Fodor's Expert Review Karoo Lodge

From the moment you reach this lovingly restored, 19th-century, green-roofed farmhouse set among purple mountains, 800-year-old trees, and rolling plains where cheetahs, rhinos, and giraffes roam, you'll forget another more stressful world even existed. The understated yet elegant colonial farmhouse and three lovely cottages await you after a day of game-watching, hiking, or picnicking high on a mountain ridge. Super-attentive but unobtrusive staff and imaginative five-star cuisine add to the elegance of this exclusive safari lodge. The cottages have their own private verandahs with outdoor areas where you can gaze at a star-filled sky. There's a history room with fossils and information about the area if your interest is piqued, but your ranger will give you the lowdown on the terrain, geology, animal life, and uplifting backstory to the ecological transformation Samara has undergone. Lions and elephants have also been successfully re-introduced.