Many people only visit a game lodge once. I am grateful to visit the Sun Destinations properties on multiple occasions, and hence, I notice the changes that the owner/management undertakes in the intervening time between my visits.
This particular area has been opened up and redecorated since my previous visit, and as a result, it is a welcoming space for arriving guests to enjoy their welcome drink as well as sign the ubiquitous indemnity paperwork required.
The lodge is situated on the banks of the seasonal Mohlabetsi River, and from this vantage point, guests often get to see a variety of game species from a different perspective.
All from the comfort of a lounger and within easy reach of the coffee machine.
Who could ask for anything more?
My first ‘sighting’ when I arrived at Nyala.
I had not even seen my accommodation or taken a tour of the property.
However, I was not complaining, as this plate of food set the standard for the culinary experience I was about to enjoy for the rest of my visit.
And that was immediately followed by dessert. Not what I was expecting, as many lodges that DO serve lunch, do not serve dessert at the midday meal.
But did I complain? Complain I did not.
My luxurious accommodation with an iconic Safari accessory…a mosquito net waiting to be lowered when the sun vanishes.
The room was well-appointed and included a tea and coffee station.
This particular chalet, No. 5, has an indoor and outdoor shower but no bath. On my previous visit, I stayed in No. 2, which had an indoor and outdoor shower and a bath.
Seeing that I prefer to utilise a shower, either indoor or outside, the lack of a bath did not affect me. (As an aside, I was offered a chalet with a bath, but I chose this one as it had a better view.)
A trunk serves as a bedside table, adding to the luxury of the decor. Here, the devil is certainly in the details, and this attention to items like this makes time here feel special.
A repurposed paraffin lamp serves as a bedside lamp; however, there were also reading lamps above the bed.
It is not easy to fit square or rectangular furniture into a space having no corners, but here that feat has been accomplished perfectly without compromise.
Hanging space and shelving on the right, and a desk and the passage to the bathroom on the left.
I ate all my meals at this table on the covered deck just outside the main lodge building. It had been renovated since my previous visit, and it was the perfect place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
My view was out over the seasonal Mohlabetsi River, which was dry during my visit. This meant that where water was trapped in small pools, it was a magnet for game species of all kinds.
The best part is that I did not have to leave the comfort of my chair to watch a LARGE buffalo herd jostle for water.
Time to head back to my room, and this inviting bed welcomes me into the arms of Morpheus as another early morning drive beckons.
Is a safari vacation a vacation? This is the type of question I ask myself in the early hours of a morning in the bush as I dress in the darkness, hoping to be in time to witness a sunrise.
As a morning person, these moments-in-time are special and remind me just how grateful I am to be able to spend time with the diversity of animals, reptiles and insects that I am to interact with while out on a drive or on foot.
Join me as I share some of my game drive sightings and stories that I was a part of during a recent visit to Nyala Safari Camp, a Sun Destinations property.
And to answer my question about a bush holiday being a ‘holiday’…
I often long for a vacation where I can get up at 10h00, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and then spend the day doing nothing at all.
No wait…that is my version of a nightmare!
And the leopard watched them leave, knowing that at some point their paths would cross again, and the outcome could almost be guaranteed.
A different kind of leopard… A Leopard tortoise.
It has been a while since I ended any post with a butt image.
I have now rectified that…
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With thanks to Dave, Nikki, and field guide Christelle, who hosted me during my stay.
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Travel & Things is the proud winner of these prestigious awards from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife.
The awards are in the categories:
Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa
Best African Game Reserves & Lodges Travel Review Site 2025.
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