Recommend February 2015 - (Page 33)

africa The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is one of the accommodations on Goway's 32-day Cape to Cairo Journey. AFRICA Ups the Luxury Ante carla hunt Gone are the days when luxury travel meant only pampered opulence and staid leisure for the very idle rich. Welcome to Now!... when the wealthy-and not so wealthy-are out and about, reaping the travel rewards of unforgettable experiences in very far away places, complete with unexpected levels of service and comfort. Few corners of the world deliver such dividends better than the game-rich and culture-laden lands of Africa. And in 2015, Africa guarantees her guests top-of-the-line ways to move about, including private aircraft transport between safari camps; helicopter rides for aerial surveys; hot air balloon outings for bird's-eye views; the latest in 4x4s; and what has been called the most luxurious train on earth, South Africa's Rovos Rail, carrying guests in beautifully resorted Edwardian-era cars that run on track weekly from Cape Town to Victoria Falls, and points in-between. Today's travelers are also taking to the lakes and rivers for their wildlife viewing, moving quietly about in propelled native craft and self-propelled kayaks. Tops in waterways travel is AmaWaterways' Zambezi Queen, speciﬁcally designed for safari river cruising on the Chobe River in Botswana's wildlife-rich Okavango Delta; the cruises form the centerpiece of AmaWaterways' deluxe tours combining several Southern Africa countries. And, believe it or not, the up- market, bound-for-Africa set is booking that most active of holidays, the walking safari, which got its start in Zambia and is growing in popularity with today's more active travelers. Most certainly, the deluxe level of safari lodges and camps sets the scene for client expectations of luxury, service and wild herds gathering just beyond the plunge pool on their terrace. From the get-go in the early 1990s, two characteristics have distinguished andBeyond lodges: The focus on conservation and the mastery of an interior design of understated elegance that bespeaks luxury in the African bush. Joss Kent, andBeyond's CEO, points out that his company owns and manages 33 world-class lodges in seven countries, and "we pride ourselves in creating incredible guest experiences and are renowned for the caliber of our guides and lodge management teams." Just opened in 2014 are the andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge in Botswana, where each nest-like suite has a private plunge pool, and the andBeyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp in Kenya, where tents are outﬁtted with a "loo with a view" and the starting rate of $380 seems uniquely affordable for a luxury safari lodge. february 2015 33 33-34 AF Luxury.indd 33 1/22/15 6:24 AM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2015

Editor’s Notes
Four Haute Hotel Happenings in 2015
Tauck
Let’s Talk Luxury
In the Lap of Luxury, At Sea
Tee Off & Unwind in the U.S.
Golf with “a Shot of Spa” in Vibrant Mexico
Barbados & Bermuda Get a Boost
Curaçao’s Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort
Upscaling the Wilderness
The “High Life” in France
Africa Ups the Luxury Ante
A Sense of Wellness in India

Recommend February 2015