WORDS by CHRISTIE FYNN and KATE BLACK | IMAGES SUPPLIED by FEATURED LODGES
It’s often the hopeless romantics among us that are the adventurous spirits too. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve done some dreaming and come up with a list of what we think are the most beautifully romantic safari experiences. You might not be doing them this Valentine’s Day, but be sure to keep them craftily in your back pocket for next!
1. An iconic Out of Africa picnic
The film Out of Africa celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. We’re honouring this occasion by starting our list off with the ultimate ‘Karen and Denys’ moment. What makes this particular activity extra special is that you won’t be able to experience it anywhere else in Africa.
Angama Mara offers guests the impossibly romantic option of having a private picnic for two on the crest of the kopje, where the iconic poster (and some of the lovely scenes from the movie) for Out of Africa was shot. You’ll arrive to a warm welcome from your butler who’ll settle you in, and then leave you to enjoy a couple of hours on the very spot where Streep and Redford picnicked with the Masai Mara spread out below. With a view like that, you’ll fall in love with the world (and each other) all over again.
Link: angama.com/out-of-africa-picnic
Location: Angama Mara, Masai Mara, Kenya
2. A train trip across Africa
A wonderfully old-fashioned way to travel, the Rovos Rail romances its passengers with nostalgia for a bygone era. Setting foot on one of its immaculately reconditioned, wood panelled carriages is all about timelessness – ‘you step back in time and forget what’s happening in the world’ (source). Wine and dine with your other half in the locomotive’s luxurious and charming Victorian interiors as you pass through the Magaliesberg Mountain Range, across Botswana and onto Zimbabwe’s magnificent Hwange National Park, where game can be seen from the train. Last stop: Victoria Falls, the glorious ‘smoke that thunders’.
For further details about Rovos Rail’s Victoria Falls itinerary, visit: www.rovos.com/journeys/victoria-falls
Location: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
3. A romantic game drive for two
‘Africa… The very name of the continent is romantic. One of the last wild places where the great herds of elephant still roam, where the night is sequinned with a million stars and where lions may be found gliding across a clearing in the dawn light.’
For honeymooners at Londolozi, pride of place is given to the game viewing vehicle, a one of a kind sturdy short wheelbase Land Rover, bedecked with a sumptuous safari couch for two. The couple’s chariot awaits, along with a dedicated ranger, ensuring not only supreme flexibility in game drive arrangements – midnight or midday are equally possible – but also opportunity for extraordinary discoveries. The small vehicle can explore the hidden dells and secret places of Londolozi with great agility.
For their full Honeymoon Package, which includes accommodation in the Granite Suites, private dinners, couples massages and more, visit: londolozi.com/honeymoon-safari
Location: Londolozi Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Wildtuin, South Africa
4. Your private romantic island
Everyone fantasises about a private island for a day, don’t they? This idyllic isle combines tranquil ‘island vibes’ with the pristine beauty and sheer grandeur of the Zambezi River. Sindabezi Island‘s luxury chalets are perched right at the water’s edge, just 15km upstream from Victoria Falls. The secluded Honeymoon Chalet is their best-kept secret; a romantic hideaway amongst the trees undisturbed by anything but the sights and sounds of the African bush. A private deck, sandy shore, candles and paraffin lamps, and an old-fashioned, claw footed bath for two. Sold.
To find out more about Sindabezi’s romantic escape, please visit: www.tongabezi.com/sindabezi
Location: Zambezi River, Zambia
5. A bed for two, under the stars
Once described as the biggest bedroom in the world, with the starry sky as your ceiling, the Starbeds are truly a romantic spot. Wake up with coffee in bed and watch the sun rise in front of you – or jump out of bed before sunrise to horse ride across the plains to a private bush breakfast. With elephants and hippos calling around you – and the birds as your alarm clock, you really will be at one with nature.
Find out more here: www.loisaba.com
Location: Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya
6. Hot air ballooning over the desert
…Swoon. There’s just something about aviation and that airborne feeling of soaring aloft in a hot air balloon that makes it wildly romantic. Add to that a sweeping vista of the Namib Desert’s Sossusvlei dunes and your beau or belle won’t know what to do with themselves!
At andBeyond’s Sossusvlei Lodge, you’ll takes to the skies in the early morning, as the sun’s first rays peek over the dunes. Breathe in the crisp desert air, confess your undying love, and enjoy the ride!
For more info on this once-in-a-lifetime experience, visit: www.andbeyond.com
Location: Sossusvlei, Namibia
7. Explore the vast Makgadikgadi Salt Pans on horseback
Galloping across wide, open spaces with the wind in one’s hair is a wonderful cliché.
An African horseback safari is this, and a whole lot more: it’s the chance to explore some of Africa’s wildest and most untouched spaces without the interruption of a vehicle engine; to encounter wildlife with a unique kind of intimacy; to be ‘right out there’ where the wild things are. It’s an experience you won’t forget, so do it with that special someone.
Natural Selection offers a 5-night horse riding safari, three of which are spent at the charming Jack’s Camp or Camp Kalahari and the other two fly-camping on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans under the magnificent Kalahari sky.
To view the full itinerary, visit: www.naturalselection.travel
Location: Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana
8. Bathe in the bush at Selinda Explorer’s Camp
Take your lover back in time to the days of vintage travelling trunks and traditional canvas tents. Selinda Explorer’s Camp, situated on a secluded stretch of the pristine Selinda Spillway, is set up in true expedition-style, with four tents placed directly on the earth under a shady canopy of trees.
Staying true to the atmosphere of the exploratory expeditions led by Livingstone and Selous all those years ago, hot and cold water is brought to the tents on demand, for the copper vanities and bucket shower (which is open to magical view of the stars). But the real romance lies in the magnificent brass hipbaths that can be portered to a nearby sandbank on the spillway so you can bathe away privately with nothing between you and the magnificent bushveld.
Find out more about this intriguing escape at: www.greatplainsconservation.com
Location: Selinda Reserve, Botswana
9. A sunset cruise on the Ra-Ikane
Ra-Ikane is a quaint little boat that will steer you gently up the Zambezi River in the lap of luxury and show you a stunning Zimbabwean sunset. The charming vessel, modeled on the original boat belonging to Dr. Livingstone himself, is fitted with polished teak interiors and old-fashioned armchairs reminiscent of times past. With capacity for only a dozen or so guests, this particular boat allows for a uniquely intimate experience compared with some of the bigger cruise boats, which makes it the perfect romantic escape.
Your captain and barman will take personal care of you, serving you cocktail snacks and drinks and providing a knowledgeable running commentary on the history, flora and fauna of the area. Look out for hippos, crocodiles and water birds which are frequently seen. Otherwise, grab a drink, sit back, and enjoy the sunset!
To find out more about your Ra-Ikane trip, please visit: www.ilalalodge.com
Location: Ilala Lodge, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
10. A bush dinner under the stars
There’s absolutely no doubt that eating is part of the rich tapestry of Valentine’s Day (and a little sip of vino or bubbly of course!) Special meals are often the best way to catch up with your favourite person. Now, imagine your private rendezvous between a scattering of acacia trees, with a view of nothing but bushveld and a couple of lanterns to light your way. As the sun sets with your G&T in hand, the stars will appear in their thousands (and thousands), the campfire will be ablaze, and the bush will come alive with sounds. We’re getting envious just thinking about it…
To find out more about the best bush dinners at Singita, please visit: www.singita.com
Location: Singita Sweni Lodge, Kruger National Park
