Elephant Plains Game Lodge

The main lodge is a welcoming place, housing the reception, dining area, bar, lounge and well-stocked wine cellar, as well as a small library and curio shop. Breakfast and lunch (both very good) are served in the dining room or on the pool deck. Dinner is served around a log fire in the boma, beneath those mystical African stars. There are two swimming pools, a spa, a gym, conference facilities and a games room.

Stay in one of five rondavels, six luxury suites or the Manyeleti honeymoon suite, which is glass fronted and has a private splash pool. The rondavels lie in the lovely garden that dates back to the camp's early days and still has that old-time bushveld charm. All have sun decks, mosquito-netted beds, overhead fans, mini bars, air conditioning, electronic safes and super-large bathrooms. The glass-fronted luxury suites have warm, open-plan interiors consisting of a lounge, double bedroom, en-suite bathroom and private viewing deck.

Like all safari lodges, Elephant Plains offers morning and evening game drives. Note that spring and summer are the rainy seasons, when the bush is lush, many wild young are born and visiting migrant birds can be seen. Autumn and winter are dry and the bush is less dense, which can make game viewing easier and also sees more animals frequenting the waterhole in front of the camp. Take a guided bush walk to see birds and nature's smaller species - look out for the cute dwarf mongooses as they poke their heads out of their burrows.