Nestled atop a sandstone ridge with stunning wildlife views, this rustic-chic lodge offers luxe accommodations, top-notch service, and epic safari adventures.
Singita Pamushana, Malilangwe Reserve, Chiredzi, Zimbabwe Get directions
"What did it take to get here?A short flight of about one hour, 45 minutes from Johannesburg or Tambo to Buffalo Range International Airport, where you must clear customs. From here, it's a 45-minute drive to the lodge. If you're already in Zimbabwe, you can fly directly to the lodge's airstrip, Lonestar, which is just 10 minutes away from the lodge. Once you arrived, what'd you think? A steep slope through a tangle of leadwood trees and hulking baobabs leads to the lodge, where you're welcomed with a scented cold towel and pomegranate juice. Through the entranceway, past conical brick towers designed in the style of ancient Great Zimbabwe, you emerge out of the shaded forest onto the hilltop. Pamushana's infinity pool glitters to the cliff edge, beneath which is the Malilangwe Dam and panoramic views of rolling hills covered in green mopane woodland and orange sandstone cliffs. What were the rooms like? The recent refurbishment of Pamushana has given the rooms a more modern vibe, with a clean, simple color palette of black, white, beige and gold. Tree trunks and boulders have been left where they are, the lodge built around them. My standard room—a standalone brick-walled, thatched-roof suite—had a two-level deck with a private pool, a giant bed covered in crisp white sheets, a dressing area, a separate lounge space, and a tiered bathroom with an outdoor shower. A bathtub overlooks the decking and the mosaic wall of the shower provides a splash of color. Two or three steps create different levels throughout the suite, partitioning the shower from the toilet and bidet, and the bedroom from the living area. The thick thatching holds in heat, so despite the coolness of the June evenings, my bedroom is snug. Though stylish, the rooms are designed for comfort, with soft woolen throws alongside giant cotton-covered cushions. Of course, there's a full minibar, snacks and a fancy coffee machine complete with a grinder. There's decent wifi throughout the property, but the painting kit, cards, scrabble, and backgammon sets encourage guests to enjoy the space in a simpler way. My room (two) is a little dark, so for more natural light I'd recommend room one, the best of the standard rooms, which also has expansive views across the dam from its large private deck. From room two, the dam is partially visible through the trees amongst which the suites are nestled. Lounging on the daybed, I can watch the cute dassies (rock hyraxes) scuttling about on the roof (every so often, they kindly offload a hail shower of pellets onto my deck). In the early mornings, a tangerine glow above the horizon, the only sounds are the echoing cry of fish eagles as they glide over the dam. At night, when I sleep out on my deck, I can hear lions roaring and hyenas whooping far off in the distance. How was the food and drink? Food is a big focus of Singita's. South Africa's current favorite chef, Liam Tomlin, has provided guidance and training for all the group's chefs, resulting in a fine-dining menu (for lunch and dinner) that uses as many local products as possible; ergo, the food was excellent. Highlights included a fresh, light pea soup; a buttery carrot risotto; tender filets of ostrich, lamb and venison; and a zesty lemon posset. Presentation is beautiful, though the low-light at dinner means these efforts are a little wasted. Meals are served privately, and the dining deck has been redesigned with multiple levels to create a sense of privacy. Bush dinners can also be arranged, set up under the branches of a tree, its branches strung with lanterns. Sundowners are out in the bush, often by a water hole. We were joined by a couple of relaxed white rhinos on one evening. There's a choice of G&Ts, wine, spirits, Zambezi beers, and soft drinks, presented on the pop-out table on the front of the vehicle. Snacks included a delicious chili biltong, homemade crisps, dried mango, and macadamia nuts. There's a big wine cellar full of South African vintages, including a Beyerskloof 2001 and a Nederburg private bin 2004 riesling from auction. I enjoyed a dry Cederberg rosé, a taninny cabernet sauvignon and a smooth Bordeaux-style blend. Can you talk us through the main event—the animals we'll see here?The Malilangwe Reserve is a great place to see white and black rhinos, with the density being particularly high. Thanks to considerable anti-poaching efforts, they have not lost a rhino since 2007. We saw the River Pride's lionesses, lazy after a night of hunting, several bull elephants, some a little skittish, others very relaxed, lots of giraffes, zebras, kudus, buffalos, impalas, nyalas, and waterbucks. You have to work a bit for your sightings here, which is why a good tracker and guide are essential. There's plenty of wildlife around and we have several great drives, but Pamushana is the only lodge on the reserve, which means there are few other vehicles to share sighting intel between. A sundowner cruise was the perfect birding opportunity. We were joined by fish eagles, malachite and giant kingfishers, herons, and even a Verreaux's eagle owl. We spent time with lots of hippos, yawning impressively, porpoising around and chuckling throatily. The guiding is excellent; Zimbabwe has a very high standard of guiding and vigorous training. At Singita, they work in tracker-guide pairs, ideal for walking, which they love to do. Tracking rhinos on foot is a popular activity. And, if you're interested, you can also see ancient rock art, of which there are several sites on the reserve. How about the extracurriculars—anything of note?Just outside the reserve is the Kambako village, where Julius teaches us about some of the traditional skills of the local Shangaan communities. He shows us how to make fire with friction, how to divine water, how he makes arrow heads, while his wife and daughter show us how to create the beaded headbands they wear and how to ground flour and make salt. It's one of the better community visits I've experienced, as it's genuinely informative and interactive. The community continues their day-to-day errands around us, harvesting sugar cane and stoking fires for cooking. For those very interested, it would be easy to spend several hours with Julius, who is very enthusiastic about sharing the skills of his culture, which he feels are being slowly lost. Let's talk about the staff: Did anyone really impress you? Why? Mark and Mavuto were our guide-tracker team. A great safari heavily relies on a great guiding team and Mark and Mavuto were wonderful: friendly, warm, professional, and both with an encyclopedic knowledge of the bush. So, bottom line: Why or why wasn’t this property worth the money, time, and effort to get here? Singita Pamushana is not cheap, but by visiting, you're not just buying a safari experience. You are supporting Singita and the Malilangwe Trust's substantial conservation and community uplift initiatives. Together, they protect the 40,000-hectare reserve, have rewilded the area, run an anti-poaching programme with 86 scouts, employ 360 Zimbabweans, have funded Zimbabwe's first e-learning facility for a government school, and provide a daily school meal for 19,000 children. There's much more, but this is a taster of how much money and time the partnership divert back into the area. Of course, Singita does not skimp when it comes to accommodation standards. Their lodges are some of the most luxurious and sensitively designed in Africa, and Pamushana is no exception. Service is excellent and the food on a par with the top restaurants of Cape Town. Management is friendly and relaxed, while sharp and experienced; it's worth noting that Jason has been at Pamushana for 11 years, and Emily for nine. That's rare. So, yes, all things considered, it is absolutely worth the money, vacation time, and the flights. Not just for the experience, but for the positive knock-on effects your stay will have for the local area, its wildlife, and its people." - Heather Richardson
"The land is now crowned by Singita Pamushana Lodge, a structure built from local stone, with conical towers and impeccable, Shangaan tribal-inspired interiors. Pamushana's Malilangwe Trust supports community projects—the rich, dark blue honey at the lodge is produced by 20 nearby families—and local schools. It is also at the forefront of wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe, particularly the rhinos."
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