Showing posts with label Regional Travel (Africa). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regional Travel (Africa). Show all posts
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Azura Benguerra Island • Mozambique • YourLuxury Africa
AZURA BENGUERRA: AN ISLAND IDYLL
Experience luxury and natural beauty at Azura Benguerra Island, where helicopter rides, private villas, and ocean adventures await. Indulge in gourmet seafood, explore pristine beaches, and unwind under Mozambique’s starlit skies
In a chopper from Wildlife Helicopters, I fly low over the aquamarine and cerulean Indian Ocean, from the mainland of Vilankulos to Azura Benguerra Island. Although only a ten minute flight, it’s unforgettable for the spectacular panorama of tropical waters of Mozambique, with sporting humpback dolphins, slow turtles and a castor sugar beach edging the resort. After an enthusiastic welcome song by staff, my personal butler-host escorts me through indigenous gardens, along a path laden with shards of mother-of-pearl shells that glint in the sunlight.
My private villa is one of 20 along the beach, all constructed by Mozambican Islanders, using local materials. Coconut palm leaves form the thatching, with a long fringe left to sway in the breeze. The wooden deck is made of Zimbiri timber. As well as an en-suite bathroom with shower and bath, I find twin outdoor showers beneath the canopy of a tree. I linger here at night, to gaze at the Southern Cross and Milky Way spiral galaxy. With few lights on Azura Benguerra Island, unlike in a built-up area, the stars are astoundingly bright. Lying on my King-sized bed, I see past my private plunge pool, daybed, thatched sala and the beach, to the ever-changing sea.
When the sun peeps over the ocean in the morning, I stroll for miles along the beach. On the tideline I find empty shells of varying sizes and hues, some with living molluscs; scurrying crabs, tracks of seabirds and footprints of local people en route to their fishing dhows. I chat to women clad in capulana, Mozambican sarongs with distinctive patterns in bright contrasting colours. These village women are sourcing fresh seafood for their families, or helping the men to drag in their nets from the night’s catches. Each day, Azura Benguerra Island buys squid, lobster, prawn, blue crab, or line fish, so the seafood meals are always tasty and varied.
Venues for lunch include the Jellyfish Restaurant and Star Bar in the communal area, with tables under thatch or on the beach facing the sea. Azura Peri-Peri Beach Club, a short walk along the beach, has a relaxed atmosphere for delectable braaied seafood, for lazing on deck chairs next to the swimming pool, or for snoozing under a private thatched canopy. One lunchtime, after snorkelling in the warm Agulhas current, I am treated to a picnic on a secluded beach picnic near Pansy Island. Dining is a romantic happening in a different location each evening, with candles and lanterns to complement the moonlight. Decorations of fresh palm fronds, bougainvillea flowers and shells in a jar, are assembled by my host. During a beach dinner at my villa, I watch lambent light in the waves, as I sip a Pīna Colada.
As this eco-retreat is situated within a Marine National Park, snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, as well as catch-and-release deep-sea fishing, are all richly rewarding activities. I hope to view the critically endangered Dugong – a sea cow with a forked tail – but fishermen have not spotted them for several days. While scuba diving at Two Mile Reef, I enjoy the diversity of healthy corals, an array of tropical fish, moray eels and a highlight for me: a crocodile fish.
Approaching the reef the seas are rough, but it’s an adventure worth having for the chance to find the dugong, pods of bottle-nose dolphins and green turtles along the way. The striking colours of the ocean contrast with the white of the sandbar, where a flock of pink-tinged flamingos are foraging. When the speedboat returns to Azura Benguerra Island, I stride through the low waves in my wetsuit, feeling like a Bond Girl! My host heralds me from the shore, proffering a tray with a glass of iced Sauvignon Blanc.
At sunset, in Azura Benguerra Island’s traditional dhow, it is silent save for the soft wind unfurling the sails, as I sip a gin and tonic. The resort is authentic, romantic and remote, in sublime surrounds. Surely a glimpse of heaven.
Getting There: AIRLINK offers direct flights to Vilanculos from Johannesburg and Nelspruit.
Images by Gillian Mclaren
Taken from: https://yourluxury.africa/travel/azura-benguerra-an-island-idyll/
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Santorini Mozambique • Vilankulos • Mozambique • Luxury Travel Magazine
Honeymoon Haven: Exclusivity, Elegance and Romance: Santorini Mozambique, in Vilankulos, Mozambique
The main villa at Santorini Mozambique is painted chalk white, reflecting the bright sunlight in Vilankulos. Carefully selected objets des artes - in wood, soft white stone or glazed glass - as well as the cupolas and roof tiles are offset with accent hues of pastel blues and greys. The effect is spacious, clean and lustrous. As the Greek-inspired building is set on a hill, when I enter the portals of Santorini Mozambique, I can see through the Main Villa, right down to the azure Indian Ocean in the distance. This feng shui design adds to the airiness, peace and expansive feel of the central communal area.
Image by Gillian McLaren
My personal host welcomes me warmly and during my stay ensures that I have everything I need, with the best of unobtrusive, professional service. I select from the activities on offer and an individualized itinerary is designed for me. There is no timetable here, it is up to guests when they wish to participate in meals or activities. For meals, my table is set in a different space daily, each with sublime views of the fishing-boat- bobbing sea*, or the swimming pool in the courtyard. With delicate attention to detail, my table is set with a white linen cloth, bearing a single gray stripe, that matches the creatively folded fabric napkins. Fresh flowers are placed in a transparent glass bottle, with glass beads hanging around its neck. In the mornings, we are presented with a menu of the meals for the day. Tastefully done, lunch is three courses and dinner comprises four courses, all immaculately served on designer crockery or on wooden boards or boxes.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Freshly caught seafood is available daily, with an alternate choice for those who enjoy a prime cut of steak, vegetarian and vegan fare. Excellent South African, French and Portuguese wines - like Vino Verde - are paired with the courses. Premium wines are available, stored in a temperature controlled cellar. One lunchtime, my host escorts to Santorini’s neat herb and vegetable garden, where a barbecue has been set up. The chef grills a skewer of seafood for me, presented with creative salads. Sunset Canapés are available on a dhow cruise. Dependent on wind in the furled sails, being aboard this traditional boat creates a quiet, meditative and romantic atmosphere.
Image by Santorini Mozambique
In the evenings the rooftop Sala Bar reveals spectacular sunset views of the beach and ocean below. A sociable area, it’s a place to interact with fellow guests. Cocktails are shaken and stirred and of course the quintessential African gin and tonic is mixed. Music is up-beat, yet unobtrusive.
Image by Santorini Mozambique
My suite is ultra-spacious, with an extra-large king-sized bed that has pillow slips of 100% pure white linen. To my joy, there is a verandah with an open-air bathtub, with Charlotte Gray amenities. From the capacious tub, I gaze at the ever-changing colors of the ocean, the dhows that resemble butterflies with closed wings and the shifting cloudscapes. My indoor bathroom has twin basins and two rain showers. Fluffy cotton towels are in shades of blue.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Each morning, coffee in a flask and cookies are left outside my suite in a wooden box. Soft sunlight on the beach below Santorini Mozambique lures me out at sunrise, to stroll for miles. I discover live molluscs on the tide line, scurrying crabs escaping into their holes, patterns in the sand from the ebb and flow of tides and warm sunlight shining through empty shells. Shards of sea shells from the eons glisten on the sand and crunch beneath my feet. Local Mozambicans go about their daily activities, preparing to head out to fish in their colorfully painted boats. Where fish have been caught in nets during the night, women - dressed in vibrant kapulana, the local term for sarongs - help to pull in the booty.
After a breakfast with tropical smoothies, muffins and pastries straight from the oven, plus a choice of cooked items, I linger in one of the lounges to peruse the coffee table books and to laze on a couch facing the expanse of ocean, with a range of colors from white, through turquoise to cerulean, depending on the depths of water.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Ready for adventure, I head off in a meticulously kept speed boat, to nearby Ilha de Magaruque, in the Bazaruto Archipelago, which sports pristine beaches and sandbars. As the island has a permanent deep water channel on a coral reef, the snorkeling is exceptionally rich. A gentle current moves me along the reef, so I hardly have to fin, except when I free dive down for a closer view of a Honeycomb moray eel, a few sizeable parrotfish, or smaller critters that attract my attention. Pansy Island nearby is strewn with Pansy Shells, also known as Sand Dollars. Pretty and unusual, they are flattened, irregular shells of a type of sea urchin. My guide finds some tiny Hermit crabs, that live temporarily in a sea shell until then grow too large for it, when they abandon the home to find one with a more suitable fit. As the tide comes in, the sand is inundated with sea water and is rapidly completely covered. En route to a picnic spot in a remote part of the Magaruque Island, a flock of flamingos takes off from the waterline on the beach. We spot Humpback dolphins sporting on the waves, then a bobbing Green turtle. Dugongs, an endangered marine mammal, are occasionally found here. A relative of manatees, in the order Sirenia, they are a prized sighting.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Simple but elegant, my picnic shelter in blue canvas, is ingeniously structured structured like a chuppah at a wedding, with 4 poles. It’s quickly assembled. Comfortable in a low deck chair, with my toes in the fine sand, I am served a lunch of prawns and salads, accompanied by Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc. Left alone, I gaze at the paradisiacal scene and savour the ozone scent from the sea, the sound of gulls and the tropical warmth of a sun high in the sky. I enjoy the pineapple flavored dessert, innovatively served in a clip-top jar.
After my fulfilling expedition and an invigorating shower, I indulge in a foot massage in the Spa, a sensual pleasure that takes me close to snooze mode. Ambling back to my suite, I look up to a glistening heaven. Stars are clear and abundant, as lights are low at Santorini Mozambique, on the mainland of Vilankulo.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
One of the many highlights of my stay at Santorini Mozambique is an excursion into Vilankulo town, to mingle with Mozambicans. The vehicle is customized with open air seats of blue canvas. I’m taken to the mercado, where basic provisions are available, plus clothes in distinctive local fabrics and authentic items that make great souvenirs. The market is vibrant, with an energizing bustle. We drive through the town to see the homes, small stalls next to the roads and local people strolling in the streets.
Image by Gillian McLaren
With its subtle opulence, finely tuned attention to detail in the villas, dining and activities, Santorini Mozambique is unique in their level of excellence, a perfect choice for a special celebration.
https://santorinimozambique.com/
* Dylan Thomas
Getting There:
Image by Airlink
Airlink is a privately-owned, premium airline in South Africa, serving the largest network of 47 destinations in 15 African countries and St Helena Island, with the largest fleet of 68 commercial aircraft. Airlink’s on-time performance is consistently better than 95%, a clear indication of their commitment to service excellence, and reliability.
Direct Flights to Vilanculos from Johannesburg and Nelspruit. The coastal town of Vilanculos (or Vilankulo) is a popular tourist destination. Vilanculos is a top-class snorkeling and scuba-diving spot, and the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago. Travel on direct flights from Vilanculos to Nelspruit or Johannesburg.
For transfers from Vilankulos to the islands and for scenic flights in the Bazaruto Archipelago, fly with Wildlife Helicopters, over the aquamarine Indian Ocean. https://www.wildlifeheli.com/
Text by Gillian Mclaren (@Jetset_Gillian)
Images by Gillian Mclaren and Santorini Mozambique
Friday, September 29, 2023
KuKaya • The Bushcamp Company • South Luangwa National Park • Zambia • Luxury Travel Magazine
Plentiful Game, Exclusivity and Flexibility: KuKaya, The Bushcamp Company, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
In South Luangwa National Park It’s dusk, the hour between the butterfly and the moth.* With my personal guide and spotter, I am out in a private game vehicle, from KuKaya - the newest of The Bushcamp Company properties. No boot camp this, I have the freedom to choose my activities, plus at the times that suit me. In addition, a dedicated hostess is available to me anytime that I may need her for items in my villa, or at mealtimes. I am thriving on this flexible safari, tailored to my preferences. Each individual or group has the same exclusivity.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
A pack of ten African wild dogs is trotting along the dust road, clearly on the hunt. Tailing them are nine Spotted hyenas, hoping to steal any prey that the painted wolves may find. It’s an unusual sighting. My guide drives carefully so the hunters are not disrupted. The dogs are usually diurnal, but they are taking advantage of the fast fading daylight, with a full moon to come. The pack is looking left and right, stopping occasionally to listen and to smell. Finding lion scat, they sniff it warily, as do the hyena, then continue their pursuit. Fascinating as this is, we leave them to their busy and determined running, so their hunt is not disturbed.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Next to a tributary of the South Luangwa River, we come across a lion pride, where a male is dominating a carcass. Stopping to take in the details, we hear a herd of buffalo approach the river channel. The lionesses swing into hunting mode to chase the bovids, but fail to kill. Eventually the lion permits the lionesses and youngsters to eat. A cub that approaches the water is almost taken by a crocodile! The lionesses rush to assist the cub and there is a stand off between them and the crocodile. On the journey back to KuKaya, our tracker scans the bush, picking up the reflection in the eyes of a Large-spotted genet, a Bushy-tailed mongoose, African civet, and - to my joy - a hunting Vereaux’s eagle owl. A tiny elephant screw scuttles across the sand road. The following morning we return to the site of the kill, where Lappet-faced vulture squabble and skirmish over remains of the carcass.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
Remote and isolated by the Muchinga Escarpment on the west and northwest, and the Luangwa River to the east, South Luangwa National Park covers 3495 square miles of spectacular topography. This unique biome harbours an abundance of wildlife. Except for rhino, big game abounds and multiple sightings are likely. As KuKaya is sited 2,5 km from the main gate of South Luangwa National Park, many vehicles use the main road at opening and closing times. Guides at KuKaya are sensitive to this, so tend to take lesser known routes during these peak times, only traversing the main road if a special sighting is called in.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
For my walking safari from KuKaya, an armed guard from the National Park joins my guide. Walking at a leisurely pace, in single file, we pass curious Thornicroft giraffe and Crawshay’s zebra An elephant bull is peacefully grasping grass tufts in his trunk, then shaking them to get rid of sand before he eats them. As we reach a dry river bed, five aged buffalos run away from us, kicking up the dust behind them. Walking is the perfect opportunity for me to learn how to recognise animals by their tracks and their dung, to identify spiders by their webs and to learn about the trees. Each time we find something interesting, like the skull of a hippo, we stop to investigate. I sit on the exposed roots of a Zambezi fig tree, where I am served tea and freshly baked cookies.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
Image by Gillian McLaren
At KuKaya, each of the six thatched villas - five with two rooms and one with a single room - has a fine view of permanent waterholes in an oxbow lagoon. Both rooms have an en-suite indoors bathroom, plus an outdoor shower. Between the rooms is a cosy indoor dining area and lounge with armchairs. From the raised deck of my villa - with its outdoor dining area, private plunge pool, comfortable armchairs and a fire pit below - I observe troops of Yellow baboons going about their daily activities. Crawshay’s zebra trot to the water, elephant bulls and small breeding herds of elephants rest after a long drink or a bath. An array of birdlife visits the area. Sausage trees, Natal mahogany and Africa ebony line the bank in front of the villas, casting cooling shadows where Vervet monkeys forage and play. Yellow baboons cavort in the canopies.
Image by The Bushcamp Company
Image by Gillian McLaren Crawshay’s zebra
Image by Gillian McLaren Yellow baboon
During the lazy afternoons I sit in the hide, constructed at water level, to watch birds. I’m delighted to add Eastern nicator and White-crowned lapwing to my ‘lifer’ bird list. Back in my villa, I try to read, but am lulled by the warm breeze thorough the mesh sides of my tent and the comfort of my bed, into a soporific state. As arranged, my hostess wakes me to present high tea on my deck, with freshly baked savoury and sweet choices.
Image by Gillian McLaren White-fronted bee-eater
Image by Gillian McLaren Saddle-billed stork
Image by Gillian McLaren
Meals are served alfresco in the communal boma area, where I choose to sit alone, to enjoy the tranquility and the activity at the waterhole. Should guests wish to join one another for some conviviality, tables are arranged for dining together. Tables can be set in a variety of picturesque settings, including on my Villa deck, or secluded in the bush. Zambian and international dishes are conjured up using locally sourced fresh produce. A well stocked bar, set up under a tree in the boma, sports a selection of hard liquor and fine South African wines.
Image by The Bushcamp Company
Image by The Bushcamp Company
Image by The Bushcamp Company
The Luangwa River reflects lambent light during sunset, illuminating a pod of hippo. An orange moonrise is transformed to yellow then pale silver.
Image by Gillian McLaren
*Yasmina Khadra
https://bushcampcompany.com/KuKaya/
For more features by Gillian McLaren: www.gillianmclaren.blogspot.com
Getting There
From Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Proflight Zambia offers a two hour flight to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The Bombardier CRJ 100/200 is comfortable, with ample leg room, overhead stowage and space below the seat to store my backpack with cameras. A light, cold in-flight meal is served, with a choice of fruit juice, coffee, tea, water or beer. All food is halal.
From Lusaka to the small Mfuwe International Airport is a pleasant 1hour 30 minute flight with Proflight Zambia. Snacks and soft drinks are available. The Bushcamp Company provides pickup and transport from Mfuwe International Airport, (which is also is easily accessible from the Lower Zambezi) in a 45 minute drive to KuKaya. The journey in an open game vehicle, through Mfuwe village and the rural area, provides an opportunity to view a slice of local life, before entering the South Luangwa National Park. Have your binoculars ready, as the game viewing and bird watching begins on the transfer.
Proflight Zambia sends email or sms messages to passengers the day before each flight, so check-in and seat selection can be done online.
The Urban Lusaka
Image by Gillian McLaren
For an overnight stay in Lusaka, during your trip to Zambia, consider the chic The Urban Lusaka. This sophisticated hotel is sited in the pretty diplomatic area, 30 minutes from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, within walking distance from two shopping centres. Minimalist rooms with a shower - in pencil-carbon black, charcoal and white hues - have views of the cityscape. A buffet breakfast is included. A la carte dinner includes vegetarian options. I savour the renowned Zambia Beef. The in-house bar is a festive space, to meet fellow guests if you would like a congenial evening.
Image by Gillian McLaren
Text by Gillian McLaren
Images by Gillian McLaren and The Bushcamp Company
Taken from: https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/kukaya-the-bushcamp-company-south-luangwa-national-park-zambia
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