Life is not about the places you go (though, the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia is admittedly iconic), it’s about the people you meet along the way.
The “Royal Four” meet for the first time on the banks of the Zambezi. My fellow travellers and I have come to experience some of the wonders of the hotel, and the conversation flows easily as we eat duck canapés and braised oxtail doughnuts and sip on gin-and-tonics. Zebras roam freely on the immaculate lawn while catching the last light.
At dinner time, the eight-course meal shows no mercy. (Luckily the rooms are equipped with scales to try to help keep that weight at bay.) We start with potato soup, followed by the most delicately crunchy salad of thin slivers of raw beetroot and butternut. A fresh garden salad precedes the king prawns, followed by our second main, a delectable beef fillet and chicken kebab grilled right there under a chandelier and the stars of an African sky. This feast is basically how we eat at every meal thereafter.
Later, I stumble to my room, feeling like a baby elephant as I walk the forest-like paths, fitting in quite well with the giraffe who mingle among the marula trees and the impala who keep the lawn the right length.
The beautiful king-size bed, with a homemade chocolate and views of the Zambezi River, invites me to a sleep fit for queens.
THE FALLS
Breakfast is an array of colourful delights, something for everyone, from wholesome freshly squeezed green juice to exquisite pastries and fabulous fry-ups.
Nicely fed, we take the short walk along a peaceful path to the mighty Victoria Falls. For anyone still feeling weighed down by last night’s dinner — or this morning's breakfast — there are regular shuttles from the Royal Livingstone to the falls' entrance. Access is free for hotel guests.
Nothing can take away the pure exuberance and immense feeling of power that I experience watching the water thundering down the kloof — life is way bigger than anything we can even imagine.
The magical, thundering water mixes with rainbows and birds and butterflies and crashes down on the rocks below. I am alive! I am at Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Being an outdoors girl, this for me is an experience of a lifetime.
Back at the hotel, there's some R&R before lunch and time to chill at the pool, which overlooks the river under the trees.
THE CHEFS
We have the pleasure of experiencing local cuisine at its best. Spice Spoons is the hotel's cooking school through which guests can learn more about local cuisine. We taste chikanda, which is made from the tuber of an orchid and which, because of its consistency, is often referred to as “vegetarian meat” or “African polony”. Quite delicious.
Cristian, the only male member of the “Royal Four” (who has the luckiest girlfriend ever), volunteers as sous chef and learns to debone a quail, which is not an easy task with this delicate bird. A bit of garlic, a touch of fresh herbs, a state-of-the-art stove and, voila, we have a quail flattie.
Number two of the “Royal Four”, marvellous people-person Martine, makes pap the Zambian way — they call it nshima. It tastes like heaven. “Village chicken” is next, so simple yet so delicious.
After enjoying our own handiwork at lunch, we board the African Princess for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. The boat, like the hotel, is opulent, with wooden beams, brass and butlers everywhere. Our guide gives us some history and information about the local flora and fauna. Birds are everywhere and we spot a croc or two. Thobeka, number three of the “Royal Four” is the perfect model, posing for pictures against the changing sky.
This moment is a dream. We are 100 miles from nowhere, surrounded by water, bush and blue sky. The horizon is everywhere. It's extremely flat except for the constant spray of the falls in the distance. We watch the sun go to sleep as another night of feasting awaits us.
Dinner is a cultural experience in the Mukuni Boma, a short golf-cart ride from the hotel. We are met by singing, immediately kitted up in traditional cloth and led to seats around a fire, where we listen to some traditional story telling. Thereafter we are encouraged to experience the other stations set up in the entrance, portraying daily life and culture in Zambia. We get our faces painted, our hair braided, and our fortunes told. We definitely know now that we’re all connected as we have the same great futures ahead.
The feast is a loud affair of traditional dancing, drumming and local cuisine. I decide against the crocodile and go for the oxtail instead.
Our final day, just like the river, goes from soft and gentle to mad adrenaline, speed and height.
An indulgent full-body massage at the hotel's glorious spa, right there on the banks of the river, is followed by an hour-long quad-biking expedition in the bush.
There is a host of experiences available for all interests at the Royal Livingstone, including fine dining, shopping, game-viewing, wellness and adventure.
I take a walk, alone, on a less-trodden path, down the gorge through the forest to the river. It's just me, and the trees and the sound of the water crashing. Bob Marley's Rainbow Country plays around in my head as the water and the light dance together, creating colourful dreams. With only the earth and sky as an audience, I sing as loud as possible into the spray and no-one can hear me.
Before the trip, when I read the itinerary, I immediately told the organiser that I would not be microlighting. I am petrified of heights. But as the sun comes up, I feel an excitement building inside me and I know that I must go. With a deep sense of confidence, I push to the front of the queue and am the first to microlight.
I’m strapped into the weird flying bird behind Pascal Muguto, a very experienced pilot and the kindest person I have ever met. I hear his soft, soothing voice through the headphones as my legs dangle below. I’m not sure I get the whole experience of the falls from the air as I’m too busy trying to keep last night’s spinach intact. As we fly over the mighty Zambezi, Pascal points out hippos, crocodiles and even a rhino.
Flying over the spray is a magnificent but terrifying experience and I can’t wait for it to end. Pascal senses my fear and starts singing softly, which soothes my soul. I will never forget this extraordinary man, with his calm voice and kindness. He says, “Gila, I have a lovely young wife, I’m not going to die today.”
• Wilensky was a guest of The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara.
GETAWAY AT A GLANCE
Where it is: The Royal Livingstone is just outside Livingstone, on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. It's about a five-minute walk on the hotel's property to the Victoria Falls.
Getting there: The writer flew on Airlink, which serves Livingstone with daily flights from Johannesburg (flight time one hour, 45 minutes) and four flights per week from Mbomela (Mbombela) (flight time 1 hour, 55 minutes).
Visas: South African passport-holders are eligible for a free visa on arrival in Zambia.
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone has a variety of rooms and suites with balconies or terraces, and garden or river views. Some have separate tubs and rain showers, and all come with butler service.
Dining: Dining options include the Mukuni Boma with a live band and traditional dancing; the Kubu deck overlooking the river; the Old Drift à la cart restaurant; The Travellers bar, and tailor-made private dining experiences in magnificent outdoor settings
Activities: The hotel, through Livingstone Adventures, offers every activity imaginable from helicopter rides over the falls to microlighting, white water rafting, quad-biking, fishing, canoeing, horseriding, cooking classes and river safaris. If adrenaline isn't your thing, the hotel's spa offers indulgent packages and pampering.
Rates: From R7,746 per room per night for two. Includes breakfast and unlimited free access to the Victoria Falls.
SPECIAL OFFER:
The “African adventure package” is from R14,764 per room per night for two. It includes
- Luxury accommodation
- Daily breakfast
- A 15-minute helicopter or microlight experience
- Half-day rafting or Livingstone Drift upstream (dependent on season)
- River safari cruise (breakfast or lunch)
- 60-minute massage per person
- Welcome cocktail with bar snacks in Travellers Bar
- Three-course set menu with wine tasting at The Old Drift
- $45 credit per person for lunch
- Free unlimited access to the Victoria Falls
- For more information and booking, visit the website.
