My Travel Itinerary: Exploring East to South: A Luxury Journey Through Tanzania, Mauritius, and South Africa.
Middle stop on a luxury three-centre African and Indian Ocean trip
Embark on an exquisite journey through the heart of Africa's most captivating destinations, where opulence meets adventure. From the pristine shores of Zanzibar to the lush landscapes of Mauritius and the vibrant cityscape of Johannesburg, prepare to indulge in a symphony of luxury and cultural immersion. Join us on a curated exploration of sumptuous accommodations, transcendent experiences, and unparalleled hospitality across these enchanting locales, weaving together a tapestry of unforgettable moments and refined indulgence.
As much as I like revisiting favourite places and hotels, and flying on favourite airlines, I also like taking the opportunity to add new countries, hotels and airlines. This trip, I’ll visit two new countries (Tanzania and Mauritius) and also fly with two new airlines (Kenya Airways and Air Mauritius).
The hotels featuring in the post are:
Read on to find my full detailed travel itinerary for this trip, with helpful info on:
The best way to fly to Zanzibar from the UK.
How we travelled to Mauritius from Zanzibar.
My top hotel recommendations for Zanzibar, Mauritius and South Africa.
My personal flight recommendations for Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Flying to Zanzibar (Tanzania) with Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways is always a favourite airline to fly, especially on aircraft where they feature Qsuites. Unfortunately on both flights here via Doha to Zanzibar, neither aircraft have the amazing Qsuite. Nonetheless, it’s a great airline to fly with great connections through Doha’s Hamad International airport. This time, as well as opting for the additional Al Maha Gold Transit Meet & Greet, I’ve also opted to upgrade our lounge experience from the inclusive Al Mourjan Business Lounge to the Al Safwa First Lounge. Currently closed for maintenance (13 October to 30 November 2023) this will have only recently reopened for our flights.
Best places to stay in Stone Town Zanzibar : Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Tanzania
Park Hyatt Zanzibar, Stone Town
Fast Facts for Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Address - Shangani Street, Stone Town Zanzibar, Tanzania, 4255
Website - https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/tanzania/park-hyatt-zanzibar/znzph
Group website - https://www.hyatt.com/brands/park-hyatt
TripAdvisor ranking - #2 of 49 hotels in Stone Town
Contact - zanzibar.park@hyatt.com
Instagram - @parkhyattzanzibar
Nearest airport - Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) - 8 km or 5 miles (about a 15 min drive, traffic dependent)
Opened - 2015
Number of rooms / suites - 67 guestrooms (including 11 suites)
Number of floors - TBC
Bars - TBC
Restaurants - 5 (Beach House, Dining Room, The Library and Verandah, Living Room, & pool Lounge)
Wellbeing - Spa, Outdoor Pool, Fitness Centre
Visiting - December 2023
I’ve looked at Zanzibar a few times, but never actually visited. The plan has always been that we would spend a few days in the capital Stone Town first, then go on to a beach resort somewhere on the island, or nearby. For this trip, the original idea was a few days in Stone Town as we arrive, then move onto @Beyond Mnemba Island. From there you can apparently have a private flight back to Nairobi Airport, and I’ve always wanted to visit Giraffe Manor. Next on the list would have been a two-centre with &Beyond Benguerra Island in Mozambique. Unfortunately it seemed like there was just no availability at any of these three hotels, hence a change of plan and we’re going elsewhere on Zanzibar before flying onto Mauritius instead.
Staying in Zanzibar: Xanadu Villas, Dongwe
Xanadu Luxury Villas Zanzibar
Fast Facts for Xanadu Villas
Address - Dongwe, Zanzibar Tanzania
Website - https://xanadu-villas.com/
TripAdvisor ranking - #7 of 44 villas on Zanzibar Island
Contact - info@xanadu-villas.com
Instagram - @xanadu-villas
Nearest airport - Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) - 57 km or 35 miles (about a 1 hr 20 min drive, traffic dependent)
Opened - 2016
Number of villas - 9, all with private pools
Number of floors - 2 per villa (one or two bedroom)
Bars - 1
Restaurants - 1
Wellbeing - Spa (couple’s treatment room, changing room & facilities) or private deck for treatments with ocean breeze, main pool
Visiting - December 2023
As above, this wasn’t our first choice to be honest as I’d set my heart on &Beyond for Zanzibar, but it just wasn’t going to work out for this trip - really should have booked much earlier. After staying in Stone Town, I wanted to twin this with a beach experience in Zanzibar. On seeing Xandadu Villas & Retreat near Dongwe, on the East coast of the island, this looked like the option for us this time. With only nine villas in total (each with a private pool), a spa, beachfront and on-site dining with private butlers; it was hard to choose which was the best villa for us.
I opted for Villa Kimwondo (Swahili for Shooting Star), a two-level villa with bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor. Accessible via an external staircase, the second level features a private plunge pool and an outdoor terraced lounge. Described as the Architect’s Favourite, I’m really looking forward to a few days of relaxation here, at the same time balancing this out with some water activities from the private Xanadu beach, like sea-kayaking, snorkelling and SUP boarding, a new favourite of mine.
Getting from Zanzibar to Mauritius with Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways: Zanzibar to Mauritius, via Nairobi Kenya
The first of two new airlines for this trip, it was the best choice to get us from Zanzibar to Mauritius. With good timed daytime flights, first Zanzibar to Nairobi, with a short onward connection from Nairobi to Mauritius.
Staying in Mauritius: The Oberoi Mauritius
The Oberoi Mauritius
Fast Facts for The Oberoi Mauritius
Address - Turtle Bay, Pointe aux Piments, Mauritius
Website - https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-mauritius/
Group website - https://www.oberoihotels.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #1 of 8 in Mauritius (TBC)
Contact - reservations.mauritius@oberoihotels.com
Instagram - @theoberoimauritius @oberoihotels
Nearest airport - Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) - 58 km or 36 miles (about a 1 hour drive, traffic dependent)
Opened - 2001
Number of pavilions / villas - 71 (48 pavilions, 23 villas)
Number of floors - Single level
Bars - 1 (The Bar)
Restaurants - 4 (On The Rocks, The Restaurant, The Gunpowder Room and The Herb Trail)
Wellbeing - Two pools, fitness centre, full-service spa
Visiting - December 2023
This is the first time I’ve visited Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, actually having visited the Seychelles quite a few times but always wanting to try a different experience. I looked at a few options for staying here, but The Oberoi is a classic on the island. There was a choice of luxury pavilions, but we opted for one of the private luxury villas. Some have gardens, some a private pool in the secluded garden, as well as there being two-bedroom, Presidential & Royal options too.
Getting from Mauritius to South Africa with Air Mauritius
Air Mauritius
Flying back from Johannesburg with British Airways, this direct 4.5 hour flight will be my first time on Air Mauritius, and trying their 1-2-1 business class cabins. The flight is excellently timed, leaving Mauritius just after 9am and with the two hour time difference (more aligned to the UK) we get to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport before lunch.
Staying in Johannesburg South Africa: Four Seasons Johannesburg (The Westcliff)
Four Seasons Johannesburg
The Westcliff
Fast Facts for Four Seasons Johannesburg
Address - 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Westcliff, Johannesburg, South Africa
Website - https://www.fourseasons.com/johannesburg
Group website - https://www.fourseasons.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #5 of 121 hotels in Johannesburg
Contact - Four Seasons app or webpage above
Instagram - @fsjohannesburg @fourseasons
Nearest airport - Johannesburg OR Tambo (JNB) - 23 km or 14.4 miles (about a 45 min drive, traffic dependent)
Opened - 2014 (as Four Seasons), formerly independent hotel
Number of rooms / suites - 117
Number of floors - 2 to 4 (vast hillside elevations)
Bars - 1 (Flames)
Restaurants - 2 (Flames & Apres-Spa)
Wellbeing - 2 pools (family & spa lap pool), fitness room, treatments (including couple’s spa suite), manicure & pedicure studio
Visiting - December 2023
I love visiting Four Seasons properties in all locations throughout the world, but this will be the first time I will visit their Westcliff property in Johannesburg. We’ve visited Jo’burg a few times before, the last time we had a wonderful stay at The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa.
We’re using Johannesburg as the final stopover to then fly back from here with British Airways overnight, to London. We’ll be here for New Year and this should be a great location for some fireworks watching and photography. I generally don’t like visiting a hotel just for one night, unless it’s a necessary stopover, as it means you’re checking in one day and out the next. We’re staying for a couple of nights to be able to experience Four Seasons in South Africa, and with it being an evening flight on the return will mean we’ll have two full days to enjoy all the hotel facilities and spa.
Full Travel Itinerary: Zanzibar to Mauritius to South Africa
Day 1 Fly to Zanzibar (ZNZ) via Doha (DOH) with Qatar Airways
Early afternoon flight with two hour connection in Hamad International Doha
Day 2 Arrive Zanzibar early morning
VIP arrival service organised by the hotel
Hotel transfer
3 nights Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Day 3 Stone Town, Zanzibar
Private Culinary Discover of Zanzibar’s Spices
Day 4 Stone Town, Zanzibar
Private Sandbank Snorkelling and Discovering Prison Island
Day 5 Stone Town to Dongwe
Hotel organised transfer
5 nights Xanadu Villas
Day 6-9 Xanadu Villas
This should be a very relaxing part of the vacation, albeit the resort has beach activities and I do like to try a stand-up paddle board
Day 10 Fly from Zanzibar (ZNZ) to Mauritius (MRU) via Nairobi (NBO)
Hotel organised airport transfer
Fly with Kenya Airways Zanzibar to Kenya
Onward Kenya Airways flight to Mauritius
Arrive evening Mauritius and transfer to The Oberoi
7 nights The Oberoi Mauritius
Day 11-16 The Oberoi Mauritius
Relaxation and Spa
Day 17 Fly back from Mauritius (MRU) to Johannesburg (JNB) with Air Mauritius
2 nights Four Seasons Johannesburg (The Westcliff)
Day 18 Four Seasons Johannesburg
Relaxation and Spa
When in Johannesburg we always like to visit the Rosebank Art & Craft Market in the Rosebank Mall (less than a 10 minute drive from the hotel)
Day 19 Return flight with British Airways from Johannesburg (JNB) to London’s Heathrow (LHR)
Overnight flight back to London Heathrow
Day 20 Return domestic flight with British Airways from London’s Heathrow (LHR) to Edinburgh (EDI)
Arriving back into London early morning into Terminal 5, for the connecting British Airways flight home
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Whenever I take a trip, as well as providing the full travel itinerary (detailed next) I’ll also provide a detailed hotel review for each property, I will be posting on social channels like Instagram and also now creating a YouTube video of any hotel too.
Start planning your opulent escape today and let these extraordinary locations captivate your soul, leaving you with cherished memories that last a lifetime
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