Set at the foot of the 350-million-year-old Warmwaterberg Mountains in the heart of the Little Karoo, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is a 54,000-hectare sprawl of dramatic rock formations and stark wilderness. San Bushmen once roamed this landscape, and their paintings can still be found in rocky fissures and shelters. Sanbona Dwyka Tented Lodge, one of various lodges here, lies in a particularly lovely setting on a horseshoe bend of a dry ravine dotted with thorn trees and surrounded by spectacular ancient rock formations. The service is splendid, the food is top-notch and the tranquil atmosphere is idyllic.
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The camp has been recently renovated, with solar-assisted geysers, decor of earth-friendly fabrics in neutral tones, and heated spa pools replacing the previous cold-water plunge pools. The spacious, welcoming main area has an open-air dining boma (where excellent meals are served), a lounge with a fireplace (Karoo nights can get really cold), a well-stocked wine cellar and a spa retreat. Wi-fi is available. Outside is the pool and viewing deck.
Stay in one of nine luxury tents – two with twin-beds and seven with a king-sized bed. Each is air-conditioned, with underfloor heating, and plush bathrooms complete with roll-topped bath, shower and twin basins, and an outdoor shower (showering beneath the stars is unforgettable). Each suite has a private deck with jacuzzi, with marvellous views of the rugged landscape. You'll feel indulged from beginning to end, even at bedtime, when an African legend is left on your pillow.
This is a Big Five reserve, with a plethora of other animals and birds to keep your camera busy. The morning and evening game drives are simply mind-blowing. Ask your guide about the endangered riverine rabbit and the endemic dwarf blue butterfly – the world's second-smallest butterfly. Admire the indigenous succulents and renosterveld, explore the rock art, and learn about the reserve's policy of destroying all redundant agricultural infrastructure to restore the integrity of the natural ecosystem.
The setting is extraordinary. Ancient rock formations curve around the lodge like a natural amphitheatre, baboons scramble across the cliffs above and black eagles ride the thermals far above.
Don't skip the stargazing session – each lodge has a high-powered telescope and a ranger who'll guide you through the constellations. The Karoo's dark skies are some of the clearest in Southern Africa.
This is Karoo semi-desert, not the Serengeti – game densities are lower and sightings require patience and tracking. That said, when close encounters happen, they're incredibly intimate.
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Out-of-time and off-the-map allure abound in this stretch of mountain-flanked semi-desert.
