Makweti Safari Lodge Media Portfolio

Media Portfolio www.bigpicture.co.za

is situated in the Welgevonden Game Reserve in the Waterberg. Rolling mountains, steep gorges, rocky outcrops, flowing rivers and open plains provide a magnificent game area that is fast growing in popularity.

Makweti

Safari

Contents

Lodge

The main lodge, built into natural rock formations in the craggy Waterberg Mountains is a dramatic architectural synthesis, which commands spectacular views of the Makweti Gorge and undulating landscape beyond.

Country Life Magazine

'Pachyderms on Pills' ­ February 2011

'Jacques of the Bushveld' ­ January 2009

It comprises of five secluded thatch and stone suites accommodating a minimum of ten guests at any one time. A member of the elite gourmet society, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and Great Hotels of the World, the cuisine reflects an artful fusion of exotic spices of ancient trade routes. Fine South African estate wines and exquisite desserts compliment every dinner.

Find Makweti on: Facebook YouTube Google Earth TripAdvisor

Useful Links: Makweti Safari Lodge: Welgevonden Game Reserve: Chaîne des Rôtisseurs:

Sunday Times

www.makweti.com www.welgevonden.org www.chaine.co.za

Financial Mail

'Small, too, is beautiful' ­ January 2009

Gotravel24.com

'Makweti will touch your soul' ­ April 2010

Gay Pages Magazine

Lodge Review ­ October 2010

Food & Home Entertaining

Gourmet Getaway ­ September 2010

DARK FLUFFY CLOUDS ARE QUICKLY covering the sky as we drive through 36 000 hectares of savannah bushveld, hoping to catch our first glimpse of elephants before the rain starts to pour down. I search the horizon for signs of lightning, when suddenly my thoughts are channelled into the dusty red soil below. Andrew Gaylord, our guide, gets out of the vehicle and brings back a piece of dry elephant dung. When he lights a match under it and invites us to take a sniff, my American fellow travellers are staggered. "Inhaling elephant dung opens up the sinuses and relieves headaches," Andrew explains. "Come on Rainer," I tease, "you've had a blocked nose since this morning. It can only do you good." He looks at me in disgust, but when his wife Rita joins in, he too bows to the pressure.

Normally I avoid elephants. They have always tended to check me out and since I was last charged by one I have come to appreciate the relaxing company of say, impalas. Be that as it may, I wanted to know more about the 'pioneering elephants' at Welgevonden in the Waterberg. Instead of being culled as a means to manage overpopulation, they continue to roam the reserve's grassy plains and rolling hills, thanks to a dedicated group of conservationists who strive to think outside the box.

Welgevonden is a privately owned game reserve, but is managed by a Section 21 company and its board members, not by its landowners, for the greater good of conservation. "Biodiversity is high on the agenda at Welgevonden," says Andrew as he stops at the edge of a grassland, expecting a herd of thirsty elephants to emerge from the woods onto grassland. Andrew works as a guide for Makweti Safari Lodge ­ its owner Dawn Kisner is one of the conservationists directly involved in the elephant conservation programme. Her passion for elephants must be contagious ­ just look at me sitting in the front of the vehicle asking for more.

Andrew points enthusiastically to his left, "There they are, joining us for happy hour around the waterhole." It was a huge herd and we all delight in watching them as they stroll in and get really close to us, although Rainer moves swiftly to the other side of the vehicle. "In 1994 our first herd ­ a group of 50 elephants ­ was translocated from the Kruger National Park to Welgevonden," says Andrew. Makweti Safari Lodge and its guests had funded the elephant relocation project and ongoing research is being funded through levies raised by the Welgevonden Reserve from the 50­something landowners.

Publication: Country Life Magazine Published: February 2010, page 80,81,82 & 83

Shaun McCartney, conservationist and Welgevonden's CEO, says, "Elephant populations double every ten years and we felt strongly about managing our herds in a way that avoids the long term cumulative impact of elephant feeding on vegetation in a confined reserve such as ours."

Where a large population of elephants are allowed to grow naturally, woodland can easily turn into grassland, to the detriment of species who thrive in these areas. So one needs to make a choice 足 sacrifice other species and biodiversity in general, or artificially limit the expansion of the elephant herds. "There are few opportunities to relocate elephants and we didn't want to revert to culling due to ethical reasons, but also because of the negative impact culling has on the elephants themselves," Shaun explains. To prevent the Welgevonden elephants from becoming a problem the reserve opted for a totally new approach to control and manage their breeding population 足 female contraception as a means of retarding the growth of the 120足strong herd.

I watch the elephants take turns to refresh at the watering hole and wonder how one makes these mammoth females swallow a pill and whether they'll spit it out just like my dog does.

Publication: Country Life Magazine Published: February 2010, page 80,81,82 & 83

"The contraceptive is actually a vaccine that is administered from a helicopter via a fall­out dart shot in the rear end of the elephant," Andrew explains. "The dart also contains a dye that marks the cows so that the same animal isn't inoculated twice. To facilitate tracking of the elephant herds in this vast territory, but also to keep the flight costs to a minimum, we usually fit the matriarchs of each herd with a VHP collar. Two of these collars also have a GPS data logger that enables us, as well as the researchers, to follow their movements across the reserve."

The contraceptive vaccine (Porcine Zona Pellucida or PZP), was developed by Professor Henk Bertschinger at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty of the University of Tshwane. PZP does not involve sex hormones, but blocks the sperm receptor sites on the ovulated eggs, forming a physical barrier between the sperm and the egg. The vaccine uses proteins extracted from eggs produced by female pigs. This method is called immuno­contraception because it relies on the elephant's immune reaction. The antibodies formed in response to the PZP vaccine recognise and cover all sperm receptors on the ovulated elephant egg. The binding of sperm is blocked, as is fertilisation and thus pregnancy. It is safe and it is reversed as soon as the annual boosters are stopped.

In September 2010, Andre Burger; conservation manager at Welgevonden, and his team gave 39 adult cows their annual booster As breeding may start from as early as 12 years old, six additional 'youngsters' received their first vaccination, followed by a booster dose four to six weeks after their initial dart. This is then maintained annually by a single dose for as long as it is needed.

"But what if a pregnant elephant is being inoculated?" I ask Andrew.

"The vaccination doesn't affect pregnant cows, and taking into account existing pregnancies it takes about three years to stabilise the population," he says.

"But surely the absence of new offspring impacts on a herd's social behaviour?" I ask.

"This year we decided not to inoculate eight cows, because each Welgevonden elephant herd is allowed to have one calf. Elephants are highly sociable mammals and we hope that the continued caring for a youngster will help to maintain their sense of family. For us, too, it would be a sad day if we were no longer able to watch baby elephants interact with their elders or to see how they cross the river among the grown­ups, coming out completely wet while the adults have barely wet their knees”. "So far, the programme has been 100% effective and proves to be an extremely successful alternative to the drastic intervention of culling”.

< A darted elephant ready for tagging.

Publication: Country Life Magazine Published: February 2010, page 80,81,82 & 83

Moreover; according to Shaun their immuno­contraceptive programme is cost­effective ­ the inoculations only cost R850 per cow per year; including flying time. So why is it not being done everywhere? "Imagine having to dart 5 000 cows out of a 13 000 strong herd, as is the case in the Kruger National Park," says Andrew. "It's great, but mostly for smaller reserves. We hope to inspire others with this new way of managing their elephant numbers."

I look up at the sky and am surprised to see that the clouds have totally cleared.

Time has flown by and we are soon on our way to enjoy a fabulous sunset that promises to make the deep rocky ravines and majestic gorges glow in an intense orange and purple. A stroke of luck is that the elephants have also moved towards Makweti's waterhole and they animate our sundowners. It is so enjoyable to watch them from the comfort of the lodge's viewing deck.

G&T in hand, Andrew looks at Rainer and shares another piece of useful information, "In case you get lost, remember that eating fresh elephant dung is very effective in combating dehydration and it's rich in nutrients too." Thanks, but no thanks!

Makweti Safari Lodge 011 837 6776, makweti@global.co.za , www.makweti.com Welgevonden Private Game Reserve 014 755 4392, info@welgevonden.org , www.welgevonden.org TEXT PETRA VANDECASTEELE PICTURES PETRA VAN DE CASTEELE, PAUL GODARD AND SUPPLIED

Publication: Country Life Magazine Published: February 2010, page 80,81,82 & 83

< The matriarch of each herd is fitted with a VHF collar to facilitate tracking of the herds and keep the flight costs to a minimum. v Andre Burger and Shaun McCartney of Welgevonden in the field.

Conservation in South Africa

"The financial pressure on game reserves due to their enormous set­up and running costs in an increasingly competitive tourism industry often compromises biodiversity objectives. Combining financial and environmental sustainability represents the single biggest challenge facing (private) conservation in Africa.

"A short­sighted focus on game viewing leads to significant habitat deterioration and ultimately to the degradation of the tourism product that is being sold.

If we want to maintain our reserves as an evocative piece of Africa, we must put our money where our mouth is." ­ Shaun McCartney, CEO Welgevonden Private Game Reserve.

The real Bushveld begins at Vaalwater, or so I was told by the helpful manager of The Black Mamba, one of the world’s greatest shops. Jock was thus not really from the Bushveld at all. In fact, for the purist, the Bushveld and the Lowveld don’t even coincide.

We were on our way to the 38000ha Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, for an experience quite unlike any Lowveld game adventure. For example, the reserve has 16 species of antelope ­ among them tsessebe, nyala, springbok, impala, waterbuck, gemsbok, eland and blesbok.

Those are possibly not combinations you had thought to see together, but this part of South Africa is unusual in many ways.

A refreshing approach to conservation, land regeneration and sustainability has led to the creation of this magnificent biosphere from a range of abused and heavily grazed farms and hunting concessions. Research has been carried out ­ and tests continue ­ to establish how best to continue to link the various habitats and to restore the conservancy to maximum levels of healthy eco­ diversity by re­establishing the populations and balances of yesteryear.

“What is the fastest antelope in Africa?” asks Jacques van Wijk, the ranger, as we drive back to the camp. We all guess incorrectly. It is the Damaliscus lunatus of the family Bovidae, he tells us.

Well, of course. As John Buchan wrote in Prester John: “Home old man, as if you were running down a tsessebe.” They can travel at 70km per hour, which is pretty damned quick. Arguably, the springbok is quite fast too but, as we know, Bryan Habana can’t outrun a cheetah.

We were staying at Makweti Safari Lodge in the central part of the reserve, where the bushveld is at its most colourful. Bright, lime­green leaves sprout on trees that push purposefully out of rust­brown, rocky mountainsides and gravel­strewn glades. The view past the krans and through the candelabras of the euphorbia trees to the river valley below gives the lodge a position as impressive as any I have seen.

Publication: Sunday Times Newspaper Published: 11 January 2009, page 17

But what makes Makweti really different is the shared insight of its staff and particularly its rangers. How could I have lived and travelled in the bush for so long without it ever having crossed my mind that the tsessebe might be the fastest antelope on the continent?

I know how to tell a female giraffe from a male by looking at its horns (in case it is hiding its nether regions). I know all the jokes about male zebras having black stripes on white and females having white stripes on black, and warthogs using their tails as aerials. I know all the corny stuff.

But from Jacques at Makweti, I was to learn more interesting and more thought­ provoking facts than I have in hundreds of game drives elsewhere. We saw everything, of course, but that wasn’t what it was all about. We saw scores of rhinos, two magnificently­maned lions, endless elephants, giraffes and zebras. We watched a water monitor for 20 minutes in total silence as he dug deep into the earth behind us. We watched a small herd of waterbuck on the far side of a bubbling stream and, as we were doing so, through the binoculars, counted five species of antelope in one sighting. And nobody rushed us on in pursuit of something Big Five­ish. It was such a refreshing change.

Our fellow guests included a couple from London who had come out for the weekend to get away from their jobs in financial PR ­ crisis, what crisis? ­ and a German woman was due the following Friday for the weekend because her husband had said it was his favourite place on Earth. He wanted her to see it and flew her out for a couple of days.

And let’s face it, we don’t have to fly for 13 hours to see this majestic place. It’s only a couple of hours’ drive from Johannesburg and, especially in the winter, Makweti offers a number of good deals for the local market.

But, unlike rugby, it’s not all about the game. Makweti’s rooms are huge and light and airy with cavernous bathrooms, inside showers, outside showers and baths that allow two large people to luxuriate with ease. The beds are so comfortable that once you succumb to the piles of cotton linen it is very hard to escape ­ especially at 6am.

And the food is a high point. So often game lodges buy their clients’ approval with intrusively good lion sightings and then palm them off afterwards with outdated devils on horseback, boring soup and gristly buffalo stew. At Makweti, we had citrus and vegetable spring rolls followed by a rack of lamb with spring onion mashed potatoes, which would have done a Michelin­star chef proud. The pudding was equally delicious although we had been nervous of its name ­ the chef has now decided that he will no longer call it a Monkey Berry Surprise for fear of breaking out a spoeg­kompetisie at the lodge’s elegant dining tables. And they feed you well all day, not just in the evening. There are muffins on the deck overlooking ­ almost in ­ the waterhole at dawn, a scrumptious breakfast after the game drive and then lunch and high tea.

The lodge is not fenced off from the surrounding bush, which makes for some interesting pawprints in the mornings and keeps the dassies on their toes. On our last morning, Jacques hiked us out into the mountains, down cliffs and along riverbeds, through baboon encampments and buchu bushes, in an attempt to shed some of the sloth and growth of the previous few days.

A lion was known to be patrolling the area, adding a certain edge. Even Jacques was showing signs of tension when he pointed out that, had we been tsessebe, we’d have been alright in the event of a lion attack because lions can’t run at 70km per hour. He cast a worried eye over his mangy gaggle of guests. We didn’t look a bit like tsessebe. We just had to hope that we would be the only creatures to eat like kings when that walk came to an end.

Publication: Sunday Times Newspaper Published: 11 January 2009, page 17

At many lodges, game viewing has become a scripted performance. Demands from foreign tourists expecting scenes from the Discovery Channel mean that, alarmingly, some safari lodges even stock specific species of animal as "viewing fodder", whether they occur naturally in the region or not. So it was a welcome change to spend a weekend in traditional safari luxury at a lodge that takes conservation seriously.

Makweti Safari Lodge, with its five private chalets, is set in the Welgevonden Private Game Reserve about 30 km from Vaalwater. The reserve shares a border with the Marakele National Park and, together, they are a huge 110 000 ha in extent. Both parks form part of the Greater Waterberg Biosphere, proclaimed by Unesco in 2001.

Makweti takes its name from a plant 足 an ancient candelabra足like euphorbia, around which the lodge is built. Constructed on natural outcrops of rock, the main lodge's teak decks overhang the Makweti gorge, providing uninterrupted views over the valley.

Publication: Financial Mail Published: 09 January 2009, pages 55 & 56

The chalets are decorated in rich African style, with Victorian­ era bathrooms, and each has its own private plunge pool. We spent much of the weekend in and out of the water to keep cool.

The camp is unfenced, and during our stay there we had a few close encounters with the wild. On our arrival, we were asked to remain in the reception area while sipping our welcome cocktail as a large elephant bull rummaged in the bush less than 20 m away. The week before, from one of the lounges, guests had witnessed a lion ambush a baboon at the waterhole.

Makweti is rich in flora and fauna, besides featuring the big five.

Camp manager and ranger Jacques van Wyk took time out to show us some of the small five, too. They include ant lions, buffalo weavers and an elephant shrew.

The inaugural thunderstorm of the season began brewing on the first evening, but Van Wyk was happy to take us on a game drive. We were drenched, though rewarded with the sight of a rainbow that stretched across the hills when the storm cleared.

And within minutes, the bush came alive with the sounds of frogs and insects that had resurfaced after months underground.

That night in the main lodge we chatted to the reserve's conservation manager and head of research over a good bottle of wine, from the lodge's temperature­controlled wine collection, and a lovely meal. Makweti is part of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic association, and the meals were prepared with care. The chef had made chicken pie and blueberry tart for our lunch, accompanied by fresh salads. At dinner, springbok medallions with roasted vegetables left little room for the Amarula chocolate mousse.

Though Welgevonden reserve has 52 private owners, you'd never guess this, since each property is set well apart and is hidden within the bush. The reserve is also home to a number of conservation research projects. One of them looks at how to reduce the effect of game­viewing vehicles on conservation areas. Another involves pioneering research that will control elephant populations by curbing breeding, rather than by culling.

The reserve has a dedicated conservation manager and head of research, who advise on other conservation projects across the continent. With their help, Welgevonden, which was once a collection of cattle and citrus farms, is returning to nature. Though it's unlikely that the huge herds of antelope that once roamed the area will make a comeback, the bush is slowly recovering. The reserve now boasts the largest number of white rhino on a private reserve in Africa, as well as more than 300 species of birds.

We were also lucky enough to have a clear sighting of a female leopard. Though concerns about corridor disease ­ which infects buffalos and could be caught by the cattle of nearby farmers ­ has so far prevented the fences between Marakele and Welgevonden from coming down, there are plans for this. It would create a huge park just three hours' drive from Johannesburg.

A weekend at Makweti is a reminder that game viewing is not all about being whisked from one sighting to the next in between G&Ts. It's about taking time out to enjoy the small stuff, too.

For more information visit ­ www.makweti.com The writer was a guest of Makweti.

Publication: Financial Mail Published: 09 January 2009, pages 55 & 56

Makweti will touch your soul Are you familiar with a classic fairy tale about a beautiful princess who pricks her finger and falls into a deep sleep? Whilst Beauty sleeps, a briar forest springs up around the castle, shielding its sleeping inhabitants from the outside world.

Picture ­ Makweti Safari Lodge

Outsiders wishing to penetrate this natural barrier find that touching the thorns of this forest causes certain death. You're forgiven if you arrive at Makweti Lodge in South Africa's Limpopo Province and discover yourself falling into a similar enchantment, except this is an entirely African enchantment. Makweti (only 3 hours from Johannesburg) is named after the giant cactus­like euphorbia candelabrum, a succulent that has its roots right through Africa's Giant Rift Valley, all the way up to the Horn of Africa.

Here, in the heart of the Waterberg's Welgevonden Reserve, plenty of these oh­so­African plants rise up out of the rocky crags to form a protective cluster for the restive human residents.

Between a charming rope bridge and the Lodge's spacious timber perch ­ a platform overlooking the pristine forested valleys of the Waterberg ­ is a particularly tall, weathered stem with an enormous green candelabra on top. This Makweti tree is old, it's rumoured to be more than 900 years old. And like the fairy tale, the sap of the Makweti can kill. Bushmen used it for fish­hunting but others have used the sap, mixed with honey, as a purgative.

The Makweti Lodge experience does exactly that. It is one of those rare places in the world where there is complete silence. It is a place where trees can grow old, where people can purge themselves of the noise in their heads. Between the Makweti and the dry deciduous forest this ancient landscape teems with life. There are vervet monkey and baboons foraging constantly alongside the charming balconies ­ these can be viewed from the plunge pool or any of the five luxurious thatch suites hewn into the rocky substrate.

When we arrived we found an extended family of Warthog camped in the garden beside the entrance, and on our way to our suite were distracted by Impala, Kudu, Zebra ­ around fifty animals ­ congregating just beyond the deck of the reception area. Our guide, Jacques, who had been waiting to show us to our suite, instead offered a long lens to bring us even closer to the river of stripes and horns moving around us.

Publication: Gotravel24 Published: April 2010, online ­ www.gotravel24.com/theme/bush/makweti­will­touch­your­soul

We spent just two days at Makweti and what a memorable experience it was. The nature provides the magic, but the human element has been designed to harmonise with the surroundings ­ so much so that you shouldn't be surprised to find a baboon sitting on your balcony.

Dinner in the Boma, under the stars, where guests share a long, single table ­ another medieval touch ­ is a winner. The bonfire roaring behind the silver brims of wine glasses creates a wonderful setting for recounting the sights and sounds of the game drives earlier in the day. The food has the feudalistic feel of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, a tradition of cooking art that blends beautifully to the style of the South African palette.

Picture ­ Makweti Safari Lodge

It is difficult not to be effusive about Makweti. The Clare Abbot animal prints are perfect, the veiled poster beds, solid furniture and dark rock sculptures suitably classy and romantic, the lounges and bathrooms echo earthy African themes ideal for this quintessentially relaxing setting.

If you really want to be critical you could complain that some suites don't have television, that there is no cell phone coverage or that there's no internet access [unless you use the facilities in the office]. Of course, these things defeat the purpose of coming to Makweti.

Here, nature has to be seen, heard and felt, and to do so one has to purposefully move away from distractions, and into the stillness.

Picture ­ Makweti Safari Lodge

In the original Sleeping beauty (La Belle au Bois dormant) by Charles Perrault the Beauty sleeps in the enchanted wood for a hundred years. At Makweti Lodge you'll find such a place; here peace and magic exists inside a pristine wilderness that has grown undisturbed for hundreds of years. And here you'll find the silence of your heart's content, food for your soul and the touch of nature where you need it most.

Nick van der Leek Gotravel24 Picture ­ Makweti Safari Lodge

Publication: Gotravel24 Published: April 2010, online ­ www.gotravel24.com/theme/bush/makweti­will­touch­your­soul

Here in the Waterberg Mountains, life follows a different pace. An intimate lodge, Makweti Safari Lodge offers a stunning setting and beautiful accommodation and the warm足hearted people of Makweti will ensure your return.

Easily accessible from Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Welgevonden Private Game Reserve is one of our favourite Big Five reserves as it is so close to Johannesburg. The game viewing here is generally excellent and even wild dog has been spotted, though it's thought they must have migrated here, as they were never introduced to the reserve. Simple proof that these animals are cunning and resourceful.

Our stay at Makweti was during a period of unseasonal rain. It was late autumn and this time of year the veld should be turning brown. Instead, it was lush and green. Our room was incredibly comfortable, with all the usual mod cons, as well as a shady lapa and pool. Most of our time was spent just lolling on the loungers in the shade, reading a good book or dozing. The stone and thatch buildings are beautifully furnished and the main lodge offers spectacular views from the raised deck. A communal pool is reached by a path leading down into a small ravine.

Luckily, the rain was intermittent, but we were caught in a downpour on our first evening game drive. We were just a few kilometres from camp, enjoying the spectacle of three rhino standing in the road when the heavens opened up. The rhinos promptly lay down on the warm sand. It was a unique sight. Then, as the traffic jam seemed as though it would not ease any time soon, we turned around and made our way into a less hilly area in order to avoid the lightning. Our ranger explained that rhino and giraffe are often struck by lightning and that they had just lost a rhino a few days earlier.

Publication: Gay Pages Magazine Published: October 2010, page 80 & 81

Rounding a bend, we almost crashed into a herd of elephants. The family group was led by a massive matriarch and they were clustering together around a tiny baby, only weeks old. Our ranger informed us that a successful elephant population management plan is under way.

Elephants can be devastating on vegetation and populations double every ten years. Relocation is not always an option and culling is certainly drastic. Elephant cows in the reserve are vaccinated with a contraceptive which has the advantage of being safe and reversible. It is not necessary to immobilise the animals, as the vaccination is applied using drop足out darts shot from a helicopter. The baby we saw was the first born in the reserve in years and was only due to the fact that the mother was very young and not considered ready to be mated. It is hoped that the immuno足contraception program can be expanded to include areas such as the Kruger National Park where their elephant population is too large.

The lodge is built on a game path, which ensures year足round sightings. The main lounge and dining area overlook a ravine where hyrax can be seen sunning themselves by day. Leopard has also been seen and in fact, one caught a bushbuck just outside our room a few weeks earlier.

Sitting on the viewing deck overlooking the waterhole, we were greatly amused by a troop of baboons. So humanlike in their behaviour, their comical antics give no indication of their incredible power and latent aggression.

Walking between the room and the public area, lost in my own thoughts, I was startled when I was suddenly surrounded by a family of six warthogs. The piglets were adorable and it was wonderful to just stand and commune with nature. One of the babies came right up to me and sniffed my shoes briefly before running away with a snort. These usually skittish animals obviously felt very safe here even though predators can move freely into the camp and lion had been seen recently. They gave some unsuspecting visitors a true African experience when they showed up while tourists were walking to their room. They were chased off by the ranger. An incident that would lead to great dinner party conversation! + 27 (0) 11 837足6776 makweti@global.co.za www.makweti.com

Publication: Gay Pages Magazine Published: October 2010, page 80 & 81

Picture 足 Lanterns @ Makweti Safari Lodge

Gourmet Getaway

True Romance

Anyone visiting this country would not be disappointed by our beautiful African bush but really for the locals it's a case of so many lodges, so little time... and which lodge to choose. My criterion is always close to home so Makweti Safari Lodge in the Waterberg is perfect ­ only a three­hour drive from Jo'burg.

It is also the reserve that is the draw card. Well­heeled travellers don't want to feel like they're in a zoo, but yet they want to have a fair chance to see wildlife. The 36 000­hectare Welgevonden Game Reserve has a sense of space, thanks to its varied vegetation, from open plateaus to wooded mountains and rocky ravines. It's Big Five country but malaria­free.

There are only 10 private lodges in the reserve and the owners all contribute towards a conservation effort. Makweti Lodge is dramatically set in a gorge, with thatch and stone accommodation linked to the main reception by a suspension bridge. Privacy and food are right at the top of my list. Makweti is small and intimate, and with only five rooms it is secluded and romantic. The South African owners live in the USA, but they often visit the lodge and one can sense their attention to detail in both the menu and the decor. Not contrived, but offering a good reflection of the bush setting, along with the service that is not intrusive but still attentive.

Meals are a gourmet home­from­home affair with familiar favourites artfully presented. As a member of the international Chaine des Rottisseurs, meals are stylish and contemporary. Brunch after a game drive is always good, and bread is freshly baked. High tea is very classy, with items like mini lemon meringue tarts, goat's cheese and mint wraps, mini muffins and caramelised onions on polenta rounds. Dinner offers a choice between red meat, white meat or fish. Our Senegalese soup was a winner, followed by eland in port sauce, or the more familiar chicken with an Asian sauce. As fledgling birders and tree enthusiasts, there was much to see in the reserve, from the highly poisonous Euphorbia to the iconic syringa and wild fig trees.

Our guide Lazarus was a bit of a tree guru and offered all sorts of trivia about traditional and medicinal uses of the plants in the reserve.

This is definitely one romantic bush escape not to be missed.

Rosanne Buchanan

Publication: Food & Home Entertaining Published: September 2010, page 18