Samara

Samara/Eastern Cape. Nestled in the remote Great Karoo, this veldt escape boasts a rich wildlife population that is a lasting testament to owners Mark and Sara Tompkins' near-decade-long efforts to restore the land.

Guests can enjoy all this and more while staying at Samara's luxurious Karoo Lodge, an original Karoo farmhouse which now contains three suites, or any of the three Karoo Suites housed in nearby cottages. Designed by the South African designer John Zwiegelaar, all suites are decorated in a quietly updated colonial style with zebra skins, antiques and 19^th-century lithographs by South African artists. All suites enjoy spectacular views from private porches or the verandah of the Karoo Lodge, and the Karoo suites feature private outdoor showers.

Samara provides twice-daily game drives, as well as guided bush walks and visits to sites of historical interest. Run by local bush rangers, these activities allow visitors to escape human presence and experience the untouched beauty of the African landscape. Besides the abundant Wildlife, there are also ancient rock paintings and fossils, some of the latter dating back more than 250 million years.

Opened in late 2005, Samara has quickly distinguished itself among the best of travel destinations around the world, featuring prominently in Condé Nast Traveller, UK's 2006 Hot List 60 Best New Hotels in the World, Tatler's 2007 Top 101 Hotels of the Year and Condé Nast Traveler, USA's 2007 Hot List Hotels. For a peaceful refuge in the South African wilderness, there's nothing quite like Samara's faultness brand of service and style.