Sanbona Gondwana Lodge

The communal areas have high ceilings and chic, comfortable furnishings with vivid yellow highlights. There's a lounge with a fireplace and TV, a lovely dining room with a long table, a playroom for children, a relaxation spa and steam room, an outdoor dining boma (meals are another of the highlights here), a cool pool with a shallow section, a gift shop and wi-fi connection in case the exterior world interrupts your stay.

There are 12 suites in all, six on the ground floor with a private deck and six above them with balconies and views to the horizon. In all, four have large and super-comfortable twin beds, and the remaining eight have king-sized beds and a sleeper couch. The suites are sleekly furnished, with top-quality linen, big comfortable couches, underfloor heating and aircon, a private deck or balcony with seating and a luxurious en-suite bathroom with shower, freestanding bath and twin basins.

Take guided game drives to see the Big Five, including snow-white (almost) lion, rhino, brown hyaena, black-backed jackal, cheetah, hippo, giraffe, zebra, antelopes. Go birdwatching – Sanbona has a recorded 200 species, from raptors (African fish-eagle, black and booted eagles, black harrier) to southern grey tit and, near the water, black-winged stilts. Skim the dam aboard the Peregrine to watch the animals and 40-plus bird species that visit the dam. Children will enjoy the kids' club and its lively game-ranger teachers.