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On Location February 08 – South Africa and Mozambique

My most recent trip took me on a journey across South Africa and north into Mozambique to Vilanculos and the Bazurato Archipelago where cyclone Favio had wreaked havoc last April. I began in South Africa with a three hour road trip from Johannesburg into the Northern Province, where my first stop was Makweti in the Welgevonden Game Reserve, a 34,200 hectare privately owned game reserve in the heart of the Waterberg in the Limpopo province of South Africa

Makweti, set on the edge of a small flowing waterfall with views over the reserve, is simply lovely. If Rhinos are your passion then this is a wonderful park for viewings: literally five minutes from the lodge I saw six rhinos grazing peacefully (my excitement was lost on my guide who was more interested in the wildebeest!) as well as a brown hyena, usually so elusive, which amazingly allowed us to creep behind him for ten minutes before disappearing up into the hillside.

The next day I moved to another location in the Waterberg region and Ants Hill, a beautiful property where the focus is on horse riding in the bush. Ants Hill is an eclectic mix of vibrant colours, textured and beautifully crafted furniture supported by stunning views. Immediately I fell in love with the laid back, relaxed nature of the management and big smiley faces of the staff.

My first activity was an evening ride where I asked for a fairly 'exciting' horse and was generously rewarded. We had a lovely ride out in the bush, with fantastic views across the plains with a variety of game. The highlight for me was when a picnic table laid out with drinks and nibbles suddenly appeared around the corner as the sun was slowly descending. We were told to take the tack off the horses and leave it on the grass - I was then expecting some grooms to appear and magically whisk the horses away. However, we just released the horses and they galloped off into the sunset towards home. If only we could do that with our horses in England!

The following morning to make the most of Ants Hill I went out on another riding safari. After a few hours of tracking two rhinos we stumbled across a rhino and her three day old calf. What an adrenalin thrill - there can be few wildlife experiences as exciting as watching a rhino and her baby whilst close by on horseback, feeling both excited yet vulnerable.

I also stayed at Ants Hill sister property, Ants Nest, a smaller lodge hidden in the bush that can be hired. Again, it was a wonderful blend of antiques, beautiful furniture, colourful fabrics and creative architecture. The focus here is also horse riding, game drives and walks. I highly advise trying a massage during your stay too!

From Ants Nest, I drove back to Johannesburg where I flew by combination of scheduled flight and private charter to the Makalali Conservancy. In this reserve only two lodges exist and I stayed at Garonga - aptly named 'safari for your soul'. The lodge is a blend of raw textiles, wood, clay with soothing neutral colours of fabrics. The game is actually excellent despite the fact that it does not sell itself on this basis. We saw cheetah, lion, various plains game and a variety of nocturnal animals. Regular sightings at camp include elephant and kudu (during my bush shower I had four eyes on me from two bull kudus - a little embarrassing). Massages, relaxing by the pool, dining and reading are all musts at Garonga. I was going to venture out to the sleep-out deck but a huge downpour put paid to that idea. I loved Garonga: it is perfectly run, it is extremely relaxing and the game is superb - an unknown gem in South Africa.

Next stop Vilanculos, the southern capital of Mozambique, where I was greeted by a blast of humidity and drizzle (I was visiting in the rainy season - whilst we have some great trips at Steppes we cannot always go at the best time of year). Having endured the bureaucracy of the visa desk, I drove through town to get to the speedboat out to Marlin Lodge on Benguerra Island. Cyclone Favio had certainly made its mark here. Trees lay strewn across roads and destroyed shanty houses were all regular sights. However, the one abiding memory is how friendly the local Mozambicans are. Nothing was too much hassle.

There are four main lodges that I visited during my stay in Mozambique - each perfect in their different style. All have pristine white sandy beaches and glorious turquoise sea. Marlin is the bigger and most economical lodge (during my visit they were still in the middle of completing the building work). Our evening there was spent in an old dhow. The two boys that crewed the dhow surprised us by being able to speak eight languages, including being totally fluent in English.

From Marlin I moved to Benguerra, a lodge that was the first to open in the Bazurto Archipelago and I would certainly say that after 18 years they definitely have their finger on the pulse. The food was exquisite (langoustine, crab, freshly caught fish), the management superb and the rooms which have been recently refurbished are quite simply faultless - copper baths, artistic décor, mosaic outdoor showers, personal plunge pools and private dining decks and with your own view of the ocean. The pièce de resistance is the old dhow beach bar - a perfect place to end the day with a cool beer watching the sunset.

Azura is the newly opened eco-lodge that is contemporary with clean cool colours and funky décor. They have excelled themselves in using as much raw materials as possible within the interior design. The focus here is simplicity - the décor kept at a minimum with flashes of creativity. It has a whole host of activities to keep you entertained or if you just want to relax then the complimentary massage is an absolute must - truly superb.

Finally I visited Indigo Bay, which is a family friendly resort - there is a whole host of activities, a newly built first class spa, water sports and diving centre, horse riding and golf. It is a resort for those that love their mod-cons including mini bars, air conditioning, TV, kiddie clubs. You would certainly never get bored at Indigo and I would not hesitate in recommending it to all families.

Mozambique is not an easy destination to get to - whether in terms of travel or cost - however, I cannot rate it highly enough in terms of its culture, the people and the overall 'real and rawness'. It is certainly the epitome of barefoot luxury. I would advise going soon before tourism makes its mark too strongly...

About the Author

Steppes Travel specialise in luxury holidays, and tailor made holidays

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