It’s not the stars.
And it’s not the solitude or the scenery.
But it’s the sounds you hear on a sleep out platform that really excite you. The eerie whoop of a hyena. The trembling roar of a lion. The heavy splash of a hippo. The haunting hoot of an owl.
These are the noises that exhilarate and enliven you. It’s the thrill of being surrounded by dangerous animals yet safe. In nature but not exposed. Isolated but not alone.
It is for reasons like this that treehouses and sleepout platforms in Africa can be so extraordinary. And these are our favourites.
1. The Malori Sleepout Deck, Tswalu Kalahari
‘Listen to the thrilling calls of the Kalahari. This night, the desert is yours alone.’ This is how Tswalu describes their unique raised platform with a thatched overhang. Choose to sleep under the thatch or simply roll the bed onto the open deck with thousands of stars above you.
2. Lion sands, Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Lion Sands boasts three fantastic platforms – Chalkleys’s Treehouse (pictured), Tinyeleti Treehouse and Kingston Treehouse. All three are overnight wilderness experiences with 5-star comfort. Guests are taken to the lavish platforms at sunset, where drinks and a delicious dinner awaits.
3. Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools National Park
Ruckomechi’s ‘Star Bed’ is not for the fainthearted. You’ll be serenaded by the sounds of nature as the famed wildlife of Mana Pools visit the waterhole near you and surrounded by the albida trees the elephants so love. Sleeping through the excitement will be your biggest challenge.
4. Ol Donyo Lodge, Tsavo Plains
Ol Donyo sits in thick woodland on a gently sloping hillside with views out over the plains to a distant Kilimanjaro. All of the ten private cottages have their own roof terraces where intimate star beds can be set up, allowing guests the thrill of sleeping in style under a canopy of endless stars.
5. Makanyane Sanctuary, Madikwe Game Reserve
This rustic double storey structure tucked away in a secluded part of Makanyane’s private ground overlooks a waterhole and the Madikwe Game Reserve. Guests have the choice of enjoying meals out on the deck or being taken out to the deck after dinner at the lodge.
And those, my starlit friends, are just some of the best sleep out platforms in Africa. If you’d like to find out how you can experience one of these magical treehouses for yourselves, just drop us a message and we’ll tell you exactly how you can make that happen. Sweet dreams ladies and gents, don’t let the leopards bite…