A new ultra-luxury tented lodge will open in the Babanango Game Reserve in the Zululand region of KwaZulu Natal in September, adding to the reserve’s appeal as a new, highly attractive safari destination.
Madwaleni River Lodge on the banks of the White Umfolozi River is the fourth and most exclusive lodge to be opened in the 20 000-hectare reserve.
The lodge features 12 air-conditioned luxury tents, each of which has a heated plunge pool, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, a king-size bed, en-suite bathroom and custom-made beverage cabinets.
The central lodge area includes a fine-dining restaurant, bar, lounge, library, gym, extensive wine cellar and large infinity pool. The rooms and communal areas are all positioned to provide uninterrupted views of the river and valleys and mountains.
“The lodge itself has unique design features requiring innovative engineering and a ‘first of its kind’ steel frame structure, winning awards for the project and the architecture,” said Andrew McGill, Product Manager, Babanango Game Reserve.
The lodge takes its name from the Zulu phrase meaning ‘The place of the rock’, paying homage to the granolithic mountains found in the reserve, which are amongst the oldest on Earth, dating back 3.4 billion years.
The architecture and interiors of the lodge (created by Luxury Frontiers) have been designed to infuse the myriad cultural influences of KZN (Portuguese, Central African, British, Indian), with the overarching theme of local Zulu heritage.
“We captured and translated the rich cultural symbols, stories and traditions that have been woven into the landscape of the site over time, in the design throughout the lodge. Madwaleni River Lodge is a project we at Luxury Frontiers hold close to our hearts. It is an embodiment of our values to promote conservation and sustainable development while enriching remote communities through tourism projects,” said Graeme Labe, MD and Principal of Luxury Frontiers.
Established in 2017, Babanango Game Reserve is home to one of South Africa’s largest private rewilding projects, with over 2 500 large mammals reintroduced. Lions were recently reintroduced, making the reserve a Big Five area.
