Umkumbe Bush Lodge

Built around an ancient weeping boer-bean tree, the main lodge looks over a drainage line that winds toward the seasonal Sand River. Umkumbe Bush Lodge sits in a forested thicket within the Sabie Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park. Six tented suites rest on private raised wooden platforms, each named for an indigenous tree. The standard tents hold king-size beds convertible to twins, with en-suite showers, air-conditioning, fans, mosquito nets, and tea stations. Leadwood, the single luxury tent, adds a bathtub, double sinks, and an outdoor shower on a secluded verandah. Five superior tents include sleeper couches, bathtubs, outdoor showers, and space for up to four guests. The honeymoon tent holds a plunge pool, twin outdoor showers, and an expansive deck.

The treehouse deck adjoins a lapa, bar, and pool overlooking open savanna and thicket. Breakfast and lunch are served continental and buffet style in the eating lounge. Dinner takes place in the reed-fenced boma beneath the stars. Twice-daily game drives depart in open-roofed vehicles with trackers and guides who read spoor and locate leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. Sundowner stops punctuate the afternoon drive. You can hear hyenas at night from the tents. Walking safaris track animals on foot through the reserve. A small bush gym, curio shop, and complimentary wireless internet are available. The lodge has been family-run since its founding and accommodates twenty-four guests.