Three lodges that offer the ultimate in curated nature experiences
From the vastness of the bushveld to the camdeboo plains, here are three lodges you have to visit this year
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 13 suites are likewise set into the Earth, with the layout ensuring that each offers guests the utmost privacy, peace, and tranquillity. Wonderfully textural walls are coated with the same combination of concrete and buffalo grass seen throughout the lodge. The spacious rooms with their minimalist custom furnishings draw from a palette of neutral tones and use elements of natural wood, slate, leather, and stainless steel to great effect.
Their marble-clad en-suite bathrooms have uninterrupted views from both bathtub and rain shower, along with private plunge pools and outdoor showers. This is opulence delivered through a hyper focus on the environment with as little impact on the unspoilt surroundings as possible.
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.
Outside, there is a private boma and fire pit, where a potjie can be arranged for dinner, along with a wood-burning hot tub. These compact units offer guests a uniquely private and intimate experience, secluded yet well-equipped enough to allow one to brave the elements, with a fair share of luxury to boot — and are just a short drive from the main lodge, should anything else be required. The unique accommodation, located in as remote an area as possible with views of valley floors and rolling plains, has been designed with a light footprint, in line with Mount Camdeboo’s conservation ethos.
As such, each pod is solar powered, though nighttime may call for the lighting of paraffin lamps outside, which create a most magical ambience, perfect for star gazing, taking in the sounds of the bush, or simply revelling in the magnificent isolation.