The road to Makanyi raises a high, russet tail of dust in your wake as you navigate what’s known as ‘the middle road’ through the Timbavati Game Reserve.
You pass families of elegant giraffe, trotting warthogs, and pirouetting springbok to arrive at last in the dappled shade of the 80 mighty marula trees that sprawl around the lodge. The Timbavati stretches to the horizon in all directions. Its distance from the press of humanity is precisely where Makanyi’s appeal lies. Every reference in the lodge’s structure and interiors speaks to the natural beauty that surrounds these manmade elements. Makanyi only opened commercially when new owners bought the land in 2014. After a long courtship with the African bush, the new British owners took their relationship to the next level and committed to Makanyi.
Before receiving its first visitors, it was updated to reflect the evolution that’s taken place in bush décor during the last decade or so.
A Fresh Take on Lodge Decor
The facelift is apparent from the moment you arrive. A stylish wall of packed stone signals the entrance. Throughout the property these feature walls connect the buildings to the land. Look closely and a multitude of colours reveal themselves – delicate fawn, rich earth, a range of greys and the distinctive pale green streaks that characterize locally quarried stone.
These shades made their way into the design palette for the soft refurb. Fabrics introduce texture to create layers of interest. Loose slub linen covers on easy-chairs and sofas invite stroking fingers. The raffia blinds echo the indigenous grasses of the veld. They’re tactile and practical. Woven hangings in natural fibres soften feature walls. The revamp used pale screed to turn concrete floors into smooth eggshell underfoot. Hand-woven scatter rugs in creamy wool soften the effect. Scatter cushions are individual works of art, made variously in cotton, linen, hessian and velvet, all enhanced with beads, seedpods and tiny shells.
Throughout the lodge, subtlety wins over flamboyance. It’s sophisticated yet approachable. The rooms are stand-alone suites featuring contemporary bathtubs, indoor and outdoor showers sheltered on private patios with splash pools. Decks run the length of each unit, with views of the waterhole. A resident leopard is sometimes seen on its nocturnal rounds.
The lodge is gorgeous, but the real winner in the beauty stakes will always be the wild reserve in which it exists.
