escourted – Page 24 – Pure Breaks

The Retreat by Heaven

Town & Country and The New York Times call The Retreat in Rwanda one of the top new hotels in the world in 2018. The American owners of Heaven Restaurant created The Retreat, a 12-room luxury boutique hotel located on a tree-lined street steps from Kigali City Center and 20 minutes from the airport. Due to great success in their first 2 years they are expanding! 8 new luxury pool villas and a new wine lounge are under construction and will be open by December 2020. The Retreat is Kigali’s first eco-friendly resort and features solar electricity, organic toiletries, locally-crafted furniture from a Tanzanian sustainable teak farm, outdoor showers, private terraces, a yoga and meditation room, spa, large heated saltwater swimming pool with jacuzzi and diving rocks, and an open-air fitness centre. Fusion Restaurant and its Swahili-inspired bar, located at The Retreat, offer delicious farm-to-table international cuisine.

Bisate Lodge

Bisate Lodge hosts dramatic views of the Bisoke and Karisimbi volcano peaks rising through the forests of nearby Volcanoes National Park. Exploring around Bisate includes community visits, birding, golden monkey tracking, helping reforest the area, Gorilla Guardian Village, the Twin Lakes of Ruhondo and Burera, as well as Dian Fossey’s burial site. Guests will stay in one of six opulent en-suite Forest Villas, warmed by a central fireplace and offering breath-taking views from the deck. Both the architecture and interiors are rooted in Rwandan cultural traditions. The vision of Bisate is to be a model of sustainable ecotourism in Rwanda. Its reforestation and rehabilitation projects have each guest partnering with us and contributing to biodiversity conservation and local community upliftment, making a far-reaching positive impact on an iconic endangered species: the mountain gorilla. A stay at Bisate Lodge will have you in wonderment, promising one of the most thrilling safari destinations in Africa.

Little Kulala

Located in the Kulala Wilderness Reserve on the dry Auab riverbed, Little Kulala is both luxurious and private. Situated within the awe-inspiring serenity of the desert, this luxury camp is incredibly remote and offers guests experiences unique to the area and its dense terrain. Guests will be able to admire the 27,000 hectares that surround them when staying here, with views from their private suite and rooftop deck. Highly focused on wilderness conservation, activities at the property highlight the biodiversity of the area, bringing guests up close and personal to a vast array of flora, fauna and wilderness creatures that call this reserve their home. Game drives shows guests the beauty of the area as does the hiking and cycling on offer. This will allow guests to discover the magnificent dunes of Sossusvlei, undisturbed as far as the eye can see. Quad biking is perfect for those thrill-seeking adventurers and the property itself offers its visitors the chance to unwind on site should they wish to do so. The library and spa are all accessible and each suite’s rooftop deck allows guests to sleep outside and stargaze. A trip here in the Namibian Desert truly is a magical experience.

Old Drift Lodge

Old Drift Lodge stands within Zambezi National Park, surrounded by 56,000 hectares of untouched natural beauty. The lodge overlooks the mighty Zambezi River and is just upstream from Victoria Falls – one of the seven wonders of the world and the largest waterfall. Travellers can enjoy the stunning panoramic views from the lodge’s main deck which can be accessed via a wooden pathway, with elegant handrails and lit with the gentle glow of a dozen lanterns. Snuggle up around the fire pit at the cosy outdoor seating area, and enjoy the sounds of nearby wildlife as hippos snort and grunt from the river.
Old Drift Lodge blends into the natural environment, with its neutral colours and natural materials, meaning that it neither takes away from the exquisite landscape, nor does it disrupt the local wildlife. Set in the heart of the Zambezi National Park, guests staying at the lodge can expect to see an abundance of amazing creatures wander past including elephants, zebras, waterbuck, buffalo, lions, impala and hippos. Explore the floodplains, grasslands and riverbanks with a variety of activities including game drives, river safaris and guided walks, and learn about the African wilderness and the life that thrives within it.

Stanley and Livingstone Boutique Hotel

Stanley & Livingstone is the first luxury boutique hotel found at Victoria Falls, located just 15 minutes from the falls themselves and surrounded by a Private Game Reserve. It is the ideal base from which to explore the falls and the area they inhabit, and it also makes for a quiet retreat in one of the continent’s most famous destinations. The hotel’s design takes a fresh and easy-going approach to colonial style, encouraging guests to settle and relax in a calm atmosphere. Luxurious amenities, attentive service, and brilliant food enhance the experience by ensuring you are well taken care of – a hallmark of Stanley & Livingstone.

Mara Bushtops

Mara Bushtops is the perfect getaway destination to enjoy extravagant luxury and restorative tranquillity. Some have even called it the best camp in Kenya! While some locations may simply be base camp for travellers to explore surrounding areas, Mara Bushtops is most definitely another X on the map. From the award-winning Amani Spa and secret wine cellar to the scenic game drives and the best views in Maasai Mara, Mara Bushtops has everything they could possibly need to make your stay sensational and unforgettable. It is the only camp with an ample natural salt-lick by the watering hole, right in front of the spa and restaurant. The animals can’t wait to get their turn, allowing guests some of the very best viewings of African wildlife by day and by night, featuring appearances by gazelles, warthogs, zebra and impala, topi, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, leopards and lions.

Kyaninga Lodge

Kyaninga Lodge offers guests an unforgettable and unique experience in a wild land, surrounded by thick rainforests and overlooking the azure Lake Kyaninga. 9 thatched roofed cottages are made out of handcrafted logs and are authentic, bright and comfortable, with cosy beds and a private decking where guests can enjoy the magnificent views. Perched on a mountainside, Kyaninga Lodge offers breathtaking panoramas, looking all the way over to the Rwenzori Mountains and the horizon beyond. All this land is waiting to be explored, and guests have a variety of ways to achieve this. Kibale National Park is not far from the lodge, and here guests can come face to face with chimpanzees and other amazing animals.

andBeyond Chobe Under Canvas

Animal trails weave around five spacious safari tents that perch at the northern end of the Chobe National Park. Enjoy sleeping on a comfortable double bed positioned close to the Chobe River – known for the large numbers of elephants and buffalo who congregate here. Experience nature up close in an exclusive and luxurious semi-permanent campsite, with the comfort of an ensuite bathroom, separate flush WC and an outdoor bucket shower with steaming hot water available on request. A private butler is also on hand to help you with anything else you require. Relax after a day of adventures in the guest areas, which consist of large tents for dining, pre-dinner drinks or simply relaxing with a good book and a beverage. Indulge in delicious meals cooked over the coals, which are shared around a blazing fire.

Bakers Lodge

Located on the border of the famous Murchison Falls National Park, on the bank of the Nile River, is Bakers Lodge. Named after an early British explorer of the area, this lodge offers a traditional African safari experience. All ten thatched suites sit on raised platforms affording a view out over rolling grasslands and the nearby river, flowing past in the distance. All suites are eco friendly, with solar power hot water and local handcrafted furniture and art decorating the room. Dinner is served in the main dining room which has 180° views of the stunning surroundings, and an outdoor decking area means dinner can be enjoyed under the stars. Guests will never be bored at Bakers Lodge, with a wealth of activities to chose from including chimpanzee trekking, boat safaris, game drives, river cruises and even hot air balloon trips. Friendly and professional staff will be on hand to make your experience everything you want, and you will leave with memories which will last a lifetime.

Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Kyambura Gorge Lodge is a modern, luxury safari lodge. Located on the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park and nearby the gorge which gave the lodge its name, guests will be surrounded by luscious trees, rolling grasslands and forested hills rising in the distance. The bandas at Kyambura Gorge Lodge are all comfortable and spacious, filled with bright natural light and inspired by the traditional building style and furniture of the area. The main area of the lodge, where dinner is served, used to be an old coffee store and has been carefully repurposed as a comfortable and open plan dining space with features of wood and wicker. Offered at the lodge is chimpanzee tracking, a unique experience to spend time in the company of these amazing creatures, or take time to explore the surrounding area – making memories which will last long after you’ve left.