we did. We saw them at game drive and meal times when the children were running around, yelling and playing in the common areas.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury Five Star safari lodge

Connectivity There was WiFi in the lodge common areas and in the suites. In our suite, the WiFi worked well part of the time although it had a tendency to drop often. The library in the main building had two computers with internet access for guest use and an LG television.

General Manager Tom Rutherford

Handicapped Access From the parking and arrival area to the lodge proper it was necessary to traverse stairs twice. Within the reception and lodge main area the only steps were to an outdoor dining deck facing the river. Within our suite a handful of steps led to a cozy sitting area.

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location Within the Singita Reserve located in the western Sabi Sand Reserve which is adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

Owned-Managed Luke Bailes

Pets Allowed No

Size The Singita Reserve, shared by Ebony and Boulders lodges and Castleton Camp was 6,000 hectares large. The total traversing area was 18,000 hectares. The Singita Reserve was situated within the 63,000 hectare Sabi Sand Reserve which was adjacent to and fenceless from the Kruger National Park which had 2.5 million hectares of protected land. Ebony alone had 12 suites and two family units with a maximum occupancy of 28 and about 100 staff. Depending on occupancy and the season there could be as many as 240 staff working at Ebony, Boulders and Castleton.

Year Opened-Renovated Ebony was established in 1993. A month long renovation in April 2011 was scheduled to repair the roof, decks and suites and rewire.

Lobby And Common Areas The fenceless lodge was decorated in a safari style with brightly colored furniture, soaring ceilings, safari artifacts and open and partly open spaces in the main building. Walking from one area of the lodge to another was easy thanks to paved pathways that connected the arrival area, main building, suites and common areas. At night there were lit lanterns along the pathway from the parking lot to the main building passing through the pools, making the area look especially romantic. The lodge was filled with antiques in the suites and public areas; we later discovered that many of them were family air looms of the owner. The design concept consisted of “using lots of fabrics and rich colours to create a warm feel in the lodge,” according to the property manager. “It has a sense of place; you know you are in Africa when you are in the lodge,” he said.

Bathroom Double wood doors connected the sleeping area to a bathroom. The most notable feature of the bathroom was the glass wall facing the outer deck and the river in the background. Instead of the polished concrete floors of the bedroom and sitting room there were charcoal gray tiles on the floor. Twin sinks, set below mirrors and atop wood cabinets, faced each other. Across from the entrance to the right there was a shower with a glass door and glass walls that afforded us a view of an outdoor shower and the suite plunge pool to one side. To the left of the shower there was a bathtub. Next to the bathtub there was a wood door leading out onto the outer deck. To the right of the room a step led onto a walk-in closet with a built-in luggage space. There were also twin closets on either side of the doorless entrance and a wicker armchair on one side. At the far back, wrapping around almost to the entrance of the suite, there was a water closet with a toilet, bidet and sink.

Suite We stayed in Suite 10, a 130 square meter suite with a private 18-square meter pool, 30 steps down a brick paved path to the right of reception. The decorative style was Africa themed with and safari decorative items such as a cow hide in the sitting area. A wood door led to a shady interior with a soaring thatched ceiling. I immediately liked that the room was was generous in size and, perhaps as important, looked comfortable. The suite was divided into several distinct areas: an indoor sitting area, a sleeping area, a bathroom, a walk in closet, a water closet and an outer deck.

Across from the entrance and down two steps was my favorite part of the suite, a sitting area divided by a partial wall from the rest of the room. It offered a view of the suite’s deck, the bush and the river thanks to two oversize wood framed windows. The wall to the left of the entrance and the fireplace chimney were painted burnt orange; the other walls in the suite were white. That wall was home to thirteen framed art pieces; a metal lamp hung from the ceiling to enhance the ambiance. A comfy red cloth sofa filled with colorful pillows leaned against the wall in front of a leather stool and across from an oversize stone fireplace that rose through to the thatched ceiling. To the right of the sofa there was a round table with a glass top, game viewing and birding books, a lamp and a telephone; next to it there was a brown wicker armchair facing a sliding glass door with a mosquito screen that led outside. To the right of the stone fireplace behind a wood and reed door there was a minibar with cold beverages and snacks. Atop the minibar there was sherry and lemon liquor, lemons and glassware.

Two twin beds with wood head and foot boards took up the center of the room. Above them a mosquito net hung from a wood frame (it was draped around the bed at night). To the right there was a rectangular night table with a lamp and a cordless phone. Above it, attached to the wall, there was an iPod Nano preloaded with music. Speakers hung on either side of the room high on the wall. To the left of the bed there was a round glass topped table. In the corner, there was a wood dresser and atop it there was a hot beverage platter. When the staff found out during casual conversation that my travel partner liked espresso coffee they sent an espresso (Nespresso) machine and a supply of coffee capsules to our suite. Across from the bed there were sliding glass doors leading onto the outdoor deck that wrapped around the side of the room.

Striped curtains in mustard, burnt orange, khaki and hunter green covered the windows in the sitting room. The floors were of polished concrete with occasional runners. In spite of the punishing summer heat the interior of our suite was always comfortable thanks to three air conditioners (bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet).

To the left of the bathroom, past a wood door, there was a pool deck with a small swimming pool, two red cloth armchairs and a wood table and two cushioned wood adjustable lounge chairs facing the ebony trees and the bush. We could see part of the river from the sitting area, the bathroom and the outer deck.

Meals At Ebony much emphasis was placed on meals. Lunch and dinner menus, served plated, with several options and house wine pairings changed daily. The venue for dinner changed daily. Breakfast, served on the upper deck facing the river on our return from the morning game drive, was a combination buffet (cereals, two types of muffins, fresh bread, apple filled puff pastries, fresh sliced fruit, yogurt and fruit juices) and a la carte hot made to order eggs.

My favorite place for lunch was on the lower wood deck which was easily accessible from the main deck via two sets of stairs. We ordered from the day’s a la carte menu while sitting under the shade of a towering tree and the oversize umbrella at our table, gazing at the river while we enjoyed a leisurely lunch. On our second day we asked if it was possible to have lunch in our suite. Within minutes our order arrived.

One day’s menu listed the following choices: Slow roast tomato and red pepper soup; Crayfish tail with creamed cauliflower and vanilla lime vinaigrette; Quail breast and leg with cous cous, aubergine caviar and pepper sauce; Beetroot and goat’s cheese with baby shoots and pine nut dressing; Fillet of beef, butter potato, green beans, mushrooms and thyme sauce; Pan-fried Scottish salmon with mussel linguine, asparagus and tomato vinaigrette; Pork fillet and belly with sweet and sour apple purée celery chutney and walnut sauce; Pumpkin and chilli risotto with blue cheese spring roll; Blesbok loin with braised red cabbage, root vegetable bake, baby carrots and sweet port sauce; Traditional malva pudding with cinnamon anglaise and brandied apricots; Rooibos panna cotta with white chocolate honeycomb and fresh berries; and Melon or Apple sorbet.

One day the following options were on offer: Cauliflower soup with truffle gremolata; Prawns with burnt corn, chilli and basil; Slow roast duck ravioli with creamed leeks and orange sauce; Tomato, rocket and parmesan salad with split balsamic dressing; Fillet of beef, mash potato, green beans, cherry tomatoes and rosemary sauce; Pan-fried kingklip with tomato and zucchini risotto, lime beurre blanc; Chicken breast with warm asparagus and carrot salad, mustard dressing; Open lasagna with mushroom and spinach with roast garlic cream; Kudu loin with parsnip puree, polenta, mange tout and juniper red wine sauce; Rose crème brûlée, cherry biscotti and strawberry sorbet; White wine poached pear phylo stack, with candied nuts, star anise syrup and rum and raison ice cream

Both nights the dessert wine was Graham Beck Wines Rhona Muscadel from Robertson Valley and Cellarmaster Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira described in the menu as a three year old “fully ripe Muscat de Frontignan grape bunches hand selected and picked with “… delicate orange rind flavours and grapey freshness on the palate. Nice hints of marzipan on the palate, finishing with a lengthy finish.”

Before dinner one night we joined four other guests at a South African wine tasting in the wine cellar with Francois Rautenbach who was in charge of the company’s wine division. There were 230 types of South African wine and French Champagne as well as South African brandies aged five, ten, twelve, fifteen and twenty years.

Amenities There was a hot beverage tray, refrigerated and mini bar beverages and snacks, laundry, cotton bathrobes, slippers, chocolate morsel at turn down, fruit and fudge bites (a favorite) in a glass jar atop our minibar, mosquito repellent moist towels, flashlight, converter plug, iPod Nano, and two telephones (including a cordless phone).

In the bathroom there were: bath salts, Dermalogica shampoo, conditioner (in 59 milliliter plastic bottles) facial cream (five milliliter), body lotion (75 milliliter), cotton swabs, cotton pads, and vanity kit (toothbrush, shower cap).

For coffee break during the morning game drive there were warm hand towels, hot beverages, rusks and oat cookies (a favorite) as well as hot beverages. There was an amenity kit for “toilet” stops including toilet paper, paper bags (for used toilet paper), waterless hand sanitizer and Dermalogica hand cream. On the vehicle there were blankets and ponchos as well as sun block. At sundowners one night there were chicken sausages cooked fresh during the bush stop.

Facilities Spa, gym, bar, two common pools, high and low decks, wine cellar and library.

Fitness Center And Spa The day we arrived at Ebony I had spend too much time in the sun in an open vehicle and needed some down time. Instead of a game drive I asked at tea time if it would be possible to have a massage. They said one of the therapists, Pascale, was available for a 60-minute deep tissue massage. From the main building I walked back along a brick paved pathway through the property, past two bridges and many of the suites to a double use air conditioned room housing the spa area on the right and a gym on the left. The masseuse provided me with a cotton bathrobe and slippers and I changed in a curtained shower area. From there I walked back to the reception to find her and together we stepped into the treatment room. Although the air conditioned room was standard in size through the glass I could see an inner courtyard. She offered me a choice of massage oil, body butter or cream for the massage. After a few moments I lay down with my head on a small folded towel and my legs atop a small cushion. When she entered the treatment room she made sure I was covered well with the towel and covered my eyes. I could smell the soothing scent of aromatherapy oil. After asking if there were any areas she should emphasize she began with little preamble and soon asked if the pressure was comfortable which it was. Her massage was firm but never uncomfortable. When she was nearly finished she placed warm moist towels on my back to enhance the effects of the massage. The massage was just what I needed to feel refreshed before dinner.

Pool In addition to our private pool in the suite there were two lodge pools to the right of the entrance path. The top pool was 25 square meters large and the bottom pool was 30 square meters in size. There were lounge chairs around the pool and one shaded area under roof with a lounge chair set up.

Game Viewing Twice a day we went out on early morning and late afternoon drives in search of animals sightings in the company of Shelley and Emmanuel. They had their own assigned new Land Rover with capacity for six passengers. The open vehicle was configured with three rows of two seats each and a storage box in the middle of each row. The storage box was quite handy for cameras, sunblock and other sundry items. It provided the added benefit of protecting them from the rain. The drives at this reserve were especially smooth with very little bumpiness. This was due in part to the limited off-roading policy in place following heavy rains. While it meant we could only drive on the designated dirt roads most of the time our team was adept at finding interesting things for us to see during the game drives and the lack of off roading didn’t seem to hamper our game viewing much. They kept in touch with other ranger/tracker teams and staff in the area via a silent radio and if another vehicle came across something interesting we had the option of heading in that direction.

There were 16 guide/tracker pairings at the reserve although a quarter of the staff were on leave at any one time following the properties’ six week on and two week off rotation cycle. On average about eight vehicles were out on any given day depending on occupancy levels at the lodges and camp. Vehicle occupancy was a maximum of six guests except on request (e.g. a family of eight wanting to be together in one vehicle). One private vehicle from each lodge was available and included in the eight vehicle per day estimate. A maximum of three vehicles per sighting was allowed at any one time unless the situation was deemed sensitive and warranting fewer vehicles one at a time (depending on the position and nature of the animal).

Singita guides were required to have a minimum Level 2 Trails Guide qualification of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). They had to be legally registered with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, a government organization, have a driver’s license with a Public Driving Permit, have a firearm’s competency certificate and be certified with the police in proficiency to handle and operate a rifle. The trails guide component allowed guides to walk in a potentially dangerous game area. Singita trackers were required to have a minimum Cyber Tracker Level 2.

Shelley had climbed through the Singita guide training and development course in three and a half years. That meant she had attended guide training school full time for six months before attaining a full time position within the company, training from grass route level up.

Wake up at the lodge was at 5 a.m. At 5:30 we would meet others in the main area for hot beverages and depart after that. We returned at about 10:15 a.m. on our first morning game drive and had breakfast right after our return. In the afternoon, we gathered at 4 p.m. in the main area for cold beverages and savory and sweet snacks and depart on the game drive after that. Dinner followed our return from the second game drive of the day.

At Ebony and Boulders (we spent our final night at Boulders)

Animals we saw: Cape buffalo, grey common duiker, elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, spotted hyena, impala, greater kudu, leopard, lion, banded mongoose, vervet monkey, nyala, white rhinoceros, tree squirrel, warthog, waterbuck, blue wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, flapnecked chameleon, and legless skink.

Birds we saw or heard: bateleur, European bee-eater, grey-headed bush-shrike, bronze-winged courser, great spotted cuckoo, fork-tailed drongo, white-faced duck, crested francolin, Natal francolin, grey go-away-bird, Egyptian goose, helmeted guineafowl, African hawk-eagle, goliath heron, African grey hornbill, red-billed hornbill, yellow-billed southern hornbill, African jacana, woodland kingfisher, yellow-billed kite, Senegal lapwing, red-billed oxpecker, three-banded plover, lilac-breasted roller, magpie shrike, brown snake-eagle, Swainsons spurfowl, Burchell’s starling, saddle-billed stork, purple-crested turaco, emerald-spotted wood-dove, and bearded woodpecker.

Plants we saw: leadwood, marula, pride-of-de-kaap, scented thorn, silver terminalia, and weeping wattle.

Conservation And Responsible Tourism The policy at Singita was to be “observers in everyday events and leave nature to take care of itself.” The only times staff were allowed to interfere was if an animal was injured due to manmade reasons like a snaring. Fire was allowed as an occasional management tool to simulate lighting strikes under controlled conditions in order to stimulate seed germination and new growth. Off road driving was allowed under sustainable property management guidelines.

Other There was a cotton bag with a laundry list. I filled it out the night we arrived and by the time I returned from the morning game drive my laundry sat wrapped in white paper in the walk-in closet. There were hardly any insects inside our suite because the property sprayed insect repellent in the suites on a regular basis. The well stocked shops sold items from the local community.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Review March 2011

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our suite was serviced twice daily. Patricia, a server with an easy smile, looked after us at meal times. Antoinette looked after us the last night. Staff were attentive and service oriented.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Our stay at Africa House, an exclusive use six bedroom house within a luxury Big Five safari lodge property in South Africa, was superb. While we much appreciated the well appointed and comfortable house itself, its décor and furnishings lovingly hand picked by the owner, and wireless WiFi connectivity it was the staff that made our stay special. They were always there at meal and game drive times when we might need something. Between activities and meals the staff allowed us private time alone to relax in our luxury bush home. More than once we were tempted to skip a game drive to just relax lazily by the pool and enjoy the house. We plan to return for a slightly longer stay when we can do just that without feeling we are missing out on precious few game drives.

On our first afternoon at Africa House we went on a game drive in the dedicated Land Rover assigned to the house. In the company of Ryan and Terrence, our ranger and tracker team, we scoured the thick and green summer bush for game. We saw several elephants then spent time with a very relaxed warthog feeding calmly on bended knees while we watched amazed (in our experience warthogs often run when they encounter a vehicle) and took photos. We then saw rhinos and buffalo together at a water hole. Just when we thought things were calming down we heard some guinea fowl making a ruckus on a tree top. When our bush guides looked closer they discovered the reason, lions. Three juvenile lions were taunting the guinea fowl who were sounding the alarm from a tree top. We followed the lions for a short distance and came across their sleeping parents. A short while later a second vehicle came to look at the lions who by then had decided to slumber. After lingering for a while longer we decided to head back calling our first outing a most wonderful success.

Meal times at Africa House were as remarkable as our first game drive. John Jackson, the manager and chef, and the staff made sure we were well fed not just in quantity but in quality and preference. Every meal was delicious and the settings were varied and fun. We had meals by our pool, in the inner courtyard, in our boma (open air enclosure) and in great comfort in the bush.

The house was the perfect place to spend quality time in the bush. In addition to our brightly decorated rooms there were well appointed and spacious common areas where we could lounge indoors and outdoors. The furniture was comfortable and the house was designed with care, attractive and functional.

There were many details that made us fans of Africa House like fragrant and embroidered linen sheets, Molton Brown toiletries, fresh flowers, well stocked kitchen (in case we wanted a snack) and delicious gourmet meals. The exclusive use 25 million rand (about $3 million as of this writing) six bedroom house with a pool had all the advantages of a Big Five luxury lodge plus an excellent dedicated game viewing team and vehicle, the space of a house, the service of attentive staff assigned to us exclusively, outstanding game viewing, the gourmet orientation of a fine restaurant and privacy. It was a place to call home while on a South African safari, the epitome of bush luxury.

Children Yes

Class Of Accommodation Luxury house within a five star lodge property

Concierge Russell Khosa

Connectivity There was excellent WiFi internet access from our rooms and within the house although some websites would elicit error messages.

General Manager John Jackson

Handicapped Access The property had welcomed wheelchair bound guests in the past. Showers within the house were doorless.

Length Of Stay Four nights

Location In the southeast corner of the Royal Malewane Reserve in the 13,000 hectare Thornybush Game Reserve of the Greater Kruger National Park area.

Owned And Managed Liz and Phil Biden

Pets Allowed No

Size The 680 square meter six room stand alone house had a staff compliment of between eight and ten depending on the size of the party. It was situated in a 1,200 hectare reserve within the larger 13,000 hectare Thornybush Reserve.

Year Opened-Renovated Africa House was established in September 2008 as an additional stand alone structure within the Royal Malewane property.

Lobby And Common Areas A rustic and antique looking wood door that looked like it belonged somewhere in deepest Zanzibar marked the entrance to Africa House. Beyond it was a U-shaped building centered around an inner courtyard with a central fountain. A kitchen, dinning and living area occupied the middle of the house and six bedrooms fanned out, three on either side of the courtyard. On the outer side of the living area there was a covered terrace and a bush facing swimming pool.

The six bedrooms could accommodate 12 guests (14 in a pinch including a nanny or pilot room). Each room had an en suite bathroom most with a bush view. Some of the bedrooms connected so they could be set up to accommodate a family.

There was air conditioning in the bedrooms and in the living dining area for those times of the day when we had to take shelter from the scorching South African summer heat. The ambient temperature in the outdoor areas was pleasant in the early morning and later afternoon and could be tempered with a dip in the cool pool. The flooring was of polished concrete with wood accents and area rugs. There was a large fireplace in the living room with a flatscreen Sonic television above it. We liked the high wood beam ceilings and fresh flowers in the rooms and common areas.

The well equipped kitchen made food preparation or heating simple for the staff. It housed a double door refrigerator, six burner gas stove and oven, dishwasher, espresso machine and microwave oven as well as dinnerware, silverware, and glassware. The main refrigerator had sliced fruits, snacks, and cold beverages in case we developed an appetite between meals (we were so well fed that was not an issue during our stay; we only availed ourselves of cold beverages from the refrigerators) and there was a fully stocked mini refrigerator in the pool area.

There were many comfortable places to sit and relax in the common areas. The living and dining area combined was 77 square meters large. Although we never made use of it there was a large dining table with armless green chairs next to the kitchen. For entertainment other than television there was an iPod dock in the living area, board games and a sea of Africa themed books.

Outdoor time could be spent in the pool area, 50 square meters in size, in one of two Casitas, shady corner 7 square meter alcoves with daybeds in the courtyard (40 square meters large) or in the privacy of our bedrooms which had individual partial wrap around wood decks. In each of the two master bedrooms, there were wood and wicker chairs and outdoor showers in the wood decks. The other bedrooms each had a small bush facing porch with outdoor showers.

Eclectic decorative touches included oversize frameless oil paintings, beautiful rustic antique East Africa (Zanzibar, Lamu) wood doors at the entrance and within the house, antique furnishings, Persian rugs, silk and leather, oversize framed antique mirrors, carved four poster beds (with hand made linen sheets embroidered with the property initials) from Mombasa, Kenya and object d’art. There were two large liquor cabinets filled with crystal glassware and a variety of alcoholic beverages in full size bottles. The main theme in the bedrooms was of bright primary colors and an eclectic combination of items that somehow created a warm and unpretentious yet elegant environment.

One night we had a romantic candlelit gourmet dinner in the courtyard. The staff prepared a delicious meal which we enjoyed throughly to the sounds of the water fountain while feeling the insect free gentle breeze rolling in to our cozy corner table.

Although we only occupied two of the six bedrooms during out stay we had access to the entire house. The other rooms were similar in their furniture arrangement including wood carved four poster beds; each room had a different color theme. The room adjacent to mine was gold and yellow themed; the one next to it was fuchsia and lime green with twin beds; across the way on the other side of the house the rooms were a mirror image of those on my side. One had a red theme. The room adjacent to that one was decorated in a middle green color and the one next to it with twin beds in red.

Bathrooms The pretty master bedrooms, 12 square meters large, were spacious and light filled. Each had a stand lone bathtub as well as indoor and outdoor showers. There was a rustic door leading into the bedroom and a large sliding glass door leading onto a private wrap around deck with a doorless outdoor shower. Inside, next to the sliding glass doors, there was a doorless double shower in one corner. An inviting bathtub occupied the center of the bathroom. It was flanked by twin sinks set against the wall. A toilet was in the corner. Although there was no air conditioner in the bathroom the temperature was comfortable for me.

Rooms We stayed in rooms one and two, the 29 square meter large master bedrooms of Africa House. Located on either side of the swimming pool, Room 1 (my room) and Room 2 (my travel partner’s) occupied the two corners of the north facing rectangular house. Each one had double views of the bush in the bedroom as well as a view of the bush from the bathroom. Room 1 was also the room of the property owner, Liz Biden. It was decorated in shades of medium pink and medium blue. A four poster bed framed by identical glass top night tables set below matching oversize framed mirrors, occupied the center of the room. The wooden bed was painted blue and covered with a thick duvet, feather pillows and pink and blue pillows and throws. There was a pink bench at the foot of the bed. The center of the room was furnished with a matching set of blue cloth and wood armchairs facing a round wood table covered with magazines, a Chinese urn and fresh flowers in a see-through vase. A large wood desk with drawers and a wood and cloth armchair stood on the right side of the room facing a large rectangular framed mirror. I set my iPad on the desk top space which was otherwise taken up by a lodge informational folder, a silver vanity set, a small vanity mirror, two framed photos of children, a lamp and a Chinese urn. Across the room from the desk there was a wood cabinet. Closer to the bed, on the same side of the room, there was a floor to ceiling built-in wood closet with hanging and folding space as well as an electronic safe. Room 2 was very similar to mine in layout and size although the colors were different.

Meals Meals at the Royal Malewane were even better in the present than in our memories. Our talented chef had the knack of preparing delicious and fulfilling dishes. Whether it was a light lunch so we could stay awake during the warm afternoon game drive or a six course tasting dinner, John’s dishes were satisfying every time. Most meals, at the time of our choice, were from a la carte menus. The menus and venues varied during our stay.

Breakfasts was a cold plentiful buffet of fresh fruit, cereals (including tasty homemade muesli), pastries, jams, yogurt, salmon, deli meats and cheese and made-to-order eggs and sides on offer. Lunch was light or hearty depending on our preference. There were many tempting options in the menu. Although we preferred the light dishes given the intense summer heat on the afternoon game drives we developed a fondness for the Royal Malewane Burger (a lamb patty with cheese bacon, mushrooms and French fries on the side) and the Mozambican prawns. One lunch menu included two starters, two mains and dessert options. For starters there was Salad Composée of a Potato and Fennel Cake with Scottish Smoked Salmon and Mozambican Prawns, served with a White Wine and Fennel Sauce or Sweet Potato and Butternut Soup garnished with Grilled Mussels. For mains there was Fillet of Kingklip poached in a Tomato and Onion Sauce, topped with Citrus Segments, Olives and Fresh Garden Herbs or Grilled Beef Fillet served with a Green Peppercorn Sauce (served with brown rice and seasonal vegetables); and a wonderful Duo of Poached Pears served with a Berry Coulis and Ice Cream. Another day I tried the Grilled Line fish and Queen Prawns served with and Garden Salad (we skipped the minted peas) and the Tropical Fruit Kebab with Papaya and Lime Sauce with sorbet of the day on the side.

Dinners were the most elaborate meals set at varied locations and with themes such as tasting, Bedouin (bush dinner) or boma. The Tasting Menu was a treat. We had Amuse Guele of Roasted Butternut, Oyster Mushroom, Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Pesto topped with a Mozambican Prawn and a Parmesan Tuile for our first bite; Gorgonzola Green Beans topped with Seared Scottish Salmon; Zucchini and Parmesan Soup with Croutons; Pan-Fried West Coast Sole with Lemon Beurre Blanc or Grilled Rack of Karoo Lamb with a Red Wine Sauce; and Steamed Chocolate Pudding with real hot Chocolate Sauce, Orange Segments and Fresh Cream.

On boma night there were two plated dishes: salmon cakes on a bed of spinach served with a paprika sauce , curried vegetable soup with toasted sunflower seeds followed by a buffet of grilled pork spare ribs, ostrich kebabs, beef farmer’s sausage ( boerewors ), lemon and herb marinated spatchcock chicken, corn on the cob, vegetables, Greek salad and beetroot salad. For dessert there was deep fried custard with poached pineapple and Bulgarian yoghurt.

On our last night at Africa House, we were delighted with a Turkish Night dinner which featured flame lights, a tented set up with large and comfortable wood sofas and thick cushions set on Persian style carpets under a canvas cover. At the end of our night drive our ranger surprised us by arriving at a beautiful bush setting. We loved the evening and meal, especially the lamb kebab and rhubarb dessert and 2003 La Motte Cabernet wine.

Amenities Meals and game drives were included and there was a myriad of little extras. For example, each night the staff would leave the next day’s weather forecast, a USA Times news summary with my name and room number on it and candy (the first day it was almond chocolate, the second day, The Coach House caramels), and a bottle of still water on my night table. We were greeted with scented moist towels on return from every game drive and a welcome drink in the evening.

There were bathrobes and slippers in the cupboards for use during the stay, telephones and electronic safes in the bedrooms, complimentary bottled water at any time, baskets in the cupboards with hairdryer, mosquito repellent, emergency horn, candles and matches, international plugs, flashlights, air conditioning and fans in the rooms, iPod docking station in the lounge, TV with satellite channels and DVD player. On the desk, there was an informational folder and a game viewing check list.

In the bathroom, there were Molton Brown English toiletries in full size and miniature bottles, Molton Brown Soap, a shower cap, and Charlotte Rhys bath salts and bath oil.

Facilities Guests at Africa House had access to facilities at the main lodge: Fitness center, swimming pool, spa and gift shop.

Fitness Center And Spa As guests at Africa House we were able to visit the Waters of Royal Malewane Spa, a gym and 25 meter lap pool at the main lodge. We could request that someone drive us to the main lodge to make use of the facilities. We were so pleased with our own facilities we never found the need to visit the lodge except for a quick stop to buy souvenirs at the gift shop one morning. The masseuse was kind enough to provide me a massage at Africa House.

Pool Africa House had its own bush facing swimming pool. The pool deck had several cushioned lounge chairs and umbrellas. There was also a shaded area with additional patio furniture where we enjoyed spending time between game drives. Although there was a pool of greater length at the spa in the main lodge we were happy to swim in the house pool. The water was refreshing. There were some leaves in the water and a bit of sand at the bottom. By the pool there were cushioned and adjustable single and double lounge chairs and three umbrellas. One of our favorite places to spend time was poolside under the shade of the center umbrella for lunch or on one of the comfy chairs in the left corner of the covered deck.

Game Viewing Our ranger Ryan Jack, a native of Zimbabwe, had lived in South Africa most of his life and had worked as a guide for 12 years. Terence Mhlanga, our tracker, had become a tracker in 1997. As guests at Africa House we had our own comfortable dedicated game viewing vehicle and the guidance services of Ryan and Terence twice daily. Every morning and every afternoon the four of us would head out in a Land Rover into the bush in search of game viewing and photographic experiences. Game drives lasted about 3 hours (5:30 am wake up and departure at about 6 am and afternoon departure at 4:30 pm with a return around 7:30 pm). Since there were only two of us we could request different game viewing times as well as focus our attention on specific aspects of interest to us. We could also stop and linger at a sighting (if we were the only vehicle). The vehicle was comfortable and we had plenty of space to spread out. There were beverages and snacks stowed in the back, and blankets and mosquito repellent. As we departed the staff handed us a bottle of water each.

Two vehicles per sighting was the policy at the Royal Malewane. Africa House would seat up to 10 guests in the designated vehicle. An additional vehicle was available for a supplement.

During our stay we saw the following animals: blue wildebeest, buffalo, grey duiker, impala, kudu, nyala, black-backed jackal, side-striped jackal, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, elephant, Burchell’s zebra, cheetah (with a baby and at an impala kill), lion, giraffe, hippopotamus, spotted hyena, scrub hare, black rhino, white rhino, tree squirrel, warthog, Nile monitor, serrated hinged terrapin, Nile crocodile, nest of a foam nest frog, as well as black mamba and boomslang snakes and yellow pansy butterfly.

We saw or heard the following birds: arrow-marked babbler, Cape batis, European bee-eater, dwarf bittern, dark-capped bulbul, grey-headed bush-shrike, yellow-front canary, rattling cisticola, bronze-winged courser, jacobin cuckoo, Cape turtle dove, emerald-spotted wood-dove, fork-tailed drongo, white-faced duck, African hawk eagle, bateleur eagle, Wahlber’s eagle, African dusky flycatcher, spotted flycatcher, crested francolin, Natal francolin, Swainson’s spurfowl, go-away-bird, Egyptian goose, dark chanting goshawk, sombre greenbuls, helmeted guineafowl, juvenile African harrier-hawk, white-crested helmet-shrike, grey heron, African hoopoe, red billed hornbill, southern yellow-billed hornbill, purple indigobird, striped kinfisher, woodland kingfisher, blacksmith lapwing, crowned lapwing, rufous-naped lark, sabota lark fiery-necked nightjar, spotted eagle-owl, Verreaux’ eagle owl, green-winged pytilia, common quail, European roller, lilac breasted roller, double-banded sandgrouse, wood sandpiper, magpie shrike, red-backed shrike, southern white-crowned shrike, southern grey-headed sparrow, Cape glossy starling, wattled starling, barn swallow, black-crowned tchagra, yellow-fronted tinkerbird, spotted thick-knees, southern black tit, white-backed vulture, blue waxbill, long-tailed paradise whydah, bennets woodpecker, and cardinal woodpecker.

Other On our second night at Africa House, an exclusive use six-bedroom home within the Royal Malewane property, we had a boma (outdoor enclosure) barbeque dinner. About a dozen Royal Malewane staff members including some of the Africa House staff arrived following dinner for a surprise Shangaan singing and dancing demonstration. Ramos, one of our Africa House staff members, explained they were there to welcome us from America and share a little of their culture with us. The shy men and women sang three songs, one about the role uncles have as problem solvers within Shangaan society, the South Africa national anthem, and the well known Shosholosa. They departed waving and to the sounds of soft singing.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Review March 2011

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photographs by Gary Cox

Service Africa House had its own staff including a game viewing ranger and tracker. During our stay, Ramos, Zama, Gift and Lloyd (a new sommelier) looked after us in the house. Danisa came from the spa for a wonderful 60 minute deep tissue massage in the comfort of my air conditioned room. In addition to daily cleaning and turn down service, the house was serviced as needed. The service was outstanding.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes