A very special part of an afternoon safari is the “sundowner stop”, or what the Kruger Lowveld refers to as Phuza! Just as the sun is spreading its most generously golden colours and sinking toward the horizon, your ranger parks the game viewer at a scenic spot and offers you your favourite tipple to accompany the sunset. This week we are taking sundowners very seriously and listing our favourite sundowner moments! To start us off: a gin cocktail tasting in the middle of the greater Kruger’s Klaserie with nThambo Tree Camp! It doesn’t get better than this… or does it?
When it comes to sundowners, Tongabezi Lodge pulls out all the stops. Just imagine the sounds, sights, and smells that might accompany this image, completing the undeniably romantic scene at the edge of the Zambezi River. Safari sundowner winner…
Another day, another sundowner! This time, we’re in Namibia’s northern border at Serra Cafema – possibly one of Africa’s most remote safari destinations, and definitely one of its most unique. The Kunene River rushes between Angola and Namibia, and this luxury lodge perches dramatically, yet entirely eco-sustainably, surrounded by desert dunes and riverine thicket. This is way up there on our list of sundowner destinations… for obvious reasons!
Sundowners under stormy skies in the Mara Naibosho Conservancy, Kenya. What a magical place on earth: sprawling landscapes, unending vistas, and open skies set the scene for Kicheche Valley Camp’s sublime sundowners. Comforted by East African rugs, gentle fire light, and something tasty to soothe the throat… what more could we ask for?
Sundowners on the banks of the Linyanti swamps in northwestern Botswana. An enigmatic area that is one of the least travelled parts of this popular safari country. DumaTau is one of the few luxury lodges in the area, and it offers guests the opportunity to explore Linyanti by land and by water. At sunset, these guests pulled up at a bush bar after a magnificent boat cruise and ended the day out in the wild under the emerging stars.
What a moment to remember: the African sun sets on the Kruger’s famous Sand River, bringing the heat of the day to a molten end. This is when the sleeping lions wake and when the diurnal members of the wild become fully alert. What a spectacular transitional time it is in the bush, and at Inyati Game Lodge, it is admired with a glass of bubbles and a view you’ll never forget. A true contender for our top sundowner spots in Africa.
Take me away! Dreamy escapes in the bejewelled wetland of Southern Africa, where hippo rule the waters, fish eagles patrol from the skies, and predators stalk the papyrus lined islands. The Okavango Delta is one place we know we are going to find peace in the wilderness, under a melting amber sunset, serenaded by nature’s cacophany. These sundowners will not be quickly forgotten, making Jacana Camp one of our favourite places for gin and tonics in the Delta.
Sundowners always taste best on Fridays! In celebration of some of the best safari sundowners, we had to feature this iconic image of a Serengeti pit stop with Serengeti Under Canvas. This is how the pros do it: golden hour – tick – bush bar – umbrella thorn silhouettes – surrounded by the wild -tick. These guys are doing Friday right, and we can almost guarantee they are discussing the epic sightings they’ve just enjoyed on drive!
Sundowners await in the Masai Mara where guests at Elephant Pepper Lodge are welcomed to this luxury explorer-style scene in the middle of one of Africa’s most sought after destinations. Attention to detail is what makes the experience memorable, so it’s no wonder some of our favourite sundowner sessions has been enjoyed at Elephant Pepper, in Kenya’s Mara North. Bottoms up!
Sometimes the best sundowners are enjoyed from the comfort of your private verandah, overlooking the untamed bushveld, toasting to the sunset with the one you love. Zimbabwe’s rugged beauty is sprawled out unapologetically around The Hide Safari Camp where this cosy nook invites us to sit down and relax. A tented camp in Hwange National Park offering seclusion and simplicity in the wilderness. What better place to bring our sundowner inspired posts to an end?
