When not spotting Africa's Big Five, retire to the stylish main lodge at Ngala Tented Camp.

Tony Tents

No need to rough it at this safari lodge

BY HILARY NANGLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOOK PHOTO & BEYOND

Slip into South Africa's safari wilderness without sacrificing five-star comforts at &Beyond's rebuilt Ngala Tented Camp. Last year, floods destroyed this intimate oasis in a private, 36,000-plus-acre reserve within Kruger National Park, about 275 miles from Johannesburg. Now it's open anew, rebuilt in an eco-sensitive manner that ratchets up the luxury while preserving the scrubby-treed bushveld landscape favored by the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino.

Don't be fooled by the word tented. Stone and wood walls augment the platform-mounted canvas-and-screen buildings decorated in a contemporary style, with sophisticated touches and soothing colors that echo the landscape. Nine air-conditioned tents, each with dual-basin sinks, deep soaking tub, outdoor rain shower, and Wi-Fi, are tucked discreetly amid the trees. Paths connect them to the main lodge, spa, and pool, all overlooking the Timbavati River.

Daily interpretive walks and game-viewing drives add to the experience. From about $735 per person, all-inclusive. 800-403-6012, extraordinaryjourneys.net.