Quick Getaways

Sometimes you just need a break. A quick getaway to a magnificent place. Just to unwind, relax and immerse yourself in beauty of nature.

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QUICK GETAWAYS

A bucket list destination for safari-searchers, wildlife-wanderers, and thrill-seekers alike: Safaris in the Serengeti or Gorilla trekking in Ugandan mountains. Or maybe you want to go climbing the towering sand dunes of Sossusvlei or Bungee jumping at the magestic Victoria Falls. Its a myth that African Safaris have to take 10 days or more. We would say ‘on the contrary’.

Pinpoint justs on the places that are absolutely fabulous, breathtaking and unique. Just to be in a fabulous place for a few days can be enough. We have selected the best places to do just so. Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and Zanzibar are places who are amazing to do just so.

Our Favorite Lodges for quick getaways

Kenya, Cottars 1920

Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is the ultimate ”Out of Africa” experience, with six 1920s style tents, four family suites and it has also opened a five bedroom private house. Situated in the Maasai Mara, which guarantees an abundance of wildlife.

Recalling an era of luxury and quality, Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp returns to the original spirit and essence of ’’safari’’, reminiscent of a golden era – an era of romance, professional guiding, adventure and elegance, in a timelessly unspoilt setting with panoramic views and boundless game. The Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is situated in a private conservancy, just outside the Maasai Mara game Reserve, bordering the Serengeti and Loliondo reserves where a few Purko Maasai roam.

The Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is situated in a private conservancy, just outside the Maasai Mara game Reserve, bordering the Serengeti and Loliondo reserves where a few Purko Maasai roam.

Guests at Cottar’s stay in authentic white canvas tents, which are spacious and luxuriously furnished and incorporate original safari antiques from the 20s, private en-suite dressing rooms and bathrooms (with old-fashioned styled tubs, showers and flushing toilets), the main bedroom and an outdoor veranda. The family tented suites have two en-suite bedrooms with a shared living area.

The private house has five en-suite bedrooms and can accommodate up to ten guests. The house can be taken on an exclusive basis and offers a private home experience in the Maasai Mara. The house has eight efficient staff to look after your needs and a large dinning and living room leading out onto a spacious deck.

As the concession is outside the game parks, guided walking and night drives are also highly recommended. There is a masseuse at the camp for complimentary massages, manicures and pedicures, any other needs that guests may have is met by butlers who have been trained to provide discreet, yet attentive service. There is also a swimming pool to cool off in during the heat of the day.

Kenya, Elephant Bedroom

Elephant Bedroom is located deep in the heart of the Samburu National Reserve on a lovely stretch of the Ewaso Nyiro River – where game viewing is at its best. It opened in 2008 and offers relatively luxurious tented accommodation in a shady grove of acacias and doum palms.

Elephant Bedroom has a great location in Samburu, and we loved the elephants that frequently pass right through camp. It has an earthy, African feel and would suit those looking for a quiet tented camp that has some of the luxuries you might expect from a larger lodge.

Kenya, Emakoko

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Kenya, Governors Camp

Governors’ Camp was the first permanent tented camp in the Masai Mara and it occupies the best wildlife viewing location in the National Park. The location of the camp was considered so good that during colonial times it was reserved for the colonial Governors of Kenya, hence the name Governors’ Camp.

Governors’ Camp is at the heart of one of the most game rich areas of the Masai Mara National Reserve, on the banks of the Mara River. The area is home to substantial herds of elephants, hippo and buffalo whilst also providing home for the herds of migrating zebra and wildebeest.

The nearby plains are the classic image of savannah Africa, dotted with acacia trees and fringed by the inspiring Siria escarpment. Hardly surprising that Governors’ Camp was the setting for the film ‘Out of Africa’, and that much of the BBC’s ‘Big Cat Diary’ was also filmed nearby.

Governors’ Camp has 37 tents with views of either wildebeest herds on the distant Mara plains or elephants drinking from the river. During the evening hippos and elephants graze in the grounds of the camp making the Masai askari (warden) guiding you back to the tent especially comforting. Evening meals are of a high standard from a buffet bar and generally are eaten alfresco.

Being a stone’s throw away from the Mara River ensures that the action during the migration season (July-October) is a short game drive away. Not only are grazing animals particularly common in this area but big cat sightings are also particularly prevalent. The bushlands around Rhino Ridge are also good areas for spotting one of the Masai Mara’s 20 or so black rhinos.

Kenya, Segera Retreat

Segera Retreat is in the heart of the Laikipia Plateau on an important migratory corridor within the Ewaso ecosystem and offers fantastic biodiversity. A unique oasis which boasts spectacular views of the surrounding savannah and even greater luxury. Segera Retreat is the heart of a wildlife sanctuary on the Laikipia Plateau. It is situated in the wooded savannah and grasslands of the Laikipia at an altitude of 1,700 – 1,800 meters, immediately north of the equator. Home to a vast array of animal, bird and plant life, Segera Retreats provides an important corridor for the migration of elephant and other wide ranging species. However, as the name suggests the property is also a place to relax and unwind; there is a gym here, wellness centre and a theatre. There is also the largest private collection of contemporary African art in the world. Segera’s central location and expansive 20,000 hectares at the very heart of Laikipia ensures that it is essential to effective wildlife and habitat management for the Ewaso ecosystem as a whole, forming part of a vital migratory corridor and providing a permanent home to many endangered species.

Six timber and thatch villas are raised above a carpet of botanical life in the Segera “Oasis” with its sculpture garden. Each has an elevated wooden platform, which looks out onto the surrounding savannah and swing beds below providing the perfect shaded place for some midday relaxation as well as for a night out under the stars, surrounded by the sounds of Africa. The gracious Segera House and perfectly positioned Villa Segera boast similarly spectacular views and even greater privacy and luxury. They run on solar energy and water is sustainably harvested and recycled. The villas gaze out over the Laikipia Plateau towards the spectacular Mount Kenya.

Within the privacy of the villas, a large bedroom and en-suite bathroom fill the upstairs space under timber trusses. A private sun deck in the garden offers comfortable sun loungers for soaking up the African sun, while a Jacuzzi bath, sunk into the deck outside the bedroom, offers a unique vantage point. Each villa includes in its décor original, individually selected paintings and other art from a range of Africa’s most inspiring artists.

South Africa, Ants Nest

Ant’s Nest is a unique bush home on a 12,000 hectare private game reserve in the malaria free Waterberg region some three to four hours drive north from Johannesburg.

The main house has two double rooms downstairs, another master bedroom and children’s bedroom upstairs, a comfortable lounge and a small library, and is surrounded by an open verandah. There are two other detached cottages either side of the main house and both have a bedroom, so this property can sleep twelve comfortably. There is also a swimming pool where guests can relax during the heat of the day surrounded by a lawn ‘ the hang out spot for the owners’ friendly dogs. The property can be booked on an exclusive and non-exclusive basis depending on the time of year. Guests have ultimate flexibility to do their preferred activities while at Ant’s Nest.

The area has many different kinds of antelope as well as zebra and sable and buffalo breeding programmes (in a separate area). Activities include guided walks, horseback game viewing and game drives. Bush breakfasts, suppers around open fires or lunches under shady trees are all part of the Ant’s Nest experience.

Zambia, Sausage Tree

Let the stark beauty and rugged remoteness of the Lower Zambezi National Park take your breath away as you arrive to the Sausage Tree Camp. Though the wildlife is not as diverse, the opportunity to get close to the game is thrilling, particularly when resident hippos and elephants roam through the camp to snack on the new leaves and young fruits.

Each morning wake up feeling like royalty in your spacious Bedouin-style tent designed for privacy and tranquil living. Set out on a scenic boat cruise to view the large hippo pods and the lions sunning themselves on the banks above you. For the keen fisherman the Zambezi offers the challenge of fishing for tiger fish. Sit out by the boma enjoying an evening cocktail watching a stunning African sunset.

Sausage Tree Camp is one of the most extravagant in the Lower Zambezi: think a lap pool with river views, private plunge pools, double outdoor showers, expansive decks, very large tents and upscale décor. It is a favourite of honeymooners and couples, and has an enviable view of the water and mountains beyond.

Zanzibar, WhiteSands

Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa is a luxury boutique hotel located on the pristine sands of Paje beach, on the East coast of Zanzibar. Spacious luxury villas from 500 m2 with own pool and recreational area offer the utmost privacy in a natural setting, while the amenities deliver the highest standard of service: spa treatments and facilities, two restaurants, a rooftop champagne bar, a beach bar and a lounge, as well as a high-end kitesurfing and watersports center. The large resort (4 hectares) hosts only 11 luxury villas and 3 cinnanom to ensure the maximum space for each of our Guest in an undisturbed harmony of senses.

An experience at Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa is as much about enjoying a cocktail on the rooftop Champagne bar as it is about kitesurfing in the sunset or indulging in a massage at the spa after a day of sunbathing. Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, family holidays or treating your loved ones to a luxury experience this is a place to ensure unforgettable holidays and utmost comfort in a stunning setting