Lily Allen goes wild in South Africa

I had just been on a whirlwind tour in which I covered virtually the whole of America in 20 days, and I hadn't been on holiday since the Caribbean with my mum at Christmas, so I was desperate for a break. I am a big animal fan and had heard about the Molori Safari Lodge from Kate Moss and Fran Cutler, who both visited earlier this year and had raved about the place, so it seemed like the perfect escape, which is how I ended up on a private plane with my two friends, Kim Jones, the creative director of Dunhill, and Polly King, heading from Johannesburg to the Madikwe Game Reserve.

The flight north took 45 minutes and we were all so excited that we spent most of it giggling hysterically. In the end I had a drink to calm myself down, which meant that I was very relaxed by the time we landed and met Greg, our guide, who I had already heard a lot about from Kate and Fran.

The lodge itself is an absolutely magical place. Set in the middle of a 75,000-hectare game reserve, it is an oasis of decked outdoor areas shaded by beautiful trees with old twisting trunks, cool blue pools and soft day beds. The whole resort is surrounded by trees, plants and grass. It's very open but manages to feel secluded and private at the same time.

On arrival, we received the most amazing welcome from the staff and were escorted to our suites. Mine was the Molelo Suite, which was, without a doubt, the best I've ever stayed in. It was huge, with two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, a gorgeous dining room and a vast living area that opened out on to a private infinity pool and Jacuzzi. Kim and I fell in love with the design, which was a mix of cool modern furniture, local crafts and loads of amazing pieces of furniture by Fendi. The interiors were something I really appreciated with my love of fashion, and Kim also has an eye for stylish design. But the best bit for me was the floor-to-ceiling windows, which opened out on to the most incredible views of the savannah.

After a delicious fresh salad lunch prepared by the chef, Willie Malherbe, and accompanied by some great South African wines, it was time for our first game drive. We jumped aboard the Land Rover and headed off into the hot afternoon in search of the big five. Our first sighting was a huge bull elephant, which gently plodded past us to the nearest waterhole, where we spotted a massive lion lying under a tree. It roared and we screamed.

After a bit more driving, I had my first experience of a 'sundowner'. 'White for light, red for bed!' joked Kim as I took in the magnificent views, all the better for the cold glass of Chardonnay in my hand.

We moved on and Greg tracked the lion to a fresh kill where we discovered a whole pride feasting bloodily on a carcass. I have to say, it didn't smell that good at all.

Next morning we woke at five, which wasn't as painful as it sounds. We layered on clothes, as the African mornings are pretty freezing, and I kept singing 'It's five o'clock in the morning' to bolster our spirits.

(Right) a giraffe at the waterhole

Driving out into the misty morning, we soon saw our old friend the elephant near the waterhole, but then we also spotted hyenas, lions, zebras and kudus. It was breathtaking. By the time we got back to the lodge I was starving. Thankfully there was a huge selection of fresh fruit laid out, followed by a cooked breakfast, and then it was down to the pool to relax, or in our case start a Scrabble competition. I always win.

As the days passed we did more drives, choosing a different route each time. Sometimes we would be out all day, and we even did night drives to increase our chances of seeing different animals, although we did have to look a bit harder. I got totally obsessed and became the top spotter.