Page 41 - Seniorstoday August-2023 Issue

little wonder so many of us have dreamed crunching their way happily through the
of some kind of tree-house fantasy as bush as we enjoyed dinner ‘together’ –
children. theirs, a mixture of branches and leaves,
Sleeping out under the stars, surrounded and ours, a three-course dinner. A lion
by the amplified sounds of nocturnal roars at night, an unearthly sound, jolting
animals, and then rising with the sun to us awake. The previous evening our
see the landscape awaken under the warm ranger had informed us that male lions
dawn light, had to be one of the rawest and roar to advertise their presence to would-
most profound experiences of our lives. be interlopers, be they nomads passing
Lions Sands Private Game Reserve is through or the neighbouring pride hoping
a gem that shares the bank of the Sabie to extend their territory. I think of what
River with The Kruger National Park. Toshiko Mori says, “I thought of natural
Luxurious and cradled by the untouched wonders, because we forget how small we
African bush, here the usual din of city are, and of being able to observe animal
life is replaced with bird chirps, rustling life in a habitat without interfering with
bush and the occasional elephant trumpet it.” Nothing is ever quite as exciting as
or lion’s roar in the distance. Considered elephants walking past, metres away from
one of the most romantic hotels in the you, or hearing a lion breathing nearby
world, the three stunning tree houses while you’re trying to sleep. And no gin
offer an unparalleled experience of the and tonic ever tastes as good as it does
South African bush. We walk past rows when you’re sitting in the bush watching
of imposing white boulders and across the world’s mightiest animals roaming in
a small drawbridge, to the Kingston the twilight.
Treehouse, a secure and lavish platform
under the stars that stands high on stilts.
Constructed entirely from wood and glass,
with a contemporary décor, a big four-
poster bed with draped mosquito nets, a
bathroom and shower, the untamed and
untainted wilderness lies at our feet. The
stillness is punctuated only by animals’
whistles, grunts, and growls. As we sip
champagne chilling in a gourmet picnic
basket with drinks, snacks for midnight
feasts and breakfast, the sun sets. Only
the glow of lanterns distracts from the
beauty of stars overhead in this electricity-
free escape. In this remote landscape,
we hear a constant rush of life from the
meandering Sabie River, animals, night
predators and birds. Elephants visit us
later in the evening and we could hear them

SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #50 | AUGUST 2023 39