Blog

One of 20-odd private lodges in this vast reserve, it distinguishes itself by offering everything you expect from a five-star resort, and everything you don’t.

First off, it’s one of the few unfenced sites in Welgevonden. As instructed, we keep our eyes peeled when crossing its “animal highway”, a short dirt path linking reception with the rest of the camp, a common commute for creatures en route to the nearby waterhole. We’re hoping for a heart-stopping leopard encounter but settle for languid zebras, a family of skittish warthogs, the mandatory monkeys and a few dassies sunning on the deck.

We’re instructed not to leave our suite once night falls, and a ranger accompanies us everywhere after dark. It’s a welcome rule, as there’s no reason to abandon our thatched sanctuary. Pitched high over an endless valley, it’s all natural stone and white linen, connected to a private pool by a wooden walkway. The ball-and-claw bath is tempting, but I opt for my favourite: an outdoor shower. This one comes with a view, excessively high pressure and that essential feature for this essential feature, mismatched taps.

Makweti has invested heavily in the guest experience, creating a truly homely home. With only five suites, space and privacy are guaranteed, and meals in the Indaba Lounge feel like a first date. The lodge is a Chaîne des Rôtisseurs member – an international association of gastronomy – and its cuisine is textured with a twist on the traditional, hearty and nuanced. It’s at dinner, surrounded by double-volume windows and warmed by a roaring fire, that I spot the next rarity.

PART TWO: THE LITTLE THINGS

It’s an Edradour 10 Year Old. Not a common whisky, but perfectly in place and, produced by the smallest distillery in Scotland, somewhat symbolic. This attention to detail reinforces an attitude that we experience in many different ways over the weekend.

Game drives are the main drawcard, and with almost 40,000ha of untamed bush to explore, the resort focuses on curating experiences that are intimate and eye-opening. Sure, we’re excited to encounter the Big 5 – and we get up close with four of them – but more intriguing are Davison’s reminders to appreciate the minutiae: brown hyena marking, tiger beetles, poisonous pods, giant insects laying eggs in the soft, rain-soaked sand and a plethora of aromatic scents from handfuls of freshly plucked plants.

We learn to employ all our senses on game drives. It’s not just about sighting; it’s about listening out for jackal calls, hearing water babble over unseen rocks and catching the stench of a bull elephant in musth long before he lumbers into view. Davison posits that nature is not necessarily in balance but in a constant state of flux, ever adapting to ensure survival. But all this micro attention enhances the big picture, resulting in a finely tuned state of equilibrium.

Welgevonden benefits surrounding communities with employment opportunities and educational drives. Lodges and farms work together towards common goals and, as a privately owned but collectively managed entity, emphasis is placed on collaborative conservation efforts.

Home to both black and white rhino, Welgevonden has partnered with IBM, MTN and others to develop a world-first solution to counter poaching. Prey animals such as zebra, wildebeest, eland and impala are collared with custom sensors that transmit movement and behaviour data to a digital platform, monitored by conservation staff. A change in pattern might suggest the presence of a poacher, a pre-emptive indicator that could prove essential to these species’ survival.

It’s an ingenious take on the internet of things, allowing rhinos to get on with their job of mowing the reserve’s plains, improving grass-nutrient quality and allowing other animals to thrive. Because that’s exactly how it should be in this big, happy interconnected ecosystem.

PART THREE: CURIOUS CHARACTERS