&Beyond Phinda Rock Lodge

The main lodge is set high on the cliff, with the suites further down the slope. A welcome refuge after a day in the bush, the communal area gives you a chance to chat with the other guests over dinner at the banquet-style table or chill quietly in the cosy sitting room. Decor is luxurious Pan-African style and there's a large fireplace for chilly winter nights. Various viewing decks offer spectacular bird's-eye views of the valley, the wildlife and the bold sunsets.

Stay in the definitive room with a view! With only six suites dotted across the hilltop, Phinda Rock Lodge proffers both romantic and super-private accommodation. Each suite has air conditioning, double or twin beds, a minibar fridge, private deck and plunge pool with an uninterrupted view to lose yourself in. En-suite bathrooms have both showers and baths, and some rooms also have an outdoor shower. Seclusion of this magnitude is so rare you may never want to leave your room.

Once you've stirred yourself to leave your suite, there's lots to do. As at Phinda's other lodges, game drives, foot safaris and seasonal boat and canoe trails are prime. For a change, why not spend the morning with an expert tracker and ranger to find the rare black rhino on foot; take a guided tour of a nearby rehabilitation and breeding centre for South Africa’s endangered wild cat species, including African wild cat and cheetah; or go on a specialist birding, photographic or tracking safari?