AFRICAN - The Fine Art of Travel
Motswari Private Game Reserve Timbavati, South Africa
It’s a strange sensation, being drawn into a place by sound, yet this was the welcome I received at Motswari Private Game Reserve. Checking in, I continued, mesmerised by the source of the ululation, the path coaxing me on to the lounge area of the camp where staff busied themselves with the high tea service, singing with a joy that bubbled up from a deep, sacred place.
Motswari is a family-owned business, rooted in South African conservation history. Founded by legendary conservation warrior Paul Geiger, his early vision today sees Motswari proudly stand as a vast, bio-diverse territory that plays home to many endangered species, including the Big Five, which delivers an array of breath-taking sightings during my stay.
Traditional décor is complemented by neutral tones throughout my bungalow, nestled in its idyllic bush setting. The generously appointed lounge area proudly displays items collected by the family over the years, providing an indulgent place of respite from the beating African sun. I select a book from the extensive collection and settle in for some downtime.
This ambiance continues in the South African-inspired dining experiences on offer. My first night is spent in the lodge’s open-air boma, and ends in a time of dance with the staff to the beat of traditional drums.
I spend a night too at the recently refurbished, and ultra-private, Geiger’s Camp, famed for its bush isolation atop a small koppie in the reserve. The camp once served as a home and today retains family heirlooms interspersed with objet d’art that hark after a sense of pragmatic simplicity, all the while layered with bespoke, carefully curated pieces.
But my true Motswari indulgence was a night spent in the Giraffe’s Nest Hide. Mesmerised by the sunset taken in from this private, open-air treehouse, I felt a sense of awe and connection to Paul’s original vision. And a note or two of joyous ululation may have left my lips as I drifted off beneath the starlit African sky.
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