Located within the bushveld of northern KwaZulu-Natal, around a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Durban and 280 miles from Johannesburg, lies Vikela Safari Lodge, Club Med’s first-ever safari lodge and wilder half of its triumphant new South African holiday experience, Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari. Surrounded by an 18,000-hectare private game reserve exclusively for Club Med guests, 75 safari tents in couple and family configurations look out across savannah landscapes. Two game drives a day head out in search of the big five, and best of all, it’s all-inclusive, meaning food, drink, experiences and transfers are all combined. Unique to safari lodges, it also welcomes families with its own kids’ club and adults-only spaces. Enjoyed as part of a stay at Club Med’s main hotel just outside Durban, it combines two South African luxury holiday experiences into one trip. Having reviewed the beach resort (read review here), The Luxury Editor’s Ross headed inland to find out more…
KwaZulu-Natal, Zululand
Vikela Safari Lodge
Club Med History
Club Med began in the 1950s, by Gérard Blitz and Frenchman Gilbert Trigano, who pitched up tents on a campsite in Mallorca and asked guests to pay upfront, handing out beads that could then be used as currency. Staff were called Gentil Organisateur or GOs, and encouraged to socialise with guests, which is still the case today. Along the way, the kids’ club was invented and, with it, the Club Med all-inclusive premium family holiday welcomes 1.4 million guests per year.
Until now, a holiday to South Africa offered a choice between the beach or safari. Club Med’s solution is ingenious: stay at Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari (read our full review here), and you can add a one-, two-, or three-night stay at Vikela Safari Lodge, with Club Med managing all the logistics.
Getting There
Vikela Safari Lodge sits on the northern edge of KwaZulu-Natal, around 2080 miles southeast of Johannesburg in a landscape of bushveld and meandering hills. Transfers run by road from Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari, taking around four and a half hours. From the UK, getting there is straightforward; I flew direct from Heathrow to Johannesburg with British Airways on an 11-hour overnight flight, then it’s a one-hour internal flight to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. Year-round pleasant weather means there’s really no bad time to visit, but for the warmest days, I suggest visiting during South Africa’s summer, which runs from November to April, while winter, from June to October, brings the bonus of whale season to the coast.
The Lodge
I had a real pinch-me moment as I arrived at Vikela; we came as a group and were met by a burst of Zula dancing and celebration outside the lobby door, before being ushered into the boma for a group check-in and orientation of the lodge. The lodge is split over a number of low-profile buildings: a main lobby and lounge, library, restaurant, bar and outdoor swimming pool, with the safari tents fanning out in different locations. In true Club Med style, there is also a separate family area with a kids’ club – fairly, or almost uniquely, for safari lodges. And key to the smooth running of all this are the staff, who have been exclusively hired from the local area, creating a real success story for employment in the area.
Lobby
We arrived mid-afternoon, so it was a quick turnaround before the afternoon safari started, but I did have time to marvel at the lobby. With its thatched soaring roof and giant trio of woven pendant lights hanging above a collection of low sofas and coffee tables. By evening, the space is even more atmospheric as soft lighting highlights its features further.
Game Drives
Spotting wildlife is of course what you visit for, and the reserve delivered and then some. Drives take place in the morning and afternoon, with the morning drive starting at 6 am and back for breakfast at 9 am. Our driver was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining, happy to share everything he knows about the reserve, and we ticked off all of the big five on the list.
There is something quite incredible about being face to face with these animals; my highlights were seeing giraffes majestically walking around, snacking on high treetops, rhinos meters away from the 4×4, and just as we were heading back to the lodge on the final drive, stumbling upon a pride of lions, setting in for a night’s sleep. But the list went on, we spotted zebras, hippopotami, buffalo, warthogs, and elephants, and each drive includes a sunset drink and morning coffee, with the 4×4 front lifting up ingeniously into a mini bar, which I thought was very practical!
Bar
Back from the safari, we made our way to the bar for an evening imbibe; I went for a cocktail by the fire. It’s an immediately inviting space; its curved bar is lined with high stools, the perfect place to sit with a drink, but I chose to warm up by the fire, which was lit and ready for us. On the chimney breast hung a series of hand-painted ceramic roundels of bold geometric patterns and colours of traditional Zulu beadwork, which are worth closer inspection.
Safari Tents
One cocktail led to two, and before I knew it, it was time to check into my tent before dinner. The lodge has 75 tents in two styles. Family Safari Tented Rooms sleep up to two adults and two children, with clever alcoved children’s beds, a terrace, and an outdoor shower, and Deluxe Safari Tented Rooms for couples with an outdoor shower or bath and a terrace. Tents are laid out across a large area, with plenty of space between each one to maintain privacy. From the outside, they look like the classic olive green safari tent, but you realise this is far more than a tent and instead on par with the comforts of a high-end luxury hotel.
Sitting in the centre is a large king-size bed which looks out to the full-sized sliding glass doors and a veranda, which made an excellent spot for a morning coffee. A woven headboard sits against a half-height wall; a waffle-weave patchwork throw lined the bed and waiting on my arrival was an intricate towel swan and welcome display. Overhead, a ceiling fan swished in a hypnotic fashion (there is also AC too). I was staying in one of the family tents, and behind the main bed are two alcoved beds that sit either side, which I thought was an ingenious solution, and looked so cosy too with their canvas curtains that could be drawn after a bedtime story.
The half-height wall splits the room into two; behind, storage space comes in the form of a woven rattan wardrobe and a minibar station comes with a kettle, mini fridge, and tea and coffee making facilities.
A small hallway leads into the bathroom area; twin sinks sit in the centre of the vanity beneath twin mirrors. To the left is a shower room with an indoor shower; then it leads to a surprise outdoor shower, and don’t worry, it is enclosed by a wall for modesty, and to the other side is a W.C.
The Restaurant
The lodge’s interiors are breathtaking, almost lifted from an interior design magazine, but perhaps the restaurant is the most spectacular showcase of interior design. A series of interconnected rooms, with soaring A-frame spaces; during the day, the sides are open so you can dine with views in all directions. After dark, the screens come down, heating lamps go on, and each room twinkles under the intimate glow of table lighting. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served here in buffet format, including drinks, which are all included in the price and free-flowing thoughout.
Buffet
The buffet is so big it has its own room. One corner was laid out with roasted vegetables and fresh salads, dips coming in bright bowls, from a vivid beetroot hummus to a classic chickpea version, with selections of crisp flatbreads and crackers for scooping. Rows and rows of hot dishes, which rotate daily are kept warm along another counter. While desserts are equally abundant, ranging from macarons, layered cream slices and fresh fruit and tarts, classic South African melktert, and a cheeseboard.
Library
Time didn’t allow, but the library looked like another lovely space to spend a late morning or early afternoon between game drives, its bookcase stacked with novels, field guides on birds, and game ranging.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool is a welcome sight as the daytime temperature rises, lined with loungers and a separate pergola and day beds if you wish for some shade. It’s another ideal spot for a lazy afternoon with a book from the library and a cold drink from the bar.
The Boma
After the second night’s safari, we came back to the boma, set out ready for a gathering; fire pits crackling, and the open-air space lit up by the stars in the night sky. A long serving counter was laid out with nibbles and a table twinkled with candles and bottles of wine and champagne. We settled into our seats to watch a spectacular performance by a troupe of Zulu dancers dressed in traditional animal skins, dancing in unison and symmetry to the beat of cowhide drums.
Final Thoughts
Vikela takes everything that makes a safari extra special and removes the hassle, combining it into one all-inclusive price. Tick off the Big Five with ease and add interiors that wouldn’t look out of place in a design magazine, and you have the perfect formula for an unforgettable safari experience in South Africa.
