Safari Lodge at Monarto Safari Resort is Australia’s answer to an overnight African safari experience without the long-haul flight.
It starts with a purposeful trot across the paddock towards the waterhole, but ends in a bite. One zebra has annoyed another. A chase ensues until the wronged zebra gets close enough to bite the other. Satisfied that the point has been made, all is calm again. Monarto Safari Park is set across 1500 hectares of South Australian bushlands and is the largest open-range zoo in the southern hemisphere, but I’m watching this unfold from the deck of my premium tent at Monarto’s Safari Lodge. Hot on the heels of 2025’s 78-room Monarto Safari Resort unveiling, the newly opened lodge is Australia’s answer to an overnight African safari experience.
First impressions
African wildlife takes centre stage at this luxury stay.
My stay starts at Monarto Safari Resort’s Marula Day Spa. A couple’s massage with my husband, a sauna session in the Marula Soak House, followed by a two-course lunch with views of giraffes will set you back $495 per couple, but as far as first impressions go, it doesn’t get much better.
A van transfer takes us on the short drive from the resort to the Safari Lodge reception (also the location of the restaurant, bar and entertainment hub for guests). We’re greeted warmly and given a short tour before one of the hosts takes us via buggy to our safari tent to get settled.
Wake up to zebras grazing just beyond your deck... without the long-haul flight. Safari Lodge at Monarto Safari Resort brings the magic of an African-style escape closer to home, with premium safari tents overlooking free-roaming wildlife, sunset safari drives, all-inclusive dining and unforgettable mornings by the waterhole.
The safari tent
There are 20 premium safari tents curved around the plains of Wild Africa. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
Watch the animals from your tent. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
Number 17 is one of the best-positioned tents for animal encounters. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
There are 20 premium safari tents curved around the plains of Wild Africa – home to free-roaming herds of African animals, including zebra, giraffes, and the endangered scimitar-horned oryx. We’re in number 17, one of the best-positioned tents for animal encounters, due to its proximity to the waterhole.
Inside, the King Safari Tent is a spacious 71 square metres with a king bed, lounge area, separate dressing room with kitchenette, coffee machine, kettle and a fully stocked all-inclusive mini bar (which is replenished daily), and an ensuite bathroom with rain shower. Reverse-cycle air-conditioning keeps us toasty warm during our stay, and the king bed is so comfy I struggle to leave it in the morning.
Yet the real focal point is the waterhole. You can even glimpse it from the shower, just in case any animals decide to congregate while you’re momentarily detained. But there are also small-yet-thoughtful details designed to encourage connection. From the sketching pad with pencils and board games I find in the cupboard to a pair of binoculars in place of a television. And while there is wi-fi available, time here is designed to be spent noticing, not distracted.
The safari experience
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Hop into the purpose-built Safari LandCruiser. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
This really is as close to the wilds of Africa as you can get in Australia. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
We board the purpose-built Safari LandCruiser late Saturday afternoon. There are eight of us on board; one of the benefits of staying in the lodge over the resort is that guests are treated to a more exclusive experience. Monarto Safari Park’s open terrain is designed to support complex social groupings, natural behaviours and long-term species management. Facts we learn more about from Louis Tonkin, our Wild Africa Tour host, on the 2.5-hour sunset safari.
“There’s 1500 hectares, and we are going to use every inch of it for conservation," he says from the driver’s seat of the open-sided truck as we wait for the gates to open into the cheetah’s paddock. “Our goal is to make the whole world care about animals," adds Louis. “If we can do that, we’ll be one step closer to saving them."
Now inside, two cheetahs can be seen slinking slowly towards us. Louis tells us they’re twin sisters and, due to their non-confrontational nature, the only carnivore enclosure we’ll enter on the tour. But soon after, as I’m watching one of two female white rhinos charge at a male for attempting to mount her, I’m not thinking about the animals I don’t get to see. This really is as close to the wilds of Africa as you can get in Australia.
How does Monarto compare to an African safari?
Watch the giraffes free roam. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Zebras meeting at the waterhole. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The sunset safari drive is a highlight. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Having previously spent a week on safari in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, I can confidently say that Monarto’s Safari Lodge is as close to the real thing as you can get. From the sunset safari drive, where I witnessed hippopotamus, giraffes, rhinoceros, cheetahs and more, to falling asleep listening to the sounds of the wild and waking to animals gathering at the waterhole – a stay here really does feel like you’ve been transported to Africa.
Food and drink
Spend some time by the bar. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
It’s 6pm and canapé hour has begun. Inside the main lodge, drinks are poured for guests perched on stools at the bar’s edge as waiters serve a delicious assortment of canapés. I order the 2024 Heirloom pinot noir from Adelaide Hills and sink into the fireside couch.
From communal feasting to an intimate degustation, dining here is different every night. Tonight, the tables are set in two long rows. A variety of salads are already plated for sharing, and moments after we’re seated, dishes start to flow from the kitchen in fast succession – think pork belly drunk on broth, slow-cooked duck and barramundi poached to perfection and accompanied by roast potatoes. Dessert is a generous heaping of tiramisu.
Days begin with a barista-made coffee and hot breakfast made to order alongside a basket of fresh pastries, fruit and an immunity-booster shot. Lunch is a generous charcuterie board that we enjoy with champagne beside the private plunge pool. Should you feel peckish later, there are chips, cookies, and hot and cold beverages replenished daily in your mini bar.
The pool and common areas
Unwind in the heated swimming pool. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
Reserve a private plunge pool. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
The lodge features a heated swimming pool as well as several private plunge pools available to reserve. Lunch and drinks can be served poolside. There is also a gym and a tennis court.
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Is Monarto’s Safari Lodge good for families?
Children under 15 aren’t permitted in the Safari Lodges. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
Safari Lodge at Monarto Safari Resort caters to teenagers aged 15 and above. They’ll get a real thrill out of the sunset safari through Wild Africa, especially if you have a budding photographer on your hands. Even hard-to-please types won’t be able to deny that seeing a cheetah roaming freely or spotting giraffes and zebra from the deck of a morning is beyond cool. Children under 15 are not permitted to stay at the lodge. But Monarto Safari Resort is just down the road and caters to families with children of all ages.
Is Monarto’s Safari Lodge worth the money?
The King Safari Tent is a spacious 71 square metres. (Credit: Monarto Safari Resort)
Yes, the all-inclusive Safari Lodge at Monarto Safari Resort is great value when you weigh up the experience and inclusions. From $1910 per night for two adults, guests choose between luxury King or Twin Safari Tents, with an accessible tent also available. Stays include breakfast, lunch, a multi-course dinner, afternoon canapés, beverages, a mini bar, a sunset safari through Wild Africa and a multi-day pass to Monarto Safari Park.
The details
Monarto Safari Park’s Lions 360 is the only 360-degree lion experience in Australia. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Getting there: Safari Lodge at Monarto Safari Resort is an hour east of Adelaide/Tarntanya.
Inclusions:
Safari Tent accommodation
Wild Africa Sunset Safari Experience in a custom-built, open-sided 4WD LandCruiser
Daily general admission pass to Monarto Safari Park
All-inclusive dining: breakfast, lunch, afternoon canapés, and a bespoke three-course dinner
All-day access to lodge beverages: coffee, tea, soft drinks, a selection of spirits, cocktails, wine and beer
Price: From $1910 per night for two adults per tent.
Check-in time: 3pm; check-out is 11am.
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Katie Carlin is Australian Traveller's Head of Content and when she’s not travelling or behind her computer, she’s hosting a dinner party (likely cooking an Alison Roman recipe), at brunch, working on extending her running k’s, or has her nose buried in a book.
She joined Australian Traveller in 2018 and is responsible for leading the editorial team across print, digital, social, email and native content. Her job is to make sure we create content that connects readers to incredible experiences in Australia and beyond. In addition to sharing her expertise on travel through industry speaking engagements, Katie appears onToday, A Current Affair and various radio segments.
With a BA in Communications majoring in Journalism and a career that has spanned roles at Fairfax Media and Are Media writing for titles such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and various lifestyle brands, she brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her most impactful trip to date has been swimming with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef. For her next trip she is longing to experience the romance of train travel – hopefully on The Ghan or Indian Pacific.
Monarto Safari Resort’s new Safari Lodge delivers so much more than a memorable stay; it’s packed full of unforgettable moments.
Just a year after the 78-room Monarto Safari Resort opened, the new Safari Lodge brings a more intimate and exclusive overnight African safari experience to Australia just outside of Adelaide. But just how similar is it to an African safari?
Consider these pinch-me moments I had during my stay and decide for yourself.
1. Cheetah sightings at check-in
Spot cheetahs before you even check in.
Safari Lodge is set within the Wild Africa precinct of the expansive, open-range Monarto Safari Park. I expected to see animals, but I didn’t expect to see two cheetahs stalking the fenceline just behind my tent at check-in.
I cross the paddock to get a closer look. Both are now perched like a sphinx on a hill overlooking the 20 premium tents that make up Safari Lodge. I stand here, locked in place, waiting to see if they make a move. After 10 minutes like this, I turn to get settled into the tent but throw a final look in their direction; they’ve slinked back down, now barely visible in the grass. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about this encounter later tonight.
2. Sipping champagne as a giraffe sips from a waterhole
Enjoy champagne while meeting the locals. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The all-inclusive stay includes a 2.5-hour Sunset Safari that takes guests into the Wild Africa precinct onboard a purpose-built Safari Land Cruiser for a chance to see free-roaming herds of African animals up close.
The safari drive culminates in a champagne and canapé stop in a fenced and sheltered viewing area of the precinct. A chance to watch the sun set as animals gather around one of the many waterholes. And we’re in luck! Two giraffes are stripping leaves from a nearby tree as three white rhinos graze to my right. One giraffe starts galloping, in that funny head-bobbing way giraffes do, to the water’s edge. It splays its legs and bends its long neck down to start slurping up water. I find giraffes endlessly entertaining, and sipping champagne while watching the scene play out is the icing on the cake.
3. A rain shower with views of a waterhole where African animals gather
Enjoy views from the King Safari Tent.
I am staying in tent 17, one of the best positioned tents for animal encounters, due to its proximity to the waterhole. Not only does the spacious 71-square-metre King Safari Tent feature a king bed, lounge area, separate dressing room with kitchenette, coffee machine, kettle and fully stocked mini bar, and ensuite bathroom. But you can even glimpse the waterhole from the rain shower. It’s thoughtful details like this that keep you connected to the safari experience no matter where you are located.
4. Feeding lions from within a caged dome
Step into the Lion 360 experience. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
Monarto Safari Park isn’t a zoo. Set across 1500 hectares of South Australian bushland, it’s an expansive safari experience. It’s been designed to support complex social groupings, natural behaviours and long-term species management. Entry is included for guests, but I’ve decided to upgrade my experience with tickets to Lion 360.
Senior Keeper Rachel Hemming herds 15 of us into a domed cage for the unique lion feeding experience. She leads Monarto’s care and conservation breeding programs for their iconic big cats. “Make sure you don’t get too close to the edge of the cage; the lions like to mark their territory,” she warns.
She starts making cat-like calls to Kubwa, Kashka and Kito, the three male lions lazing somewhere out of sight behind the tree line in the distance. The promise of food eventually lures the lions over. I’m in awe of their size as they pace back and forth, pausing to take the meat as it’s fed to them via tongs.
In her excitement, one lady has inched too close; a lion takes aim and hits his mark before she realises her mistake. I see her leaving the gift shop with a new jacket not long after the tour ends.
5. A swim in a private plunge pool with a floating charcuterie board
Tuck into a poolside treat. (Credit: Katie Carlin)
The Safari Lodge reception is also home to a restaurant and bar, heated swimming pool and several private plunge pools available to book. After a morning spent at Monarto Safari Park, a dip in one of the private plunge pools sounds too good to skip.
I change into my swimmers and make my way to the lodge. A generous charcuterie board arrives shortly after I slip into the pool. I’m told floating trays are already on order, but picking at the selection of cheeses, meats, nuts and fruit while perched on the edge sipping champagne is just as indulgent as it is having it float in the water. I never make it to the gym or pickleball court beside the lodge, but I have no regrets.
6. A front-row seat to a male rhino rejected by two females
Watch a rhino’s unlucky day. (Credit: Lucas Alexander)
Louis Tonkin, our Wild Africa Tour host, is giddy with excitement when he spots the three white rhinos on our Sunset Safari drive. He has an inkling that we’re about to get a show.
He pulls to the side and tells us what terrible eyesight white rhinos have, struggling to spot a motionless animal or object even from a short distance. However, they make up for it with acute hearing and an incredible sense of smell. Which explains why the larger male rhino is methodically creeping towards the two disinterested females grazing metres in front of him, then suddenly freezing on the spot. He’s hoping one will be open to mating with him. He takes another wary shuffle forward and suddenly the smaller of the two turns and charges towards him, butting him hard with her head. It’s a firm no. The male, denied, sheepishly backs away.
7. Watching a dazzle of zebra from the comfort of a luxury safari tent
Wildlife encounters abound.
Rain clouds loom, and the wind is howling, but thankfully it hasn’t deterred the zebras. I’m brewing a cup of Monarto’s Serengé-T – a vanilla rooibos blended with Daintree black tea and butterfly pea flower when I spot them. Six zebras are prancing across the plains for a drink at the waterhole. I watch their antics from the deck of my King Safari Tent, wrapped in a merino blanket made by Australian-owned Grampians Good Co. and marvel at the fact I get a front-row show to these wild animals.
After they disappear from view, I sit with the sketch pad and pencils I find in the cupboard and start drawing some of my most memorable animal encounters from the weekend – starting with the two hippos I saw ravenously munching on grass at dusk as we made our way out of the Wild Africa precinct last night. This really is as close to an authentic safari experience as you can get outside of Africa.
