The first of a series finding the luxury locations with the world’s greatest vistas takes us to the outskirts of the welcoming Zambian town of Livingstone, where giraffes and monkeys amble past, and the world’s most stunning waterfall thunders on the horizon.
Africa mainly deserves its reputation for friendly welcomes, but Zambia provides those who make the effort to travel there the kind of genuine and special hospitality you will rarely find elsewhere in the world, let alone the continent. Boasting vast, sprawling national parks and some truly wonderful hotels, the country is well stocked for visiting high net worths, but it’s the Royal Livingstone Hotel, in the town of Livingstone, that is the jewel in the nation’s crown.
Situated on the green and pleasant banks of the relentlessly rolling Zambezi river, the hotel occupies a sensational spot for the luxury traveller. Built and styled in a blend of Victorian splendour and local flavour, the hotel sits in the middle of a spacious walled complex, where giraffes, zebra and monkeys drift and scurry around the grounds.
The true glory of the hotel’s location is only hinted at on arrival, though, as guests make their way down the river on a water taxi, dodging in and out of the hippos, before witnessing the rising steam of what is one of the biggest and most powerful waterfalls, Victoria Falls, just a short distance from the hotel’s front lawns.
It’s not until a very short trip to the other side of the Falls that their real majesty is revealed, where the imposing wonder stretches over a mile wide, and crashes water down over 100 metres, cloaking the entire area in a glorious wet mist. Microlight flights are available over the Falls, and are highly recommended.
Food at the hotel is exceptional, with menus an eclectic mix of Zambian, French and Italian fare, and the ambience is first class luxe.
The town and hotel are named after the Scottish explorer, David Livingstone, whose African fortunes were the stuff of legend to Victorian Britain, and the Royal Livingstone should be on the to-do list of every luxury traveller seeking their own eye-opening adventure.
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