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Luxury Frontiers

OVERVIEW

Collaborators

Africa Ignite

NJV Consulting

Rebcon Architectural Metalworkers



Photo credit | Sven Musica/Love Africa Marketing

Operator

Babanango Game Reserve

Location

Babanango Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Client

Babanango Game Reserve

Services

Architecture

Interior Design

Project Management

Procurement

MADWALENI RIVER LODGE

Madwaleni River Lodge, opening September 2023, is situated along the river’s edge of the White Umfolozi River within Babanango Game Reserve, in the heart of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Madwaleni River Lodge offers an exclusive retreat featuring 12 luxurious safari tents arranged around a 3 779m² central gathering area housing a restaurant, lounge, library, pool, eco-friendly gym, and 2 000 bottle wine cellar. 


The lodge takes its name from the isiZulu phrase meaning "The place of the rock," paying homage to the picturesque granoliths mountains found in the reserve. With a fusion of sophistication and wilderness, this ultra-luxury tented camp promises a truly remarkable experience. Madwaleni River Lodge is unfenced, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in the surrounding natural beauty. 


Throughout the design process, the team remained focused on honoring the surrounding social and environmental context of the project. It is not just about creating functional spaces; it is about creating structures that resonate with the people and the environment. Cultural symbols were translated into contemporary expressions that reflect the history and landscape of the site. Intangible qualities of the site such as stories, cultures, and traditions that have been woven into the landscape over time were also captured.

MADWALENI RIVER LODGE

MADWALENI RIVER LODGE

“Our mandate to Luxury Frontiers was to develop a 5-star luxury camp, with unique curved tented and building structures intended to mimic the hills and rock formations surrounding the site. Luxury Frontiers developed an incredible product for us, which tour operators and visitors to the reserve have been absolutely blown away by. By working with the team from Luxury Frontiers we feel we have been able to develop a worldclass product which will enable us to set up Babanango Game Reserve as a world class tourism destination. "


– Andrew McGill, Product Manager, Babanango Game Reserve

OTHER WORKS

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