This charming hotel nestles within Benguerra Bay on the protected northwest side of the island. Benguerra has a world class beach sheltered from bad weather. The main thatched building and the chalets which flank it, merge naturally into indigenous milk wood and acacia trees. Whilst each chalet has easy access to a golden beach only twenty metres away, guests have their own wonderful sea views, yet still maintain 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 Lodge 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:

Cabana’s (2)

- 2 x Double Cabana’s.
- Luxury room with beautiful sea views, private wooden deck and small 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
- Waiter service

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 small 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 (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.

Small groups: For a group consisting a maximum of 6 people Benguerra offers a combination of the Villa Chibuene and Casita 10 which is conveniently situated about 25m away.

Bazaruto Archipelago Trust:
The Bazaruto Archipelago is a National Park.  A park fee of US$10 per person is requested: US$6 goes into trust for the Benguerra Community and US$4 goes to the National Park.

Facilities

• 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
• There is also a Swimming Pool and small Spa.

Activities

• Scuba Diving / Snorkelling
• Saltwater Fly Fishing / Deep-sea Fishing
• Landrover Trips / Island tours
• Dhow Cruising / Sea Kayaking
• Day trips on Stiletto, our 38ft catamaran
• Castaway picnics / Beachcombing
• Bird Watching / Walking
• Star Gazing

Please note

• The island is a mere 8 minute flight from Vilanculos – transfers operated by scenic helicopter flights. The Lodge is 20 minutes drive from the airstrip. US$10 airport departure tax for the helicopter transfer will be added to the extras account at the lodge.
• Luggage restriction is 15 kg per person.
• Visa and MasterCard accepted.  Amex, Diners Club and travellers cheques are note accepted.
• No children under 8 years are accepted at Benguerra. Children can only be accommodated at the Villa Chibuene, which consists of 2 bedrooms. The Villa is charged per unit, the child rate is thus not applicable to children staying there.
• There is a 10$ per person per stay Bazaruto National Park levy payable at the hotel.
• Benguerra is closed from 25 Jan to 26 Feb 2010.

Rates include

All activities (excluding diving and fishing), all meals and drinks (excluding selected spirits and wines), laundry service, Medical Rescue Insurance and local taxes.

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‘s 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.

Saltwater Fly-Fishing: The waters around Benguerra boast some of the finest saltwater 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.

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Itinerary: 7 nights

Day 1: Fly from Johannesburg O.R Tambo airport to Vilanculos with Federal Air. On arrival proceed through customs and immigration and make your way into the arrivals hall. The lodge representative will meet and assist you with checking in for your 8 minute helicopter flight to Benguerra Island. On arrival you will be transferred from the airstrip to Benguerra Lodge where you will be staying for 7 nights on a fully inclusive basis

Day 8: Check out of the lodge and transfer to the airstrip in time for your flight back to Vilanculos. On arrival check in for your flight back to Johannesburg.

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Prices include
International flights (departure from Johannesburg), hotel accommodation and meals as indicated, all airport - hotel transfers.

Not included
Visas fee, airport taxes, drinks, tips, personal expenses and travel insurance, USD10 per person for Marine National Parks fee payable locally.

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Below is an approximate price per person sharing (October 2010):

±USD6154 (fully inclusive, Casita)

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Specials

• 4 Night special offer: valid 26 Feb – 31 Mar 2010
  Applicable to Casitas only.
  Cancellation policy: 16 – 30 days before arrival - 50% and 0-15 days before arrival - 100%.

• Long stay special: Valid 15 Jan – 31 Jul 2010 & 1 Sep – 15 Dec 2010.
  Pay for 4 nights stay for 5 or pay for 8 nights and stay for 10.
• Honeymoon special: Valid 15 Jan – 31 Mar 2010, 1 May – 31 Jul 2010 & 1 Sep – 15 Dec 2010.
  Minimum stay is 6 nights. 50% discount on the accommodation for the bride.