Southern Africa's Golden Triangle

Following breakfast on the island and a cruise back to the hotel, we went for a stroll along the paths overlooking the falls from the “sensible” side. This is where the Royal Livingstone’s location is so unique. A path from the front of the hotel leads to the entrance to the national park and one can view the falling water within just five minutes of setting out. In my experience only the El Tovar lodge on the lip of the Grand Canyon comes close in terms in terms of proximity to one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World”.

There is a golf course in Livingstone, but sadly despite attempts to restore it a few years ago, it is currently a shadow of it’s former self. Only an avid golf historian would venture there, and with a couple of hours to spare that is exactly what we did. A feature dedicated to this forgotten gem will follow in a later edition.

In the late afternoon we travelled to the berth of the African Queen, next door to the colourful Zambezi Boat Club, to head off on an evening river safari. Free flowing gin and tonic sundowners led us to a dubious decision to spend the trip on the roof of the craft, but the views of both animals and the sunset were significantly better and the brief tropical downpour we endured heightened the senses rather than dampened our spirits.

Dinner saw us being spoiled again, with a superb meal in the Royal Livingstone Dining Room hosted by our delightful host, General Manager Guillaume Durand, accompanied by some outstanding South African wines, including another crossing of the Rubicon!

Before heading back to Jo’burg the following day, we spent the morning at the nearby Mukuni Big 5 safari, home to a conservation program to breed ex-captive endangered species with a view to releasing the offspring into the wild. A visit not only raises much needed funds for this worthy endeavor, it also gives the visitor the chance to actually sit and interact with adult lions and cheetahs which have been rescued from zoos. Anyone who has been close to a big cat will know that the “purr” sends shivers down your spine. When it’s a reaction to you actually stroking the animal it gets somewhat intimidating. That the next activity is to take these majestic beasts “out for a stroll” only adds to the unreal nature of this experience. Finally, we got to see the fastest land mammal in the world in full flight as the cheetahs were put through their paces chasing a lure being hauled around a zigzag path in an area of scrubland, at speeds of over 100 kilometres an hour.

All too soon we were on our way back to Jo’burg for a final night in the Maslow Hotel. This time we visited the Lacuna Bistro and Bar where, after sampling several of the local craft beers, we got the chance to dine with the charming General Manager, Johan Scheepers. Over a superb meal, Johan, a keen triathlete, described his vision for the development of the hotel and also regaled us with tales of how in a previous designer role he had crossed swords with his father, who was building the clubhouse at the Serengeti Golf Club. As luck would have it, we were to visit the Serengeti the following day.

Another Jack Nicklaus signature design which has hosted the South African Open, the Serengeti is at the heart of an ultra-secure community with its own schools and facilities. Given its proximity to Johannesburg, it has become a very popular residential option for local families with small children seeking a relaxed lifestyle close to the big city.