“Where are you headed next?” Everyone asked me, after a week in Marrakech. I had been staying at the famous La Mamounia which hardly needs an introduction. It is still the perfect base for exploring the city even if newer luxury hotels have appeared. However, finally I reluctantly packed my bags to head for the wilderness.

I replied: “I’m going to the Alone In The World camp of Alcimat.”

Nothing To Google

No matter who I spoke to, they had not heard of this luxury camp in the middle of nowhere. Of course, I became apprehensive. The luxury sector of Morocco is vast and varied but it is nevertheless still a small world. Everyone knows each other or at least has heard of the other.

Upon reaching the Alone In The World camp, which is just under a two-hour drive from Marrakech, I realized why. With a smile and a hint of a giggle, the staff told me that their camp deliberately did not have a website nor any contact details. An online search of Alcimat, the parent company, yielded a handful of lovely photos that hinted at nothing. As for googling “Alone In The World”? All I can say is, “good luck to you.”

The Insiders of Alone In The World

So apparently one was either in the know about this camp or not. Among those in the know were former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his singer/ model wife Carla Bruni. They had stayed there. The design team of Yves St Laurent were including in this whispering circle as well, along with a group of very fashionable Russian women. And now, happily, so was I.

I had always dreamed of staying in a camp like this because it is luxury at its most unique. It is neither a desert camp nor a safari camp, although the tented accommodations certainly had an Out of Africa theme.

Amidst vast horizons and endless silence, the heavy duty ensuite tents with vintage interiors and a swimming pool carved from rocks stood as if they had always been there. These blend seamlessly with the surroundings but were as breathtaking as the views,

Initial Impressions

The Alone In The World camp is accessed via a long, winding drive through barren landscapes and stone villages in the Atlas Mountains. Many of the latter were still affected by the last large earthquake.

At the camp, the tents are spread across a rocky ridge, each one positioned with an unobstructed view of the mountain ridge across. The earth here was rugged, a mix of red and rust-colored stones, with only the odd olive tree for a touch of green. Meanwhile, the uneven terrain created a sense of wild, untouched beauty. This was a place shaped by harsh winds and sun, a land etched with history.

READ ABOUT THE LOVELIEST HACIENDA IN SOUTHERN SPAIN

Morocco’s Most Exclusive Camp

The camp is small and understated. Yes, I was literally Alone In The World. Whether you are one guest or twelve, the entire camp and its staff is for you when you book it. As for the camp itself, each tent is simple yet stylish.

The interior accents include Berber rugs, old-fashioned lamps and hanging gas lanterns, and handcrafted cushions with tribal designs. You also find lovely antiques such as old tea pots and useful items from the safari camps of old.

Each tent has a small covered terrace with leather camp chairs for taking in the majesty all around. There is nothing but miles of rocky terrain framed by distant mountains. Nevertheless, you are captivated from the first moment.

I walked to the edge of the swimming pool created with rocks — all mine for my stay — to watch the sunset. There was a slight breeze, carrying the coolness of dusk, and the view before me was staggering. The landscape changed colors as the sun dipped lower. It shifted from amber to deep crimson, then finally to a violet hue that softened the sharp edges of the rocks. I found myself lost in a silence so profound that it felt alive.

Civilization In The Middle of Nowhere

As darkness fell, the rangers beckoned for dinner. The meals are arranged in the main tent, on a large dining table adorned with dripping candelabras. Meanwhile, the menu, which is up to the resident chef, varies according to inspiration, seasonality, and availability. With advance notice, he can whip up practically anything in his small tented kitchen.

The dishes we had were excellent and sophisticated fusion — a marvel, considering our location. None of the usual tagine and couscous unless specifically requested by guests.

That night, the meal ended with the finest desserts in Marrakech. Such civilization in the middle of nowhere and apparently only the best will do for the camp’s guests. In this case, we had French champagne (Ruinart) and fancy desserts. Everything sweet, along with the breads for breakfast, came fresh from the Pierre Herme patisserie at the La Mamounia. The staff purchase these and bring them to the camp on their daily trips.

After dinnerl, I wandered back to my tent to enjoy the depth of the silence around me. I lay on my bed, with just the tent’s opening flap pulled back, letting the cool night air drift in. When I looked outside, the sky was a stunning tapestry of stars. Each one was sharp and bright in the clear desert air. I could see the Milky Way stretching across the sky, a glittering ribbon against the deep darkness. I lay there for what felt like hours, just breathing. My mind was still as my senses became attuned to the quiet rhythm of the night.

Alone In The World But Not Lonely

The next morning, I woke just before dawn to watch the sunrise from the ridge. The air was cool and crisp and there was no one in sight. Not even the staff for breakfast was awake. And as the first light rose over the rocks, I was overwhelmed with emotion. There was beauty all around me and I was Alone In The World. However, I was not at all lonely.

Read more stories about luxury travel experiences in Morocco

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Discover Zambia’s hidden gem

Zambezi Grande guests can choose from many adventures and experiences. Aside from the usual safari experiences, the lodge offers fishing excursions in the great Zambezi River. Guests have the opportunity to see and catch the Tiger Fish and Vundu.

After the safari expeditions, guests can also unwind on the pool deck. It has a photo-worthy infinity swimming pool that looks out onto the river. They can also enjoy a sundowner river cruise or dinner, under the stars on a private island. It’s also fun to simply pass time watching the wildlife from the lodge’s terrace.

Authentic Zambia design

Previously a Cape Dutch-style homestead on the river banks, Zambezi Grande was meticulously designed to celebrate a bygone safari era. Michele Throssell Interiors recreated a vintage lodge amidst breathtaking natural surroundings. The interiors reflect the warm tones of its verdant setting.

Zambezi Grande sleeps just 20 guests with two room categories: Luxury Rooms and Superior Suites. Each offers unobstructed views of the Zambian wilderness in total privacy.

The five Superior Suites enjoy unique riverfront locations. Meanwhile the Luxury Rooms are perched high up in the wilderness. These rooms boast private verandas and inviting interiors.

Similar to La Esperanza Granada in Spain, local artisans produced much of Zambezi Grande’s furniture. The pillows and other soft furnishings are also made especially for the lodge. All the rooms at Zambezi Grande have a handmade drinks cabinet curated explicitly for each guest. Usually these are stocked with South Africa’s finest wines, local Zambian gin, and homemade fresh juices.

Sustainability in Zambia

Zambezi Grande protects the local community and preserves the natural beauty of the Lower Zambezi Valley. The lodge offers a sustainable income for households in the region and inspires local youth.

Guests can join the lodge’s Chengetai Tree Project. Chengetai, which means “to keep” or “to preserve” in the local Gova language. This epitomises the project’s ethos. To participate, guests can purchase and plant trees in the Muguramano or Chijata villages.. By slowing deforestation and desertification, the Chengetai Tree Project encourages environmental regeneration.

For more articles on the best safari lodges in Africa, please click here

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At 630 AM on our first morning at Bushman’s Kloof, our ranger Martin was waiting at the gate of our villa, the beautiful Cederberg House, with a big smile and two yoga mats in hand.

We’d created a full itinerary for our stay at this wilderness retreat, famous for its impeccably planned experiences and flawless service. So our days were booked from early morning to midnight with the kind of activities that Hollywood movies are made of and that most people only dream about.

In this sense, Martin was part of the seamless scenery at this multi-awarded retreat, considered among the best in South Africa. He always met us on time with a cheerful countenance, unfazed by the Herculean task of executing at least three or four events each day with no-fail precision as we simply basked in the good energy of the Cederberg Mountains and eagerly awaited the next surprise.

YOGA IN AFRICA

“Good morning!” He boomed as we trudged out still half asleep. “Are you ready for yoga?”

Eager to jumpstart our wellness journey, we’d signed up for a series of private yoga and meditation sessions. That day, Martin drove us to the most perfect spot possible. There, on an open-air landing with some shade and a 180 degree view of part of the Cederberg mountain range, we were to practice yoga.

TIBETAN SINGING BOWLS

Here yoga instructor Stephanie guided us through the motions. Then at my request she even performed a quick therapy treatment with her Tibetan singing bowls as I lay on my back. I remember marvelling at the clear blue skies of Africa and the surreal feeling of my morning so far.

A cool wind blew, trees shuddered with a comforting sound, and chirping birds flew overhead as I advanced towards inner tranquility in 90 minutes. By then I was ready to make peace with myself and with anything that breathed.

When my personal reverie was over, fresh juices and eggs cooked-to-order awaited me. The chefs had arranged breakfast in a garden next to a shallow river bed where monkeys played.

The menu is simply semantics, though, because the chefs at Bushman’s Kloof, a member of the Red Carnation Hotels, are actually willing to create anything guests fancy. Everything here is done on a best effort basis simply because it’s the kind of place that seriously likes to make its guests happy.

ABOUT CEDERBERG HOUSE

After breakfast, I had some time to read a book back at Cederberg House before our scheduled massage. Our villa, set amidst spacious gardens within a fenced enclosure, was straight out of a design magazine.

Decorated in the classic country style with masses of flowers everywhere, it was elegant and inviting, with decorative items and artworks chosen by the owner herself.

The personal touches of Beatrice Tollman, the self-made travel magnate behind Red Carnation Hotels and The Travel Corporation. She reportedly selects presents for every employee in her vast business empire herself at Christmas, are also evident elsewhere on the estate. These include items on the lunch menu, where her favourite lemon pie is offered for dessert.

Because it was so comfortable, Cederberg House was difficult to leave even for a moment. We loved the thoughtfully stacked bar and the sketch books and paintboxes in the bedrooms. I especially liked the most interesting books arranged artfully on every table.

One or two always caught my eye and I instantly felt like sitting down and reading it. I fact, I’d picked up a book on South African writers as soon as I entered. This book almost never left my side.

THE SPA OF BUSHMAN’S KLOOF

Temping as it was to just stay in and enjoy our beautiful villa, however, the spa beckoned. It was recently chosen the best spa in Africa and the Indian Ocean. So how could I miss this?

We booked the Bushman’s Kloof signature massage and requested for these to be done in the spa gazebo. This treatment room opened up to an old river bed of wild grass.

In this pretty cottage, two cheerful therapists kneaded the knots out of our backs. Meanwhile Martin arranged a picnic lunch in a cave ten minutes away by jeep. By the time our treatment was over, it was noon and he was back at the spa. Then he drove us to a lagoon on the game reserve where he’d already set a canoe and two paddle boards on the water.

PADDLING A CANOE IN THE CEDERBERG MOUNTAINS

When he stopped by the shore, we’d looked at him inquiringly as there was no sign of food and it was 1230 PM. “I thought you guys might want to go paddling on our lagoon first,” he said. “If you follow the route to the right, you’ll find lunch waiting for you somewhere along the way.”

I wasn’t convinced this was a good plan but I got in anyway and we paddled along with Martin waving us off encouragingly from the shore. Paddling was surprisingly enjoyable and easy. It was especially so in this lagoon without waves. Then just as we entered a narrow canal and I was preparing myself for an hour of effort with the boat, we saw a beautiful picnic spread on a ledge.

READ ABOUT THE BEST NEW HOTEL IN SPAIN

PICNIC IN AFRICA

A large mat had been laid out with giant pillows. Meanwhile, even from the water I espied a silver bucket brimming with champagne, wines and juices. Upon alighting and making our way up to the spot, we were treated to the wonderful spectacle of a quintessential South African picnic hamper. Everything was all laid out, ready for photographs.

We had roast beef sandwiches, boiled eggs, salads and fruits, and a cheese
plate. We even had a basket of assorted biltong. Not forgetting my sweet tooth, Martin had even included little pudding pots for dessert.

WATCH OUR VIDEO ON WELLNESS AT BUSHMAN’S KLOOF

It’s not everyday one has such a lovely picnic in the great outdoors. So this one truly delighted me. In fact, our entire stay was full of such wondrous experiences. Afterwards, I realized why so many people undertake the trek from all over the world to Bushman’s Kloof. You’re taken out of your own world and suddenly you find yourself in a place where nothing else really matters but your bliss.

Read more about the best safari lodges in the world in Travelife Magazine.

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On my first visit to South Africa many years ago, I spent two weeks in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Kruger National Park. Over two weeks, I got to strike at least two things off my travel bucket list: a safari to see the Big Five at Kruger National Park, and sunset from the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town.

I didn’t even know then that I had a lot of other bucket list items, but happily I got to strike them off as well. These included visiting the Cape of Good Hope, driving along the coast of Cape Town, and doing a trip around the wine lands. 

It’s funny how I thought that a trip to South Africa for two weeks would finally fill my curiosity for this part of the world — an area, by the way, I’d always passed up for one reason or another.

I’d long been wanting to go, but, most of the time, it just seemed so far to travel all that way. At least until I recently and finally looked at airline timetables and did the maths.

DOING THE DISTANCES

I always thought South Africa was far, in the same way that I find New York too far from Manila or Hong Kong (which would be the usual jump-off point for a direct flight).

This is why I’ve been so reluctant to go in the last few years; even if I happily fly off to Europe when I can find the time and a good excuse, and that’s at least a 12 hour plane ride or more.

So what a shock it was to realize that South Africa is way nearer than Europe in terms of distance. Had I bothered to do the maths before, I would have set foot in this country earlier.

TWO WEEKS AND NO TIME

Interestingly, we had two whole weeks to do as we pleased in South Africa; and although we decided the destinations to visit in South Africa together in a very roundabout way, I basically had the fun of deciding where to stay and how many days we would be in each place.

So I made the basic route for where to go in Africa and chose all the hotels I’ve always wanted to stay in. Or, at least, I chose many of them. We didn’t have enough time to stay everywhere I wanted, unfortunately.

And except for one dinner with some industry contacts in Johannesburg, we said no to every invitation or suggestion of meeting up because there didn’t seem to be any time to do so.

As for getting two things off my bucket list with this South Africa trip, well, having been to Africa has instead resulted in about two dozen more things for my never-ending bucket list.

WHERE TO GO IN AFRICA

Africa as an entire continent looks absolutely amazing, and I now want to do two dozen things I’d never even considered doing before.

Here are some of them, for Africa and the Middle East in general:

• Visit the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania
• Go on the Orient-Express safari in Botswana
• Explore Namibia
• Follow the Karen Blixen route 
• Sign up for a period safari in Kenya
• Take a road trip around Lebanon
• Holiday in Mozambique
• Book a proper beach holiday in the Seychelles
• Take Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Victoria Falls
• Spend a week in Bushman’s Kloof in the Cederberg Mountains
• See the Great Migration in the Serengeti of Tanzania

And so on.  The list for where to go in Africa is truly endless in our never-ending, and never-endingly eventful Travelife.

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We had just arrived at the MalaMala Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands of South Africa, and that same afternoon, we set out on our first game drive.

“What would you like to see?” Craig, our ranger asked, before we set off along the rocky path that led across the river. We planned to drive away from the lodge towards the border with Kruger National Park. The MalaMala estate consists of thousands of kilometers of privately owned bush land filled with wild animals. 

GAME DRIVES AT MALAMALA

MalaMala is famous for its animal sightings so I immediately went for the gold. I said: “The Big 5 and the leopards. And especially the leopards.”

Craig smiled confidently. He probably received this request often from eager holidaymakers. The Sabi Sands is one of the most famous private game reserves for viewing the Big 5, after all. Within this area, MalaMala is especially well-known for its leopard sightings.

HOW TO SPOT A LEOPARD ON SAFARI

I myself was fairly sure we would get up close to the leopard sometime during our three-day safari. It was just Day 1 and we had six game drives to go. At three hours per drive, that was at least 18 hours of searching for animals. And leopards never really stray far from a favorite home.

Admittedly, there were some challenges. It was late summer and the grasses were tall and greenery was abundant. This actually gave MalaMala an ethereal atmosphere of prettiness. It was like driving through paradise with the colors, smells, and sounds rushing past me. However this also made animal sightings harder.

TOP ANIMAL SIGHTINGS IN SOUTH AFRICA

To our surprise, we bumped into our first leopard that same afternoon. He walked nonchalantly out of some tall bushes in front of our parked jeep without even a glance at us. 

We followed him breathlessly on his stroll around a pond before finally losing him to the darkness. Perhaps he was looking for prey or a place for the night. Elated, we headed back to the camp. With such success, we were ready to celebrate with a really good dinner.

LARGEST SAFARI PROPERTY

It was low season but Sable Camp had four other couples enjoying a three-course meal on the terrace that night. We all compared notes on what we’d seen and why we’d chosen MalaMala out of all the amazing nature holidays in this world.

Everyone had been lucky with the Big 5. In fact, two out of five tables had seen the leopards so far. As for the reasons for choosing MalaMala, one of the guests explained its advantages most accurately. “MalaMala has the largest property and a river runs through most of it. That’s like a magnet for animals,” he said. 

THE BEST LUXURY SAFARI LODGES IN AFRICA

Some luxury safari lodges are all about the complete experience, and animal sightings star in this movie set in the wilderness. They offer champagne sundowners, rose petals in the bathtub, and gourmet meals. 

Some travelers want to star in their own version of Robert Redford’s Out of Africa, so there is a market for safaris with these scenes straight out of Hollywood. 

Then there are other lodges mainly focused on the wildlife. Here, the animals are clearly the superstars and the guests are just the temporary extras in this never-ending story. These game reserves strive to bring guests into their sanctuaries in as comfortable and yet also as natural as possible. So guests are happy but the environment and the animals are never disturbed.  

MalaMala firmly belongs to the latter. In fact, it’s the gold standard for upmarket lodges that straddle the fine line between nature immersion and entertainment. I like to call it the real safari lover’s safari.

Read more about safaris in Africa in Travelife Magazine.

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We were in the Okavango Delta of Botswana for a nine-night 4×4 camping safari that would take us through four campsites till we reached the border of Zambia. Our campsite was secluded, with the nearest safari neighbors over a kilometer away. The camp did not have a fence or electric barriers – just trees, bushes, and through the clearings, the vast sky of Africa. 

As we drove into the camp, after a safari drive from the town of Maun in Botswana, we saw a herd of impala settling for the night, about 30 meters away from our tents. Intermingled with the impala was a congress of baboons. Apparently, the members of congress wasted no time coming into camp to steal whatever they could.

HANGING OUT WITH HYENAS

I walked 10 meters to the open-air tent in Botswana. Then I scanned the small square space for scorpions, spiders, and other things that crawl in the night. I didn’t zip the tent yet – I wanted to see what was out there. The bugs began swarming to my little light, so I reluctantly switched it off.

It was almost pitch black except for the dim glow cast by the electric lantern and the stars glittering through the canopy of tree branches. The bugs quickly disappeared. It was quiet – except for the constant scurrying, buzzing, flapping, clicking, chirping, and snorting of the African night.

“Wooooo-huup!”

I woke up to the racket of frogs and crickets. When I looked out of my tent I saw the sky lightening. Then I heard the distant whoop of a hyena and the barking grunt of what I took to be a lion.

The sharply ascending whoop was followed by another three-second “wooooo-huup!” It was a hyena and it sounded closer than it did half an hour ago. The whoops began before sunset and were quickly getting louder, which meant that the hyena was approaching our area. It whooped again.

There was another loud whoop but this time from another direction – clearly a different hyena. As exciting as it was, I began to feel a bit vulnerable, so ready or not, I went back to my tent. I came on this safari in Botswana to photograph wild animals, not to get mangled by one.

A TWO-STAR CAMPING SAFARI IN BOTSWANA

We were two-star safari camping in Botswana. This meant that we had decent-sized tents with space for our bags, and narrow but comfortable cots with mattresses and pillows. We had two open-air bushy-bushy tents and one open shower tent. Water for showers was rationed carefully and we were limited to one drip shower of about 5 or 6 liters a day per person. Additionally, we also had an open-sided dining tent which was the camp’s social center.

“An African safari by day is video and by night is stereo. Never go out of your tent at night unless you really have to and never if you hear or see animals.”

Consequently this meant that we didn’t have to worry about setting up or breaking camp. Aside from Frank our guide, we had a hardworking two-man crew (our happy camp manager and our excellent camp chef ). They saw to it that the camp was always ready when we arrived from our daily safari drives. We did not have air-conditioning, electric fans, a generator, or guns – which were not allowed in Botswana.

AFRICAN SAFARI BY DAY & BY NIGHT

“An African safari by day is video and by night is stereo,” said Frank. “Never go out of your tent at night, unless you really have to and never if you hear or see animals,” he emphasized. “Just listen quietly from your tent and enjoy the wild African nightlife in surround stereo. That’s a night safari.”

Back in the relative safety of my tent, I was having a hard time sleeping. The audio safari was picking up intensity so the urge to leave the tent to see wildlife or to sit under the African sky was strong. I tried peering through the mesh of the tent, but everything was fuzzy. And so I reluctantly lay back and listened to the night.

“We are safe in our tents,” said Frank. “African predators are not curious about solid shapes like tents or vehicles, and as long as you don’t stand out, they will not be curious about you. They are not interested in the smell of humans.” 

“Animals will come into the camp but as long as you are not moving or standing, or sticking out like a sore thumb, they will not be attracted to you,” said Frank.“The animals will not care about you if you are still and quiet. They were not taught to hunt humans by their mothers.”

HEART-STOPPING CLOSE CALLS

I could hear more hyena whoops, scurrying, grunts, snorts, night calls, flapping, and now, occasional shrieks and barks at a distinctly higher intensity. I peeked through the mesh and saw one of the camp members looking out of his tent, scanning the area with his powerful flashlight.

The team was obviously alert and it wasn’t till the next morning – after all hell had broken loose – that they told us their concerns about the hyenas. They suspected the hyenas we heard at sunset were approaching our camping area.

The flashlight seemed to calm things down and the night chatter toned down. I tried to sleep but I was too jetlagged, restless, and by now, excited.

Something big was slithering on the ground near my tent. Holy whooping hyena! That one was just a few meters away and the whoops were urgent and close. The bush was alive with animal scurrying and cries, and our camp was awake.

EXCITEMENT IN EVERY HOUR

12:52 AM. I needed to go badly so I unzipped the tent, scanning the tree line with my puny flashlight. After I zipped up, stepped back into the tent, and lay down. Within minutes, the hoof steps were back and within meters from our tent. Then I began hearing crackling leaves, snuffling, and bleating. And so I peered through the mesh, but all I could see were shadows.

12:58 AM. It sounded like something big was slithering on the ground near my tent. Holy whooping hyena! That one was just a few meters away and the whoops were urgent and close. The bush was alive with animal scurrying and cries, and our camp was awake. Then I looked through the mesh and vaguely saw the crew scanning the camp grounds with their flashlights.

1:01 AM. The bush was in chaos. The herd of impala was restless and alarmed, the monkeys shrieking, and baboons barking. Suddenly, something large was beside my tent, literally a few feet away from me.

Then I looked outside the mesh and saw two large dog-like shapes running across the camp. But one of them paused close to the camp fire, silhouetted by the glowing embers, before moving to the camp perimeter. As a result, there were more whoops, barks, and growls as the noises rose to pandemonium.

1:17 AM. After over 15 minutes, the bush settled down and the fading whoops of the hyena receded. I was totally excited and amped with adrenaline. After a few exhilarated moments, 20-20 hindsight suddenly hit like a hammer. Three to four minutes ago, I was standing peacefully outside my tent doing my thing and star-gazing.

BREAK OF DAWN

4:24 AM. I woke up to the racket of frogs and crickets. When I looked out of my tent I saw the sky lightening. Then I heard the distant whoop of a hyena and the barking grunt of what I took to be a lion. Bird calls were slowly filling the air. It would be sunrise soon, my first sunrise in the bush, in wild Botswana, and I didn’t want to miss it.

5:23 AM. The wildlife action continued. I heard shouts from the dining tent. Someone was chasing a member of congress from the dining tent after another successful thievery, this time carrying away our morning serving of bananas.

And so it was hard not to eagerly jump out of my cot before dawn every day. We were in the heart of Africa. In the middle of nowhere, wildlife surrounded us, and every morning began with a clear sense of impending adventure. Pure, wild nature – there was nothing more deserving of reverence, and nothing more exhilarating. 

Read more about safaris in Africa in Travelife Magazine.

Photographs taken by Dondi Joseph

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Today I woke up remembering a happy trip to Tanzania. It involved three unique safaris and one beach holiday in Zanzibar. We chose safaris in the Selous, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.

PLANNING FOR TANZANIA

This holiday in Tanzania really began over a casual conversation over a champagne, mussels and steak dinner while we were in Cape Town late last year. We were at a restaurant called Catharina’s at The Steenberg in Constantia.

By the way, the Steenberg has some of the most beautiful villas I’ve seen near Cape Town. We loved our stay here.

THE BEST SAFARIS IN AFRICA

It was at the end of a very enjoyable two–week trip to South Africa, and right there and then we’d decided to do another trip somewhere in Africa because we’d had such a good time.

“Where shall we go?” We asked each other, and I’m sure all the champagne had an influencing effect on our conversations.

Out of all the countries in Africa we could choose from for another trip to Africa, we’d decided on Tanzania together and then blocked a date for going in our calendars.

Basically, we threw a psychological dart on a map of Africa and decided to go where it landed. On the shortlist were Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania and Kenya. Then we did a bit of bargaining and negotiating regarding the places to include.

THE BEST LODGES IN TANZANIA

When this was done, I set about choosing all the hotels and lodges in Tanzania, as I just love doing this. The Travel Companion was happy to leave this bit to me and focus on where to eat and where to go for sightseeing. This was just like what how we planned our visit to South Africa.

Choosing luxury hotels is one of my ideas of bliss, by the way, aside from an afternoon at a spa, a very good meal with great conversation, and some shopping therapy. I just love checking out hotel and resort websites and booking the ones I like.

I wonder what this should be called? Hotel therapy? I’m pretty OC about hotels because I simply hate staying in lousy hotels.

Meanwhile, his part of the planning was all the domestic logistics, including how to get from point A to point B to point C. This included booking all those tiny planes to go from one safari to another.

Plus all the sightseeing and the restaurant choices because he’s as anal about restaurants as I am about hotels. So between us, we have the best of the world covered.

THE BEST SAFARIS IN TANZANIA

Anyway, for Tanzania, I booked three absolutely amazing safari experiences for a trip focused on the very best of this country in different ways. Give or take a few, of course, because two weeks just wasn’t enough time to stay everywhere I wanted.

There are about two other safari places I would love to do, plus a beautiful resort or two in Zanzibar.

THE BEST RESORTS IN ZANZIBAR

In Zanzibar, which was towards the last leg of our trip, I was planning to book a hotel in Stone Town but we had few luxury options. At that time, the Park Hyatt Zanzibar was just under construction. It’s now open, and this is the best hotel to stay in Zanzibar.

Meanwhile, the fantastic resorts in the beach areas are all very luxurious but these are quite a distance from Stone Town. But we wanted to stay by the beach. So we booked a beautiful resort with a perfect sunset view.

As for the safaris for this trip, lucky me. I got to pick all three safari places, although it was overall a pretty good compromise, as usual.

NGORONGORO: THE MOST UNIQUE SAFARI IN THE WORLD

This safari is the best and most special safari experience in Tanzania, and certainly one of the top in the world. The lodge itself is like a Hollywood set. In fact, you almost expect Meryll Streep and Robert Redford to come walking in to do a scene from the movie Out of Africa.

Meanwhile, the safari viewing is amazing. It involves driving down into the crater of an extinct volcano to see all the animals at the bottom. We did this for several days and our rangers always capped the game drives with a picnic breakfast right at the bottom.

We both had this at the top of our respective bucket lists.

Every single discerning traveler to this part of the world stays here as it’s really world famous for its combination of glamour, luxury and incredible game viewing.

THE MOST REMOTE SAFARI IN THE WORLD

The other safari is something I really wanted to do, although my companion was not so keen because he read somewhere that the game viewing isn’t that great.

Plus, he thought I was more interested in the safari’s spa than in seeing more animals. The spa really was wonderful. I got massages every day while wild animals passed around me.

But this lodge is pretty far out, so he was a good sport about accompanying me here for three days. And it’s still one of the most special places I have ever stayed in in Africa. It’s Africa game viewing at its most pristine — and also at its most surreal luxurious.

There are no conservation rangers or conservation efforts here, so it’s really a free for all as far as the animals are concerned.

This is also why the game viewing here is slightly different compared to the more “civilized safari areas.” One day, you may get very lucky. The next day, you may not.

But that’s truly nature at work without human interference, as far as I’m concerned. And if you’re into safaris, you want to include one like this every now and then.

LUXURY IN THE WILDERNESS

Besides, this is an ultra-luxury safari in one of the most remote places on earth. Talk about a completely surreal experience unlike any other.

It’s located is the Selous which has been called the last wilderness of Africa. Can you imagine what the last wilderness of a wilderness continent is like?

It’s also supposed to be one of the last remaining places on earth where you can go and escape manmade noises. This is still one of my favorite safari experiences ever.

THE MOST FAMOUS SAFARI AREA IN THE WORLD

Finally, the third safari was in a location of my companion’s choice because he wanted to see the Great Migration. And this is where I had to compromise, although not with too much difficulty.

It’s one of the most famous safari locations in the world, and the first choice of most people going on safari in Tanzania. And the safari lodge I’d chosen was possibly at the top of its class right now. It’s quite unlike any other in Africa.

All three safari experiences were best-of-breed and entirely different from each other. So our trip definitely wasn’t just like one never-ending, and never-endingly eventful safari.

THE FAMOUS FISH RESTAURANT IN ZANZIBAR

Finally, I’m posting a photo of a fish restaurant I really wanted to try while we were in Tanzania. It’s at one end of the island of Zanzibar, about one hour from Stone Town by car.

“That looks like a tourist trap,” the Travel Companion said, when I showed him this pretty famous photo. “But if you really want to go, I’ll take you there for your birthday.”

Yes, I was celebrating my birthday in Tanzania, on this holiday. It was wonderful, and Zanzibar was our last stop before flying out.

We ended up not going, though, because we found a really nice restaurant by the sea in Stone Town that served lobsters. Then suddenly, a one-hour drive for lunch at this fish restaurant seemed really far away.

So it’s still on my #Travelife bucket list, which of course never ends. This gives me something to look forward to on my next visit to Tanzania. Read more articles about safaris in Africa in Travelife Magazine.

The post The best safaris in Tanzania appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

PEACE IN STATION ZERO

This quiet area of Boracay is far away from the crowds, and the lovely scenes of summer on our pages are the result of one week of hard work and luxurious fun. These photographs of Boracay certainly inspired me to consider a long weekend in Boracay soon. I’m sure you will feel the same way after you read our article and see our photographs.

This special feature also reminded me of my first visit to this island. It’s now considered one of the world’s top beach destinations. But back then, when I first visited Boracay it was still a sleepy backwater island with no electricity and very few tourists. These days, the island is pretty crowded. But at least there’s always Station Zero as a haven.

Designer Amina Aranaz Alunan
on the cover

Photographed by Bryan Arevalo
Coordinated by Patricia Cendana

BREAKING BARRIERS & LIGHTING FIRES IN BOTSWANA

Our columnists and contributors have once again outdone themselves in chasing adventures worth writing about. Dondi Joseph, a serious traveler with the most passionate case of wanderlust I know, embarked on a safari trip that began in the Okavango Delta of Botswana and ended near the borders of Zambia. His tales of trysts with the wildest of wildlife kept me glued to my seat.

GOING GREEN IN SYDNEY

Meanwhile, Jerome Martin experienced an evening that certainly counts as an adventure for the books for him. He chucked his black book of favorite Sydney restaurants out the window and agreed to dine in a 100% vegetarian hotel. This establishment is green down to room service, snacks, and banquet dining.

LAS FALLAS IN VALENCIA

Meanwhile, Michelle Barrera returned to Valencia in Spain, one of her favorite places in the world. She joined the merrymaking for the amazing annual Las Fallas festival of Valencia. Certainly among the most unique celebrations in Spain, this festival to commemorate Saint Joseph literally lights up the city in one big blaze.

SKIING IN CLUB MED TOMAMU

Angela Ayala checked into Club Med Tomamu, the newest resort in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. It’s currently the popular pick for family holidays in Asia.

A first-timer at Club Med, she writes about how her initial trepidations over a resort full of systems and procedures turned into unequivocal enthusiasm for her week of sports, songs, and dances amidst the snow. 

SWITZERLAND: BLESSED WITH BEAUTY

Finally, since Switzerland is at the top of everyone’s bucket list. So we’ve created a comprehensive guide to Switzerland, listing all of the best destinations and activities for all seasons within its borders.

Look no further than our pages for where to go and what to do in Switzerland, the land of chocolate, cheese fondue, picturesque lakes, luxury watches, and everything wonderful.

Wherever in the world you’re headed soon, we hope you’re living a #Travelife.

The post Sailing in Boracay appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

Of the four lodges, Bush Lodge is the one most suitable for family safari experiences.

GETTING TO SABI SABI

The Pilatus jet flew from Johannesburg to the air strip of the private game reserve. In a little over an hour, we’d landed and our ranger Michael was driving us to Bush Lodge.

I knew this routine quite well as I’d already been at Sabi Sabi two years ago. I still remember how we’d seen giraffe and zebra from the airstrip. And from that instant, I’d become enamored with the safari experience.

Sabi Sabi Game Reserve

SEEING THE BIG 5 IN SOUTH AFRICA

This time, we were even luckier. Within the first 15 minutes, we’d seen the Big 5. And this was such a shock to us that even Michael could not contain his surprise. “We can go home now,” I’d teased him; for spotting the Big 5 is the ultimate objective of most safari goers.

But, of course, we were here to stay. A group of us had flown to Africa to bring our children on their first safari; and for this special trip, I’d chosen two famous game reserves within the world-famous Kruger National Park because they offered excellent programs for children.

THE SABI SABI SAFARI EXPERIENCE

The Sabi Sabi Game Reserve is considered one of the best safari experiences in the world. Among its four lodgings, Bush Lodge is the only one that accepts young visitors.

Bush Lodge is a sprawling contemporary camp with spacious and well-designed public facilities. It also includes a 1920s-inspired living room and a covered terrace where you can watch animals approach a watering hole.

There’s also a child-friendly dining restaurant that serves buffet meals. If the weather is fine, dinner is outdoors in an enclosed area with a big bonfire in the middle.

As with Sabi Sabi’s more intimate adults-only camps, service is conducted flawlessly. Additionally, you can always expect that friendly South African vibe.

FAMILY SAFARI EXPERIENCES AT SABI SABI

However, for families on safari, the piece de resistance of Bush Lodge is a large compound named the Elefun Center. This is probably the most well-equipped and best-maintained children’s center in a safari camp.

Complete with coloring books and personalized materials, it functions as a school, a daycare, and a creative place for young travelers. And it definitely offers parents significant and much-needed “me” time.

It also has its own dedicated “school” building, a secure outdoor play area and a large playground. And its walls are filled with the happy scribbles and colorful hand prints of the young travelers from all over the world.

CHILDREN ON SAFARI IN AFRICA

There is also a Junior Tracker program for children from ages 4 to 8, and the Junior Ranger program for ages 9 to 12. Bushveld-themed educational and entertainment activities can include specially-planned children’s game drives, games, contests, and walks and talks on animals, bugs and birds, tracking, and map-reading.

Children can be dropped off after breakfast for a morning session, and then again after lunch for an afternoon session, to be picked up just in time for the late afternoon game drives.

WONDER WOMAN AT WORK

When we were there, the Elefun Center was manned by an energetic young lady who taught the children to swing on a zipline, decorate bags, make animals out of paper cups, and even how to spell correctly.

Single-handedly, she ticked off everything on the wish list of the kids and their parents, with a good balance of age-appropriate children’s games, outdoor fun, crafts and school lessons.

Wild animals at the game reserve

The Elefun Center enables an excellent balance of activities for families, including enough time for mom and dad to relax, enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea or a morning of spa treatments between meals and drives.

This is exactly what I did, taking advantage of several free mornings to sample the offerings at the spa of Bush Lodge just before sitting down to a long lunch of salads and kebabs with everyone.

It’s a testament to the game reserve’s success that everyone in our group wanted to do a re-run next year – including the parents.

With the Elefun Center as an anchor – or more accurately, as a lifeline – we all realized that a safari with children need not be stressful after all. There were long faces everywhere as we reluctantly said “See you again soon” – not goodbye – to our new friends at the wonderful Sabi Sabi Game Reserve.

The post Family fun at the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

Earth Lodge of Sabi Sabi in the Sabi Sands, one of the best safari lodges in Africa

Earth Lodge at Sabi Sabi in South Africa

This post is about Earth Lodge of Sabi Sabi, one of the best safari lodges in Africa.

Earth Lodge at Sabi Sabi in the Sabi Sands of South Africa
The Earth Lodge of the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve was exactly as I remembered it from my first visit two-and-a-half years ago, living a #Travelife.

There are many truly beautiful safari lodges all over Africa, including some jaw-dropping luxury camps in remote places and some authentically retro camps that instantly take you back in time over 100 years ago.

Scroll down to read more…

EARTH LODGE OF SABI SABI:ONE OF THE BEST SAFARI LODGES IN AFRICA

But perhaps none are as innovative and record-breaking in terms of design and style as Earth Lodge, which has a futuristic theme and is all about modern and yet earth glamour. Earth Lodge of Sabi Sabi is truly one of the best safari lodges in Africa.

This is the pet project of the owners of the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve.

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Sabi Sabi has three other camps.

While Earth Lodge is all about “tomorrow,” Selati Camp is about “yesterday,” and Little Bush Camp and Bush Lodge, which is the family-friendly accommodations, is themed as “today.”

Earth Lodge at Sabi Sabi in South Africa

REMEMBERING EVERYTHINGIN “TOMORROW”AS IF IT WAS YESTERDAY

Bush Lodge is contemporary in feel while making use of local materials and natural materials for an atmosphere that is both stylish and yet warm.

Walking into Earth Lodge again a few days ago made me recall one of my funniest memories from my first stay there.

Earth Lodge at Sabi Sabi in South Africa

THE STANDARD QUESTIONSBEFORE A GAME DRIVE

The Travel Companion and I were going out on our first game drive with a very nice and lovely girl named Moira, one of the rangers from Earth Lodge.

At Selati Camp, where we’d stayed prior to moving to Bush Camp, we’d had a different team of rangers and trackers to take us out on game drives.

As always, we were asked the standard question posed by proper safari rangers when taking guests out on a game drive for the first time.

DEPRESSION IN AFRICA,STILL LIVING A #TRAVELIFE

Earth Lodge at Sabi Sabi in South Africa

I remember that we were already seated in the jeep when she turned around to us before driving and asked brightly: “Any serious physical conditions I need to be aware of? High blood pressure? Any major surgeries or illnesses?“

I then pointed to the Travel Companion and said with a sober face: “Depression.“

She burst out laughing so hard, thus breaking the ice, on just another wonderful trip on my never-ending, and never-endingly eventful #Travelife.

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