Sleek new look for Sabi Sands favourite

Luxury travel in the Lowveld is having something of a moment. Put it down to an ongoing surge in post-pandemic luxury travel, or perhaps just the growing need of travellers to seek out immersion in nature, coupled with a sense of African authenticity. Either way, the luxury lodges of the Lowveld are on a roll, with refurbishments and new openings aplenty.

The global Radisson brand made their debut outside Hoedspruit earlier this year, bringing a resort approach to the Lowveld experience, while Singita recently unveiled a fresh new look and feel for its iconic original, Ebony. Tanda Tula turned heads with their contemporary new lodge in the Timbavati, while andBeyond is putting the finishing touches to what looks like a spectacular reinvention of Ngala Tented Camp on their private reserve near Orpen Gate.

And now here comes Simbambili, on the northern border of the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, where a comprehensive refurbishment has given the lodge a bold new look and feel; refining public spaces, reinventing the guest rooms and adding a whole new wellness offering.

“The refurbishments have taken the lodge to the next level without losing the special inviting, and homely feel of the lodge,” says lodge co-manager Tania Cowden.

The reimagining of the lodge begins in the main area, where beneath the boughs of venerable Jackalberry and Knobthorn trees the new thatch roof frames a split-level wooden deck that has been added to enhance the views across the sandy riverbed and surrounding forests to a waterhole frequented by myriad wild animals. This is the Sabi Sand after all; a reserve that’s especially famous for its leopard sightings, but that never disappoints when it comes to serving up an array of large herbivores and plains game.

“Our location is ideal for seeing great general game, as well as the Big Five. Resident leopards are extremely relaxed around the vehicles and regular sightings of them are always a real treat,” says lodge co-manager Mike Cowden, whose black-and-white wildlife photography is on display throughout the lodge.

After game drives and dinner, you’ll want to spend some time at the new firepit. Chances are you’ll be thrilled by the nocturnal calls of the galagos and nightjars. Step inside though and you’ll also discover an entirely new bar area, conceptualised to allow a communal space for guests to trade tales of wildlife sightings from the day. Likewise, the upgraded boma area provides a beautifully refreshed venue for al fresco dining on summer nights. Cuisine is becoming a battleground in the world of luxury lodges, and the addition of a pizza oven has also now given daytime dining a subtle shake-up at Simbambili.

Perhaps the most exciting new addition is the transformation of what was once a conference room into a brand-new Africology Spa & Wellness Centre.

Wellness is becoming a key pillar of the high-end safari business — look to the new African Retreat by Motswari that opened in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in June — and the inclusion of a leading brand like Africology is a smart move.

At Simbambili the new spa offering is focused on two treatment rooms and an outside deck, with a focused treatment menu of wellness experiences built around the Africology range of products. Their selling point is around holistic health, taking inspiration from SA’s rich botanical heritage and indigenous plants such as Rooibos, Aloe and African Potato Bush. There’s a new gym in the mix too, and a dedicated swimming pool, to create something of a haven amid the bushveld.

But if you fancy a dip — and hell, the Lowveld gets hot in the summer — you can also hop into your private plunge pool. Each of the nine suites has its own, along with a private deck and indulgent outdoor sala. The suites also enjoyed a refurbishment in the recent upgrade, which was overseen by respected interior designer Cate Simpson of Reflecting Africa.

Beyond using the surrounding bushveld as inspiration for her colour palette of organic tones and textures, Simpson tapped into the creative energy of South African artists in reimagining the lodge.                        

Taking their cue from the grasslands around Simbambili, Cape artisans “Threads that Bind Us” crafted a bespoke range of embroidered cushions, while Lowveld artist Warren Cary produced three signature leopard paintings celebrating the area’s prolific sightings.

“One of the standout décor pieces is an intricately carved wooden crocodile skull by Hoedspruit artist Friday Jibu,” adds Simpson. “It is masterfully precise in its detail!”

Simpson also collaborated with local artist Nikhil Tricam, who created seven large-scale murals for the lodge. The murals reflect the unique shapes and patterns of the surrounding landscape and bring a more contemporary aesthetic to the organic approach of the revamped lodge.

“Nikhil, who is passionate about the bush, painted directly onto the walls an almost whimsical and contemporary take on the exquisite trees as a vista,” explains Simpson. “He so cleverly highlights the unique shapes and patterns that we see as we cast our own eye across the front of the lodge — forcing guests to see in nature what perhaps they would have missed.”