Some moments on safari announce themselves immediately — a leopard stepping into view, a lion’s roar carrying through cool night air. Others arrive more quietly: the first coolness after a warm afternoon, ice cracking against a glass at sundowners, the welcome heat of the fireplace waiting back at your suite after dinner. These smaller moments often become what stays with you longest. At Shumbalala Game Lodge, evenings unfold slowly. They begin earlier...
Rooibos-infused Panna Cotta Recipe
We are excited to share one of our favourite summer recipes with you - a light and creamy Panna Cotta that we regularly serve to guests at the lodge. Below, you will find the recipe for this beautifully light dessert. We hope you enjoy bringing the South African flavours of Shumbalala Game Lodge into your kitchen this festive season.
ROOIBOS-INFUSED PANNA COTTA RECIPE

Ingredients
- 125 ml freshly brewed strong Rooibos espresso tea
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 375 ml fresh cream
- 2 tsp gelatin powder
Rooibos Syrup
- 5 Tbsp strong brewed rooibos tea
- 110 g sugar
- 50 ml honey
Method
- Pour the rooibos and sugar into a saucepan on medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.
- Stir in the cream and bring the temperature down to a low heat.
- While the cream mixture is gently heating up, pour 2 tsp water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top, so that it’s completely covered in water. Let this rest for about 5 minutes or until gelatin has completely softened.
- When the cream mixture is about to boil (when it starts to bubble around the edges) take the saucepan off the heat.
- Take 1/2 cup of cream mixture and mix into the softened gelatin and stir to dissolve completely.
- Add this 1/2 cup cream back into the remaining cream in the saucepan and whisk to mix thoroughly.
- Pour the mixture into a set of ramekins or glasses and let them rest in the fridge overnight, until set.
- Rooibos syrup - In a small pot add 5 Tbsp of brewed rooibos, sugar & honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the syrup in a jar and set aside to pour over the panna cottas when you serve them :) Enjoy!
We look forward to welcoming you to Shumbalala Game Lodge in the near future.
Further Reading
There is something wonderfully satisfying about packing for a safari. Long before you arrive at the airstrip you begin preparing. Choosing what to bring. What to leave behind. What this trip will need from you. A safari is not the kind of holiday that rewards over-packing. Dust settles on boots quickly here; the same jacket becomes familiar by the second morning drive. The bush asks for less, not more. A few well-chosen...
At first, safari is about what you see. A lion in the grass, an elephant at the water’s edge, a leopard draped across the branch of a tree. These are the moments you arrive hoping for — the ones you’ve imagined long before setting foot in the bush. They are striking, immediate, and unforgettable in their own right. But over time, something begins to shift. It becomes less about what you see,...
Share This Post