Art and architecture: today’s modern safari
Karula is one of three sleek villas in South Africa’s Sabi Sand, designed by leading South African architect Stefan Antoni, each one redefining the meaning of an utterly luxurious safari.
The name ‘Karula’ means ‘peace’ in Shangaan, a fitting tribute to one of the most memorable female leopards in this area of the northern Sabi Sand, a private game reserve bordering the Kruger National Park. She was a devoted mother who reared no less than 10 cubs in her lifetime. Today, Karula Villa honours the serenity of this wilderness area with a design that allows the architectural elements to merge with the surrounding bushveld, so that guests feel fully immersed in nature.
‘Our lifestyles are modern; nature is raw and primal. It is in that honest contrast that a beautiful tension exists,” says architect Stefan Antoni. ‘The architecture at Cheetah Plains exists to enhance the experience of the outdoors – not to mimic it, but to complement it so that guests may experience the bush more directly, more immediately.’
There are three private safari villas, each one named after a feline with a legacy. Their signature sculptural raw-steel pool pavilions are lofty, cantilevered designs – inspired by the canopy of the indigenous Tamboti tree – allowing uninterrupted views of the African bushveld. Off-shutter concrete and rough stone wall textures ground this luxurious off-grid lodge into the landscape. In turn, a muted decor palette allows a collection of art, sculpture and ceramics – curated and displayed by South Africa’s Goodman Gallery – to celebrate Africa’s rich heritage and creative talent.
‘Our partnership with Goodman Gallery lends an exclusive, top-tier cultural experience for our visitors that is set within and enhances our timeless contemporary architecture,’ says Japie van Niekerk, owner. So, even while on safari, guests can quietly spend time getting to know the work of celebrated artists who have been represented in collections of important cultural institutions all over the world, including MoMA, New York; Tate Modern, London; Pompidou, Paris; Haus der Kunnst, Munich; Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah; National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; Guggenheim, Abu Dhabi and Zeitz MoCAA, Cape Town.
To complete the experience, each villa has its own host, butler, culinary team, spa therapist, field guide and tracker. This dedicated team oversees your entire stay, ensuring that you don’t ever eat in the same setting (unless you want to!), enjoy varied menus especially tailored to your dietaries, and build on your sublimely relaxing spa journey. The wildlife experience is equally holistic: every drive is with the same experienced field guide and tracker. This ensures that your Big Five safari is both rewarding and educational. Cheetah Plains guides are hugely experienced, chosen not only for their in-depth knowledge but also their story telling and ability to second-guess a guest’s interests and needs, making game drives a unique Big Five safari experience.
Besides an impressive art collection, guests are invited to spend time with a dedicated sommelier and taste some of the best wines in the land – the perfect introduction for anyone new to South African vintages or for discerning wine collectors looking for a private tasting tailored to their palette.
Innovative eco-luxury
A long-time commitment to sustainability at Cheetah Plains has been a game-changer, beginning with an energy efficient solar plant and the introduction of whisper-quiet electric game vehicles for zero-emission game viewing. Together with their recycling initiatives, these efforts translate to a reduction of 640 tons of carbon emissions a year, equivalent to the impact of planting over 20 000 trees.
Cheetah Plains was recently recognised as one of the ‘Top 10 Hotels in Africa’ in the 2025 Fodor’s Travel Awards and listed in Fodor’s prestigious ‘100 Most Incredible Hotels in the World’ for 2025.
What we love!
- Each villa is placed far apart from the other, ensuring complete privacy. In addition, host teams coordinate to make sure that in the few communal spaces (hair salon, gym, boutique and art gallery), guests will never see a guest that isn’t from their group (unless they want to).
- Safari guests can pre-book an online or in-person consultation with an art gallery expert to find out more about the artworks in the villa or gallery.
- Attention to detail: everything from luxurious amenities to Dyson hairdryers, although hairdressing and spa treatments are all inclusive.
- The safari apps and your host’s contact details are preloaded for your convenience on in-room iPhones
- Japanese technology in the bathrooms – a complete indulgence!
- That the superbly curated Shari’s boutique, supports local design.
- Children are welcome and there are inter-leading suites for families with kids.
- Architecturally, the seamless flow and design of the villa is both striking and generous (640sqm) and each suite is 130sqm.
What you need to know…
- Karula Villa is one of three modern, exclusive-use private villas, each accommodating up to 8 guests per villa, so Cheetah Plains will never have more than 24 guests at any given time.
- Getting there is easy: preferably fly into the Arathusa airstrip, which is 20 minutes from the lodge. Private charters by arrangement (between 10am and 3pm daily). Daily scheduled flights are available on Federal Air from Joburg to Arathusa. Alternatively fly Airlink from Joburg to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Skukuza (inside the Kruger National Park), or to Hoedspruit and then transfer. There are direct flights from Cape Town to all the major airports.
- There is an on-site helicopter pad available.
- Cheetah Plains is closest to Gowrie Gate in the northern Sabi Sand. The private Sabi Sand Game Reserve is 65 000ha, 50km of which borders the Kruger National Park.
- If Karula Villa isn’t available on your dates, ask us about Mvula and Mpogo villas, or browse our curated collection of luxury safari lodges or private bush villas in Mpumalanga near the Kruger National Park.
Reviewed by Michelle Snaddon