Creature comforts at Monarto Safari Resort
A stay at the Monarto Safari Resort feels like a world away, thanks to a clever combination of wildlife experiences against a backdrop of high-end resort relaxation.
Walking out onto the balcony of our room at the Monarto Safari Resort, it takes a moment to acclimatise to where we are and what we are witnessing.
Straight ahead is a tower of giraffes, gracefully making their way across the plains that stretch for miles in front of this new luxury resort just 70 kilometres out of Adelaide.
Binoculars are conveniently placed in the room for a closer look at the other animals wandering past our Waterhole Room which, as the name suggests, face waterholes dotted across the landscape.
Then we notice something moving at high speed … it’s close enough to see it’s an ostrich playfully chasing a baby giraffe, darting under and around the giraffe’s long limbs and body, creating a plume of dust in its wake.
The resort, which opened in May this year, is in the state’s Murraylands, adjacent Monarto Safari Park.
The Wild African Precinct, which surrounds the resort, has been designed to replicate the wide-open plains of the African wilderness, creating the largest safari experience outside of Africa.
This conservation area spans 550 hectares and provides natural habitat for rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, antelopes and more.
But this stay is not just about the wildlife. The 78-room resort boasts a high-end health retreat, Marula Day Spa, named after the African marula tree. The spa uses South Australian Jurlique products exclusively and offers a host of treatments including massages, facials and foot immersions.
The spa incorporates the Marula Soak House, with a warm vitality pool that looks out to the plains beyond, and a cold plunge pool to really awaken the senses. We move from the vitality pool to the chilled plunge pool – I last 20 seconds – before we head into the warm embrace of the timber sauna, also with views out to the landscape.
The resort also boasts Kutjera Restaurant, which means bush tomato in the native language, which showcases largely South Australian produce through its contemporary Australian menu.
We kick off with Smoky Bay oysters, followed by our mains – 100-day dry aged prime sirloin, braised lamb shoulder and pan-fried barramundi – and shared dessert of salted Belgian chocolate cake and a guava yuzu lemon tart. The wine list, too, features largely SA stars mixed with some Western Australian and South African drops.
Interiors throughout the resort have been designed by Adelaide firm Studio Gram and mirror the landscape beyond with warm timbers, natural stone, and a neutral colour palette. It feels sophisticated but not stuffy, enticing guests to relax, slow down and get back to nature.
Two enormous pools and a decking and viewing area at the front of the resort provide another vantage point to connect to the environment.
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The next morning is an early start, rising with the orange glow of the sun over the plains, to take part in a dawn safari tour. Exclusive to resort guests, the guided bus tour journeys to the plains beyond, enabling us to get even closer to the spectacular wildlife as it wakes up for the day.
First stop is a large waterhole where a shy hippopotamus, a nocturnal creature our guide tells us, stays submerged but is kind enough to stick its nostrils ever so slightly from the water.
Luckily, the other wildlife we drive on to see is more obliging, including a coalition of cheetahs, with one walking right up to the bus and then meandering slowly for several metres along the dirt road in front of us, demanding we move at his speed.
Our tour takes us alongside several large groups of antelope gliding through the long grass, numerous statuesque giraffes nibbling away at their feeding stations, plus we see a couple of white rhinos, and a dazzle of zebras laying in the morning sun. All this before breakfast.
All the while our knowledgeable guide is informing us about Monarto’s ethos of conservation and protection, as well as giving insights into each species and their habits. In the distance we can also see the 20 luxury safari tents set amongst the plains, launching in 2026.
After a quick buffet breakfast, we check out of the resort and drive to Monarto Safari Park next door to take part in the Lion 360 Experience.
We make our way down a long concrete tunnel, before finding ourselves suddenly standing in a caged area – the tables have turned.
Nine lions have made their way across the enclosure and are crawling all over the cage, walking above our heads, jumping up against the sides, bearing their massive teeth and claws as they vie for a feed of meat on offer from the guides.
It’s possible to purchase an experience to hand feed the lions (for those 10 years and over) and after some strict instructions on how to stand still and back a few steps from the cage, I find myself face to face with one of these kings of the jungle.
I feel the power of the predator as he goes up on two legs and slams his body against the cage keen to get at my meaty offering on a stick. It’s exhilarating, and completely safe, but I’m a tad relieved when I can step back into the crowd again.
Again, conservation is the name of the game, with the experience raising awareness and funds to protect these beautiful beasts.
SALIFE stayed at Monarto Safari Resort as a guest of Journey Beyond.
This article first appeared in the November 2025 issue of SALIFE magazine.
