FEATURE ROMANTIC AFRICA


ROMANTIC AFRICA  Top Selling Tips...


• Plenty in reserve... “Game reserves are extremely popular, especially those at the luxury end of the market. As well as outstanding game viewing and scenery most lodges now offer spa treatments and fine dining which are nearly always on most honeymooners and romantic couples’ wish lists.”


JOHN PARKER, Product Manager Premier Holidays


In Zambia, at Victoria Falls The Royal Livingstone is located on the bank of the Zambezi River. Activities for loved- up couples include sipping cocktails on the sun deck only a few hundred metres from the falls, a massage under a secluded gazebo at the riverbank, a sunset cruise on the African Queen looking for hippos and crocs, or a unique dining experience onboard the Pullman style Livingstone Express, a carefully restored steam train (www.suninternational.com). Chongwe River Lodge is located


on the banks of the Zambezi River, in the Lower Zambezi. The Cassia Suite is a private, luxury tented suite for two, consisting of a canopied lounge and dining area with private plunge pool and fire pit and huge octagonal bedroom. The outside bathroom features a ball


and claw bathtub and an intimate rainfall-style shower – and the suite even comes with its own butler (www.chongwe.com).


What’s New Until December 2012 Shamwari Game Reserve, in South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape, is offering a complimentary safari wedding to guests booking three nights’ accommodation (www.shamwari.com). Also in South Africa, Phinda Private Game Reserve, an &Beyond property, has a new two- to five-hour, boat-based whale viewing expedition at nearby Sodwana Bay. Available from June to October, what could be more romantic than being rocked by Indian Ocean waves whilst watching a Bryde’s


Opposite: (inset) Masai wedding, Porini; Bathtub for two at Garonga; This page: Chongwe River Lodge; Katie Culver gets married at Shamwari


whale breaching in front of you? Between November and February Couples can also sign up for a moonlit escapade to view leatherback and loggerhead turtles emerging from the Indian Ocean to lay their eggs in the sand (www.phinda.com). Nkwichi Lodge, on the shores of


Lake Niassa in Mozambique, has introduced what it says is the ultimate romantic ‘sleep out’ experience – a ‘Lake of Stars Bed’, set on a private rock island. Ten minutes by boat from the lake shore, the Lake of Stars Bed offers a chance for couples to get away from it all and enjoy a night under the stars on their own private island. They are transported by boat in the early evening, in time to enjoy the sunset over the water, and dinner is served before the couple are left to enjoy the tranquil setting and the sounds of the lake by night (www.mandawilderness.org). Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa, on


the east coast of the island of Zanzibar, has an updated wedding package. Seven nights, on a full-board basis, with a wedding package, costs from £4146 for a couple. This includes flights and transfers and is bookable through many UK tour operators, including Somak.


Tourism Talk DAWN PARR


Botswana Tourism “For honeymooners, or romantic couples of any


age wanting privacy and unrivalled wildlife experiences with a touch of luxury, there is no better destination than Botswana. Five-star lodges in remote locations, often catering for less than a dozen guests and all providing the ultimate in wildlife interaction away from the crowds, are our speciality."


FIONA MALAN Sun International “The Royal Livingstone Hotel


in Zambia in my opinion is unmatched by any other hotel or resort; you couldn’t find a more beautiful or romantic place. Even just a sleepy afternoon relaxing in a shady hammock at the water’s edge is magnificent thanks to the sheer beauty of the setting.”


From The Front Line MICHAEL CREIGHTON


Africa Product Manager, Travel 2 “Africa offers the perfect


romantic holiday. Whether it is the quintessential safari in Kenya followed by time on the tropical island of Zanzibar or a city break in trendy Cape Town followed by viewing the ‘Big Five’ in the Kruger National Park, Africa has choices to satisfy all romantics.”


KATIE CULVER Castaways Travel “I won an agents competition to have my


wedding at Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa. Wow, what a trip! It was all amazing. 'Lucky' who looked after us was a gem along with Jason our ranger and Tracey who organised the wedding to a 'T'. The reality of Shamwari exceeded all our expectations.”


Where To Book It 2BY2 HOLIDAYS – 01582 766122 www.2by2holidays.co.uk The African Romance package, including three nights at Garonga, near the Kruger, on a fully-inclusive basis and four nights at Steenberg near Cape Town,


B&B, starts from


£2,395pp, sharing, including flights on SAA. At Garonga wedding package start at R7480 (around £625) including minister fees, a wedding cake, wild flower bouquet, decorated safari vehicle, private dinner with bottle of bubbly, massages each and airport transfers.


TRAVEL 2 www.travel2.com An 11-day East Africa trip, including a four-day Masai Mara fly-in safari at Governors Camp and seven nights at the four-star Breezes beach Club and Spa, Zanzibar, in a standard room including half board and flights from London, starts from £2099pp. Travel dates: May 1- June 28 2012. Book by: May 31 2012.


RAINBOW TOURS – 020 7666 1250 Africa@rainbowtours.co.uk Five nights at Sanctuary Baines' Camp, Botswana, including flights from London and regional flights, fully inclusive of accommodation, meals, drinks and two walking activities per day and park fees, starts from £3,575pp. A seven-night stay at Nkwichi Lodge, Mozambique, including one night in the Lake of Stars Bed, is from £2395pp.


www.sellinglonghaul.com • May 2012 33


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