This time I was prepared for the Cessna Caravan. I watched from the comfort of an open Land Rover as it circled the airfield.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the obstruction on the runway. Or rather, three obstructions in the form of white rhinos, grazing peacefully as the small aircraft came in to land.
They stood their ground until the last minute, bolting for the safety of thorn bushes as the plane touched down metres from them. I breathed a sigh of relief and made ready to board the flying roller coaster.
We were flying from Singita, one of South Africa’s top private game reserves with two lodges in the Sabi Sands area alongside the Kruger National Park, to Satara, inside Kruger, where Singita has established a concession in the N’wanetsi area of the Lebombo mountains.
The Federal Air flight was a quick 20 minutes and a marvellous way to see the park, even in its dry, and in some parts, desert-like state. Driving through the park one never truly appreciates its enormity, but when flying a few thousand feet above it, and seeing it fill the horizon to the left, right and ahead, you are reminded how precious the Kruger is.
The landing at Satara Lebombo airstrip was quick and easy and within minutes we were in the Land Rover bound for Singita’s Lebombo lodge with Mozambican-born tracker Hilario Cossa at the wheel.
The lodge is a 40-minute drive away up in the Lebombo mountains, from which it gets its name, in the south central area of the park overlooking the ephemeral N’wanetsi river, which means “shining waters” in the local Shangaan tongue.
The 15 000ha concession is bound in the east by the Mozambican border and in the west by a gravel road. It is reserved exclusively for use by Singita guests, giving them the opportunity to experience the unique formations and ecosystems formed by the Lebombo mountains and their volcanic origins.
Arrival at Singita Lebombo Lodge gives nothing away — you are greeted by a vast, pressure-packed mud and stone wall alongside which runs an elevated wooden boardwalk. It is an intriguing place that is fast becoming renowned as an architectural wonder of the wild.
So, where’s the architecture? Skilfully hidden from view, until you enter through a small opening in the mass of mud and stone and are greeted by cutting-edge architecture and art — meeting Africa in a head-on fusion of style and decor.
Stainless steel comes together with African hardwoods, earthenware, moulded plastics and rich textiles in the muted colours of the bush — creams, taupes, beiges and pale greens with slate and stone and a bright, quartz white.
There is lots of glass and wooden slats to create muted shade. It all flows seamlessly giving a feeling of open space and harmony.
Like something out of a decor magazine, Singita Lebombo overwhelms the senses so that when you sit down to go through the check-in formalities you almost fall into a stupor at the melding of modern architecture with pristine African bush.
You soon come to as it is made clear that Lebombo is a “lifestyle” lodge where guests are encouraged to make themselves thoroughly at home. This means you can help yourself to the cooldrinks in the fridge and the cookies in the jars on the shelves in the bar. You can also kick off your slops and curl up in your kortbroeke on the ample cushions with a good book from the library. And you can surf the Internet on the house computer to your heart’s delight and you can really and truly relax without worrying about minding Ps, Qs or whether you should have brought your Armani shades with, doll.
It is all so totally different from Singita’s other two lodges in the Sabi Sands reserve — Ebony and Boulders. And it is one reason why Singita is earning its share of international accolades — the lodge is reinventing itself at every turn and refuses to become passé.
Even if modern design and decor aren’t your thing, you can’t help but be impressed by Lebombo. Everything from the gravel on the dining room floor to the fusion-style bush-chairs in the boma are tastefully and cleverly done.
Instead of limiting itself to traditional loungers around the pool, there are couches, benches topped with soft pillows and cushions, stainless-steel day beds with white mattresses and a harmonious Zen feeling throughout.
This extends to the villas with their modern take on primal home-making and a meeting of contemporary technology, craft, the abstract and the organic.
With their glass walls and slatted wooden ceilings, the open-plan villas are more like translucent tents. The living space is divided into areas for sleeping, lying, bathing, dressing and sunning oneself, with some of the most unusual and appealing finishing touches I have seen in a long time —like the strings of African beads hung over the beds’ headboards, and the beaded safety pins used as curtain ties.
Curtains act as room dividers, being drawn to give privacy in what could otherwise be akin to staying in a goldfish bowl. Outside there is a balcony on which you can stretch out on a full-size double mattress covered in crisp, white cotton with soft, plump pillows.
By night this can be turned into an open-air bed, with only a mosquito net between you and the elements.
Just as at Singita Ebony Lodge, everything is provided for you at Singita Lebombo, from soft, grey cotton gowns and a range of lovely toiletries to the minibar, tea and coffee making facilities and lots of goodies like snack bars, chocolates, biltong and fresh fruit.
There are also outside and inside showers separated by a glass wall and shielded from prying eyes by a canopy of slatted wood and grass.
Next door, at the brand-new Sweni Lodge, there are subtle variations on the Lebombo theme, with darker wood finishes, soft shades of green and some very interesting African art.
Everyone I spoke to had a different interpretation of the decor and design at Lebombo. To some it was an important part of the overall atmosphere, to others it was a reflection of lifestyle and a way of creating a positive vibe. A couple of guests weren’t too sure whether they liked the looks, but nevertheless loved the experience.
From my point of view, the look was lovely and refreshingly “out there”, but I do feel that looks have taken precedence over practicality. Some of the furniture looks great, but isn’t very comfortable or user-friendly, and while all the white cushions around the pool are cool and crisp, I was afraid to spray my suntan lotion in case I made a mark on the upholstery. And I did wonder what would happen in the case of a real downpour — would legions of staff descend from on high to hurriedly pull couches and mattresses under cover?
Whatever one’s personal preference, there is no denying that Singita Lebombo measures up to its lodge-mates in more than style. As part of the Singita stable, the standards of service and attention to detail are impeccable and among the best I’ve experienced. This is across the board, from waiters and chamber maids to senior management.
At the end of the day Singita is about being in Africa. Wild Africa. Untamed Africa. And whether the decor is nouveau or colonial, it is what is outside the doors that matters.
As at Ebony and Boulders, guests are allocated their own personal rangers and trackers for their game driving experiences. Lee Fuller drew the short straw and got stuck with me. Fuller and tracker Cossa took me on some truly unforgettable drives and my first game walk.
On our first foray into the Lebombo wilderness we saw a pride of 21 lions, all of which paraded a few metres from the open Land Rover and provided some excellent photographic opportunities. So close were the kings of beasts that we could smell their breath, and believe me when I say that lions don’t floss.
But as fabulous as the drives were, nothing surpasses the experience of walking in the wilderness.
We set off along the N’wanetsi river at 5.30am. Fuller and Cossa took the lead with their rifles, with us bringing up the rear. (And I thought leopards attacked from the rear?) We had been given our own bottles of water in thermal bush-bags to keep them chilled and needed nothing more than a good sun screen, loose, cool clothing, sensible footwear and a hat.
We walked carefully and quietly, absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of the bush and getting an eerie tingling sensation with each new twist and turn of the path.
On a walk like this you see things you’d never notice on a drive and can take the time to touch and examine the fauna and flora you usually only see in passing.
After two and a half hours we returned to the Land Rover, having walked to the Mozambican border and back, tired, hot, but very happy at having had a really life-changing experience.
It is impossible not to relax between game drives at Lebombo, with board games in the room giving my nearest and dearest the chance to thrash me at chequers.
It’s strange how you don’t miss the radio or TV when it’s not provided for you. Instead, you interact with people, striking up conversations and making friends along the way. Or just sit back and gaze at the wonders of Africa from the deck as they unfold in front of you.
My experiences at Singita’s Ebony and Lebombo lodges have done much to reinforce my belief that South Africans should travel more in their own country.
Admittedly Singita is designed for an upmarket clientele, but owner Luke Bailes is keen to downplay the whole “lifestyles of the rich and famous” tag that so often pigeonholes private game reserves in South Africa.
Certainly, there is an impression in our home market that reserves like Singita and lodges like Lebombo are only for international tourists. To which I say a big no.
Yes, they tend to be on the pricey side of life, but Singita and its colleagues in the private reserve fold are keen to remind South Africans that they, too, can experience the luxury of an all-inclusive exclusive getaway and are extremely, if not more than welcome.
Bailes is a Durbanite who now lives in the Cape, so he knows where home is. His staff know it too and were only too keen to rig up the TV in the Lebombo gym so yours truly could scream for die Bokke as they took on Samoa in the Rugby World Cup. They even offered me naartjies to throw at the TV if I became irate!
It’s hard endorsing a product that realistically is financially out of the reach of so many South Africans, but at the end of the day my recommendation is that if you have the money, Singita is a marvellous place to spend it, whether it be at Ebony, Boulders, Lebombo or Sweni lodge or a combination of any or all of them. It truly is one of the ultimate African experiences and worth every cent.
The lowdown
Accommodation at all of Singita’s lodges is priced at R6 800 a person, a night, sharing a double suite. Children under 10 are not accepted unless a lodge is block-booked by the same group or family, in which case special children’s activities can be arranged. The price includes all-suite accommodation, three meals a day, all teas and coffees, two open Land Rover safaris each day accompanied by a personal game ranger and tracker, walking and spotlit night safaris, drinks while on safari, all beers, spirits, liqueurs, wines, sparkling wines, soft drinks and minibars in suites, laundry and valet services, and return transfers from the Singita airstrip to the lodges.
Federal Air flies to Singita Lebombo daily from Johannesburg International airport at a price of R3 950 a person, return. From January 1 next year the price will increase to R4 740.
Scheduled flights can be taken to Kruger Mpumalanga International airport from where transfers to Singita in a single-engined turbo prop aircraft are available, or from where a vehicle can be hired to drive the remainder of the distance.
Driving to Singita Lebombo is a good alternative. The recommended route from Johannesburg is to take the N12/N4 to Nelspruit, the R40 from Nelspruit to Hazyview and the R536 from Hazyview to the Paul Kruger Gate of the Kruger National Park. Taking the H11 towards Skukuza head north on the H1-2 to Satara until you reach the H6 turn after 84km. Turn right on to the H6 and follow the road to the N’wanetsi picnic site at 19km, turn left at the T-junction from where Singita will be signposted. Alternatively you can take the gravel road S37 (Trichardt road) 13km north of Tshokwane towards N’wanetsi, which saves about 40 minutes driving time.
For more information and reservations, contact Singita’s sales department on (021) 683 3424 or visit www.singita.com