Are you having those midyear blues? It’s important to make time for yourself and your partner, which is exactly what we did this past weekend. We booked into Sibani Lodge for a quick getaway as it’s only 45 mins from home, we chose to stay in their luxury tents. There was a gorgeous view of the watering hole from our tent and we were a stone’s throw away from the entertainment area. We enjoyed some fresh fruit and G&T’s while watching wildebeest, ostriches, springbok, warthogs and awesome birdlife from our tent.
Our tents
Our tents were equipped with a couch, open plan lounge, two double beds that had been pushed together to form a really big bed, dressing table, hot shower, basin, and loo. We were welcomed to our rooms with still water, fresh fruit and a chocolate on each side table.
Once we arrived we unpacked, settled in, made some pink G&T’s and then sat on our patio with a blanket and watched the wildlife. A short while later we went down to the boma (a few meters away) there we saw the most gorgeous little dining area, a spa, couches, and animal skins. We made friends with the other guests at the lodge and then settled in for a light lunch, which was lasagne and salad.
All that fresh Mt Savannah air made us a little sleepy, so we had a lovely afternoon nap. At about 17h00 one of the hosts came to drop off a flask of hot water. At this point, we enjoyed some Jacobs coffee and rusks while watching the animals and enjoying the sunset. There was something so romantic about being in the bush, with your fiancé, just enjoying each others’ presence.
What did we get up to?
A little while later we went down to the boma again and enjoyed a roaring fire in the giant fire pit. We made new friends, had a few laughs and then we were given a gorgeous bottle of red wine which we enjoyed in the warm boma. Dinner was a three-course treat. We started off with a home-made butternut soup and fresh bread, our mains were Asian chicken, basmati rice and glazed veggies, dessert was malva pudding with custard. We enjoyed the evening with our new friends before being escorted to our tents by a security guard.
When we arrived back at our tents after dinner we were pleasantly surprised, our tent had been closed up, a gas heater had been turned onso our room was nice and toasty, a blanket had been put on our bed and a hot water was in our bed waiting for us. It was heavenly! The tent was so nice and dark we couldn’t tell what time it was and slept in until 09h30.
We went to meet our new friends for breakfast, which was fresh fruit, yogurt, and muesli. Then toast with jam and cheese and then the hot breakfast was scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, and a grilled tomato. Breakfast was served with coffee, tea, and fresh fruit juices.
We then went on a lovely game drive, while there aren’t any big cats it was lovely to see the different species of giraffe, kude, impala, red hartebeestxebra and warthog . Before heading homewe enjoyed an hour long full body massage, while enjoying the view of the ostriches. I was so ready for the week ahead after all my knots had been worked out.
I really wanted to experience the outdoor bath, which has a little fire next to it to keep you warm (in love with this concept), but it was a tad too cold for me to try this out, this time. This outdoor bath is next to the communal bathroom which is close to the boma, the boma is essentially the entertainment area.
What else can you do in Sibani?
- Explore the game reserve on horseback
- Mountain bike trails
- Archery or clay pigeon shooting
- Picnics
- Hot air ballooning
- Star-gazing (there were so many spas and they were so bright!)
I got exactly what I wanted out of this holiday and came back feeling refreshed and ready for the week ahead.
Tips:
- There are only four tents so book out the whole tenting area with your friends (8 people).
- Bring your own snacks, and drinks. You can enjoy your biltong, nuts, and pretzels while sipping on your favorite adult beverage and enjoying the wildlife around you. Bonus, they don’t charge a corkage fee.
- Bring a board game with to play with your friends in the boma before dinner.
- Braaing marshmallows by the fire pit is always a good idea.
- If you’re a movie buff then download a movie and you can watch it in your warm bed in your tent after dinner.
If glamping isn’t really your stye, Sibani Lodge does also offer suites, double rooms, and royal cottages.
Book your next stay at Sibani Lodge by emailing reservations@sibanilodge.com
