The Wilderness South Africa

Nights

10

Party

2–4 guests

Countries

South Africa

From

US$ 31,250 per person, based on four guests sharing, including private aircraftExcludes international flights to and from Africa.

Best season

Year-round

Three properties, and each one shows you a different South Africa. Singita Lebombo is built into a ridge above the N'wanetsi River in the eastern Kruger, on a private concession inside the national park. Singita Castleton in the Sabi Sand is taken on an exclusive-use basis, so for three nights the whole lodge is yours. Then the Kalahari, where Tswalu's Loapi homes stand on their own in red dune country and the lions carry dark manes. The aircraft gets you between them in an hour or two. At each one the vehicle, the guide and the day's timings belong to you, and the only people at the table are the ones you came with.

Highlights

• Singita Lebombo above the N'wanetsi
• Castleton to yourselves
• Black-maned lions in the Kalahari
• Meerkats at dawn
• Dinner in the dunes
• Korannaberg rock art

1. Day 1–3

   Johannesburg → Singita Lebombo, Kruger (3 nights)

   You land in Johannesburg on your international flight and walk across to the Pilatus PC-12. By lunchtime the pilot is dropping low over the private strip on the N'wanetsi concession to move the zebra and impala off, and sometimes buffalo. Three nights at Lebombo, in glass suites hanging over the river. One evening the chef cooks eight courses in the show kitchen and talks you through each ingredient as it goes. Another night you eat on the wine studio rooftop, with library wines brought up from a cellar of 2,500 bottles.

2. Day 4–6

   Singita Lebombo → Singita Castleton, Sabi Sand (3 nights)

   A short helicopter hop west across the Kruger puts you down in the Sabi Sand. At Castleton the house, the pool, the kitchen, the vehicle, the guide and the tracker are yours for three nights. The Sabi Sand is leopard country, and with no other guests you set the rhythm. Most people end up doing a long morning drive, a late lunch, and then staying out in the afternoon until the light has gone.

3. Day 7–10

   Castleton → Tswalu Loapi, Kalahari (4 nights)

   The PC-12 flies you west across the country to Tswalu's own strip. Loapi is six private tented homes, each standing by itself in the dunes. Four nights here lets you take the Kalahari slowly. Your guide tracks the black-maned lions with you, you visit the habituated meerkat colony at dawn while they are still sunning at the burrow, and you walk to the San rock art in the Korannaberg. One evening there is a table waiting in the dunes for sundown.

4. Day 11

   Tswalu → departure

   The Embraer Phenom 300 takes off from Tswalu for Johannesburg or Cape Town, whichever suits your international flight. It is a short, quiet leg, and most guests spend it going through the photographs.

Flown by turboprop, light and super-light jet and helicopter. How we choose the aircraft