Shiduli Private Game Lodge

Certain parts of this well-built lodge feel more like a hotel than a bush camp with its bright foyer and front desk, solid-walled interiors and concrete or tiled floors. The thatched roof and open-plan lounge, which opens to a large deck, are more like it – smart bush-appropriate style. The lovely Yin/Yang pools are surrounded by loungers and flanked by thatched lapas (enclosures), one shading the poolside bar, the other an outdoor lounge.

There are 24 luxury suites at Shiduli. Paved pathways, lit at night, access the rooms, which are spread throughout the grounds. The interiors are rather grand, with high thatched ceilings and four-poster beds. rich brown leather, cow-skin rugs, and solid wood furnishings reflecting that classic safari style. French doors open to a private patio. All rooms have showers inside and out; five rooms have an additional bathtub inside. Mod cons include a mini-bar, tea/coffee station, aircon and heaters for winter.

Game drives venture across the reserve's diverse and really interesting habitats, richly vegetated and supporting impressive animal life. River locations are home to hippo and croc, waterbirds and other creatures thirsty for a drink. The plains are home to grazers and browsers and their predators. Game drives and bush walks are stimulating, seeing the Big Five is always a treat, and you may even get the chance to learn how to track cheetah on foot.