Africa on my mind and in my design

The interiors of the Shipwreck lodge offer a respite from the harsh environment and a place to relax and reflect.

As an interior designer, I gain design inspiration from my travels. The more decent and exotic the destination, the greater the style detailing and design ideas I get. Apart from the different materials used for the furniture, the color palette is also unique with accents primarily from their rich culture.

I have been traveling to Africa for more than a decade. A major priority in choosing the safari camps to visit is the interior design of the luxury camp that delivers the best “glamping” experience.

A2A Safaris (www.a2asafaris.com) specializes in bespoke, luxury safaris to Africa. The travel company works with a carefully curated portfolio of luxury safari properties and handpicked safari guides across the continent’s most pristine wilderness areas. Putting equal importance to the wildlife and accommodations, all of the safari camps that A2A Safaris offers, are just beautiful with well-appointed furniture and furnishings.

For most people, a trip to Africa is a once-in-a-lifetime experience so A2A Safaris covers every travel detail. It offers full flexibility when planning a trip. Every single safari it arranges is designed with the clients’ preferences in mind including the length of their holiday, the type of scenery, culture, wildlife, food and wine and other experiences they are after, who they are traveling with, and lastly their budgets.

A village of just 9 houses, the Motse captures the soul of the Kalahari in its design and materials. Private spaces flow effortlessly into waterhole views and beyond to the savannah.

Here are some of the top safari lodges with beautiful interiors.

Tswalu Motse

Tswalu Motse is located in a vast, magical land of the green Kalahari. Built from organic  materials and outfitted to the highest standards, it manifests the warmth and hospitality of the people of the Kalahari.

Designed to make the best of Tswalu’s dramatic and expansive views, the Motse provides exclusivity, privacy, and unfettered access to one of southern Africa’s last true wildernesses. A village of just nine houses, the Motse captures the soul of the Kalahari in its design and materials.

Private spaces flow effortlessly into waterhole views and beyond to the savannah.

Designed and sited to make the best of Tswalu’s dramatic and expansive views

Built from organic materials and outfitted to the highest standards, they manifest the warmth and hospitality of the people of the Kalahari.

Thanda Safari

Thanda Safari is a private game reserve situated in the renowned wildlife region of northern KwaZulu-Natal, some 260 km north of Durban. Guests can drive directly to the reserve or fly to the Phinda Airstrip, the local airport at the nearby Richards Bay or to King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

A luxury private game reserve and member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Thanda Safari has distinct accommodation options that include Thanda Safari Lodge, which offers nine exquisite bush suites, and Villa iZulu, which is a completely private and exclusive bush retreat, ideal for celebrities, small groups and families. Thanda Tented Camp has 15 luxury safari tents for an evocative experience of the wild.

Singita Sweni Lodge

Resting lightly upon the ground within a 33,000-acre, private concession in the Kruger National Park, Singita Sweni Lodge is nestled beautifully among hundreds of trees at the edge of the Sweni River.

With its proximity to the river, guests at Singita Sweni Lodge are treated to up-close sightings of incredible animals and birds. Tucked in the banks of the Sweni River, this intimate lodge is a hidden jewel that provides a bold, new African context for contemporary design. An intimate hideaway hosting seven suites, with decks that seem to hover in the branches and bold interiors that are inspired by beetles, chameleons and birds’ wings, and neutrals that draw in the light.

Each contemporary en-suite unit has been restructured to maximize open-plan living with panoramic game-viewing decks. All suites have outdoor showers that overlook the river, and outdoor day beds where you can spend a night under the stars. With its  proximity to the Sweni River, guests are treated to exceptional up-close sightings of the wildlife that wander down to drink or wallow.

The Pool Suite, with the unique inclusion of a private swimming pool and shaded riverfront deck, can be connected to the adjacent unit to create a more generous unit with two en-suite bedrooms, offering guests an extra layer of privacy—perfect for families and honeymooning couples.