My-oh-my, now this is heaven...

As Darren and I lounged on our bed at Selati Lodge, I saw a grayish object outside of our deck. "Elephant! There is an elephant outside of our room!" I yelled, though I did not have my contacts or glasses on and was not entirely sure. Darren's response,
"Holy ****!! Where's the fricken camera?!" confirmed that I had indeed spotted an elephant about ten feet off our private deck. We grabbed the camera and scurried outside, snapping pictures like crazy, including a few cheesy ones of each of us with the elephant. But hey, how often does an elephant stroll by your window?

At Selati, located on the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve west of Kruger National Park in South Africa, days are spent much as they would be at many of the other lodges on private reserves. Our day begins early, at about 5:00 am (an hour I don't even see when I am employed) with tea, coffee, muffins, pastries and fruit. Then it's off for a 3-hour morning game drive, after which it's time for breakfast number two, containing all of the above, plus eggs, bacon, pancakes- the works. After a few hours of relaxation and reflection on the morning's sightings, an elaborate (and not light) lunch is served at around 1:00 pm. We then have a couple hours to enjoy the lodge before "afternoon tea" at 4:00 PM and the evening game drive, which, as you might have guessed, is concluded with a gourmet dinner. The schedule provides plenty of time in the bush, while also setting aside enough to thoroughly enjoy the lodge (and also avoid the intense midday heat). These folks know how to do it right.

The lodge grounds and accommodations have a look and feel that is unique to Selati. Built on the original Skukuza train line, the decor and style of the lodge transports you back to Africa in the early 1900's. There is no electricity in or between the cabanas at Selati (with the exception of air conditioning- a much appreciated luxury in the daytime heat), so kerosene lanterns line the walkways throughout the property in the evening. While on our evening game drive, the staff also lit the kerosene lanterns in our room and untied the mosquito netting around our four poster bed- a beautiful, romantic image as memorable as much of the wildlife we saw. Our suite also had a private pool and an outdoor shower completely out of view of the other cabanas, as well as a separate private deck that looked out onto the bush (hence, the elephant strolling by). Our bathroom, at an outrageous 600 square feet, came with a glass-enclosed shower and soaking tub for two, among other amenities.

The staff at Selati also contributed to the enjoyment of our experience. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate, which is a result of the small size of the lodge (there are eight cabanas total) as much as it is from the staff and guests joking with each other throughout the day and at mealtimes. This is not to say that the employees do not take great efforts to provide excellent personal service and make a stay at Selati memorable. Perhaps the best example of this was our dinner in the bush. Normally game lodges will serve dinner in a "boma", which is a protected outdoor area adjacent to the lodge. During our stay, Selati took the "boma" concept one step further by transporting guests several miles from the lodge out into the bush for a delicious meal under the stars in what felt like the middle of nowhere. This place is truly heavenly. It artfully combines understated luxury, natural beauty, incredible food and exciting safaris into one phenomenal experience. To give you an idea how much we loved our time at Selati, we have decided to name one of our future pet dogs "Sabi" after the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve on which it is located.

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