Luxury boutique safari company, Sanctuary Retreats, offers guests a lot more than heavenly beds and gourmet meals.
Australia’s travel industry media learned some of the latest developments during a briefing in Sydney last week by Sanctuary’s director of sales, Australia, New Zealand & Asia, Michael McCall, at Bennelong in Sydney Opera House.
For a start, Sanctuary Retreats offers the delights of the Nile. Long regarded as one of the best boutique ships on the Nile, the Sanctuary Nile Adventurer has been nominated by National Geographic for operating one of its chosen “journeys of a lifetime”. The ship is now recommencing its luxurious four-day sailings along this epic river, following a dramatic makeover unveiled late last month.
With just 32 cabins, the exclusive Sanctuary Nile Adventurer offers an intimate yet truly magnificent setting for an Egyptian adventure. The ship’s Boat Manager, Adel Fathy, says he is “prouder than ever to welcome guests onboard to experience our warm hospitality and exquisite ambience on the quintessential Nile adventure. After 27 years, I still feel a thrill when we glide past an ancient temple at sunset”.
Decorated in a contemporary style, the elegant new Sanctuary Nile Adventurer design combines modern Egyptian culture with 7000 years of heritage. From the moment guests step onboard, the Nile Adventurer feels bright and inviting, from the gleaming teak of the sundeck to the hushed elegance of the new spa. After trips ashore to visit sacred sites with expert Egyptologists, relax with refreshing cocktails in a private cabana or cool off in the perfectly glorious pool as the sun sets behind yet another picture-perfect temple.
Star Bed, Sanctuary Makanyane Safari Camp
Each Standard and Deluxe cabin features brass pendant lamps, a plush headboard and a private bath, while two Junior Suites offer spacious retreats, each complete with a new ‘floating’ vanity and a private dining space. The palatial Presidential Suites feature spectacular views from huge windows, their own private balconies plus refined living areas, while their new king-sized four-poster beds are the epitome of sumptuous indulgence.
The ship’s restaurant has also undergone a complete transformation, featuring a central display – all the better to showcase the cuisine of its award-winning chefs.
The communal lounge now features intricately patterned wall tiles, a dramatic bar, tasteful new fabrics and rugs, and once again, the warm glow of soft lighting, while internal pillars are decorated in silver to catch the light dancing across the surface – as it does on the river outside.
At Bennelong on Thursday, Sanctuary Retreats director of sales, Australia, New Zealand & Asia, Michael McCall, with director of iD Collective, Mary Morton
For guests looking for a little extra serenity, there are also plenty of cosy nooks on board Sanctuary Nile Adventurer. A tranquil, comfortable library leads into a brand-new spa, where a floating four-poster awaits, along with a soothing massage or an indulgent treatment. Or guests can simply relax on the vast sun deck and absorb the epic scenery passing by.
Venturing ashore, visit ancient sites and temples, including the striking Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, with its perfectly preserved hieroglyphics, accompanied by an expert Egyptologist.
The Sanctuary Nile Adventurer offers 4-night cruises between Aswan and Luxor, operating both upstream (south) and downstream (and north). In 2020, 4-night cruises onboard the Sanctuary Nile Adventurer start from USD 1307 per person twin share including accommodation, all meals, mineral water, tea and coffee served during meal-times, all sightseeing, guiding and entrance fees.
Sanctuary Nile Adventurer
Each property or ship in Sanctuary Retreats’ collection of luxury safari lodges and river cruise ships is completely individual in its design. All are operated around the philosophy of “Luxury, naturally” – and all have the same aim: to allow guests to have a “real” experience and enjoy a more natural kind of luxury in properties that have a strong commitment to conservation and responsible tourism. The Sanctuary portfolio includes safari camps and lodges in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as river cruise ships on the Nile, the Yangtze and in Myanmar.
In Africa, Sanctuary Retreats offers everything from a Living with Elephants activity to an exploration of the waterways and lagoons of the Okavango Delta in a mokoro. Guests can experience the thrill of safari from a different perspective, rising above the grassy plains of the Masai Mara in a sunrise hot-air ballooning adventure.
Here are some of Sanctuary Retreats’ favourite experiences, guaranteed to deliver unforgettable lifelong memories.
A cabin aboard Sanctuary Nile Adventurer
Living with Elephants
Lucky visitors staying at two of Sanctuary Retreats’ Botswana Camps – Sanctuary Baines Camp and Sanctuary Stanley’s, have a rare chance to interact with two rescued semi-habituated elephants, Jabu and Morula. During your walk with the elephants in the heart of the Okavango Delta, witness endless pinch-me-now moments as these friendly pachyderms forage for food, wallow in the mud and amble through the bush. An intimate and highly educational bush walk, guests also gain a deep understanding of the importance African Elephants, the role they have to play in the local ecosystem and conservation in general.
https://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/experiences/living-with-elephants
Sleeping under the Stars
Guests staying at South Africa’s Sanctuary Makanyane Safari Lodge can indulge in what has to be one of the world’s most unforgettable experience – falling asleep surrounded only by flickering lanterns while listening to a lullaby of roaring lions, crying jackals and laughing hyenas.
The rustic double-storey structure is tucked away in a secluded part of Makanyane Safari Lodge’s private grounds overlooking a waterhole with spectacular views across the Madikwe Game Reserve making it the perfect retreats for romantics with a sense of adventure.
Sanctuary Makanyane Safari Lodge is priced from ZAR 8500 per person per night, twin share.
http://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/luxury-safari-south-africa-makanyane
The Great Migration
As an African safari traveller, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen the Great Migration. Each year the endless plains of East Africa bear witness to this epic sight, as millions of wildebeest and zebra make their way around the Masai Mara and Serengeti – a never-ending journey of almost 3000 kilometres in constant pursuit of life-giving rains and greener pastures.
Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp provides the perfect opportunity to experience the Great Migration in the Serengeti. Launching just over a year ago, this extraordinary escape moves across three set locations across the Serengeti, offering guests an unrivalled, front row experience of the movement of a million-plus wildebeest and zebra as they follow the fresh grasses across the Serengeti plains during the annual migration season.
Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp is priced from USDc670 per person per night twin share for 1-3 nights.
https://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/tanzania-camps-kichakani-serengeti-camp-activities
Gorilla Trekking
In Uganda, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is one of only few places where it is still possible to observe mountain gorillas, of the world’s most endangered species in the wild. Tucked away on a on a flat ridge deep within the heart of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the award-winning camp is an idea base to explore the Bwindi region. Featuring just eight private luxury tents, the atmospheric Camp’s small size ensures it retains an intimate, exclusive feel, enabling guests to experience Africa’s magic with the lightest of footprints, while enjoying practically every mod con. Even better, its unique location means the Camp is frequently visited by gorilla families, making it the perfect base for a once-in-a lifetime encounter with Uganda’s famous mountain primates.
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is priced from USD 395 per person per night twin share for 1-3 3 nights.
https://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/experiences/trek-with-gorillas
Bathe Under the Stars
After a day spent on a Botswana safari in the wetlands of the Okavango Delta, what better way to soak those aching muscles than in Sanctuary Baines’ Camp’s opulent star bath? With only six luxurious suites perched high above the Boro River, the Camp offers guests a romantic and immersive experience where privacy and seclusion are guaranteed. Hidden on your own private viewing deck, this indulgence is not to be missed as you relax and unwind from the day’s events surrounded by twinkling lanterns and shining stars.
Sanctuary Baines Camp is priced from USD 860 per person per night.
http://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/botswana-camps-baines
Edited by Peter Needham
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