Simbambili Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa

How many vertebrae has a giraffe got in its neck? Find out in this entertaining extract about Simbambili Safari Lodge from ‘Exclusive Safari Lodges of South Africa’ - a coffee table book written by Carrie Hampton and photographed and published by Gerald Hoberman.

A warm personal touch, high levels of comfort and top class food are memorable aspects of a stay at Simbambili. The superb game viewing almost goes without saying, since Simbambili luxury safari lodge is in the abundant game area of Sabi Sand Reserve, which shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park. But what makes a Simbambili safari stand out is the knowledge delivery of its well qualified field guides.

Rangers don’t just impart facts like; a giraffe has the same number of neck vertebrae (seven) as a human. They enthusiastically and humorously add that this is also the same number of vertebrae as a mouse and a whale.

If the guide serves to inform and enthuse, then they have done their job well. At Simbambili they enlighten and amuse too, making them the ‘giraffe’ amongst game rangers - head and shoulders above the rest!

There can surely be no greater compliment to a chef than to have his dinner guests ask for recipes. This happens regularly at Simbambili, but such is chef Thomas Matowerie’s ability to diversify, that he sometimes cannot give the exact recipe.

On a whim he may add a new spice to his spare rib marinade and a new dish is born. Perhaps that is how he came to create his delicious sweet potato dish embellished with honey, brown, sugar, sweet chilli and cinnamon.

Three more special Simbambili touches deserve a mention, all of which have to do with making private time, or an African honeymoon safari at this lodge, that bit more unforgettable; candle-lit baths foaming with bubbles; private splash pools set into the outdoor deck of each divine suite; double day bed on your own shaded sala relaxation area where you can laze in the heat of the day in complete privacy.