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What sets it apart
The opportunity to experience completely different regions of Southern Africa on the same itinerary made this luxury safari stand out for us. We knew we’d be asked which of the three lodges we enjoyed the most, but with each being marvellous in its own way, and yet so different to the others, we could truthfully answer that we couldn’t say.
Spending time in pristine wild places – with like-minded fellow travellers and guides who wore their knowledge lightly but were always happy to share it – was one of our favourite aspects of the trip. We loved the sense of freedom we found in the landscapes and seascapes, and the feeling that we were always at liberty to do as many or as few activities as we wished.
As well as the pleasing contrasts, we enjoyed the common threads that ran through our safari-and-beach holiday. While we always had ample time to ourselves to reconnect, we were not at all cocooned away from local people, and enjoyed revealing conversations with guides, teachers and sailors alike on topics ranging from soccer to school and the very best way to eat sushi (the answer, of course, is straight-from-the-ocean fresh, on a dhow, with a squeeze of lemon juice).
While we were incredibly well taken care of, it was immensely gratifying to see that our creature comforts were not the ultimate aim, and that ecotourism in both Botswana and Mozambique was making a meaningful difference to the lives of local people. It had certainly made a difference to us.