Zambia safari and Madagascar beach

You’ll be met at Lusaka airport and flown on to Mfue, South Luangwa’s gateway and closest airport. Such is the abundance of wildlife, your transfer to the lodge becomes your first of many game drives – and a great introduction to the area.

Chinzombo is your home for the next five nights. Zambians are known to be some of Africa’s friendliest and happiest people, and here you’ll experience the best of Zambian hospitality, and enjoy the exclusivity of an area that few have had the privilege to visit.

Head out on traditional game drives by day, or venture out after-dark for a nocturnal perspective. For dinner experience the very best of African cuisine on the banks of the river, while absorbing the sounds and peace of the bush. Ahhh yes. Counting your lucky stars takes on a very literal meaning.

Within spitting distance of the airport, Intercontinental does downtime quite well. Grab a spa treatment or three and sip on fine South African wines. You’ll find comfy suites with wonderfully dark curtains for your over night stay. Fall asleep dreaming of lazy river safaris.

On the morning of the sixth day, you’ll start the journey to Nosy Ankao in Madagascar. This time you get wings not wheels, flying over reefs on your very own, private helicopter transfer before checking in to the sublime Miavana. The private resort was only built in 2017, and here you’ll spend the next six days in one of 14 luxury villas.

The exclusivity of the resort plays second fiddle only to the beauty of the island’s white sandy beaches, and the wealth of its famed marine bio-diversity. For those inclined to action, there’s fly-fishing, deep sea fishing, snorkelling or diving off the reef that surrounds the archipelago. Even if you feel like a beached whale from abundant servings of seafood, you’ll want to take a nature walk in search of the island’s resident lemurs.