Cape Town, Franschhoek and the Sabi Sand in ten nights
Three nights above the Atlantic in Cape Town, three among the vineyards of Franschhoek, then four in the Sabi Sand for leopard. Little jet lag from the UK and a good first safari for couples.
Royal Malewane
Four lodges of different moods in unfenced Thornybush, from a classic thatched lodge to a tented camp, with guiding at the centre of everything.
Why we love it
Royal Malewane is really four camps under one name in the Thornybush reserve, which is open to the Kruger National Park with no fences between. Malewane Lodge is the original: dark wood, thatch and six suites with heated pools and outdoor showers. Waterside and Farmstead are brighter and more playful, and Masiya's Camp puts six tented suites under canvas for people who want to hear the bush through the walls.
The guiding team is the draw. Drives run twice a day, bush walks go out on foot, and each vehicle has a guide and a tracker, so time is spent reading the ground as well as finding the big animals. The Royal Waters Spa at Malewane Lodge has a 25-metre heated lap pool, sauna and cold plunge, which is unusual in a safari lodge and very welcome after a cold winter morning drive.
Choose it if you want the Big Five with a real sense of occasion, or if you are travelling as a family and want a private villa with its own guide and vehicle. The colour and pattern at Waterside and Farmstead are not for everyone, and children under 10 are limited to the Royal Suites and villas. It is a 45-minute drive from Hoedspruit airport, so it pairs neatly with the Panorama Route or a Cape Town finish.
Rooms and villas
Luxury Suite, Malewane Lodge
One of six suites at the original lodge, about 155 square metres with the deck, with a heated private pool, thatched outdoor sala and indoor and outdoor showers.
Royal Suite, Malewane Lodge
Two bedrooms either side of a living and dining area, with a private chef, host, safari vehicle, guide and tracker, and a large deck with a heated pool.
Tented Suite, Masiya's Camp
One of six individually styled tented suites at the camp named after the tracker Wilson Masiya, mixing vintage and modern pieces under canvas.
Waterside and Farmstead suites
Waterside has four Luxury Suites, two Aloe Rooms and the two-bedroom Baobab Suite; Farmstead has three Luxury Farm Suites around a smaller lodge.
Private villas
Africa House, Waterside House and Farmhouse are exclusive-use villas for families or groups, each with its own team, vehicle, guide and tracker.
Dining
All meals, local drinks and house wines are included, and menus are shaped around you by the executive chefs. Expect bush dinners by lantern light, a long South African wine list, a whisky collection and more than 40 gins. Malewane Lodge and Waterside have Beth Din-certified kosher kitchens.
Wellness
The Royal Waters Spa at Malewane Lodge has three treatment rooms, a 25-metre heated lap pool, gym, sauna, cold plunge and outdoor baths. Waterside has its own spa with a hammam, and Farmstead a double treatment room.
Children and families
Children over 10 can stay in the Luxury Suites, Farm Suites and Masiya's Camp. Children of all ages are welcome in the Royal Suites, Africa House and Farmhouse, and there is a Royal Rangers programme for young guests.
The facts
| Lodges | Malewane Lodge, Waterside, Farmstead and Masiya's Camp, plus three private villas |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Thornybush, unfenced with the Kruger National Park |
| Getting there | About 45 minutes by road from Hoedspruit (Eastgate) airport; charter flights also possible |
| Children | Over 10 in most suites; all ages in Royal Suites and villas |
| Included | All meals, house wines and local drinks, twice-daily game drives, Wi-Fi |
| Malaria | Low-risk area; the lodge advises checking with a GP or travel clinic |
Where it is
Thornybush, Greater Kruger, South Africa
Nearby
A few of the things we plan for guests in South Africa.
Leopards in the Sabi Sand
The Sabi Sand shares an unfenced border with Kruger, so animals move freely, but vehicles are few and guides can drive off-road. Leopards here are unusually relaxed around vehicles. Morning and evening drives last three to four hours, with a bush breakfast or sundowners. Three or four nights is ideal.
Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula
Take the cableway or hike up Platteklip Gorge early, before the tablecloth of cloud rolls in. Then drive the peninsula via Chapman's Peak to Cape Point and the penguins at Boulders Beach. The fynbos here belongs to the Cape Floral Region, one of the richest plant kingdoms on Earth.
Estates and lunches in the Winelands
An hour from Cape Town, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch sit beneath granite mountains, with Cape Dutch homesteads and restaurants among the vines. A driver lets you taste properly. Harvest runs from about February to March; autumn colours follow in April and May.
Journeys in South Africa
Ask about Royal Malewane
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.