“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense,” Alice once said.

As the sun dipped below the horizon on the final evening of 2024, anticipation buzzed through the air at Londolozi like a swarm of bees. The most eagerly awaited event of our calendar year was about to unfold – our annual New Year’s Eve celebration. This year, we invited our guests to venture through the looking glass into a world where the magic of Lewis Carroll’s beloved tale merged seamlessly with the wild enchantment of the African bush. We’ve discovered that sometimes the most wonderful sense can be found in a touch of nonsense, and the stage was set for an evening where reality and fantasy would dance together under the stars, and where every corner of Londolozi would be transformed into a scene straight out of Alice in Wonderland.

“Don’t be late for a very important date!” – the White Rabbit

The Varty Camp Deck, typically home to our evening fires and traditional festivities, had undergone a transformation that would have made the Mad Hatter proud. Speaking of our beloved Hatter, the aptly named “Mad Hatter Bar” served up cocktails that might not have made us grow taller or shorter, but certainly lifted our spirits. Signature drinks like “The Mad Hatter’s G&T” flowed as freely as the Sand River in full flood.

Those brave enough to venture “Down the Rabbit Hole Bar” found themselves in a world where leopard spots merged with Cheshire Cat grins, and the distant call of a hyena could have easily been mistaken for the laughter of our striped feline friend. Here, the usual rules of the bush were turned delightfully upside down – much like Alice’s own adventures.

The evening’s feast would have put the Mad Hatter’s tea party to shame. Our chefs outdid themselves with a spread that married the whimsy of Wonderland with the flavours of Africa. Mushrooms (thankfully not the type that make one change size) featured prominently, while “Eat Me” labels adorned carefully crafted desserts that would have made the Queen of Hearts herself forget about her beloved tarts.

As the stars wheeled overhead – our own celestial pocket watch counting down to midnight – we couldn’t help but think that perhaps Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland wasn’t so different from our corner of the African bush. Here at Londolozi, we regularly host tea parties with elephants (though they prefer marula fruits to scones), our leopards are just as enigmatic as any Cheshire Cat, and the wisdom shared around our campfires could rival any caterpillar’s philosophical musings.

When the clock finally struck midnight, we raised our glasses to a new year of adventures, knowing that at Londolozi, every day holds the promise of falling down a rabbit hole into another extraordinary adventure. After all, as the Cheshire Cat said, “We’re all mad here” – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Just like Alice emerged from her dream with a new appreciation for the wonderland she’d experienced, our guests departed the celebration with hearts full of Londolozi magic and heads spinning with memories of a truly unprecedented New Year’s Eve. In the end, we realized that perhaps the greatest similarity between Wonderland and Londolozi is that both places make you question what’s possible, and both have a wonderful way of making the impossible seem perfectly normal.

And as for our White Rabbit? Duncan MacLarty was last seen checking his watch and muttering something about an early morning game drive – proving that in our corner of Wonderland, the adventures never really end, they just transform into new ones.

As the first dawn of 2025 breaks over Londolozi, we find ourselves filled with gratitude for the magic we shared on this extraordinary night. To all our guests who joined us down the rabbit hole, and to our extended Londolozi family around the world, we wish you a new year filled with wonder, wild adventures, and moments that make you question whether you’re awake or dreaming. After all, as Alice discovered and as we at Londolozi know so well, sometimes the best dreams are the ones we live while we’re wide awake.

Here’s to a magnificent 2025!