As a kid, I always wanted a tree house but my yard didn’t have any trees. Tsala Treetop Lodge isn’t necessarily a tree house but luxury suites built at treetop level above a majestic ravine. From the inside you wouldn’t know any different. You are living in the trees. Staying here was a dream come true.

The lodge is located away from the highway and secured by a gate. Only those with reservations to the property or restaurants can get in. From the gate to the lobby we drove through the picturesque property with tons of trees and flowers, perfectly manicured and maintained. At the car park we were warmly greeted by a member of the staff and escorted to the lobby where we were offered a beverage from their wonderful selection of spirits on display in the foyer and library.

We parked our car in one of the small parking lots and were shown to our suite and told to let the staff know if we needed anything else including having a fire built in our fireplace. From every room you have a view. There is no where that you could sit without a view into the trees. Everything was perfect on arrival including champagne, snacks and hand written notes. This was truly a welcoming place. There were heated towel bars, slippers, bath robes, large luxurious soaps and shampoos, blankets, umbrellas, candles, indoor and outdoor showers. A large bath tub with salts at the ready. A reading chair in the bedroom and in the living room. Two patios, one with our own private soaking pool and lounge chairs. The mini bar even came complete with a lemon and complimentary sherry. It was a home away from home.

This is truly the perfect getaway spot. So quiet and serene. It’s a place where you can get away and unplug, even though they do have WiFi and a TV. This is a place away from from the city, a place to relax and unwind in peace and quiet, a place to reconnect with each other and nature.

You feel as though your suite is the only one on the property, totally secluded. But venturing out your door you will find a series of tree-lined paths to take you to one of three restaurants on the grounds. Completing the ambiance, there are even monkeys in the trees.

Breakfast was a delight as well. The buffet and prepared foods are as picturesque as the rest of the lodge. All the details and customer care make this a getaway that will always be remembered and hopefully repeated. If you are a nature lover like me, you must stay here and be pampered.

 
Have you always wanted to take a bath in the outdoors, with the chance of an elephant wandering by? Then Thornybush Game Lodge is the place for you.

First, though, you’ll start your day early — before sunrise — with a quick breakfast of homemade muffins and roiboos tea. Then you’re off to explore the 14 000 hectares of Thornybush Nature Reserve in an open Land Rover with your guide and tracker.

My first Thornybush safari was quite typical: we stopped by a watering hole and watched elephants drink and give themselves a shower, then they lumbered off to eat, passing within a few feet of our vehicle. We saw a mother white rhino with her months-old baby. We drove through a herd of Cape buffalo, passed a giraffe family, and then found three lions lolling in the sun.

Then you can return to your suite (there are only 18, plus two family suites) for your bath. All sorts of animals come down to the river bed near your tub — antelopes are the most common peeping Toms, but there was an elephant two days before my arrival. Don’t feel like getting naked outdoors? Head to the spa, the pool, or just relax on your private deck.

After lunch, and then high tea, you’re back out for another game drive (before you depart, your steward will confirm your choice of cocktail for your sundowner). At the end of this game drive you’ll head back to the lodge in the dark; but don’t worry — your tracker will keep his sharp eyes and flashlight moving through the trees to make sure a leopard doesn’t jump down into your Land Rover.

When you get back to the lodge, a three-course candlelight dinner will be served on the patio by the pool or you’ll be treated to a braai (barbeque) in the boma (a fenced-in enclosure).

After dinner you’ll return to your suite, where your steward has drawn the mosquito nets, turned down your bed, and, if you’re visiting in winter, tucked in a hot water bottle to keep your feet warm.