If an authentic and luxury safari experience has long been on your bucket list, then we warmly invite you to join one of our 2023 luxury, small-group Jigsaw Journeys into Africa. Designed in collaboration with our friends and industry leaders, &Beyond – long-famed for their personalised tours that showcase the very best of Africa’s iconic safari destinations – we have planned two exclusive itineraries, each journeying across three of &Beyond’s extraordinary luxury lodges, along with rare opportunities to engage with the respective regions’ pristine surrounds and unmatched wildlife experiences.
Explore a snapshot of our two exclusive itineraries below, including details of the incredible &Beyond lodges we will visit, and their commitment to sustainability. For detailed itineraries, tour dates and to secure your place as a guest on these incredible small group African safaris, reach out to our knowledgeable travel advisors today on enquiries@jigsawtravel.com.au.
JIGSAW JOURNEY #1 – SAFARI TO BOTSWANA & NAMIBIA.
Exploring Delta and the Desert
10 nights, 11 days
From $17,180 for 2 adults including accommodations, meals and beverages, activities, tours and transfers.
Click the image above to experience &Beyond’s Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
ITINERARY OVERVIEW
-3 nights at Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp
The romantic, tented Xaranna camp is nestled deep in the heart of Botswana’s game-rich Okavango Delta. With sweeping views opening up onto a seasonal lagoon, this light and airy camp enjoys luxurious solitude on its own Delta Island, within an exclusive 223,630-acre wildlife concession. Xaranna is a delightful camp, with just nine ensuite safari tents that luxuriously combine canvas, soft drapes and bleached timber. You’ll love the romantic outdoor sala, private plunge pool, indoor bathtub and al fresco shower. The overall atmosphere of the camp is cool, light and airy, in keeping with the gentle beauty of its environment. Taking inspiration from the Delta’s profusion of water lilies, the camp’s pastel colour tones are a delicate spectrum of olive greens, lily pinks and a chic yellow hue.
Activity highlights – Game drives, traditional mokoro boat excursion (seasonal), motorized boat excursions
-3 nights at Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
Inspired by nature, warm wooden tones sculpt this delta hideaway. Situated on a diverse, wildlife-rich, private concession, Sandibe has exclusive traversing rights over a vast 55,600 acres of wildlife land bordering the Moremi Game Reserve.
The inspired, organic design of the lodge melts into the surrounding forest canopy of wild palms and gnarled fig trees. As you approach the lodge an intriguing curl and sweep of shingled wood comes into view, resembling a giant scaled pangolin at rest. Stairs open onto the high ceilings of the open air guest area, overlooking the Delta. From this central dining space, the wooden deck stretches beyond the roof, while the upstairs bar and lounge extend along an elevated walkway to a viewing platform.
A series of decks descend to the forest floor culminating in a log boma, with a small gym and private massage sala close by. Interior finishes throughout showcase the craftsmanship of Botswana’s artisans. While the main guest area is set within the forest, the twelve guest suites peep out from beneath its canopy. Raised above the papyrus-lined banks like golden weaver nests, each is a cocoon of privacy, with its own breathtaking views, a private plunge pool and cosy fireplace.
Activity highlights – Game drives.
Click the image above to experience &Beyond’s Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
-3 nights at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge –
A celebration of sustainable design, Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is set amidst an ocean of dunes, rocky outcrops and gravel plains; a place where the utter tranquillity and extraordinary clarity of light makes this one of Africa’s most compelling landscapes. The night skies are heavenly, with the concession bordering the International Dark Sky Reserve of the NamibRand Nature Reserve. A canvas of beauty that invites reconnection with yourself and nature.
Sustainability and uncompromised luxury go hand in hand at Sossusvlei. 10 beautifully appointed stone and glass suites, spread out along the curve of the escarpment, open onto ever-changing outlooks. Each spacious air-conditioned suite offers a secluded, shaded veranda complete with private plunge pool, a living room with a fireplace, a large retractable skylight above the bed, and an ensuite bathroom with a glass-encased rain shower offering 180º desert views. The two-bedroomed Star Dune Suite is an ideal option for families or groups of friends.
The split-level guest area is an inspired masterpiece of glass, rock and steel. Large glass panels fold away to reveal unobstructed desert vistas. Inviting amenities include a central-island bar, comfortable sitting room, walk-in cellar, interactive kitchen and rim-flow pool. Other signature features include numerous shaded, private spaces; a sunrise-view gym and sunset-facing wellness centre which offers both a treatment room with a private spa-bath, and a separate wet-room spa. The lodge’s Signature Shop showcases Namibia’s finest craft offerings.
Activity highlights – Scenic helicopter flight, desert drive, e-biking, big dune walk, living dune tour.
JIGSAW JOURNEY #2 – SAFARI THROUGH TANZANIA.
Exploring the Crater, Spice Island and the Savanna (incorporating the Great Migration)
11 nights, 12 days
From AUD$19,320 for 2 adults including accommodations, meals, activities, tours and transfers
-2 nights at Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
Ngorongoro Crater Lodge has been called the game lodge at the top of the world. Between the natural riches of the Crater spread out at its feet and the incredible architecture, it’s easy to believe that you have entered a realm of pure fantasy. Nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth. Endangered black rhino are protected within its rim, giant tusked elephant wander the forests, male lion stalk the grasslands and flamingo crowd the soda lakes.
Nowhere else on earth can you wake up among all the trappings of an elegant baroque châteaux that transports you into one of the most famous African landscapes. An eclectic blend of teak panelling, Victorian furnishings and whimsical African touches creates a sumptuous atmosphere that is as elegant and unique as the Crater itself. In this place of dramatic contrasts, anything is possible and the natural luxury of the beautiful setting ensures the dramatic interior of your suite blends perfectly with its stilted thatch architecture.
Activity highlights – Game drives
-4 nights at Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge (main image)
Having just reopened after a stunning rebuild, Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge offers ultimate safari exclusivity along the banks of the Serengeti. Perfectly situated on the banks of a tributary of the Grumeti River, in the secluded western parts of the Serengeti National Park, the lodge is the ideal spot to soak up the region’s breathtaking landscapes and unparalleled wildlife sightings.
Due to its far-flung location, there are very few lodges in this pristine section of the park, allowing for an intimate and exclusive Serengeti safari experience. Undoubtedly one of the world’s most celebrated wilderness areas, the Serengeti is Tanzania’s oldest game reserve, renowned as the site of the annual Great Migration, when an estimated three million antelope – mostly wildebeest — migrate to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. Twice-daily game drives from the lodge often encounter large lion prides and clans of hyena, big herds of resident plains game as well as the special black-and-white colobus monkeys, found nowhere else in the Serengeti.
Design – Using the natural bow shape of the river, and paying homage to the circular forms of a traditional Maasai manyatta, the lodge unfolds to reveal an understated sense of luxury. Adorned with Kitenge fabrics and accentuated with stone walls, the lodge also features the vibrant colours of the fishing communities surrounding Lake Victoria and the grey tones representative of hippo hide that have been beautifully woven into deeply comfortable furnishings and bespoke, hand-made fittings.
Walking into the guest area upon arrival is a real ‘wow’ moment. Spacious decks are perfect for enjoying sundowners overlooking the river and the lodge’s sparkling rim-flow swimming pool provides a view of the seasonal hippo pods below. The proximity to water draws a profusion of wildlife throughout the day and night.
Touching the earth lightly and seemingly floating across the landscape, 10 nostalgically elegant, and very spacious, guest Suites offer natural light, an enormous bed, bath, an indoor shower (with a spectacular view), and a private plunge pool. A Family Suite, with the addition of a smaller children’s bedroom, offers adventurous families the unique opportunity to explore the African bush together.
Celebrating the local culture and cuisine, the interactive kitchen creates a space for guests to work alongside chefs and plan their menus for the day. The traditional boma, a hero of night-time dining, serves a selection of artisanal pizzas, and salt-crusted, whole baked fish, which pays homage to the region’s great lakes, among many other delicious meals. Enjoy convivial afternoons and evenings around the central circular bar; a masterpiece of woven fabrics and dramatic glass ball light installations.
Activity highlights – Bird watching, hot air ballooning (seasonal and at additional cost)
-4 nights at Mnemba Island Lodge
We head to the coast for an exclusive barefoot island experience off the north-east coast of Zanzibar .
Steeped in culture and history, Zanzibar enticed adventurers, seafarers and traders from far and wide. Known as the spice island, from the centuries old trade of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, today the Zanzibar Archipelago is still bathed in the heady scents of spices and traditional dhows still drift across the horizon.
A romantic hideaway, Mnemba Island is an exclusive paradise featuring twelve rustically chic beachside bandas, for just 24 guests, connected to the breathtaking Mnemba atoll.
Discover sheer, unpretentious paradise on this exclusive island, where the simple pleasures become your most treasured of memories for many years to come. Relax and unwind on your own stretch of beachfront, where simple yet luxurious bandas peep out onto unblemished sands from the dappled shade of the casuarina pine forest. Thatched dining and sitting or bar areas boast beautiful open views of the beach and spectacular vistas of Zanzibar beyond.
Late breakfast trays teeming with tropical fruit, freshly-squeezed juice and Tanzanian coffee can be delivered to the beach banda for those wanting to indulge in a lie-in. Fresh sushi and chilled champagne can appear discreetly at the guests’ beach loungers should they wish to celebrate the magnificent sunset in privacy. Romantic candlelit dinners are served on the beach, with the waves lapping gently at guests’ feet. Allow yourself to relax and take a break with yoga and massages in the tranquil retreat of your banda.
Activity highlights – Scuba diving (2 dives per day – full PADI certification required), snorkelling, kayaking, sundowner dhow cruise, stand-up paddle boarding, and even witness turtles lay their eggs on Mnemba’s sandy shores.
LEAVING OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE
&Beyond strives to leave our world a better place through their care of the land, wildlife and people, and the delivery of extraordinary guest experiences. They have established an intimate relationship with some of the world’s last remaining unspoiled natural places and the communities that surround them. In combination with their team of highly-skilled guides and rangers, this allows them to deliver extraordinary guest experiences that feel profoundly meaningful.
The careful redesign of their lodges included in our small group journeys, Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge and Sossusvlei Desert Lodge demonstrate their commitment and focus on sustainability.
Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge – The new design harnesses a variety of environmentally sustainable measures with regard to solar power production, low-energy fittings, water conservation and waste-water recycling. Solar power will account for 80% of renewable energy.
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – Sustainability and guest comfort go hand in hand in the redesign of Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Sophisticated, environment-friendly design solutions support uncompromised luxury in a climate of extremes. In fact, it is the very harshness of the desert environment that has been harnessed to power these impact initiatives.
As demonstration of the inter-play between sustainability and luxury, here are the sustainability features of each guest suite:
- An ingenious roof design providing optimal shade plus maximum space for unobtrusive solar panels
- A fully independent solar hot water system
- A highly effective grey water recycling system per suite (powered by the solar panels on the roof)
- A rainwater harvesting tank (also powered by the solar panels on the roof)
- When the guest suites are not in use, pool covers will be used as an evaporation control measure
For more information on &Beyond’s sustainable designs and their commitment to tourism that treads lightly, contact us on enquiries@jigsawtravel.com.au