&Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge

Forget the yoga studio. If inner peace is what you’re after, &Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge offers it in spades. Innovatively designed to marry glass-and-wood minimalism with African authenticity, the lodge’s Suites are an exercise in eco-sensitivity and "Zulu Zen".

Tucked away in the Phinda Private Game Reserve’s rare sand forest, the Suites were built to protect the environment rather than intrude upon it. Private viewing decks overlook the grassy plains while the tall torchwood trees surrounding each Suite guarantee seclusion. The Big 5 roam the rolling grassland stretching out in front of your suite and the sky is a flurry of over 380 species of birdlife. They can be spotted on any of the lodge’s day and night game drives, walking safaris and river cruises.

All suites are air-conditioned and the lodge has a rim-flow swimming pool. Pan-African cuisine is served at the boma while breakfasts and dinners can be enjoyed in the wild while on safari. The beaches of the St Lucia Wetlands (a World Heritage Site) are a short drive away, and in the months of November to January, the endangered leatherback and loggerhead turtles breed on its shore. Combine your trip to Phinda with a stop in Cape Town and Kruger National Park for the ultimate Southern Africa safari.