adminMary Lussiana Destination expert
Surrounded by a 130 000 acre wildlife reserve and neighbouring Gonarezhou National Park, in southeastern Zimbabwe, Singita Pamushana Lodge is a 45-minute drive from Buffalo Range airport which has direct flights to Johannesburg.
Alternatively, privately chartered planes can land into Lonestar airstrip, a 25-minute ride away from the lodge. From its perch high above the bottle green Malilangwe Dam, you can watch elephants coming to swim in the water, pick out white-backed vultures piercing the tree line and see the dassie or rock rabbits who scramble around you unfazed by human presence.
Style and character
Absolutely superb in all respects. The lodge is warm and welcoming, placing you in complete luxury within its beautiful wild surroundings. Step through the entrance to find an infinity pool and the glinting green waters of the dam far beneath you. A bar, with firepit, hangs over the water on one side and there’s a restaurant on the other. Buildings are all thatched, hewn from stone and strongly reference the local tribal heritage. In the refurbishment, designers Cécile and Boyd muted the previously bold colours to create a more contemporary, less anachronistic feel.
Service and facilities
The service is excellent and comes with a big smile. Facilities are excellent too; there is a spa with two treatment rooms, a gym and a main infinity pool. Each villa also has its own private pool and a deck, with the possibility of sleeping outside at night with special duvets, mosquito nets and more set up by the hotel. But most important are the safari drives.
The twice daily drives (and walks), brilliantly led by knowledgeable guides, are seriously good. From learning about ancient rock art to admiring the magnificent baobab trees, and from spotting endangered black rhino to tracking down lions or watching elephants frolic in the water, all these experiences ensure you come back enriched.
Rooms
The beautiful rooms, carved from stone with local African design, have huge sitting areas, soaring thatched roofs supported by tree trunks and beds backed by rustic wooden sticks. There’s also impressive views through the large floor-to-ceiling windows onto the pool and dam beyond. Bathrooms have freestanding tubs next to the window, vast rain showers and outdoor showers on the deck too.
Food and drink
The restaurant is spread over two decks, both with wonderful views, and offers an à la carte service. The food was impressive, from the beef koftas, couscous salad and cucumber yoghurt at lunch to the starter at dinner of venison carpaccio, ponzu dressing, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds and a main course of ostrich with braised cabbage, date chutney, potato and red wine jus.
Breakfast was delicious with a wide choice available from the menu including everything from eggs in all shapes and forms and a full English to natural yoghurts and local fruits. The sundowners should be mentioned, too, which make a regular appearance on all evening game drives and range from local beer and gin and tonic to South African white wines. But when not on the move, the bar, which juts out over the dam, serves a wide selection of South African wines such as the Cederberg rosé as well as a host of cocktails.
Value for money
Villas from US$1,650 (£1,286), year-round, inclusive of twice daily safaris, full board, all laundry and return airport transfers. The lodge offers a 50 percent discount on the second room for families, but children under the age of 10 are not allowed on group game drives, so you would need to book a private family one.
Extra information on Singita Pamushana
Singita Pamushana Lodge is the ecotourism arm of this 130 000 acre reserve, and its role is to help foster the sustainability of the wildlife and broader ecology, while enabling guests to share the magic of the lodge and the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve.
The rich tribal history of the region is the inspiration for the design of Singita Pamushana Lodge, drawing on the proud heritage of ancient Zimbabwe. Perched atop a sandstone ridge overlooking the shimmering expanse of the Malilangwe Dam and the lush mopane forests beyond, the lodge celebrates its incredible wilderness setting by bringing guests closer to nature at every turn.
The majestic architecture of this intimate lodge has always been a signature of the property. The detailed stonework and imposing proportions of Great Zimbabwe form the main reference point for the lodge design. Interiors of the lodge reflect original references to the local Shangaan culture, artfully combined with contemporary forms and styles inspired by these African patterns and shapes.
Singita Pamushana Lodge’s breathtaking design combined with the incredible location makes for an unforgettable luxury safari experience but its enduring purpose to contribute to the conservation of the 130 000-acre wildlife reserve in which it sits sets a new benchmark for meaningful travel experiences.
Singita’s non-profit conservation partner in Zimbabwe, the Malilangwe Trust, was set up to develop a blueprint for creating harmony between conservation initiatives and community development in villages that neighbour wildlife areas. The initiatives in place in the area have met with great success and each guest who visits Singita Pamushana makes a positive impact on this incredibly beautiful land and dynamic community.
About Singita
Singita is the Shangaan word for “Place of Miracles”. In the spirit of miracles, Singita’s enduring purpose is to conserve, preserve, and protect the miraculous places. It has a firm commitment to the conservation of each region, by continuing to build upon three core pillars: Biodiversity, Sustainability and Community.
“As a safari company, Singita differentiates itself in a philosophical way. Whereas the growth of many businesses worldwide is bottom line driven, Singita’s decisions take into account 20, 50 and even 100-year horizons,” says Singita’s Founder, Luke Bailes.
“People feel privileged to stay in unpopulated, untouched wilderness areas and they choose to stay with us because our lodges have a reputation for being rare and authentic, while embodying a philosophy of sensitivity,”
He added; “there’s an authenticity of place at each of our lodges that is not only a rarity but touches guests on every level — spiritual, emotional and physical.”
Your visit is sure to have a far reaching positive impact as it contributes to numerous conservation initiatives and community empowerment programmes. These programmes help to ensure a better future — not only for the land and the wildlife, but also for the local communities.
In every sense, Singita is committed to facilitating the development of neighbouring rural populations through partnering with them on specific initiatives including education, healthcare, nutrition, training and business development. Modern conservation requires a keen focus on keeping tourism, the community and wildlife in a constructive balance. The health and survival of each of these aspects is crucial to the survival of the whole.
Singita’s story began in 1925 when Luke Bailes’ grandfather purchased a piece of land in what would later become the Sabi Sand Reserve in South Africa. Situated in a remote corner of the Lowveld, the 30 000 acre traversing land has evolved from its early days as a hunting concession to become an exclusive conservation reserve where all species are protected.
Singita’s first lodge, Singita Ebony Lodge, opened its doors in 1993 in this magnificent piece of family land and the brand has been growing ever since. Today, Singita’s unique philosophy lives on in each of the 12 lodges and camps across five diverse ecosystems. Singita Sabi Sand and Singita Kruger National Park in South Africa are home to the magnificent lodges, Ebony, Boulders, Castleton, Sweni and Lebombo, while a pristine patch of Zimbabwe, Singita Pamushana, houses a lodge by the same name.
At Singita Grumeti in Tanzania, guests are spoiled for choice with Singita Faru Faru Lodge, Singita Sasakwa Lodge, Singita Sabora Tented Camp, Singita Explore and Singita Serengeti House, all located in the reserve, while the remote Lamai triangle offers Singita Mara River Tented Camp.
For what the future holds, Singita’s founder and CEO, Luke Bailes asserts, “We will only develop new properties if they are better than, or as good as, those we already have.”
It’s a disciplined approach, ensuring that Singita’s reputation is continually elevated and continues to deliver the best possible guest experience, while still benefiting the land and communities in which we are privileged to operate. — The Telegraph/ singita.com
Bongani Ndlovu