Royal Chundu

Royal Chundu is the newest luxury resort in Zambia and perched on the banks of the Zambezi River upstream, from magnificent Victoria Falls.

One of the biggest celebrations in Africa is the famous Parrotfish Run. This event marks the journey of millions of fish that are caught in the main stream of the Zambezi River as the fish swim down the river for miles, much to the benefit of local fishermen.

Parrotfish Run kicks off on June 1 and is both a local and seasonal event that occurs between June and August. Parrotfish Run is hosted by the luxurious Royal Chundu hotel.

Royal Chundu is comprised of two luxurious lodges: the River Lodge holds 10 spacious riverfront suites while the Island Lodge has 4 exquisite villas located on private Katombora Island.

Hotel guests at Royal Chundu will have the special opportunity to take part in this cultural event occurring near the property where they will see catches like the prized African Tigerfish to the iconic and vibrant Parrotfish.

View how local fishermen use hand-woven baskets made of reeds and palm tree leaves to catch the fish. A significant fact is that the amount of fish caught provides enough sustenance to last the local villages an entire year.

In addition, the Parrotfish Run coincides with a natural phenomenon known as the Lunar Rainbow. While the typical rainbow appears through direct sunlight, the rare Lunar Rainbow occurs from light reflected from the moon’s surface. From the vantage point of Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world, the experience is unlike any other.

For wildlife lover, visiting Zambia and staying at Royal Chundu is ideal. The luxury hotel is perfectly situated among unspoiled southern African wildlife such as elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and over 400 species of birds.

Royal Chundu offers all of the classic Victoria Falls activities but with a more private and exclusive location. While at the lodge, guests can experience canoeing trips, sunset river cruises, fishing and birding excursions, cultural village visits, fine dining and much more.

For learn more about the annual Parrotfish Run and Royal Chundu, please visit www.royalchundu.com

Ride Kenya

Ride Kenya offers an experience of a lifetime. Enjoy an African safari in Kenya on horseback with: up-close game watching and stunning rides through majestic savannahs, forests and swamps with incredible views of Africa’s iconic Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Ride Kenya is part of the Great Plains Conservation camps and safaris, and the tour company guides its guests on horseback safari trips across the exclusive landscape of the Amboseli–Tsavo ecosystem.

Ride Kenya’s stables are located just 2km from ol Donyo Lodge, which was named one of Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Hotels” in both 2011 and 2012. These horseback safaris are designed for experienced and adventurous riders and cover a pristine wilderness of over one million acres, rarely visited by other tourists.

Luxury accommodations await you. There are ten large bedroom suites that truly embrace East African culture. Each suite offers natural stone floors and tall and traditionally thatched roofs. Rooftop suites have a romantic bed for guests who want to slumber under the starry African sky.

One of the biggest attractions at ol Donyo Lodge is the variety of activities for guests and families: Colonial–style breakfast after morning horseback rides; game drives and night excursions that provide extraordinary wildlife photography; bicycle riding and hiking trips through the savannah and forest; and the cool relief of private plunge pools.

Ride Kenya’s horseback safaris typically span six nights and seven days of riding, camping and sightseeing for groups of up to ten (families welcome). A typical day on safari offers 4–7 hours per day in the saddle, with a chance of night or day game driving, as well as walking tours.

Based out of a mobile camp, Ride Kenya’s guests stay in luxurious Selous tents, with hot showers, a separate tent for three–course dining, on–site laundry and a full crew of staff for household services. Every other night, the camp location will move to follow the trails. Ride Kenya is flexible in offering long and short horse safaris, for small groups as well as larger groups.

For additional information about Ride Kenya and their horseback Kenya safaris, please visit: http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/rk/index.html

Serengeti safari

Misconceptions of Africa tend to limit its traveling potential and appeal.  Although nature and animals is one huge part of what Africa is known for, luxurious honeymoon can now be another.  Opening in the beginning of summer, on June 15 of this year, the luxurious Singita Serengeti House will offer guests exclusive-use accommodation and access to 350,000 acres of private land for an intimate yet lavishing safari experience in Tanzania.

Located near the world-famous Serengeti National Park, this exquisite retreat offers idyllic vistas from the wide Serengeti plains to the property’s nearby watering hole.  Ideal for families and small groups, Singita Serengeti House accommodates up to eight guests in four spacious suites, all featuring private outdoor showers and terraces.  In addition, the House also includes large dining and lounge areas, ample decked areas with day beds, swimming pool, and tennis court.

Created by Singita’s award-winning interior designers, Cecile & Boyd, the Serengeti House is the perfect fusion of modernism with traditional African cultural theme.  The décor combines classic furniture with local materials, bleached raw woods and a palette of white, ebony and ivory.  One of the most notable parts of the Serengeti House is the effort expended in water and energy efficiency.  So the Serengeti House was created with the least amount of carbon footprint and disruptions to the natural ecosystem.

Guests staying at Serengeti House can go on Singita’s signature safari with a private guide and gourmet cuisine created by a private chef.  Romance, nature, and culture are all part of the Serengeti House experience.  An all-inclusive travel package is available on Africa Odyssey.

Ras Kutani lagoon – Tanzania

For an unforgettable getaway, consider Ras Kutani which is located on the undiscovered southern Tanzania coastline, 35 short kilometers south of Dar es Salaam.

Ras Kutani is truly a unique boutique beach retreat. This luxury property resides within 100 acres of lush tropical, coastal forest of Southern Tanzania. A stay Ras Kutani will provide you a rare opportunity to explore one of the most bio-diverse indigenous coastal forests in East Africa.

Ras Kutani lodge delivers stunning barefoot-luxury and a treasured hideaway for those seeking solace, luxury and tranquillity. The luxurious accommodations at Ras Kutani are made up of nine open-fronted spacious, charming cottages, each with en suite bathroom, large verandah with a covered sand floor, seating area, hammocks and views of the clear lagoon, beach and Indian Ocean.

Thanks to owner and keen conservationist, Charles Dobie, this idyllic forest has been saved, cultivated and is now continuously patrolled in order to protect it and retain its natural beauty.

The forest boasts 132 different species of trees, including mango trees (famous for their spectacular fruit) and the Marula tree (prized for its rich bounty of fruit, and the oil from the kernel, which is used to make moisturizer). Guests can enjoy watching the antics of four species of monkey, including the spectacular black- and- white colobus, as well as many species of birds, baboons, wild pigs, the elusive Civet Cats and other wildlife.

Available only at Ras Kutani, the From Tree To Tree self-guided tour steers guests through this eclectic ecosystem on a gentle, yet fascinating walk. The corresponding map highlights each point of interest along the walk from the wild custard apple shrubs to the African Breadfruit trees – where you’re most likely to find Sykes’ monkeys, yellow baboons, Blue Duiker and Giant African land snails!

Enjoy a seven night stay at Ras Kutani, followed by a three-night sophisticated safari experience at the boutique Selous Safari Camp from $5,611 per person (saving $1,400 per person). Valid for travel throughout June and July, the price includes international flights from various US airports, internal transfers, full board and most activities.

If you are interested in making a reservation or learning more about Ras Kutani, please contact Africa Odyssey at 1-866-356-4691 or visit www.africaodyssey.com

Mara Ngenche in Kenya

Africa Adventure Company is an award-winning travel outfitter and leading Africa specialist. The travel company is well known for its extensive portfolio of more than 75 safari trips to over 14 African countries.

The team at Africa Adventure Company is managed and directed by Mark and Alison Nolting. These two combine experience and knowledge of Africa that is clearly unsurpassed in the safari business.

Africa Adventure Company just released its list of ten top romantic camps and lodges throughout Africa, including a number of amorous activities tailored for two.

Based on the company’s extensive experience of offering romantic safari experiences for couples for 25 years as a part of their extensive portfolio of safari trips, it’s hard to find anybody more knowledgeable.

The Top 10 list includes Mara Ngenche in Kenya, where guests can take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Mara River as hippos serenade from down below. Also on the list is Little Kulala which is situated in the Namib Desert in Namibia and is the perfect camp for a desert romance in sumptuous style with its landscape of red dunes and flat valley floors.

Zimbabwe’s Vundu Camp is featured because it gives guests the opportunity to take an exquisite sunset canoe ride on the Zambezi River along Mana Pools National Park.

Sindabezi Camp in Zambia is highlighted for a river cruise to Livingstone Island where couples can have a romantic breakfast for two and swim in the natural rock pool at the edge of the famous Victoria Falls. Greystoke Camp in Tanzania makes the list as it offers couples the chance to go for a barefoot stroll along the beach of beautiful Lake Tanganyika.

And the featured experience at Amara Simbazi Camp in Tanzania is the opportunity for visitors to take a dip into a private pool overlooking the Ruaha River in the Selous Game Reserve.

Equestrian Journeys – Camp Kalahari

Uncharted Africa was founded in 1993 by Catherine Raphaely and Ralph Bousfield, with the goal of bringing travelers to the otherworldly Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana, Africa.

“Equestrian Journeys” is a new tour being offered by Uncharted Africa to explore Botswana’s unique Kalahari and Makgadikgadi ecosystems.

Your tour in the Kalahari Desert will be led by celebrated equestrian safari guide, David Foot. “Equestrian Journeys” is a one-of-a-kind safari that allows tour guests to spend their days journeying out into the Salt Pans and acacia woodlands on horseback.

Groups of between four and eight are matched with outstandingly bred horses for the ride of a lifetime through the ‘land of a thousand islands,’ acacia woodlands, short grasslands, and finally out into the middle of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, where all that can be seen for miles around is the curve of the earth.

The Horseback Safaris will begin from Camp Kalahari, which is a fun and adventurous, yet comfortable and stylish oasis nestled amongst the acacias and palms on the edge of the ancient salt pans. Camp Kalahari is luxurious yet simple and unfettered with ten spacious meru tents.

Each guest tent comes complete with en-suite outdoor bathrooms, incorporating flushing toilets and hot and cold running water. The traditionally built thatch roofed communal library, living and dining area provides the perfect place to relax after safari, while the inviting swimming pool is the ideal spot for an afternoon escape.

To learn additional information about the Horseback Riding Safari and Camp Kalahari, please visit www.unchartedafrica.com

Reservation inquiries can be made by contacting reservations@unchartedafrica.com

If you’re seeking a slightly different luxury vacation, consider Kenya: an exotic locale that’s off the beaten track. Kenya is often overlooked as a luxurious destination, but it has an abundant supply of options for those of us who enjoy the finer things in life.

You’ll see some of the continent’s best wildlife, landscape, and white sand beaches. It’s definitely a “must see” for safari lovers.

We’ll take you through a few of the country’s best areas and discuss some of the best luxury hotels in Kenya so you can plan your trip.

Masai Mara Reserve:

The Masai Mara National Reserve is a huge national park in Kenya. It’s found in south-western part of the country and covers about 1530 square kilometers of grasslands.

You’ll see all of Africa’s “big five” animals at the Masai Mara Reserve: lions, African elephants, cape buffalo, leopards and black rhinos (severely endangered), which is why it’s popular among tourists! The Masai Mara Reserve is also home to hippopotami, cheetahs, gazelles, wildebeest, antelopes, zebra and more.

The Masai Mara Reserve is where the Great Annual Wildlife Migration happens every year from July to October. Millions of wildebeest, zebra and antelope trek from Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains to the Masai Mara National Reserve in search of food and water.

Luckily for tourists to the area, there are some fabulous places to stay inside the park, including a great luxury camp called “Governor’s Moran Camp”.

Governors’ Camp in the Masai Mara Reserve is really intimate with 17 en-suite tents all placed around a large watering hole in quite a remote location.

The watering hole attracts all kinds of wildlife, so stay on the lookout for creatures great and small.

Guests at Governors’ are hardly “roughing it” – each tent has its own en-suite washroom, hot running water and bidets. From here, guests can arrange excursions around the reserve to see Africa’s best wildlife in action!

Nairobi:

Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya. It’s East Africa’s best city for shopping, nightlife and tourist attractions.

During your trip to Nairobi, you’ll definitely want to check out the Karen Blixen Museum. It’s the farmhouse where the famous author of Out of Africa lived between 1914 and 1931.

You might also want to spend some time at the Giraffe Centre (http://www.giraffecenter.org/) where you can feed the giraffes at their level and at the Nairobi National Park, where you can see some of the rare black rhinos that are almost extinct!

If you’re a shopaholic, you’ll want to spend a day at The Village Market. This huge mall has more than 150 stores. Fridays are a particularly good day to visit because there’s an open air Maasai market with crafts from local tourists. The Market also has a slew of restaurants, a movie theatre and a bowling alley. Very civilized!

It’s also the location of one of the best luxury hotels in Nairobi : Tribe – the Village Market Hotel, where visiting diplomats, politicians and VIPs stay. It’s one of the country’s finest hotels.

Tribe Hotel is right next to the Village Market and is located in the upscale Gigiri suburb of the city. Rooms are adorned with hand-picked Kenyan art and furnishings, and are the epitome of comfort.

Msambweni:

Sand seekers looking for an exotic beach vacation should look no further than Kenya’s Msambweni.  This stretch of beach is in the south part of the country and is much less touristy than the areas to the north.

This is where you can get away from the crowds to tan, snorkel, swim and dive.

The best hotel in the area is Msambweni Beach House and Private Villas. Surrounded by 28 acres of land, this six-room hotel gives a guest experience like no other.

The Main House features high ceilings, three luxurious rooms with private verandas and a traditional Swahili decor. Two luxurious villas are close to the main house and have their own swimming pools and Jacuzzis facing the ocean!

Lastly, for guests who want a true safari experience, this hotel has a luxury tent.