13 Day Kruger and Mozambique Honeymoon

Day 1 :

On arrival at OR Tambo Airport (formerly Johannesburg International), you will be met by our representative onto your scheduled domestic flight to Nelspruit in the heart of the Mpumalanga Province. On arrival at Nelspruit, you will again be met and transferred to Highgrove House.

Highgrove Guest House combines distinctive accommodation in Mpumalanga along with gourmet cuisine and a hideaway pastoral setting offering sweeping views over the Mpumalanga Lowveld valley. As the guest list for accommodation is limited to just sixteen people, personal service is assured.

Each of the 8 exquisitely decorated garden suites includes full en suite bathroom with bath and shower, luxurious bathrobes, pure cotton sheets, goose down duvets and king-size or twin beds. Overhead fans provide an “Out of Africa” feeling, and all accommodation suites have separate sitting rooms, with open fireplaces and secluded verandas with views of the forest or valley and avocado orchards. The two orchard suites have private saunas and swimming pools in their own secluded gardens – absolute luxury and privacy.

Mornings begin with alfresco breakfasts in the Victorian gazebo, whilst evening highlights are the sumptuous gourmet dishes, fine wines and impeccable service of the candlelit restaurant. Overnight Highgrove House on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2 :

This morning, you will be collected very early for your morning balloon trip. Upon arrival at the launch site, passengers are offered tea, coffee and biscuits and have a chance to take pictures of the preparation of the balloon for flight.

When the balloon is ready and the passengers are on board, the pilot explains what to expect on launch, in flight and on landing.

The flight is a scenic experience and lasts about an hour. On landing you will be served Cape sparkling wine (a Cap Classique Wine) to celebrate the flight in the champagne ballooning tradition. Fruit juice and bottled water are also available.

After the flight passengers join the pilot for breakfast at a country lodge, and for the presentation of flight certificates.

Following the presentation of the flight certificates, you will be transferred back to Highgrove House where you spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 3-4 :

This morning you will be collected after breakfast and transferred back to Kruger Mpumalanga International airport where you will be catching a private charter to Kings Camp in the Timbavati Game Reserve (the Timbavati has one of the highest Lion populations per square kilometre in South Africa).

The size of the reserve covers about 60 000 hectares of pristine African bush part of the world famous greater Kruger National Park. Kings Camp is situated in the north eastern corner of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and has been in operation as a game lodge since 1995. Kings Camp’s principal attraction is the astonishing diversity and abundance of wildlife that guests of the Camp have the chance of seeing.

Kings Camp offers intimate and luxurious accommodation, with only ten Suites – all of which have indoor and outdoor showers. The suites are beautifully and tastefully appointed, and all boast romantic, soft cascading Mosquito Nets, air conditioning, stocked mini bar fridge, and tea and coffee making facilities.

The camp is also furnished with a lounge/dining room, bar, pool terrace and a game viewing platform – overlooking a very active waterhole. Guests may also enjoy the additional facilities of the curio shop, laundry, valet service, gym and library (with internet facilities).

2 x nights Kings Camp fully inclusive of 3 meals per day, 2 game drives per day, 1 guided bushwalk per day and all teas and coffees (spa facilities are available at Kings Camp).

Day 5-6 :

Following your final morning game drive and breakfast, you will be transferred to the airstrip for your charter flight to Leopard Hills in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve.

There are only eight luxurious, glass-fronted suites at Leopard Hills. They are truly spacious, and are equipped with air-conditioning and overhead fans. The bathroom in each suite is romantic, and boasts double indoor and outdoor showers. There is also an inviting lounge area, complete with comfortable couch and ottoman, perfect for enjoying a cup of tea or coffee whilst reading, or catching-up on your travel journal. For further relaxation, your suite also has its own sundeck (with hammock!), and heated plunge pool. At the Lodge is built on a hill, this guarantees a superb vista. Enjoy the privacy of your suite and salute the timelessness of Africa over a drink or snack from your fully stocked mini bar.

You may also choose to relax at the Lodge’s main area, as the deck is perfect for whiling the day away with a pair of binoculars – for it is here that you may find many untold secrets of the African bush while enjoying a sumptuous breakfast or decadent lunch.

The dining room has an excellent view of a waterhole, and hosts the finest in silver service dinners, at two heavy-set mahogany tables, offering ample space and comfort while enjoying and exquisite meal. To add to this experience, the Lodge also boasts and extensive wine cellar, which is filled with celebrated local and international wines.

The highlight of your stay is the excellent game viewing, with a professional ranger, in an open safari vehicle. This is big five country – so there is a good chance of seeing elephant, leopard, lion, rhino, and buffalo, along with some of the smaller, and just as interesting species.

2 x nights Leopard Hills Game Lodge fully inclusive of luxury accommodation, two game drives per day, 1 guided bushwalk per day, three meals per day, tea and coffee, all local beverages (including local wines) and laundry services.

Day 7-12 :

This morning, after your final morning game drive and breakfast, you will be transferred back to the airstrip for your flight back to Kruger Mpumalanga International airport where you will be connecting to a flight up to Vilanculos in Mozambique. Upon arrival you will be met by a representative of Benguerra Lodges, and assisted through Customs and Immigration. You will then be escorted onto the Falcon Transfer.

Benguerra Lodge exudes an East-African-cum- Arabic decor in line with the ancient tradition of the Archipelago, once the playground of the Queen of Sheba and the trading route of old Arabia.

Whilst it is an Falcon lodge, care has been taken to maintain the feeling that one is nevertheless embarking upon an African marine safari. At night one may experience the wonderful whisper of a gentle sea breeze brushing the cheek or the squeak of clean sand as one walks along the half-moon beach of Benguerra Bay on a full-moon night.

Freshly caught fish, calamari and crab are tantalisingly prepared together with exotic Portuguese dishes. Meals are relaxed affairs served in different settings and always with unsurpassed personal attention. Picnics are a speciality of Benguerra Lodge. The staff will set up your own private picnic either on the beach or in a secluded shaded spot.

Benguerra is a snorkeller and diver’s paradise. The Lodge has a fully equipped diving facility to take you to breathtakingly unspoilt reefs. In crystal clear waters, watch the vast array of jewel-like fish and the extraordinary shaped corals.

For the more adventurous, there’s the thrill of a night dive or diving to one of the many wrecks in the area.The Moçambique channel offers anglers the experience and exhilaration of fighting marlin and other game fish.

The Lodge has a professional and fully equipped team with 6.6m Acecats to take you into the deep. Saltwater fly fishing is also available with the Lodge’s cutomised fly-fishing boat. First-time fishermen will be helped every step of the way.

The exclusive, luxury thatched Benguerra Lodge, set in the tranquil natural milkwood forest bordering Benguerra Bay and encircled by silver beaches, coral reefs and turquoise seas offers visitors a wide range of activities, or just the opportunity to ‘chill out’.

The main lodge building comprising of Reception Area and Gift Shop, Lounge and Bar, Dining Room, Library and large deck area, is flanked by eleven comfortable thatched chalets and 2 new Honeymoon Suites. On the large deck area, guests can enjoy a cocktail and sit back after the day’s events.

All chalets are double rooms (7 double bedded rooms and 4 twin bed rooms) with en-suite bathroom and shower. In addition there are 2 Honeymoon suites, and a private Villa.

6 x nights Benguerra Lodge fully inclusive of all meals and snacks, drinks (excluding selected imports), Laundry Service.

Day 13 :

Following your final morning game drive and breakfast, you will say goodbye to Elephant Plains and head back to Johannesburg.