Royal Singita & Seychelles Romance

From Johannesburg's International Airport, a short charter flight whisks you to the exclusive Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. Together with its neighbour, the world-famous Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands forms 2.7-million hectares of fence-less, protected wilderness. Game roams freely between the two reserves, forming one of Africa’s most bio-diverse wildlife populations. The short drive from the airstrip whets your appetite for game viewing and delivers you to Singita Boulders Lodge, a flagship property in the award-winning Singita family.

Boulders is set in the heart of Big 5 country and is tastefully decorated in elegant neutrals and gorgeous African textures. The architecture is best described as organic - the Lodge seems to have sprung forth from the wilderness around it. Your suite is spacious with lovely views from the front-facing glass wall. This barely-there division between you and the wilderness beyond opens onto your private viewing deck, complete with a plunge pool and enticing loungers.

Once you have settled in, it is time for an expedition into the wilderness. Who knows which of the Big 5 will make an appearance on your very first game drive? As the sky comes alive in a vivid sunset palette, your expert ranger selects a spot for sundowners, making the most of this beautiful time of day. On your drive back to camp, your guide deftly wields a spotlight to seek out the rare nocturnal wildlife as it emerges.

Each day features early morning and late afternoon game drives in the care of an experienced guide and expert tracker. Encounter the Big 5 among a rich diversity of game and birdlife. The Reserve is particularly famous for its leopards and boasts an unrivalled record for the regularity and quality of sightings. After an early drive, the generous breakfast that greets you on return is very welcome. This indulgent dining is best followed by a guided bush walk, which provides a refreshingly close-to-nature perspective of the fauna and flora.

African afternoons are designed for rest and relaxation: lounge beside your plunge pool or pamper your senses at the spa. However you spend the siesta period, a late afternoon game drive tempts you back into the wilderness to witness the glorious closing of the day, and the thrill of a spot-lit night drive back to the Lodge. Each game drive adds zest to your anecdotes, shared over pre-dinner drinks with your fellow adventurers. Singita’s fine dining combined with the Boulders’ exceptional wine cellar completes each day with a romantic, candlelit dinner under the stars.

After breakfast, your guide returns you to the airstrip for a chartered flight to Johannesburg’s International Airport. There, you board an overnight flight to the Republic of Seychelles. Your flight arrives at the International Airport on Mahe Island.

Mahé and its neighbouring islands, Praslin and La Digue, form the cultural and economic hub of this island Republic. The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands and a fascinating melting pot of slaves, explorers, pirates and exiles from the four corners of the world. You hear the rich Seychellois heritage in the melodic mingling of French, English and lilting Creole, see it in the exotic traditional dances, and taste it in the blending of spices and flavours of this beautiful nation.

A short drive takes you to the last word in island opulence: the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles. Located on a lush peninsula on the southwest coast, the Resort manages to combine the solitude and serenity of a deserted tropical island with splendid luxury.

Your gorgeous tree-top villa perches on a jungle-clad hillside with breathtaking views over the ocean. Generous proportions, airy interiors and ideal indoor-outdoor Creole architecture make the most of the superb setting.

The muted neutrals and rich textures of the villa spill out onto your wrap-around hardwood deck with its covered day bed and infinity plunge pool. Between the in-villa spa treatments and dining options, you may find it impossible to leave your sanctuary!

The Resort tempts you out of your villa with a wide range of activities, from the conviviality of the main rim flow pool, to Hatha and Ashtanga yoga classes, and sunrise runs along glorious hiking trails. Naturally, an abundance of water sports are on offer, and your wonderful Concierge arranges whatever boards, boats or gear you need to sail, dive, snorkel or fish.

For an evening in, visit the Resort library for books, DVDs and games. For an evening out, indulge in fine dining and tropical cocktails, served in two locations, each featuring a restaurant and stylish lounge. The smart, intercontinental ZEZ commands spectacular ocean views from the top of the hill, while the informal Kannel specializes in seafood dishes served beachside. The Chefs celebrate Seychellois heritage, drawing on Mediterranean, Creole and Southeast Asian flavours in their delicious menus.

A decadent dessert served in the comfort of your villa makes the perfect conclusion to a day spent in paradise.

After breakfast on your deck, admiring the start of yet another perfect day, you depart for the airport and your flight home. What photographs and anecdotes you carry with you!

Close your eyes and recall the thrill of seeing your first leopard. Mid-hunt, its muscles bunching for a deadly leap, the distinctive fur rippling, your heart racing, torn between sympathy for its prey and admiration for its fearless beauty. You are among the privileged few whose memories evoke the exotic flavours of Creole cuisine, the underwater wonderland of teeming coral reefs, and the happy clink of sundowners lit by the radiant luminosity of an African sunset.