2023 Auction Lots

Eleven (11) day luxurious African insider adventure in South Africa and Zambia for two (2) couples

Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from any major city in the contiguous United States to Johannesburg, South Africa
VIP Meet and Greet, roundtrip airport services with customs assistance
Roundtrip, airport transfers and private ground transportation to all stated activities 

Singita Sweni Lodge, Kruger National Park, South Africa:
Three (3) nights’ accommodations in Guest Suites at Singita Sweni Lodge
Twice daily game drives in open viewing vehicles and walking safaris with experienced trackers and guides
All meals, non-alcoholic beverages and select alcoholic beverages and wines included through the duration of the stay

Toka Leya, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Livingstone, Zambia:
Three (3) nights’ accommodations in King Suites at Toka Leya
Twice daily scheduled camp activities including nature walks, catch and release fishing, boating, cultural experiences and game drives
Private guided walking and driving tours of Livingstone, the Livingstone Museum and the Zambian side of Victoria Falls
Sunset river cruise
Visit to a local African village and local curio shops
Roundtrip helicopter or private aircraft to the African Parks headquarters in Matusadona National Park
Private, behind-the-scenes experience with an African Parks Ranger, including an exclusive tour of the Operations Center and an inside look into rehabilitating the parks and protecting endangered animals, not available to the public, and planned with help from NCEF Lifetime Trustee Dave Gibbons
Rhino tracking with Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife
All meals, non-alcoholic beverages and select alcoholic beverages included through the duration of the stay

Shumba Camp, Kafue National Park, Zambia:
Four (4) nights’ accommodations in Luxury King Tents at Shumba Camp
Twice daily scheduled camp activities, including bird watching, daily game drives, star gazing, boating and night game drives
Insider experience at Panthera to learn important lion research being done in Kafue
All meals, non-alcoholic beverages and select alcoholic beverages and wines included through the duration of the stay

If you’ve dreamed of exploring the wilderness and wildlife of Africa, this lot will fulfill your deepest fantasies. Your unforgettable 11-day safari will take you to exotic corners of South Africa and Zambia in supreme comfort and in a manner that respects the landscape and animals you’ve come to see.

Perched on the banks of the Sweni River, this intimate lodge is a hidden jewel that provides a bold, new African context for contemporary design, architecture and cuisine.

Suites are hidden among a canopy of trees, and each unit has been restructured to maximize open-plan living with panoramic game-viewing decks. With its close proximity to the Sweni River, guests are treated to exceptional up-close sightings of the wildlife that wander down to drink or wallow.

During your stay at Sweni Lodge, you’ll explore the 33,000 acres of Kruger National Park. You’ll enjoy twice-daily game drives in open viewing vehicles as well as walking safaris, accompanied by experienced trackers and guides.

Leaving Singita Sweni Lodge, it’s time to fly to Zambia and check into Toka Leya in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a short drive from Livingstone and Victoria Falls. Once there, you can relax, rejuvenate or pump up your adrenaline—Toka Leya offers it all.

Relax in spacious, ensuite safari-style suites with expansive decks and dramatic views of the river and the local wildlife. Hippos often come up to graze; bushbuck and other antelopes are regular visitors. Relax in the infinity pool, have a snack on the sundeck and stroll to the convivial fire pit for night-time gatherings. Dining is a highlight, running from silver service to the camp’s world-renowned pizza.

During your time at Toka Leya, you’ll experience an in-depth view of the region.  Enjoy a guided tour on the Zambian side of the magnificent Victoria Falls, which provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals. Immerse yourself in the community with a visit to one of the nearby villages. Discover the town of Livingstone with a guided tour and visit to the Livingstone Museum. Relax on a sunset cruise along the legendary Zambezi River as you revel in the sights of hippos, crocs, elephants and other wildlife.

The highlight of your trip will be the insider’s experience with African Parks, thanks to African Parks Board Member and NCEF Lifetime Trustee, Dave Gibbons. You will enjoy a short helicopter flight or private aircraft to the African Parks headquarters in Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe, where you will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime, behind-the-scenes experience with the management team. You will have an inside look into how staff tracks collared elephants and other animals, how wildlife conflict with neighboring villages is managed, how poachers are tracked and brought to justice and where the Rangers and other staff live. You will be treated to a demonstration by the Rangers on how they prepare for and carry out their 20-day patrols in the wilderness.

For the finale of your African adventure, you’ll travel to the remote Shumba Camp in Zambia, which occupies its own small island in the midst of the Busanga Plains. Nearly 150,000 square acres of savannah are threaded with watery channels in the north of Zambia’s Kafue National Park—one of the wildest, most pristine places on Earth.

The camp’s spacious, luxury tented units, raised on wooden platforms, stand sentry over the endless plains. Astounding vistas can be had from your bed, various seating areas in the unit or even the indoor and outdoor showers. Zambian hospitality pervades the main area, whether you’re cooling off in the pool, dining under the stars or sharing fireside tales with staff during a convivial nightly ritual.

Long after you return home, memories of the African savannah and the wild species that inhabit it will fill your mind and spark your imagination. This truly once-in-a-lifetime experience can be yours with the right bid.

Insider's Info

Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from any major city in the contiguous United States to Johannesburg, South Africa is included and is recommended to be taken overnight. VIP Meet and Greet, roundtrip airport services with customs assistance is included at Johannesburg Airport. Roundtrip, airport transfers and private ground transportation are included to all stated activities. There are ten (10) nights of accommodations in Africa with one (1) overnight flight, for a total of eleven (11) nights. All meals, select alcoholic beverages, wines and non-alcoholic beverages are included at each property. Travel must take place between March 1, 2023-April 30, 2024, with blackout dates for the months of July and August and December 15, 2023-January 6, 2024. Shumba Camp is a seasonal camp, open June 1-October 31. If the winning bidders wish to travel outside of June, September or October, the winning bidders will stay at Linkwasha Camp with some modifications to the transport route, including but not limited to a light aircraft flight from Toka Leya to Hwange Airstrip followed by a game drive to Linkwasha Camp and the experience at Panthera will not be available. Any modifications to the itinerary may make some experiences unavailable and any associated costs with modifications are at the winning bidders’ expense. Trip is to be taken on mutually agreeable dates and subject to availability.

Donor

Singita and Wilderness Safaris

with special thanks to Dave Gibbons and Martha Good Luxury Travel