Nature is never far at Ngala Safari Lodge, with breakfast and lunch served in the shade of an enormous weeping boere bean tree. A walled courtyard provides a sheltered space to indulge in sumptuous cuisine, while the boma creates a dramatic setting for fire-lit dinners. Secret nooks and crannies with cushy sofas are ideal for quiet hours of contemplation in the leafy shade, and at night, a myriad of lanterns and candles peep out between the boughs of trees, shining out a promise of warmth and comfort.

Visit the pool area for an afternoon by the poolside spent sipping on your favourite beverage or unwind with a good book. Whilst you’re there, steal a moment for blissful relaxation as you indulge in a massage or wellness treatment at the lodge spa. A well-equipped fitness centre beckons to the more actively inclined.

The Timbavati in the lowveld provides some of the harshest climates for any exterior product. We often like to install products that we are testing in environments like these to ensure they can stand up to our climate. However that being said, we were not prepared to do any tests on Ngala and we went with what we knew would work. Massaranduba has proven itself over the last few decades as a timber species that is strong and durable. It is extremely popular due to its chocolate colour, but it’s important to understand that one needs to keep this deck oiled if you are to keep it. If left alone, the Massaranduba will go grey. This is a Class 1 deck and so it should be at Ngala for the next 25 years or more if taken care of.