Setting off in an open safari vehicle at dawn, heading across the majestic Kwazulu Natal, we drive across hilly ground for more than an hour, zigzagging through high grass and stopping periodically to listen for raucous warning signals of different animals. Following a sweet, musky scent in the air, we spot a herd of impala, an antelope so plentiful they're dubbed the 'Big Macs' of the savannah: fast-food snacks for some of South Africa's most feared predators!

Sightings are likely in early mornings and late afternoons, and that's when we head out on game drives, spotting great herds of giraffes, impalas, hippos, a lone bull elephant, black and white rhino, kudu leaping across a hill in the morning light and a little kingfisher with its shiny, red beak and blue back. Sitting in absolute silence, we watch a cheetah slink forward, every movement an exercise in precision. "The impala know something is up," murmurs our guide. "They're not eating." As the cheetah circles ahead of the herd, I find myself enthralled by the spectacle. It is just my second day in the bush and I have already seen the world's largest land mammals (huge-tusked African elephants), the earth's tallest animals (giraffes, the fashion legs of Africa) and, the planet's toughest creatures (warthogs).

I'm probably as wild-eyed as the camp baboons, a more than eager visitor to the African continent, which has a long history of hosting safari-bound tourists. The secluded hideaways appeal to visitors who want five-star amenities served along with their wildlife. Thatched-roof chalets come with plunge pools and muslin-draped four-poster beds. Candlelit gourmet dinners glisten with silver and crystal. And a hungry cheetah hints at ancient dramas unfolding in the vastness of the bush.

Midway across this dramatic landscape, cold boxes, hotboxes and picnic boxes are unpacked. Local African rugs and blankets are spread on the bonnet, on the roof and on every available rock and ground. Out come Koeksisters doused with orange-infused syrup and served with liberal helpings of pista halwa, dates and candied lemon. Presumably a relation of the doughnut, Koeksisters are made from plaited dough which is deep-fried, then plunged into a sweet ginger and lemon juice syrup. The result is a wonderfully crispy delicacy that oozes with sticky syrup - sinfully delicious and wickedly fattening! Then, there are fresh strawberries, iced ginger and lemon grass tea, local cheese, freshly baked pita-like breads stuffed with crispy bacon, eggs and mayo.

Inspired by the savage beauty and allure of Africa, Conservation Corporation Africa's kitchen safari is a journey through the stunning lodges at Phinda and Kwandwe, where 'chefs of the soil', have created a fusion of tastes and sights of the bush, brilliant and evocative dishes, prepared and served in some of the most dramatic settings in Africa. The itinerary is simple: Game drive and eat, travel from bush to savannah to veldt to lodge to game reserve and never let more than a fewminutes go by between meals. In other words: a food lover's paradise.

I wonder at all the changes this country has seen. Years ago, in the wake of apartheid, you wouldn't have found much in the way of culinary tourism here. Today the country's young rising chefs ingeniously use local ingredients to create delicious modern South African dishes. A great sampler is 'Bobotie', which is shepherd's pie with personality. Minced beef is slow-cooked with curry powder and lots of aromatic spices such as turmeric, coriander, cloves, cumin and bay leaf. Apricot and sultana and almond are optional and give the bobotie a wonderful sweet and sour flavour. The mince mixture is placed in a bowl, topped with an egg custard and baked in the oven until the custard turns golden. Bobotie is almost always served with geelrys (rice, cooked with turmeric, raisins and cloves) and accompanied by blatjang (fruit chutney).

The three holiest words in South Africa's culinary tradition are blitong, sundowner and braai. Respectively, these refer to air-dried meat, a sunset cocktail, and an outdoor barbecue, the preferred form of social communion. Blitong and beef jerky are both salt-cured meat snacks just as champagne and breezers are both refreshing carbonated beverages.

At sundown, the ranger puts down his gun for a silver martini shaker. We move onto the bush and stop just as the first game drive spotlight is seen flickering in the night sky in the distance. Our excited voices are audible in the still night air, as the vital culinary equipment is unloaded from the safari vehicle. As the table hits the ground, a cloth is thrown over it. The staff fling cutlery and glasses into place and out of nowhere, chairs appear in position! 'Welcome to bush dinner', says Richard our naturalist and companion guide. One by one the other safari vehicles arrive. The lanterns look as if the stars have fallen gently to earth and been caught up in the trees. The aroma of roasting meat and potatoes fill the still African night with the moon bathing the landscape in a warm soothing light. Cheerful laughter rises towards the star-emblazoned skies as cocktails are drunk with gusto and stories shared.

Afrikaners traditionally begin every festive meal with bread and jam. With this bread (cooked in one of the wood-burning ovens) and these syrupy jams (fig, apricot, grape), I do too. After downing Muddy Elephant, an Amarulla-spiked heady cocktail (blend of Dutch Chocolate vodka, Amarulla liqueur and Godiva liqueur), we submit to the torrent of dishes representing the cuisine of South Africa. I fill up on baked goat's cheese in vine leaves, salad of roasted aubergine, tomato and mint and a duck with chilli marmalade...

Amarulla is believed to be an aphrodisiac, made from the intoxicating berries of South Africa's rare Marulla tree. Once a year the ripened berries of this tree drop to the ground, and their exotic scent attracts elephants that travel many miles to feast upon them. The flavour drives the elephants wild, and they often 'over binge' on the fermented delicacies, causing them to become drunk... and particularly amorous. Our guide tells us that this is quite a sight to see!

We fall into the rhythm of a typical African safari: a 5 a.m. rise for a drive, then breakfast, a nap while the big cats sleep in the afternoon and then another three-hour drive in the evening. After every game drive, we return to camp, a tranquil outpost shaded by ebony trees and thick forest. Consisting of a main lodge and just six chalets, the super deluxe camp exudes exclusivity. The cuisine is superlative without being excessive. We dine on high-quality lamb, gourmet seafood dishes and desserts such as fig and brandy pudding, each night enjoying some of South Africa's wines.

Morning coffee in the wild, cocktails in the bush, springbok carpaccio at a candlelit dinner. Beds topped with down continental quilts and romantically draped with netting. And, of course, baths drawn to order. Plus elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, rhinos, lions, zebras, hippos and brilliantly hued birds…a luxury safari is one of those rare experiences that may well live up to its promise though it won't come cheap. Among them are the highly acclaimed Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa and the new Lake Manyara Tree Lodge in Tanzania, besides Phinda and Kwandwe. Prices at CC Africa lodges vary from camp to camp, often going up to $1500 per person per night. Why the high cost? One reason is comfort in the wild. Another, that at Africa's private reserves and luxury camps, guests are sure to see game, that too, the Big Five.

The Lodge locales seem like they are straight out of Out of Africa. They come with a pool, highly trained staff and a private chef who arranges remarkable meals, such as creamy pumpkin soup, ostrich fillets with rosemary or pork loin in a creamy pear sauce and a chocolate tart with mascarpone cheese. An outdoor 'brai' or barbecue features chicken with garlic, smoked springbok carpaccio, roasted kudu, spicy prawn skewers and pineapple-and-rum flambé. Smart visitors learn early to go easy on the meals. Taking a morning run isn't really an option: lions are much swifter than guests!

This is as close as it gets to a safari with soul. On my last evening, sitting by the fire, I am reluctant to leave this South African heaven where the chef nonchalantly serves up a bush banquet; where you can spot a lioness and her cubs in the morning light, and go for a bush walk in the afternoon, imbibing Zulu folklore along the way.

I always like to return to South Africa: because, no matter how many times I visit, there's always something extraordinary to do, to see, to taste, to drink. As an adventurer, a wannabe gourmand, bush-babe, wine-buff, culture-lover and conservationist, I can really have it all.

Safari Soufflé

Chocolate Pan Soufflé with Orange and Mint
Ingredients:
Brown sugar, 10 gms; Fresh mint leaves shredded, 5 units; Freshly grated orange rind, 2 ml; Eggs separated, 2 units; Castor sugar, 10 ml; Small knob of butter, 10 ml; Crème fraiche, 30 ml; Dark chocolate - shaved, 50 gms.
Method:
Mix brown sugar, mint leaves and orange rind. Set aside.
Whisk egg yolks and castor sugar together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and gently fold into the yolk mix.
Melt the butter in a small, cast-iron pan. Pour in the egg mixture and cook for two minutes until it is just about set. Very carefully, flip the preparation with a palette knife and cook the other side for a minute.
Drop the crème fraiche on top of the soufflé and then fold in half. Slide on to a plate and dust generously with brown sugar mix and chocolate servings. Serve hot.