As a former travel editor at Bride’s magazine, I’ve seen my share of romantic accommodations. But…upon entering my room (if you can call it that—see below) at Vumbura Plains while on a recent Wilderness Safaris trip, I realized I was but a babe in the woods and knew nothing about how romantic a room could be.
Here are my notes, taken right out of my journal:
Our room is possibly the most spectacular room I’ve ever stayed in. You reach it by following an elevated walkway and then enter through a wooden gate into an expansive deck area with a private plunge pool as well as sitting and lounge areas. It overlooks the watery, expansive Okavango Delta landscape which is busy with elephants, impala and countless other animals and birds. The room itself is enormous with an elegant mosquito-netted bed, a sunken sitting area, an indoor and an outdoor shower and a huge double-sinked vanity.
The walls are screened on three sides. The roof is cathedral and thatched. All the colors are quiet neutrals, very soothing.
So enamored of the room, we had to drag ourselves away to go on the twice-daily safaris. And while the outings always included many significant sightings (including plenty of lions), we didn’t really have to leave the room to see anything. At one point, a leopard was lounging in a nearby tree. A family of elephants came within feet of the deck. At night, we’d hear the hippos and elephants trudging through a passageway designed just for them.
Rounding out the whole experience were great meals, including lots of spicy African dishes, fresh fruits and vegetables. On some nights, there were dancing and singing performances by locals. When the time came to pack up and head off to our next safari camp, I have to say…it was really hard to leave Vumbura Plains.
--Susan Farewell
Photo by Dana Allen, Courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
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