MONTH’S TAILOR-MADE AFRICA JOURNEY South Africa Namibia Zambia 17TH JANUARY – 18TH FEBRUARY 2016
ITINERARY 17 Jan - Depart London overnight on BA (Air Miles)
18 - Arrive Johannesburg - Fly to Richard's Bay - Pick up car and drive to Zulu Nyala (6 nights already booked)
18 – 24 January - Explore Zulu Nyala with car
24 - Drive to Fugitive's Drift (Battlefields) – 2 nights The Zulu War of 1879 is famous throughout the English-speaking world for the great battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. The spectacular Fugitives’ Drift property, a 5000 acre Natural Heritage Site, overlooks both Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, and includes the site where Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill lost their lives attempting to save the Queen’s Colour of their regiment.
If one tried to dream up geography and topography for the clash between two great nations, one could hardly come up with a more fantastic scene than this one.
It was here that David and Nicky Rattray pioneered Heritage Tourism in South Africa and created an award winning lodge for visitors to savour this extraordinary saga.
Led by the finest guides in South Africa, thought-provoking and often emotionally charged tours are conducted daily to Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. Walks and horserides through the reserve to view abundant game and birdlife are offered as well as fishing the 20km frontage on the Buffalo River.
The reserve offers a choice of accommodation in either the Lodge or the Guest House, both owned by the Rattrays and both born out of their extensive experience in the hospitality industry. Evident in every corner
of Fugitives’ Drift is the Rattrays’ love of South Africa, its people and its unique history.
Both the Lodge and Guest House have spacious and luxurious en-suite cottages which all have private verandahs and broad views over the plains flanking the Buffalo River Gorge. The Lodge and Guest House both have swimming pools set in their colourful, well established gardens which are home to innumerable bird species.
25 - Fugitive's Drift - Guided trip over the Battlefields with expert historian Fugitives’ Drift has become world-renowned for its battlefield tours to all the Zulu War battle sites in the region, particularly the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift.
Flagship tours to Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift are led by registered tour guides Joseph Ndima, Andrew Rattray and Mphiwa Ntanzi, who are superb storytellers and make the history of that day come alive. Our long family associations with the area and its people allow us to offer you some unique Zulu perspectives.
Learn of the bravery and mobility of the Zulu army that defeated the British Army at the Battle of Isandlwana and listen at sunset to the famous story of Rorke’s Drift, where 139 British soldiers were attacked by 4000 Zulu warriors; a British victory which saw the award of more Victoria Crosses than in any other battle in history.
26 - Drive to the Drakensberg Mountains (Stop off at Spioenkop to see the Anglo-Dutch battlefield) - Cleopatra Mountain Lodge – 2 nights The house is nestled in a valley, surrounded by rolling hills and deep gullies – boasting activities ranging from trout fishing, hiking and birding to horse riding and swimming. Cleopatra's Mountain Farmhouse is a haven for those looking for a memorable break from fast-paced life and a chance to explore South Africa's mountain kingdom.
Accommodation is in luxury en-suite bedrooms, all individually decorated in the unusual and slightly wacky style epitomised in the main house.
Your hosts, Richard and Mouse Poynton, having travelled extensively with renowned chefs worldwide, returned home to develop the family farm
into their vision of a dream hotel. They will welcome you, warmly and personally, to their eclectic and quirky gourmet getaway in the mist. Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse is hidden away in the Kamberg Valley, close to Giant's Causeway Nature Reserve. The Farmhouse is set on 500 acres of rolling hills dotted with walking trails to enjoy.
Further afield, the Highmoor Nature Reserve is a 10 minute drive away. Game in the reserve includes Eland, Reedbuch, Oribi, Jackal, Serval and a huge diversity of birdlife and flora. Set up on Highmoor are three large dams stocked with rainbow trout.
Fishing is available all year round, rivers are stocked with brown trout and the dams are stocked with rainbow trout. Rods are available to hire from the Lodge.
Horse riding for all levels of ability is also available close to Cleopatra's. This is a wonderful way to explore the Drakensberg.
For those after more of an adventure, helicopter flights can be arranged, picking guests up from the garden and whisking them up into the mountains to find a suitable landing spot to stop for a glass of sparkling wine.
Trips to the highest passes and to explore 3000 year old bushman art are also available in the area.
27 - Cleopatra Mountain Lodge - fly fishing and horse-riding
28 - Drive to Durban - Lunch at the Oyster Box (amazing seafood restaurant in Durban) - Drop off car - Evening flight to Cape Town Pick up car and drive to Four Rosmead Boutique Hotel – 3 nights Built in 1903, Four Rosmead has been recognised for its historical value and has been sensitively and stylishly re-modelled. The result is a Cape contemporary classic building with a rich history. Four Rosmead has the characteristics that set a luxury boutique hotel apart – location, authenticity, style and personal service. It is an ideal venue for the discerning traveller seeking something different for their visit to Cape Town. Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, Four Rosmead is within walking distance of Green Market Square and is 10 minutes by car from the V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch Gardens and Clifton and Camps Bay beaches.
29 - Four Rosmead Boutique Hotel - Mandela's Robben Island trip / amazing Waterfront restaurants
30 - Four Rosmead Boutique Hotel - Climb Table Mountain / have a leisurely drive up part of the Garden Route's cliff tops.
31 - Drive to the Winelands - Grande Roche Hotel – 2 nights Grande Roche has a long history in the Winelands and today is the only 5 star hotel set on a completely restored working farm. Part of the estate building is designated a national monument dating back to 1707 and the 300 year old chapel can still be used for weddings.
Following extensive refurbishment in 2006, the hotel offers a truly luxurious base from which to explore the cape’s world-famous vineyards and enjoy the region’s stunning scenery. Among the area’s many excellent eateries, Grande Roche’s own Bosman’s Restaurant ranks as one of the best, serving delicious and imaginative creations using South Africa’s finest produce. The estate will soon be producing its own wine and currently you can enjoy tasting a variety of local wines with the hotel’s highly experienced sommelier.
Guests also have the choice of eating at the relaxed Bistro Allegro on the poolside patio or ordering room service. 18 terrace suites offer spacious bedrooms and bathrooms with a well equipped living room and private terrace on which to sunbathe or enjoy a glass of wine while watching the sun set over the mountains. The hotel offers complimentary use of the tennis court, swimming pool and gym. Wine tasting and spa treatments are charged additionally. Other activities include the rejuvenating relaxation at the Kraal Fitness Centre, cycling through historic Paarl, golf, jogging, hiking, horse riding, parachuting, hot air ballooning, helicopter flights, fishing, scuba diving and a variety of water sports.
February 1 - Grande Roche Hotel - Horse riding trip from vineyard to vineyard, tasting wines. Stunning walking in this historical region.
2 - Drive to Cape Town, drop off car and fly to Windhoek, Namibia Pick up car and drive to Kulala Desert Lodge (red sand dune belt region) – 2 nights Kulala Desert Lodge is located within the arid Namib Desert on the 37 000-hectare private Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Comprising 23 thatched and canvas "kulalas" with en-suite bathrooms and verandas, each unit is built on a wooden platform to catch the cooling breezes and has a deck on the flat rooftop for sleep-outs under the stars. There are also three tents which can accommodate a family of four each. The convivial main area includes a lounge, bar, dining area, plunge pool, and wrap-around veranda overlooking the riverbed – a perfect location to view and photograph the desert vista and to contemplate the day’s exciting activities. Highlights: This is the closest point of access to the iconic dunes of Sossusvlei Explore the dramatic Kulala Wilderness Reserve by quad bike, hot air balloon, nature drive or on foot The perfect location to view and photograph Namib Desert scenery
3 - Kulala Desert Lodge - Guided trip to Sossusvlei
4 - Morning balloon trip over the desert - Drive to Wolwedans Dune Lodge in the Namibrand (epic desert scenery) – 3 nights
5 - Wolwedans Dune Lodge - walks, drives and game-viewing of desert adapted species Wolwedans Dunes Lodge is set on top of the dunes, in the heart of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, to the south of Sossusvlei. It is an incredibly peaceful place defined by dramatic red sand dunes sitting beneath vast open skies.
The design of the main lodge and nine cottages (built in wood and canvas) reflects their natural surroundings and private wooden verandas allow guests to sit and simply drink in panoramic views stretching in every direction. The ambience is that of a tented camp while at the same time offering great comfort and privacy. The main area, comprises two lounges, a number of sun downer decks, a fireplace, tea deck, library, wine cellar and two dining rooms. The many verandas look out over superb views, as does the open-air swimming pool. Those who seek total seclusion will be attracted to the Mountain View Suite, which provides a private living and dining area and great comfort and style.
Game drives and guided walks offer sightings of oryx and plains game but also reveal the fascinating wonders of intricate desert ecosystems while hot air ballooning gives guests access to heart-stopping views of this unique landscape.
6 - Wolwedans Dune Lodge
7- Drive to Swakopmund Guesthouse – 2 nights Situated in the town centre, a mere five-minute walk from the beach and main shopping area, Swakopmund Guesthouse is owned and run by the Borg family.
The family used to use the property as a holiday home, and revamped it several years ago to offer fifteen luxurious rooms in this charming seaside town. Attention to detail is something the family pride themselves on, with an aim to go beyond the remit of a typical guesthouse to ensure every need is met.
The rooms are split into seven standard rooms, seven luxury rooms and one family suite. Each is modern and designed individually, with large wallpaper feature walls depicting an ocean scene in each room. Each has a mini-bar, free WiFi internet, television, crisp white linens, fluffy towels and modern ensuite bathrooms.
Sumptuous breakfasts are served each morning, and the staff are ready to help book restaurants for your evening meals, or assist with booking local excursions.
8 - Kayak with the seals off the Skeleton Coast - Swakopmund Guesthouse
9 - Drop off car - Fly in a leather seated small 16 seater plane to Hoanib Camp in the Skeleton Coast Valleys – 3 nights Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is scenically located in a broad valley at the confluence of two tributaries of the Hoanib River in the northern part of the private Palmwag Concession. Its location thus straddles the Palmwag area and the iconic Skeleton Coast National Park, in one of the most remote areas of the Kaokoveld. Exclusivity is taken a step further as camp is only accessible by light aircraft and the camp itself consists of only seven twin-bedded tents and one family unit, each comprising stylish en-suite bedrooms with shaded outdoors decks. Flanked to the east and west by rugged hills, the camp looks out over stunning, starkly beautiful scenery and offers guests all the luxuries and amenities for an unforgettable stay.
Highlights: Vast, remote, isolated wilderness offering excellent viewing of Namibia’s distinctive desert-adapted wildlife Diverse activities showcase spectacular scenery, unexpected oases and enormous sand dunes Seals, shipwreck remains and an endless dramatic coastline ending with a scenic flight back to camp (weather permitting)
10 - Hoanib Camp - desert adapted elephants (from Attenborough's Blue Planet series), desert lions and giraffe, stunning Skeleton Coast landscapes
11 - Hoanib Camp - seal colonies and shipwrecks
12 - Fly to Serra Cafema Camp on the Kunene River – 2 nights Undoubtedly one of the most remote camps in southern Africa, Serra Cafema is located in the extreme north-west of Namibia on the banks of the Kunene River in the Hartmann Valley. Serra Cafema is an intimate, peaceful camp inspired by the area’s Himba people, with a unique mix of rustic and luxury elements, and nestled amongst shady albida trees.
Accommodation consists of eight riverside wood, canvas and thatched villas on spacious, elevated decks blended smoothly into the picturesque surroundings. Each tent has an en-suite bathroom, ceiling fan and mosquito nets. One of these rooms is an intimate, luxurious honeymoon villa with exceptional views, while another accommodates a family. The Ozonganda, or main area, comprises indoor and outdoor dining areas, sunken lounge, library, curio shop and swimming pool, all sharing views of the Kunene River. Highlights: Rushing rapids just below camp lull you into dreamland after a day of desert exploration Most authentic Himba cultural experience in all of Namibia Explore this fascinating unexplored landscape by quad bike
13 - Serra Cafema Camp - quad-biking over the dunes, river trips
14 - Fly to Windhoek - Olive Grove – 1 night Olive Grove is a small upmarket accommodation establishment situated close to Windhoek city centre in a quiet, peaceful area. Recently completely refurbished, each room has been decorated and painted with new colour schemes allowing a different feel, but with the same elegant and simplistic emphasis on dÊcor.
The newly renovated, open-plan kitchen allows guests to see how meals are prepared, while they enjoy a drink in the lounge. The menu was also reinvented and is now fully a la carte, quite unique for a guesthouse. Home-style food is rounded off with great presentation, pushing up the level of the guesthouse dining experience. The upper deck has been revamped into a private dining corner, with two Moroccan-style sections, for guests to get comfy on the large pillows and enjoy the ambience and view from the top.
The on-site Wellness Room offers a selection of professional services, to assist guests on their journey towards inner and outer well-being.
Whilst each of the ten rooms and one suite cater for every need of the most discerning traveller, the emphasis remains one of simplicity and elegance.
15 - Fly from Windhoek to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, transfer across bridge to Zambia - Sindabezi Island Lodge – 3 nights Sindabezi Island is unique – the discerning traveler’s best kept secret. An idyllic, exclusive camp on our very own private isle on the Zambezi River it is the only luxury bush camp from where Victoria Falls can comfortably be explored. Experience the large number of activities in the area during the day and return to a tranquil haven, a thousand light years away from the bustle at night. Sindabezi Island is currently one of the top 10 eco lodges in Africa according to Fodor’s.
Sindabezi has only five open-sided thatched cottages, allowing guests to soak up the sights and sounds of the African bush in the perfect, pristine setting. Views across the flood plains of the Zambezi and into the nearby National Park complete the experience.
16 - Sindabezi Island Lodge - canoeing on the Zambezi River and seeing Victoria Falls
17 - Sindabezi Island Lodge - helicopter trip over the Falls
18 - Fly from Livingstone, Zambia, to London via Johannesburg on BA (part of return Air Miles ticket)
COST PER PERSON: £ To follow this evening.
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