In today’s world, the biggest luxury is time. This 23-day honeymoon extravaganza is comprised of extraordinary romance and exceptional accommodation in Southern & East Africa with art & wine tours as well as a balloon safari.
Day 1 – 4: Discover diverse Cape Town
Cape Town also referred to as ‘The mother city’ is one of Africa’s most beautiful cities and Ellerman House is widely regarded as among its most desirable places to stay.
Located in the exclusive neighborhood of Bantry Bay with unending views of the Atlantic Ocean, Ellerman House has upscale original art, excellent dining and a carefully curated wine cellar. It is also within easy driving distance from major attractions like Table Mountain, Cape Town’s best beaches and the V&A Waterfront.
After spending a day settling into your plush home from home, enjoy a private ‘Art in the City’ experience on Day 2 that shows you the best of African and local art in the Mother City’s top galleries. The next day you venture out for more inventive and thought-provoking art, this time in the famed Cape Wine lands, which are comprised of the rolling vineyards and craggy peaks around historic towns as such Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
Cape Town is a place of incredible natural beauty with much to see and do – the perfect point to enter Africa!
Day 5 – 8: Stalk leopards at Singita
From urban to untouched: bid farewell to Ellerman House and fly to Nelspruit near the Kruger National Park, South Africa’s flagship wildlife reserve. A private driver will take you to Singita Lebombo, a luxurious lodge in a private concession with the park that is for guests only.
A haven of subtle colours and natural fibers, Lebombo has racked up the awards and has superlative dining and a fine wine cellar. Between game drives with highly experienced trackers to seek out predators, the Big 5 and African raptors, you can enjoy revitalizing treatments in the spa or relaxing on your extensive private balcony, on which you can enjoy romantic dinners for two.
For the truly adventurous, opt to spend a night under the stars, listening to the hoots and calls of the African night, by asking for your balcony daybeds to be made up with Egyptian cotton sheets. It is an unforgettable experience to wake gently with the first beams of sun spreading their warmth over the tree tops…
Days 9 – 10: Luxury in the city It may be hard to say goodbye to Singita Lebombo but say goodbye you must as the next part of your journey beckons. You will board a scheduled departure for a short flight to Johannesburg, Africa’s economic powerhouse fuelled by diamonds and gold, and its most pulsating city. Your accommodation is the impeccable Athol Place, an ultra-luxe boutique hotel in the upscale enclave of Sandton.
It is the perfect spot to either unwind after three days of very early mornings for sunrise game drives (you can wallow in your private Jacuzzi bath) or to see the myriad sights that Johannesburg has to offer. Depending on your schedule, you may be able to fit in a visit to Soweto, a trip to the moving Apartheid Museum or perhaps just a shopping spree for African keepsakes in Sandton City, the continent’s glossiest mall.
Day 11 – 12: Karibu Nairobi!
After a blissful night’s sleep at Athol Place, you are driven to OR Tambo International Airport for your flight to East Africa’s equivalent of Johannesburg – the exciting city of Nairobi! A colourful array of markets mixed with a sprinkling of skyscrapers, Nairobi is an intoxicating blend of Western and African, old and new. You will be checked into a Deluxe Room at Hemingways Nairobi, a tranquil retreat in the exclusive neighbourhood of Karen, supposedly named after Karen Blixen, the writer of Out of Africa. Overlooking the Ngong Hills and featuring a menu overseen by a Michelin-starred chef, Hemingways is ideal for either simply relaxing or, because of its convenient location, visiting Kenyan institutions like Giraffe Manor or the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.
Day 13 – 15: The Masai Mara awaits
For millions of years, the Masai Mara has supported an abundance of life, from mega herds of wildebeest on their annual trek for fresh grazing to stalking predators that rely on their strength and skill to stay alive. Now it is your turn to experience this wildlife panoply: a dazzle of zebras as they canter across the golden grass, an elephant family calmly communicating with one another to keep the little ones safe, and a bateleur eagle soaring above on its epic daily quest for prey.
Your haven in this untouched wilderness is Angama Mara, one of the newest lodges in the Mara Triangle designed and built to exacting contemporary standards. You will jet into its private landing strip and have your every whim taken care of, whether it is a charming dinner on your balcony or exciting game viewing from the comfort of your own vehicle (you will never share with other guests).
On your second day at this slice of paradise, rise early and toast the dawn with a glass of bubbly from a drifting hot-air balloon. A balloon safari gives you a rare and privileged experience of the Mara as you see the land from a perspective formerly reserved for the circling bateleurs… The enormous tented suites at Angama Mara have expansive glass fronts to allow for jaw-dropping views and have been conceived to be as eco-friendly as possible, without sacrificing comfort or appeal. Between game drives or laps in the pool, settle into the spa for expert treatments.
Day 16 – 18: Like no other place on earth…
Kenya and Tanzania are the jewels in the global safari crown. After absorbing the incomparable atmosphere of Kenya, it is time to see one of Tanzania’s gems: the Ngorongoro Crater. The world’s largest unbroken caldera from an ancient and extinct volcano, the mineral-rich ash makes the crater’s soil especially fertile, which in turn supports some of the best grazing in East Africa. No wonder it’s almost 30 000 animals – including the Big 5 – have no reason leave. Game viewing in Ngorongoro is renowned as among the easiest in the world, where spotting the Big 5 on a single outing is not uncommon.
This natural splendour is matched by your peerless accommodation: the decadent and extravagant Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. Perched on the very rim of the crater with an exterior designed to echo a traditional ‘manyatta’ or village, the interiors are a tasteful riot of vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, antiques, sculptures and eclectic furnishings. After flying into the Lake Manyara airstrip, you will be pampered by the attentive staff at the lodge who are eager to lay on bush picnics and romantic turn-downs.
Day 19 – 22: Ending on a high…
So far you have traversed Africa’s best cities and its wilderness wonders – now it is time for one of its loveliest beaches. From Ngorongoro Crater Lodge you will be driven to Arusha for your flight to Zanzibar, rightfully known as the Spice Island. In fact, you will detect the heady scent of cloves and other spices as this small but beautiful isle comes into view from the plane.
After touching down at Zanzibar International Airport, you will be chauffeured the length of the island to north for three days at Kilindi. Deliberately designed to be in harmony with nature and to eschew the feeling of a standard resort, Kilindi has ‘open-air’ bathrooms, private plunge pools and personal waiters. A few steps from the sandy beach, the north of the Zanzibar is known for spectacular sunsets- perfect for toasting yet another day in paradise. Although Zanzibar is synonymous with serious R&R, you will also undertake a tour of old Stone Town, a maze of alleys punctuated with brass-knobbed door, arches and minarets, to discover the island’s exciting past. Explore markets, step into spice shops and soak up the lively atmosphere in a town where African, Arabian and European influences converge.
Your butler will also be able to arrange diving or snorkeling excursions in the warm, turquoise waters although the temptation to do nothing more strenuous that stretch out on a sun lounger may prove overwhelming…
Day 23: Good bye Africa!
After 23 days and a lifetime of memories (not to mention a camera full of photos), the time has come to return home. You will retrace your journey to Zanzibar International Airport for your flights home, perhaps mentally calculating when you can do it all over again!
This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!!