Special rates for a minimum stay of 3 nights: valid 04NOV – 15DEC 2008

• Special applies for Casitas and Cabanas only

The lodge nestles within Benguerra Bay on the protected north west side of the island. Benguerra Lodge has a gorgeous big beach sheltered from bad weather. The main thatched building and the chalets which flank it, merges naturally into indigenous milk wood and acacia trees. To this end, while each chalet has easy access to a superb beach only twenty metres away, guests have their own wonderful sea views, yet still maintaining a high degree of privacy.

The term "barefoot luxury" is not without good meaning at Benguerra. Relaxation, whether accomplished under the shade of the beach palm trees or a sunrise walk along a receding tide-line, is the name of the game. The cuisine combines a mixture of seafood delicacies with Portuguese dishes and exotic fruits. Benguerra is passionate about conservation and dedicated to the involvement of the local community in sharing and conserving the spirit of Africa in this idyllic part of the world.

Take a virtual tour of Benguerra.

Accommodation:
Bungalow's (2) only until 31 MAR 2009
- 2 x Twin Bungalow's - Basic pilot/ guide accommodation, open, airy chalets with roll down blinds - no windows or doors - No deck area - East African/Arabic styling - Merged into natural forest, with limited sea views- Mosquito nets and overhead fans.- En-suite bathrooms with showers

Cabana's (2)
- 2 x Double Cabana's
- Luxury room with beautiful sea views, private wooden deck and plunge pool
- Overhead fan and mosquito net
- En-suite bathroom with bath and shower (toilet separate)
- Outdoor shower with beautiful mosaic inlays.
- Mini bar and Tea & Coffee facilities
- 5 meters from beach

Casita's (10)
- 6 Doubles, 4 Twins (Twin beds may be converted into doubles)
- Spacious, luxurious and very private, with beautiful sea views (80m² under thatch)
- Comfortable lounge area, tastefully appointed to relax in
- 100 m² of private timber deck, with plunge pool and outdoor dining Gazebo for starlit dinners
- Plantation shutter windows and doors
- Fan and mosquito net
- En-suite bathroom with bath. (Toilet separate)
- Outdoor shower with beautiful mosaic art work
- Mini bar and Tea & Coffee facilities
- Direct beach access from the deck

Villa Chibuene (former Exclusive Villa -1)
Villa Chibuene is built on the far western side of the main lodge and replaces our existing private Villa. All private Villa bookings are now accommodated in the new Villa. The beautiful Villa Chibuene is spacious and blends naturally into the surrounding forest. It consists of a central main area with open plan kitchen, dining room and comfortable private lounge. Through wide sliding doors, guests walk out onto the wooden deck, where hours can be whiled away relaxing next to the swimming pool, or sipping refreshing cold drinks under the thatched sala while admiring the sea view. The main area is flanked by two spacious en-suite bedrooms, each with its own mosaic outside shower. Similar to the Casita’s the rooms have shutter doors which lead to a private section of the deck.

Bazaruto Archipelago Trust
The Bazaruto Archipelago is a National Park. A park fee of USD10 per person is requested: USD6 goes into trust for the Benguerra Community and USD4 goes to the National Park.

Facilities - The Main Lodge comprises
- Large Reception Area and Gift Shop
- Expansive Lounge and Bar, Dining Room and Library - all with large wooden decks and indoor and outdoor seating areas
- Swimming Pool and a small Spa.

Activities
- Scuba Diving / Snorkelling
- Salt-water Fly Fishing / Deep-sea Fishing
- Land rover Trips / Island tours
- Dhow Cruising / Sea kayaking
- Day trips on Stiletto, our 38ft catamaran
- Castaway picnics / beach combing
- Bird Watching / Walking
- Star Gazing

Please note:

• The island is a mere 8 minute flight from Vilanculos - transfers operated by CFA (weather dependent). The Lodge is 20 minutes drive from the airstrip.
• Visa and MasterCard accepted. No Amex or Diners Club.
• No children under 8 years are accepted at Benguerra. Children are accommodated in their own, separate bungalow, which is situated 20 m behind the Casita's. The bungalows are open and airy. (no window's or doors). Adults travelling with children should book the Casita's. Benguerra has 4 Casita's, with children's bungalows situated behind them. Each children's bungalow can accommodate 2 children. No additional beds in adults rooms! Alternative accommodation available for guests travelling with children is The Villa, which consists of 2 bedrooms. The Villa is charged per unit, the child rate is thus not applicable to children staying there.

Diving
To encourage visitors to enjoy pristine reefs where no coral bleaching has taken place, a fully equipped dive school with Dive Instructor has been set up. There are numerous dive-venues available, including the well-known Two-Mile Reef, where ample opportunities exist to see many species of game and reef fish - and to view untouched corals. Post-dive a trip to Pansy Island to collect a few rare pansy shells or to visit the South Point of Bazaruto to climb the dune and view Two-Mile Reef from another angle. A discussion of the day's dive rounds off an unforgettable experience. For the more adventurous, there is the thrill of a night or wreck dive!

Snorkelling
Superb, safe snorkelling can be learnt and indulged in, on the inside of the reef, at a site aptly called "The Aquarium". The wide variety of bejewelled fish and extraordinarily shaped corals is breathtaking. After snorkelling, clients are treated to a trip to Pansy Island for shell collecting or to Bazaruto's South Point for dune climbing.

Deep sea Fishing
The Lodge owns four 22-foot Acecat boats ready to do battle with a bounty of game fish and the monsters of the deep - such as marlin and sailfish. They are fully equipped with fighting chairs, outriggers, safety equipment, radios, and 20-lb. fishing rods for four fishermen. Each boat is hosted by an experienced skipper and ghillie who know the waters intimately. King- queen- and Spanish mackerel, kawakawa, many different types of kingfish and queen fish can be caught. A policy of "Catch and Release" is encouraged and all boats have the necessary equipment on board for tagging.

Salt-water Fly-Fishing
The waters around Benguerra boast some of the finest salt-water fly-fishing on the continent. Even newcomers to fly-fishing can enjoy a session out on the water learning something new, while avid fly fishers will revel in pursue all the above game species and sailfish. Two specialist boats, 'High Flyer' and ''Ahab', with experienced guides are available, each able to accommodate two fly fishermen.

Dhow cruises
Sail silently in a traditional Arab dhow along the coastline in search of the island's flamingos or glide peacefully in the late afternoon with sundowners in hand, to witness one of Africa's marvels - the magnificent sunsets.

Picnics
Arrange your own castaway picnic at a under the island's casuarinas, the South Point of Bazaruto, on Pansy Island or Santa Carolina - or perhaps even a secret rendezvous. There you can explore or simply comb deserted beaches in solitude.

Bird watching
Because of the diverse habitats - coastal dunes, open grasslands, freshwater lakes, savannah and acacia woodlands - over 125 species of birds, including all the sea birds, visit Benguerra Island. This is a good site for the migrant Crab Plover, on either a walk or land rover trip around the island.

Non-motorised water sports
For the energetic and adventurous, the lodge offers kayaking, windsurfing and hobie cat sailing.

Just plain relaxation
It is not, of course, necessary to do anything if you feel the need to catch up with the soul, except lie under a beach umbrella, sipping away at an exotic beverage. Without doubt, peace, solitude and serenity are still regarded by us as an integral part of our own island getaway.

Horse Riding at Benguerra Lodge
Squib was the first horse to set foot on Benguerra Island when Pat Retzlaff and his team brought the small herd of 10 horses, consisting of Arabs, Thoroughbreds and South African Boerperd to the island on a barge.  It took 3 hours to get all the horses safely from the barge onto the island. The moment they set foot on land, they immediately headed for the first bit of greenery they saw, which was Andrew and Bonny’s garden! All the horses were originally rescued from Zimbabwe during the land reform process so each has a special and sometimes sad story. The horses have settled in well on the island.

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Itinerary: 7 nights

DAY 1: Flight from Johannesburg International airport to Vilanculos with Pelican Airways. Transfer to Benguerra Island by small plane CFA where you will be staying for 7 nights at the Benguerra Lodge on a fully inclusive basis.

DAY 8: Transfer back to Vilanculos and flight back to Johannesburg.

Pricing includes
International flights (departure from Johannesburg), hotel accommodation on a fully inclusive basis (excluding selected spirits and wines), all activities (excluding diving and fishing), all airport - hotel transfers, laundry service, Medical Rescue Insurance and local taxes.

Does not include

Visa fees, airport taxes, selected spirits and wines, tips, personal expenses and travel insurance

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Below is an approximate price per person sharing (October 2009)

•  ±Euro4350; ±ZAR46 000 (full inclusive, Casita)