The Call of the Wild

August 28, 2015 / by Blandine Leblanc

The Hurun Luxury Traveler Survey 2015 reported recently that Chinese tourists are becoming more interested in experiential travel, with Mild Adventure ranking third among their travel priorities. The annual report, which focuses on travel trends among Chinese high-net-worth individuals who spent US$30,000 or more on travel in the past year, also listed Africa among its top three travel destinations.

There are many types of safari adventures, from family-friendly whale watching to unique scuba-diving trips. For those wanting to step out of their comfort zone, though, Africa has so much to offer, from trekking gorilla encounters in the secret emerald world of rainforests to balloon flights over the seasonal great migration. Novel experiences and close proximity to the wilds of nature are driving a growing Sino-fari trend.

That makes the opening of Sanctuary Retreats’ Makanyane Safari Lodge particularly timely.

The exclusive boutique property, named after the African wild dog prevalent in the surrounding area, has an elegant but organic, less-is-more mantra. Designed for minimal environmental impact, its eight glass-fronted suites were constructed from local stone, wood and thatch, and safarists can gaze at the stars while they slumber.

Located in the Madikwe Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s best-regarded but lesser-known safari destinations, the mystical charm of the lodge’s strong regional features, coupled with its location overlooking a watering hole favoured by everything from cheetahs, giraffes and birds to elephants, rhinos and hyenas, are ideal for those in search of exploration and adventure.

Observe big game from the dining area’s spacious lounge deck surrounds, or channel your inner David Attenborough via morning and night game drives and guided walks. Bush dinners and sundowners provide perfect scenes for selfies. Ornithologists are in for a treat, too: there are more than 360 species of bird to observe, and Makanyane lays on bird-watching expeditions to discover them. At the lodge’s raised star-view sleep-out hide, guests can choose to sleep under the stars surrounded only by the African wilderness, the vast skies curving down to meet grasslands rolling to the horizon.

Guests who begin to feel the physical toll of their adventure can enjoy relaxing spa massages and aromatherapy treatments between dips in the swimming pool. Each air-conditioned suite comes with its own private sundeck and outside lounge, and bathrooms have both indoor and outdoor showers open onto the adjacent wild bush just steps away.

If altruism is an essential part of your holiday experience, Sanctuary Retreats caters to your conscience with its commitment to building long-lasting relationships with local rural communities. According to the Council on Foreign Affairs, rhino poaching hit unprecedented levels in 2015, 10,000% higher than in 2007 in South Africa; as part of continent-wide efforts to protect shrinking rhino populations, Sanctuary Retreats participates in a relocation project transporting black and white rhinos to Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve.