Relaxation, rhinos and reverie at Monarto
Just an hour from Adelaide, a luxury tent at Monarto Safari Park delivers close encounters with rhinos, giraffes and cheetahs.
A rhino at the waterhole
South Australian wine in one hand and camera in the other, I watch as a southern white rhino approaches a nearby waterhole. He lumbers towards the water, stopping momentarily to rub his horn against a rock, then leans down to take a drink, oblivious to the nearby giraffe awkwardly splaying its legs and rehydrating.
After a couple of minutes he loses interest, instead turning his attention to the intruders standing and watching him in his habitat. I stare in awe as the rhino approaches so close that our guide asks us to take a couple of steps back; a chest-high fence is all that stands between me and this wild African beast, which resembles a tank on four massive legs. After a few minutes of our group snapping photos, he wanders off looking for more grass to graze on.
This is just one of the many close encounters I had with animals while on a Wild Africa Sunset Safari. Earlier, a giraffe came within metres of us as it leant down to have a look at our open-sided safari vehicle.
We also witnessed hippos as they left their lagoon-like home and plodded across the plains for a bite to eat.
I didn’t have to go to Africa for this experience, though. It was only an hour’s drive from Adelaide at Monarto Safari Park as part of my stay at the Safari Lodge, located in the Wild Africa precinct.
Not your usual camping tent
Upon my arrival, I’m welcomed by Hana from concierge and a dazzle of zebras grazing at the waterhole near the 20 tents available at the Safari Lodge. These aren’t your usual camping tents.
As I open the sliding door to my tent, I step into a luxurious hotel-like room, with a king-sized bed, comfortable couch, a fully equipped bathroom and a mini bar complete with wine, beer and snacks.
There’s no freezing in winter and sweating in summer either, with reverse cycle air-conditioning that’ll keep the temperature toasty when it’s cold and cool when the sun is beating down.
Family-style dinner at the Lodge
It wasn’t quite time to enjoy the lounge on the deck, with a sunset tour scheduled for that evening. Safari Lodge offers sunset and sunrise tours for guests, along with tickets to Monarto Safari Park.
Following the tour, and a brief break in my tent, I visit the main Lodge for a family-style dinner. I’m seated with other guests at a long table, and conversation quickly turns to our experiences on the Sunset Safari. Some recount watching male ostriches perform their elaborate mating dance or seeing the elands nudging each other to determine the pecking order among the herd.
Soon though, our attention turns to the food arriving at our table. I’m served a variety of dishes, from house-made labneh with chakalaka (a South African chutney made from tomatoes, chilli and spices) to roasted beetroot and goat’s cheese salad and a melt-in-your-mouth braised beef cheek with creamy white polenta.
This is all topped off with a simple, but elegant, baked cheesecake paired with amaretto ice cream.
Wines with animal personalities
In a neat touch, wines on the menu are paired with African animals’ personas. For example, a Seppeltsfield grenache and Heirloom Vineyards pinot noir are in the cheetah section and labelled as “docile but gets to you the fastest”, and a Bleasdale sparkling wine is under the meerkat section and described as “bubbly and playful”.
All meals are included in our stay, so the following day I’ll enjoy an a la carte breakfast and a seven-course degustation dinner that consists of an heirloom tomato mousse, glazed kingfish with pearl barley porridge and a delectable honey cake with panna cotta shaped like a honeycomb. For now, it’s time to return to my tent.
Cheetahs at sunrise
After a good night’s rest, I wake to a gentle fog hanging over the watering hole. The sun is beginning to rise and will slowly burn off the cold morning air, but it’s a little early for the zebras and other African animals I saw the previous day. Peering behind the tent, I see movement in the distance. Grabbing the provided binoculars, I get a closer look at two cheetahs effortlessly slinking their way along the fence. For creatures that can reach speeds of up to 120km/h, they look unexpectedly graceful at a slower pace.
Unwinding at the Marula Day Spa
Today’s a day for relaxing. I could head to the gym or play a game of pickleball but instead I visit the Marula Day Spa at Monarto Safari Resort. They offer massages, facials and couple’s treatments, but today I’m here to unwind and enjoy a 60-minute soak session.
I’m served a glass of sparkling wine and a fruit platter while I rest in the vitality hydrotherapy pool, before entering the dry cedarwood sauna. Here, I sit and stare out the window.
A tower of giraffes enjoy a feed, before two of the younger males start roughhousing. They swing their necks, bringing their heads together playfully. I watch in astonishment at this exhibition of strength.
No passport required
It turns out you don’t need a passport to feel like royalty on an African safari; just a king-sized bed, a luxury tent and rhinos and giraffes roaming Monarto Safari Park.
Ready for a five-star safari experience?
The team at RAA can help book your stay at Monarto Safari Lodge.