South Africa Weekend

A lunch weekend at Singita Ebony on the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

Singita has been a very loyal member of the Chaine for many years. Jason Trollip, the General Manager was a member long before the Bailliage of Lowveld was established. He then became one of the founder members of the Bailliage at a lunch held in my home.
 

                                                                                                                                                                                    Photos (c) Singita Game Reserves
Singita has mainly overseas guests as their Lodges are top end tourist destinations, but being Chaîne members we are regularly invited to their four Lowveld Lodges:

- Singita Ebony in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, bordering the Kruger National Park
- Singita Boulders, sister Lodge to Ebony
- Singita Lebombo in the Kruger National Park, bordering Mozambique
- Singita Sweni, sister Lodge to Lebombo.
 
All Bailliage of Lowveld get-togethers are planned over a weekend during which we are often joined by members from the five other South African local Bailliages. As all the Singita Lodges have private landing strips, members often arrive by light plane!

Singita is known for its good table and has excellent young chefs. In recent years the Singita Young Chefs and Sommeliers have excelled at the South African National Competitions.


 
They usually treat us to quite a few surprises and we never know where the lunch will be served. On a hot day it will be the air- conditioned dining room, or we will be taken by Game Tracking Vehicles to a specially-chosen place in the bush where beautifully laid tables under huge trees await us, where wine will be served in Riedel glasses and the food will be on the finest porcelain, all transported by special trucks.

In April we were a group of 25 people – both members and friends of the Chaîne, who joined  a lunch weekend at Singita Ebony on the 84,000 hectares privately-owned Sabi Sand Game Reserve.



We were treated to an eight-course lunch, prepared by Executive Chef Tamarin van Zyl and her team, on the game viewing deck of the Lodge overlooking the Sand River. What a thrill to lunch in the presence of elephants and other wild animals!

Singita is also famous for its outstanding wine cellar and the wines accompanying the courses were all from small Cape boutique wineries.


 
What a wonderful way of experiencing Chaîne camaraderie by enjoying the finest food and wine, specially prepared for us in the middle of the African bush, hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest town.
 
It is just great to be part of the Bailliage of Lowveld. Why not come and visit us to share the experience!

Hennale Steyn, Bailli