WISE COUNSEL: BARBARA CHARLTON
Regular columnist Barbara was voted Most Helpful Travel Counsellor of the Year for two consecutive years.
Barbara.Charlton@
travelcounsellors.com T: 0845 0587 290
Great escapes to Africa booming
AFRICA varies so much between the European-infl uenced north and the sub-Saharan part of the continent known for wine, safaris. and more. The last couple of years have brought me a lot of enquiries for Morocco, so I thought it about time I went myself. My eldest son’s gorgeous new baby girl, Imogen, has been home a month now and is absolutely perfect, but I needed a break from my role as Nanzilla!
"THE TAJ PALACE LIVED UP TO ITS NAME WHEN WE WERE SHOWERED BY ROSE PETALS AS WE ENTERED!"
MOROCCAN MAGIC I knew that Marrakech would be a bit too bustling for me and I’d spotted some Kasbahs in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains at a Morocco evening last year. After some investigation I found the small boutique Kasbah Bab Ourika, set overlooking the fertile Ourika Valley and dramatic snow- topped Atlas Mountains. Just an hour’s drive by 4x4 brought
us to a peaceful haven with wonderful views all around. We could have done
some amazing hiking, but with only four nights we decided to relax, read and enjoy the excellent cuisine and wine in some of the many romantic little nooks dotted about the property. We had a fi nal night at the newly- opened Taj Palace, 20 minutes outside Marrakech. This also had distant views to the mountains from our Palace Atlas room. It certainly lived up to its name, with glorious, spacious rooms and a welcome that included a shower of rose petals raining down on us as we entered the lobby! The service throughout was excellent, especially from our butler, and we had the best Indian cuisine I have ever tasted. This is a perfect short break choice for clients who expect the very best.
OUT OF AFRICA I also recently attended a lovely evening hosted by specialist tour operator Africa Collection. We were given some great insights into their African properties, which range from small guest houses to top-of-the range private game reserves. Africa Collection tailor-make all its trips and I’ve never had anything but excellent feedback on the many honeymoons and special trips I’ve arranged through them. As ever, it was great to get out and build on important relationships!
A young shepherdess in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco
More best-kept secrets...
Our winner this month is Becca Spurgeon from Visions of Africa! Horsing around
“The Kilgobbin Friesian Stud in KwaZulu Natal South Africa is home to HorsePlay – an opportunity to learn the secrets of communicating with one of the most fascinating of animals and a great hands-on experience. Secondly, the Karkloof Canopy Tour is a unique two-hour eco-adventure through the magnifi cent Karkloof indigenous forest. The tour comprises nine platforms and eight slides that zig-zag 30 metres above the pristine valley.”
Runners up... “Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is in a unique setting in the lee of Table Mountain and has so much to offer. For those daunted by walking there are guided tours by electric golf cart and if you plan to make a day of it, order a Garden Gourmet Picnic lunch for R145pp." Lucy Kubilkowski, Visions of Africa Visions of Africa “Visit the quaint town of Echuca, Victoria, where period costumes and paddleboat steamers on the Murray River help to show you how Australia was in the old days.” Rebecca Aylett, ex-Travel Counsellor
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