Singita Sweni Safari Lodge, Singita Private Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Down in a gorge of the Lebombo Mountains is Singita Sweni Lodge – the little sister of Singita Lebombo. Take a look through the eyes of safari writer Carrie Hampton in this adaptation from her book; ‘Exclusive Safari Lodges of South Africa’, pictures by renowned photographer Gerald Hoberman.

The well-known Singita Lebombo luxury South African safari lodge, has a smaller sister called Singita Sweni. And just like its sister, Sweni Lodge’s suites are erected on dark timber decks supported by stilts to minimize impact on the land. But, unlike Lebombo, Sweni nestles deep in the riverine forest at the base of the gorge alongside the river, inhabited by grunting hippos.

Singita Sweni Lodge has much more of an African feel that Lebombo up on the ridge, and uses khaki browns and olive-green colours from nature to blend into the landscape.

The application of these shades departs from convention (as with much of Singita’s innovative designs) and the large comfortable sofas have been covered in utilitarian green tent canvas, giving an element of intrepidness to even the furniture.

Stark square lines of the mosquito net tightly framed around the bed is tempered by a cascade of green and grey seeds forming a curtain at the bed head while orange lampshades soften the evening light. Every touch somehow blends with the environment, yet demands attention by its very difference.

An African honeymoon safari at Singita Sweni provides all the elements of a perfect romantic getaway, with just the right quantities of privacy and mingling with other guests in this luxury retreat of only six suites.

Spiky, cactus-like euphorbia trees are a significant feature of the landscape of this part of Kruger National park and of Sweni Lodge in particular. Several of these large succulents grow through the wooden decks, creating something of a tropical feel here in the bushy heart of Kruger.

The area has a variety of creamy-golden rocky outcrops, woodlands opening to grassy pastures, deep river valleys and a plateau reaching eastward to the Mozambican border – all of which are home to a multitude of African animals, including a resident pride of twenty lions.

It is quite possible to encounter all of them on a safari game but the ranger usually chooses a lion-free lookout rock to stop for evening sundowner drinks from where to admire the view west across the best known animal wilderness in Africa.