From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

Located in the remote Great Karoo, Samara Private Game Reserve comprises 69,000 dramatic acres, much of it reclaimed farmland that's been restored to its former glory and restocked with cheetahs, white rhinos, zebras, giraffes, springbok, black wildebeests, and other species. Its six-room luxury lodge has beautifully appointed suites (three of them larger and set apart from the main lodge), all with wide verandas and decorated with antiques, nineteenth-century lithographs from South African artists, zebra skins, and indigenous-wood four-poster beds. The lodge is a stylish interpretation of the original Karoo farmhouse, complemented by gracious service and delicious cuisine—dinner of rack of lamb or venison matched to local red wines and followed the next day by a picnic-style feast in the bush. The usual safari activities are on offer, but in such a remote and exclusive setting, they are light years away from the hyped-up, goal-oriented safaris often associated with top lodges in the overpopulated reserves farther north.

When to go: From September through October, after the spring rains, the Great Karoo greens up and everything bursts into flower.

Which room to book: Karoo Suite 3 (the honeymoon suite) is the farthest from the lodge, so you have uninterrupted views on three sides.

Amenities: Bar/lounge, Pool