I was invited to stay at White Lion Lodge on the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Little Karoo, where joined by my mother, we enjoyed a wonderful weekend immersed in the surrounding wilderness, soaking up the warm hospitalty and learning about the area and the people who have made it their mission to preserve this special part of our world.
It was really good to be back in the bush – it had been a couple of years for me – in particular in a place where the big skies and a full moon meet over layers of rolling hills, and Spring sees bright pockets of wildflowers colour the Karoo landscape and renosterveld. A scattering of springbok, a large herd of eland, Cape Mountain Zebra and relaxed elephant to be spotted roaming freely in between. Best of all is that there were no planes involved, just a 3-hour scenic meander along the N1 and R62 towards Montagu before veering into the wilderness that is the remarkable Karoo.
White Lion Lodge
The privately owned White Lion Lodge offers an intimate wilderness experience near Cape Town with just four individual stilted, glass and thatch suites that will turn any non-bush lover into an immediate bush enthusiast. Each suite has a spacious bedroom, dressing room, full bathroom with twin hand basins, a large bath alongside an indoor rain dance shower, and an outdoor shower at the end of the expansive decks which is a definite must-try. Each suite is equipped with a fireplace – which was lit when we got back to our rooms after dinner, satellite television – which we didn’t use, underfloor heating, air-conditioning, a mini-bar fridge, and tea and coffee-making facilities that tick off every must-have item for a luxurious break away.
Around the main building, natural stone walkways meander through a Karoo garden and provide easy access between the main lodge and the suites. Offering panoramic views over the riverbed, the main lodge provides a hub for relaxation with a comfy lounge, a 15-meter infinity pool and a dining room where South African cuisine under the vast African sky. Exceptional personal service and delicious cuisine combined with nature-based safaris through the reserve perfect the experience.
The lodge was built between 2006 and 2008 and opened its doors in 2009 with owner-manager Gerry involved in every aspect of the business since day one – overseeing the hosting and magic-making. White Lion Lodge offers a unique nature and wildlife experience on a 30000 ha concession in the southern part of the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. They take a safari one step further by introducing a new and different landscape that guarantees calm, peace, and the ability to reconnect with nature – while at the lodge sustainability, conservation and community are key.
White Lion Lodge is under the attentive care of German-born South African resident and career hotelier Cuje–Jakoby Gerhild aka Gerry, whose touch and considerations are prevalent throughout and whose attentive team understand the ethos and privilege of place.