Mushroom Lodge, Zambia
Where is it? Mushroom Lodge is in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park, where the game-viewing is sensational and includes the rare Thornicroft's giraffe (endemic to the Luangwa Valley), Crawshay's zebra (right; found only in northern Zambia) and a rich variety of birdlife.
What's so special about the place? History was made at the Mushroom Presidential House, as the lodge was once called. It was the working-holiday getaway of Zambia's first president, Kenneth Kaunda, and also the venue for a top-secret meeting in 1976 between the African National Congress' Oliver Tambo and South Africa's Oppenheimer team of white industrialists. This powwow was a turning point in Africa's history - an encounter that drove the first nail into the coffin of apartheid.
What is there for today's visitor? The property reopened last year after extensive refurbishment. The original section of the buildings, including the president's quarters, remains but, with luxury chalets, a relaxing poolside bar and a dining area that serves top cuisine, Tambo would hardly recognise the place.
And what about the wildlife? In the lee of the lodge's chalets, elephants and antelope wander along the creek bed when the water is low. But this isn't always the case. Last March, the national park was submerged under record floods. Good follow-up rains in January have ensured a bumper year for wildlife viewing.
Is game poaching still a problem? Poaching has decimated the number of large lions, leaving only smaller animals. 'When a male lion gets shot, another male will come along and kill its partner's cubs - so total lion numbers are going right down,' says Mushroom Lodge's first manager, William van Rensburg. However, an innovative programme is weaning poachers away from killing game animals by training them in sustainable agricultural practices. So far, reformed poachers in the South Luangwa region have surrendered nearly 40,000 snares and 800 guns.
