Three lodges that offer the ultimate in curated nature experiences

Welgevonden Game Reserve: 57 Waterberg

57 Waterberg is luxe life gone wild. Situated in Welgevonden Game Reserve, a 3-4 hour drive from Joburg, the property combines the classic safari experience with a contemporary take on accommodation.

The four luxury suites are the latest addition to the five-star lodge. These ultramodern, mostly steel-and-glass structures create the most opulent of sanctuaries for rest and relaxation, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing unrestricted views of the bushveld. The modular design makes for a seamless open-plan layout flowing from one functional space to another — from desk to coffee station to bedroom to lounge to en-suite bathroom and dressing room.

Grounding the contemporary design in its surroundings are statement rock walls, wooden ceiling slats and wooden flooring, along with wildlife-inspired art. A brushedsteel floating fireplace is suspended in the middle of the room, introducing yet another element to the harmonious mix.

These suites combine all the glam of a luxury penthouse — complete with solarheated private pools — with the unrivalled hospitality of a traditional safari experience in this malaria-free area. A visit to 57 Waterberg is effortless and the rooms are sensational, each one offering peace, privacy, and some very Instagramable moments.

Sabi Sabi: Earth Lodge

Where the heavens meet the Earth and elephants walk on rooftops — this is the flagship of the group’s prestigious offering, with few hotels, let alone lodges, more breathtaking in design. It begins on arrival, with the passageway into this luxurious safari space — an architectural masterpiece designed to seem sculpted into the very Earth — descending before suddenly and spectacularly opening up to a panoramic view of dazzling blue skies and the great, wild, African bush.

The almost Brutalist design, with its clean lines and expanses of concrete, contrasts magnificently with the verdant natural beauty within which it sits. At the same time, the very same design allows Earth Lodge to merge seamlessly with its surroundings — a contradiction worth experiencing. The concept, inspired by ancient “earthshelter architecture”, sees the structure almost carved into a series of slopes and small hills, blending into the bush. It is so at one with nature that it is a common sight to see elephants walking along the rooftops — set flush with the surroundings — to forage in nearby treetops.

Mount Camdeboo Private Reserve: Eco Pods

Situated an hour’s drive from the historic Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet is Mount Camdeboo Private Reserve. What once was farmland has slowly been rewilded by owner and conservationist Iain Buchanan, and is now home to a host of wildlife again.

This private reserve is also where you’ll find the two Mount Camdeboo Eco Pods: the Eagle’s Flight Pod and the Camdeboo Plains Pod. Scandinavian in aesthetic, the steel, glass, and wood pods — each a mere 26m² — have been cleverly designed to maximise both views and space. The bedroom, with its queen-size bed and nature-inspired furnishings — together with 180-degree vistas — takes up most of the cabin space, with a kitchenette and bathroom cleverly incorporated behind it.