“Roughing it” is a distant concept when your tent in the South
African bush comes with a flushing toilet, electricity and
terry-cloth robes.
The tents at the Falaza Game Park are more like luxury suites,
plopped in the middle of an 80,000-acre private game reserve
teeming with wildlife. Magnificent white rhinos roam freely around
the reserve, often grazing just yards away from guests.
Falaza offers just one of the experiences in the southeastern
KwaZulu Natal region of South Africa that takes the work out of
safari.
At another, the Milimani Game Sanctuary, wild bush pigs are
known to mingle freely with guests in the lodge’s terrace, that is
before Lois Kuhle, a co-owner and operator of the lodge, shoos the
animals back outside. In addition to a luxury lodge, Milimani is
also a rehabilitation center for orphaned and injured animals, and
is located, ironically, in the Rooirante Range near at least a
half-dozen private hunting farms. The Durban-based Centre for the
Rehabilitation of Wildlife and the Riverglen Wildcare Centre in
Ballito work with Milimani to release wildlife on the property.
Rehabilitated animals make periodic visits after they are
returned to the 10,000-acre sanctuary.
Serval cats, owls, warthogs and caracals are among the creatures
that make surprise reappearances at the lodge until they have fully
adapted to the wild and stop coming back.
Falaza and Milimani provide an experience that is strongly
African yet very luxurious.
For the more adventurous, customized tours can be designed by
Heading South Safaris, a small tour operator with close ties to
luxury resorts and the bigger game reserves.
Falaza Game Park: www.falaza.co.za
Milimani Game Sanctuary: www.milimani.com
Heading South Safaris: www.headingsouthsafaris.com
