Parties & Celebrations
Singita Lembombo - Nature Untouched!
I love returning to South Africa. There’s a unique feeling I get when I get off the plane, a smell in the air, a certain vibration I don’t find anywhere else in the world. It may be the feeling of being home that stirs my senses; whatever it is, I’m drawn to South Africa and will always consider it my home.
There are so many extraordinary things to experience on the continent of Africa, and if you ever have a chance to visit, it’s well worth the long journey. The game reserves are extraordinary, pure luxury in the middle of the untouched African bush populated by an abundance of wildlife. There are so many different camps with each offering something special and unique. If time and money were of no consequence, I’d visit every camp in Kenya, Botswana, Mozambique, and South Africa, all of them. On this particular trip I revisited one of my all-time favorite camps, Singita Lembombo, located close to the Mozambique border in the famed Kruger National Park. I’ve visited many of the celebrated Singita Camps over the years and each time I return, like fine red wine, they only get better. A tremendous challenge when they operate eco friendly with every amenity and ingredient being flown or driven in from hundreds of miles away.
Being on safari recharges my batteries, connects me with nature, and brings a sense of peace to my mind and soul as I watch wild animals in their natural environment while being spoiled rotten by a proactive group of amazing dedicated professionals who know how to make you feel at home and welcome in the most sincere and gracious manner.
It’s amazing to think that Singita is the only hotel group in the world to win best hotel in the World five years in a row by Conde’ Naste readers. They operate nine different camps in South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. The one I visited this year, Singita Lembombo (named after a cactus called Lembombo Euphorbia which is indigenous to the region). From my arrival on the Federal Air Caravan puddle jumper to the return flight and everything in between, it scores a big whopping 10 in my mind too. The camp is totally eco friendly and operated on a 20-year lease concession. The entire camp can be removed in less than 30 days without impact on the environment. However, the impact upon arrival is one you will never forget; from the team who greet you and host you morning, noon and night, to the uber chic, Afro-chic contemporary design and décor, every sense is stirred. With stellar guide Marlon du Toit and Thembo as my tracker, I had two of the best in the business to guide, find, and educate me on all things in the African bush, laced with tales of African mythology.
I always request room #4, as it sits on the cliff-side with magnificent views up and down the river. Basically your room is a glass cube, strategically covered and shaded with local slats of wood sitting on the hillside and sumptuously appointed with anything and everything I might wish, need, or desire during my stay. One of my favorite features is the outdoor shower and outdoor bed if I so chose to sleep under the stars, enjoying the magic of the African sky!
The mornings begin with a 5:00 am wake-up call for coffee, fruit, and light pastry before heading out for a 5:30 am game ride. Getting up so early is important since animals are most active in the morning and again at night after the sun has set. They hunt when the sun is rising before it gets too hot and puts them into ‘ambien mode’ when they’ll need to sleep and take cover from the heat of the day. Sweaters and blankets are in order for the first part of the ride, but by 8:30 am when we stop to enjoy a morning coffee and rusks (South African style biscotti), the heat from the sun starts to be apparent. A short coffee break gives everyone a chance to talk with the ranger about what we’ve just seen and to learn more about nature, not just the big animals, but also everything in the wild and how they are interlinked. I can never learn enough and find myself completely fascinated listening to the ranger as he delves into the behavior of all these magnificent animals and how they communicate and evolve...Mother Nature is truly amazing!
Each game ride is special and unique in so many ways since you have no idea what you might or might not find. I have taken many guests with me to enjoy safaris, and there is nothing quite as humbling or inspiring as seeing these animals in their natural environment. On one ride this time I got to enjoy an incredibly close/intimate sighting with a male leopard, as well as to observe a coalition of five male lions from a neighboring territory making their way through territory not their own, basically looking for trouble. There is an abundance of game at Singita, and on my first day I saw the Big Five, originally named by Teddy Roosevelt when he was on a hunting expedition collecting trophies and specimens for the Smithsonian Museum and the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. The Big Five include Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Rhinoceros and the Cape Buffalo which, by the way, is responsible for more hunters' deaths than any other animal. They are hot tempered from their high testosterone levels and if hunted, unless shot in precisely the right spot, you better fly like the wind because it’s coming back to hunt you down. Of course, the only thing I shoot with is my Lumix camera.
Upon returning to camp and after a hearty breakfast, the day is your own to rest, read, have spa treatments, sit in the sun, and swim before assembling for afternoon tea around 4:30 pm and heading out again on the second ride of the day to catch the sunset. At around 7:00 pm it’s time for a sunset cocktail in the bush. The magnificence of the colors of the sky are hard to describe. Truly one of God’s greatest shows on earth is an African sunset. My friend travelling with me, Yusef Austin is a mixologist, and each night he arranged to have the camp send authentic ingredients while he shook and created new cocktails getting us in the mood for the evening dinner.
The evenings are wonderfully relaxed; after a hot steamy shower indoors or out, or a soak in the tub, dinner is either served in the main dining room of the camp, on the pool deck or the outdoor boma. My favorite dining experience at Singita is the dinner in the middle of the wild called a ‘bush dinner’ with food cooked over open fires in an elegantly colonial setting, certainly no sacrifice to luxury even in the middle of nowhere. I’ve had many bush dinners, this time beautifully set tables were positioned under nearly 60 lanterns suspended in the trees. Not to be missed was a complete hand washing station, a fully loaded bar, a cooking kitchen, and even portable bathrooms in a small tent. All very Out of Africa! The food was delicious; game meats, vegetables, and roasts. Anything cooked on an open flame tastes delicious.
No matter how long my stay at a Singia camp, it’s never long enough. On the last day I bottled moments and placed them in the back of my mind, knowing I can revisit the magic of my time spent there. The African people are the kindest and sweetest people in the world, their smiles and warm hearts light up your soul and make you happy. I was sad to leave Singita Lembombo, sad to say goodbye to room #4, sad to say goodbye to our guide Marlon and Thembo our tracker, and sad to say goodbye to the rest of the team who worked so hard to make sure that the three magical days I spent there I'll remember forever. Until my next visit…
As always, there's more to come!
