Tshwene Lodge

The thatch-roofed, elevated main area, with its sweeping valley views, is surrounded by a wide deck. Inside are a few comfortably furnished lounge areas, and a stone fireplace. Glass sliding doors frame the indoor dining and bar area, lit at night by a rustic wrought-iron chandelier. Meals also take place al fresco on the deck, or in the traditional boma. Midday temperatures can soar, so the clear, hourglass-shaped swimming pool and its wooden deck are the place to be.

​Five well-spaced double rooms have high roofs, and glass doors and windows that allow natural light to flood the interior spaces. Each has a small lounge, a bedroom with a king-sized bed, and a lovely fireplace that’s lit for guests on chilly evenings. En-suite bathrooms have double basins, bathtubs and showers, and glorious outdoor showers with wide sky views. Outside, each unit has a large furnished deck that offers extraordinary views of the landscape and the wildlife it supports.

With so many prominent safari characters around – lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, rhino – there's scarcely a dull moment in the bush. But, thanks largely to the lodge's exceptional guides, you'll experience far more just the big and the bold. The rewarding birdlife includes extravagantly coloured bee-eaters and malachite kingfishers; industrious dung beetles scuttle along the ground; and there's a host of other amazing creatures. Guided walks, especially, illuminate all aspects of this intricate ecosystem at work.