Game Show

The silhouette of a lone acacia at sunset, the tremulous gaze of an impala: these are some of the pleasures of Africa, and you don't have to go all Ernest Hemingway to experience them. New-generation game lodges — with spas, designer accommodation and eco-friendly attitudes — are mushrooming. The best seem to be in South Africa, where proximity to the giant Kruger National Park is a boon. Here are four fail-safe choices. None are cheap, but all guarantee that you'll see the "Big Five" — lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos — in contemporary style.

ULUSABA Sir Richard Branson's foray into the world of big game is run with his usual flair. A kid's club keeps tots happy while adults indulge in spa treatments. Daily game drives ensure that you'll encounter more animals here than most

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SABI SABI The name comes from the Tsonga word for fear, but gun-toting rangers lend an air of reassurance. In fact, the only fear you're likely to have is of your credit-card bill, with nightly rates starting at $675 per person. www.sabisabi.com

LONDOLOZI Londolozi (meaning "protector of living things" in Zulu) has won many ecotourism awards, but water-conservation and recycling programs don't involve cutting back on luxury — as you might deduce from the average price tag of $750 per person per night. www.londolozi.com

SINGITA This ultra-exclusive lodge offers designer accommodation in stratospheric price ranges — from $1,000 per night for a single room to $3,700 for a cottage. The spa is excellent: ask for the Big Five treatment, in which two masseuses work on you at once — sublime. www.singita.com