Garangani 360 - A Sublime Bush Retreat

Garangani 360 Review

Imagine a private villa, surrounded by bushveld, with no other houses or people in sight; an opulent sanctuary where full-length glass windows throughout the house paint a changing canvas of the surrounding bushveld throughout the day; a place where the soothing soundtrack of the bush is occasionally interrupted by the roar of lions, reminding you of the wilderness just beyond your doorstep. This is the captivating reality of Garangani 360, a luxurious self-catering home with designer interiors, where we spent two nights.

Entabeni Safari Conservancy - Hanglip Mountain

Bordering the malaria-free, Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy in Limpopo, Garangani 360 is situated in a private patch of wilderness which is home to small wild cats like civets and genets, and a few small antelope species.

Garangani 360

Elegantly designed to accommodate six guests, the villa has three spacious en-suite bedrooms with huge beds, ample wardrobes, dressing tables and open-plan bathrooms. Each space has been thoughtfully curated for ultimate comfort and relaxation.

Main bedroom

En-suite bathroom

At the centre of the villa is a modern, open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area, as well as a smaller enclosed living room and guest bathroom. The fireplace in the living area kept us warm in the evenings and a huge flat-screen television with an abundance of satellite television channels kept us entertained when we stayed indoors. Wi-Fi was available and when load shedding struck, the inverter kicked in, rescuing us from the darkness.

Living area

The kitchen features Smeg and DeLonghi appliances. A washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, and ice maker are housed in a separate pantry. Hot beverages and cookies are provided, and there is a Nespresso machine too. A welcome gift of delicious snacks awaited us on arrival.

Kitchen area

The house makes optimal use of natural light with full length glass windows throughout the house. Slide open the doors, and you step onto a patio with an outdoor entertainment area and a swimming pool surrounded only by wilderness. Although it was too cold for a swim, my son did take a dip in the pool.

Outdoor lounge

Swimming Pool

On the other side is a braai area and fire pit ready for unforgettable evenings under the African sky.

Braai Area

Adventure is just a stone's throw away once you manage to drag yourself away from your luxurious home. Game drives, bush walks and horseback safaris can be booked in the Entabeni Safari Conservancy.

Game drive with Buffelshuis

We did a bush walk one morning with Tiaan, our ranger, and Ryan, an experienced field guide with a rifle. When Tiaan first suggested it, we were a bit apprehensive, as we’d heard many stories of bush walks gone wrong. However, once we were on the walk, we felt quite safe.

Early morning bush walk

We walked in single file on the open plains behind Ryan, with the majestic Hanglip Mountain as a backdrop. Our mission was to track white rhinos. Along the way, we saw huge herds of zebras, wildebeest and impalas, along with warthogs, other antelopes, a jackal and some interesting birds. Ryan pointed out hippo, rhino and civet tracks and droppings to us, as well as many other interesting natural phenomena like wildlife skeletons and aardvark holes, of which there were many. Interestingly, Entabeni was the only place we’d ever seen an aardvark in all our years of safaris.

Cheetahs

Although we didn’t find the rhinos then, we did see them in the afternoon, along with other plains game, and a crocodile in the river. We stopped at a beautiful dam for sundowners and had just hopped back onto the vehicle when a pair of cheetah brothers came strolling around a bend. They completely ignored us as they headed towards the dam where a small herd of waterbuck had come to quench their thirst. We followed them for a while as they hunted until they disappeared into the bush. It was a thrilling end to an eventful day.

Buffalos

We also visited the wildlife centre, which is home to stunning white lions that cannot be rehabilitated back into the wild, a pack of wild dogs and a herd of buffalo.

Male white lion next to tawny lioness

The house is owned by Buffelshuis, along with two other luxury villas,  Mountains Mark and Queen of Sheeba, and budget options which include caravan and camping alternatives.

Garangani 360 is a home away from home that harmonizes comfort, privacy, and the serenity of nature. My kids, who are often hard to please, loved it, and so did my husband and I. It is the quintessential bush escape, promising not only a haven of relaxation but also a feast of activities right at your doorstep.

For more information, visit Buffelshuis or book here.

Get a 10% discount if you use the code ‘SARA” and email Jean directly – revman@entabeni.co.za for your reservation/booking.

Good to know

You will need to drive on approximately 7 km of gravel to get to the villa.

Photos cannot adequately capture the beauty of this place, so have a look at this video.

Disclosure: 7

Sara Essop

Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 49 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.