Djuma Vuyatela Lodge (Sabie Sand Game Reserve) South Africa
Location:
Djuma Game Reserve is situated in the northern part of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and is very rich in predators! Vuyatela is an exclusive lodge that breaks the mold of the traditional safari lodge, ensuring honeymooners and romantic travellers a loveable stay!
Djuma Vuyatela Lodge is both extraordinary, wonderful and probably the most unusual bush camp you will ever see on South African safari. It is the actualized dream of its idealistic visionary owners, Jurrie and Pippa Moolman, who aimed to create a camp which perfectly combines the natural and the contemporary cultural components of Africa for the South African safari experience.
This new and unique South African safari lodge is a recent addition in the African savannah. Local building techniques provided the inspiration for Vuyatela and the successful blend of modern materials and unique, vibrant architecture is clearly evident.
All talents in the Djuma South African safari team have been pooled and the craftsmen have created a set of mosaics for each room with the colorful patterns and symbols adding to the artistic atmosphere of the lodge. Perfect for your next South African safari. Vuyatela means 'come visit again' in Shangaan, and this artistic and uniquely designed lodge, ‘hand-crafted’ here in the beautiful African savannah, will definitely tempt you to do just that.
Accommodation:
Vuyatela comprises eight luxury suites including bedroom, dressing-room and bathroom with outdoor shower, separate lounge, private deck and plunge pool. The suites are also equipped with air-conditioning, fans, mosquito nets, IDD telephone and bar fridge.
Accommodation is spacious and eclectic. The chalets, with private deck, pool and detached sitting room, reflect local architecture. Builders used corrugated iron, mud and dung to achieve an authentic effect without sacrificing luxury in any way.
Each of the buildings that make-up a chalet, or "Kaya" (Shangaan word for house), is decorated using a different technique and has been attractively hand painted by nearby Shangaan villagers - a contest was held for the best designs.
Facilities:
The main lodge is constructed of dark hardwood and stainless steel, with a tall viewing platform. A long dining table stretches beneath two amazing chandeliers made from hundreds of clear Coca-Cola bottles. Behind the table is an enormous fish tank set into glistening glass blocks. The waiters and waitresses wear trousers printed with a bright fish motif. The lodge also includes a large double deck, outdoor dining area, wine cellar, a bar overlooking the watering hole, and a suspended bird-watching tower. There is also an internet library with detailed wildlife websites, a gym and a relaxation room.
When scanning the dry bushveld stretching forever around the camp, the fish theme seems curious. It has logic, however, in that Jurrie did a PhD in ichthyology - concentrating on four species of fish endemic to the Kruger area, which he celebrates in the tank. Even the walls of the lodge have a story - the lighter color of some walls is the result of their having been plastered with buffalo dung collected in the winter; the darker ones were covered with dung collected during the summer.
Activities and Wildlife:
The cultural theme also runs through activities. After morning game-drive guests may accompany their Shangaan guide to his nearby village, where they will have the opportunity of interacting with his family and friends in a very authentic and contemporary African environment.
Two guided game drives per day are offered as well as a guided walk in the bush. Game viewing drives through the reserve are taken in open-top Land Cruisers, allowing you a panoramic view of this terracotta landscape and the menagerie of wildlife that make it their home.
Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about Djuma is that it is the "mothership" of Africam (www.africam.com), one of the world's 10 biggest internet site, where visitors can experience a virtual game drive twice a day and watch game convening at waterholes all day and night. As such, it is one of the only bush camps with internet access!
Accommodation Rates:- From $685 per person per night sharing. Please contact us for a quote and suggested itinerary.