Take Off Go and All About Africa founder Ivona Siniarska recently stayed at South Africa’s Masiya Camp by Royal Malewane. Read her exclusive review about this new take on safari stays.
Arrival in the bush is a shift you feel immediately. At Masiya Camp at Thornybush Game Reserve, South Africa, that feeling begins the moment you step out of the vehicle. The air feels softer, quieter, and there’s an instant sense that everything around you has been thoughtfully considered.
But this is not your traditional safari camp.
Masiya is bold. Playful. Unexpected. Where many lodges lean into neutral palettes that mirror their surroundings, Masiya does something entirely different. And if I’m honest, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that before arriving.
Having spent so much time on safari, you come to expect a certain aesthetic: soft taupes, sandy tones, muted greens. Interiors that blend quietly into the landscape. It’s beautiful, timeless… and familiar.
Masiya challenges that.
But what I hadn’t fully appreciated from the photos, as beautiful as they are, is that the colour doesn’t feel imposed. It doesn’t feel out of place. If anything, it feels like an extension of the bush itself. When you’re actually there, immersed in camp, it all clicks.
The rich tones, the textures, the vibrancy, they mirror what surrounds you in ways that are surprisingly subtle. The chairs at the bar, for example, immediately took me to the colours of a lilac-breasted roller in flight. That electric mix of blues, purples and greens that you only really notice when you’re out in the bush, paying attention.
It’s those details that shift your perspective. What initially felt unexpected becomes completely intuitive. And I genuinely can’t get over how much I love it.
I always knew I would love the level of luxury and opulence here. That part was never in question. But the colour… that was the surprise. And now, it’s what I think makes Masiya truly extraordinary. It doesn’t just work. It elevates everything.
It oozes sophistication, glamour, and a quiet confidence, underpinned by a level of excellence that is felt in every detail rather than overtly stated.
The Masiya difference
There are just six tented suites, each one expansive, private, and designed to blur the line between indoors and out. Floor-to-ceiling glass opens onto your own deck, complete with a heated plunge pool and uninterrupted views across the bushveld.
Inside, the design is layered and expressive, a curated mix that feels collected over time rather than styled in a moment. It’s luxurious, yes. But more importantly, it feels personal.
Days at Masiya follow the natural rhythm of Thornybush Game Reserve.
Early mornings begin on a game drive, tracking wildlife across the reserve with some of the most experienced guides in Africa. Evenings return you to camp just as the light softens, often gathering around the fire before dinner under the stars.
And in between, there’s space to simply be. To sit on your deck. To watch. To listen.
What stood out most to me at Masiya wasn’t just the design or the wildlife. It was the feeling. There’s an ease to this place. A warmth. It doesn’t try too hard, yet everything is done exceptionally well.
Service is intuitive, never intrusive. The experience feels curated, but never forced, a seamless expression of quiet luxury and excellence.
The lasting impression
Masiya Camp is a refreshing shift in what a luxury safari can look and feel like.
It’s contemporary, character-filled, and confidently different, yet deeply connected to its surroundings. A place that doesn’t follow the traditional rulebook and is all the better for it.
And while the photos are undeniably beautiful, I don’t think they fully capture it.
It’s only when you’re there, surrounded by the bush, that you realise just how much of that colour belongs, and just how extraordinary the experience really is.
For more information, visit Masiya Camp.
