africa travel

South Africa Nature Preserve Vacation Rental for $70,000 a week

Remember learning the haunting melody of "In the Jungle" at summer camp? Well, now you can live it. A private outpost in South Africa's Mapungubwe Private Nature Reserve is listed for lease at $70,000 a week. No neighbors, unless you count the lions and elephants who roam freely around you.

The owner has most thoughtfully arranged private security for this experience. The 10,000-square-foot home comes staffed and has nine bedrooms and eight baths. Located in South Africa's Limpopo Province, the unique home is the ultimate nature and safari experience. Surrounded by elephants, leopards, lions, antelopes, zebras and other animals, guests are flown in by helicopter or private plane. There is access to telephone and Internet but this is truly intended to be a "get away from it all and commune with nature experience" -- luxury style. The staff are all native-born, familiar with the preserve, and live on site in separate quarters. There is a full building master suite with a view of the South African countryside. The home is built in true African style with a thatched room and decorated appropriately for the environment. All modern conveniences are provided.

There is an open air shower and an outdoor living room with fireplace. Inquiries about leasing the home may be made of Magnus Hellberg, Partners Trust Realty in Los Angeles.

Gallery: $70,000 a week South African Rental

Tags: africa travel, african travel, luxury vacation, luxury vacation rental, south africa, vacation rental

Continue reading “South Africa Nature Preserve Vacation Rental for $70,000 a week”

Abercrombie & Kent Tour of Zambia Review

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Abercrombie & Kent Tour of Zambia Review

I recently embarked on my second safari tour in Africa with Abercrombie & Kent, a Luxist Awards' nominee for Best Family Winter Vacation as well as Best Adventure Getaway. The safari took me through three of the Sanctuary Retreats camps in Zambia, as well as a night at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg. My tour was custom-made, so you won't find the exact same one online for booking, but you can arrange a trip just like mine or with additional features if you'd like to. This article will take you through where we (myself, another journalist and a PR representative) went and what we did, what to expect and what to bring on a trip through Mr. Kent himself's favorite destination: Zambia.

Our tour began with a series of flights. Surprisingly, we were scheduled on an indirect route, flying from New York to Heathrow, then down to Johannesburg, then to Lusaka and then, finally, to our final destination in Zambia. It was a 41-hour ordeal. When you book through Abercrombie & Kent, you will have the option of finding flights and airfare yourself. Many choose to do this so they can control the airline and use their miles for upgrades, etc., but I would add that you'll also have complete control over your route and how long your journey will take. A representative of A&K told me that the usual flight route to Zambia is straight to Lusaka via Heathrow. If you arrange the flights yourself, you could try another option, like New York to Johannesburg on South African Airways.

Regardless, as a fellow journalist once told me as we waited to board a delayed flight to Barbados for the third time, "once you get there, it doesn't matter how you got there."

The same was true of Zambia. We arrived at South Luangwa National Park at sunset and excitedly photographed our first game: a sole, poorly lit giraffe. We couldn't have been more captivated by his beauty and sense of calm. The drivers were patient with us as we snapped away, taking tens of entirely unusable pictures. Then, we drove through a river to reach Sanctuary Retreats Puku Ridge.

Tags: abercrombie and ken, abercrombie kent, africa, africa travel, awards-main, luxist-awards, safari, sanctuary retreats, saxon hotel, zambia

Continue reading “Abercrombie & Kent Tour of Zambia Review”

Relax at the Radisson Blu Resort in Tunisia

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Pack your bags for Tunisia! A new Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso has opened in Monastir. It's the second Radisson Blu in Tunisia and boasts 280 rooms on beachfront property -- facing the Gulf of Hammamet in the Mediterranean Sea. The resort has 264 guestrooms, 14 junior suites and two senior suites, all equipped with high-speed access (no fee!) and a private balcony or terrace overlooking the pool and sea.

Of course, it's nice to have a comfortable room, but when you really want to unwind, you're looking for the spa. The Radisson Blu in Monastir has a 150,000-square foot facility in the Royal Elyssa Spa Cinq Mondes & Thalasso, with a 48,000-square foot Thal'ion Thalasso center that specializes in restorative treatments using seawater. The spa facilities are set to open early next year and will also have a fitness club and salon. The saunas, hammams and treatment rooms are great, but you'll want to get to the top floor, where you'll find 20 spa suites, many of which will boast private Jacuzzis.

Gallery: Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso, Monastir, Tunisia