WORDS by KATE BLACK | IMAGES SUPPLIED by FEATURED LODGES
High Tea in the bush is a little luxury. It’s that time of the day when everyone emerges from a lazy afternoon snooze or returns from the day’s activities, craving just a ‘small snack’ to see them through to the next meal. It’s a time to catch up on the day’s happenings and what might be in store for the game drive that evening. Whether it’s sweets or savouries, carrot cake or koeksisters, some of Africa’s safari lodges have a knack for putting on the most delicious high tea spreads in the wildest locations.
If you love high tea is much as we do, you’ll want to know which safari lodges do it best. Read more about our favourites below:
1. San Camp, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
The tea tent at San Camp feels like something straight out of a storybook. Set among a cluster of desert palms on the edge of the vast Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, the classic white tent is a peaceful space for guests to laze on Moroccan cushions and carpets and watch the sun set over the magnificent salt expanse. Tea is accompanied by the camp’s specialty, ‘Melting Moments’ – fragrant shortbread biscuits with a heart of melting dark chocolate – so tempting that on one occasion even a passing Brown Hyeana couldn’t resist a snuffle around!
Learn more about San Camp, Natural Selection Travel
2. Ngala Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park, South Africa
There are few places better suited to parking off and indulging, than on the tea deck at Ngala Lodge. As you sit under the shade of the trees and devour the likes of homemade chocolate and beetroot cake or honey gammon, brie cheese and wholegrain mustard quesadillas, there’s a good chance you might have some wild visitors. In fact, over the last year, the deck has been witness to large herds of elephant and buffalo, prides of lion, rhino, leopard and numerous other animals, not to mention the camp’s resident family of warthogs.
To experience it, visit: www.andbeyond.com
3. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
Not many adventurers can say that they’ve shared afternoon tea with a giraffe! Giraffe Manor is home to a gregarious herd of Rothschild giraffes – Helen, Kelly and Arlene to name a few – who roam this beautiful indigenous estate on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. These gentle giants have quickly discovered the teatime delights that appear every morning and afternoon, and wander over timeously to ‘pop their heads in’ and mingle with the guests.
Visit www.thesafaricollection.com if it sounds like your cup of tea!
4. Vumbura Plains, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Safari lovers at Vumbura Plains are treated to afternoon tea just before setting out on their evening game drive. A feast of savoury eats, sweet treats and iced teas/coffees is presented on the main deck overlooking the magnificent floodplains of the Okavango Delta. The effect, I would imagine, is quite surreal: such decadent creature comforts in this incredibly wild setting. The biggest treat of all – of course – is to have a visit from the resident elephants who amble peacefully through the camp each day. Once appetites are satisfied, an exciting exploration of Vumbura’s scenic beauty and diverse wildlife awaits!
To discover Vumbura for yourself, visit www.wilderness-safaris.com
5. Singita Sasakwa, Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania
When they’re not on horseback rides, game drives, relaxing on their beds, in the swimming pool or at the spa, Singita Sasakwa’s guests are treated to a luxurious high tea overlooking the majestic plains of the Serengeti. Expressed through every touchpoint of the lodge is a sense of elegance and grandeur, and the teatime offering is no different – beautifully refined and utterly delicious.
Explore Singita Sasakwa further here: www.singita.com
6. Ecca Lodge, Kwandwe Game Reserve, South Africa
As far as high teas go, this is one of the coolest we’ve ever seen. Ecca Lodge’s fresh approach to teatime is vibrant, colourful and full of local South African flavour. Tea can be enjoyed on the lodge deck overlooking the steep cliffs of the escarpment in the distance, or in a slightly wilder form, such as a picnic on the banks of the Great Fish River or a ‘ladder stop’ in the middle of the bush! ‘Melk tert milkshakes’, BOS Ice Tea and koeksisters are just a few of the sweet treats on the menu.
To learn more, visit www.kwandwe.com
7. Xudum Lodge, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Inventively arranged on hanging tyres and wooden stools, high tea at Xudum Lodge is a delicious display just waiting to be devoured. Indulgences include a different cake each day – citrus syrup cake, apple sauce cake, lumberjack cake, carrot cake, or butter nut cake to name a few – as well as freshly baked brownies, fresh fruit, cheese and preserves. To get too involved in the gobbling is a tradeoff, however, for elephants are no strangers to these parts and if you take your eyes of the lagoon you may miss a gentle giant crossing the channel, creating a swooshing bow wave as he goes.
Find out more about beautiful Xudum at www.andbeyond.com
8. Jamala Madikwe Royal Safari Lodge, Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa
This high tea will tickle every foodie’s fancy. Winner of Best Safari Cuisine in Africa 2014/2015, Jamala Madikwe takes pride in treating its guests to an extraordinary gastronomical experience. A combination of modern flair and old-world elegance, chef Nico Verster’s specialties include delectable sweet treats such as homemade tarts as well as to-die-for savoury snacks like his signature Thai Beef Salad.
Located in the Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa’s North West Province, Jamala Madikwe is a must-visit for any bush-loving food aficionados!
Visit www.jamalamadikwe.com for further details.
9. Angama Mara Lodge, Kenya
If you’re looking for ‘tea on top of the world’, this is it. Perched on the edge of the Great Rift Valley high above Kenya’s magnificent Maasai Mara, Angama Mara is all about that view. True to the lodge’s old-world, ‘Out of Africa’ charm (some of the loveliest scenes from the Out of Africa film were shot in this very setting), Angama’s high tea is a very classic affair, with delicious local Kenyan teas, scones, cucumber sandwiches and other delicious, old-fashioned delicacies. Served in the privacy of your own tented suite or in the beautiful guest area, you never lose that view.
To learn more about this exceptional new lodge, please visit www.angama.com
10. The River Club, Livingstone, Zambia
This beautiful boutique lodge near Livingstone and the Victoria Falls treats its guests to delicious teas, homemade pastries and savouries on the veranda, overlooking a sweeping bend of the the mighty Zambezi River. Large pods of wallowing hippo and frequent herds of elephant can be viewed from the top. For the more adventurous, one can opt for a private high tea picnic on a river island just in front of the lodge. Sounds like the perfect recipe to us!
To find out more, visit www.theriverclubafrica.com
