“You’ll see the lions have now adopted a triangle position, a classic attack formation.” That this deadpan line from our safari guide—delivered with perfect comic timing as one 300-pound cat settled itself in front of our parked jeep, another prowled lazily past the driver door, and a third surveyed us coolly from its position under a (very) nearby tree—prompted stifled giggles rather than panic from inside the vehicle is some indication of his aura of supreme calm and authority. Two qualities, it turns out, that a first-timer like me appreciates in a guide—particularly one who’s liable to make gags during a close encounter with an apex predator. Fortunately, from the moment you arrive at Lepogo Lodges, a remote sanctuary at the heart of South Africa’s lush Lapalala Wilderness, it’s immediately apparent that you’re in the safest of hands.
It starts when you reach the gate of the reserve, which spans almost 50,000 pristine hectares in Limpopo Province and—along with our new friends, the lions—is home to leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, wild dogs, and plenty more besides. After a three-hour drive from the airport in Johannesburg, being spirited into the bush in one of Lepogo’s tricked-out jeeps feels a little like being plucked from the daily rush of ordinary life and plopped down on a totally different planet: one where the light is golden, silence reigns, and you are far, far more likely to happen across a giraffe than you are another human being.
Our destination is Melote House, a luxe new retreat that joins Noka Camp in the Lepogo Lodges stable. Where Noka is made up of individual villa suites—all perched on a clifftop with staggering views of the Palala River below—Melote is for exclusive use, a one-of-a-kind getaway for a family or group of up to 16, with six suites in the fully staffed main house and a further two in an adjacent cottage. Noka Camp has won various industry plaudits since it opened in 2019, and Lepogo’s enigmatic founder, Kate Hughes, has brought the same exacting approach to this sensitively designed low-rise property, which almost appears to have grown out of the hillside thanks to its stepped facade and living roofs planted with native trees, all rendered in shades of rust and terracotta that seem to melt into the landscape.
Inside, the penthouse Baobab Suite is a sleek, spacious haven of warm woods and polished concrete, with a freestanding bathtub and tasteful nods to the surroundings incorporated into the decor: an artwork by Clive Walker, the renowned conservationist who helped to found Lapalala Wilderness, adorns the sliding doors of a vast walk-in closet and dressing area, and what appear to be sheer curtains, upon closer inspection, are actually threaded with the faintest outlines of stalking leopards. While showing me around, the manager enthusiastically points out a skylight above the bed for stargazing, and the plunge pool and outdoor shower on the expansive terrace, before finally gesturing to a gleaming sideboard that conceals a television with a dismissive wave of his hand. Fair enough: the suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of the veldt stretching for miles into the distance—Netflix cannot really compete.
Everything at Melote has been designed to maximize that vista: the lavishly appointed living area, complete with a locally focused wine cellar, opens onto an enormous deck with a swimming pool, a dining area for al fresco meals, a sunken brai pit, and all manner of other inviting spots from which to take in South Africa’s famously epic sunsets. A raised wooden walkway leading out onto the plain culminates in a viewing platform that overlooks a watering hole, so you can linger over your sundowner in the company of passing impala or wildebeest.
There’s a different type of luxury at play here, too, beyond the Champagne and the chef-prepared meals and the high-thread-count sheets. The reassurance that your presence here—enjoying once-in-a-lifetime-level encounters with the Big Five—does not risk damaging this undeniably special place, or its resident wildlife. A rare non-profit safari camp, the sustainability-focused Lepogo Lodges offsets the carbon footprint of all international guests’ journeys, supports local communities with education initiatives and job opportunities, and funnels all proceeds back into the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, sponsoring specific conservation efforts such as the reintroduction of cheetahs or the rehabilitation of pangolins retrieved from the illegal wildlife trade.
The team here consider themselves custodians of the reserve, and it’s a role they take seriously. Their shared passion for Lapalala is evident in the guides’ and trackers’ intimate knowledge of the landscape and the creatures that call it home, and the visible pleasure they take in orchestrating unforgettable experiences for guests. Ours included, but were definitely not limited to, climbing quietly from the jeep to observe a cheetah on foot; seeing a pair of lions mate; glimpsing a rare black rhino; and watching rapt as a parade of elephants—including two adorable calves—stopped to spray themselves with water and dust at the edge of a breeze-rippled pool.
Lepogo has found some ingenious ways to conjure the considerable comforts of Melote House during these excursions onto the reserve, too. As well as individual pairs of binoculars, the open-sided jeeps are kitted out with cozy blankets and rain ponchos (all in the camp’s signature, understated-chic shade of taupe) should the weather take a turn. At one mid-morning pitstop, our guide, Liam, produced a coolbox containing a picnic of homemade biscuits, French press coffee, and Amarula. Another early outing ended at a scenic lookout spot, where we were surprised by Melote’s chef, Fleur, and a freshly prepared feast of fruits, cheeses, smoked salmon, pastries, and eggs cooked to order. And after a serene sunset river cruise, watching scudding pink and orange clouds reflected in the mirror-like surface of the water, we returned to shore to find an ephemeral “bar” laid with a white tablecloth, sparkling glassware, canapés, and sundowners—all in the middle of the bush.
Where to after all that but back to Melote, for a dip, a session in the private spa or to sleep under the stars on a sky bed? It’s almost enough to persuade you never to leave—except for the fact that beyond the infinity pool, a wonderland awaits.