Africa is growing more popular every year as a romantic destination. This charming and quixotic continent appeals to couples who want a unique, extraordinary trip to complement their unique, extraordinary love! Africa’s combination of stunning wildlife, adrenalin adventures, urban diversions, idyllic beaches, and exotic flavors are the perfect recipe for revving up the romance, whether you’re planning a dreamy destination wedding, an idyllic honeymoon, or a passionate couples’ getaway.

Let’s start with safaris. Plenty of luxury tented lodges amp up the romance factor with amour-inspiring amenities. For example, at Simbambili Game Lodge in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Reserve, each Morroccan-styled suite is carefully positioned to ensure privacy, and includes a private plunge pool, a patio overlooking a watering hole, in-room aromatherapy and massage, and turn-down service with candles, champagne and a bubble bath. After a thrilling day of game drives or guided bush walks, couples can also enjoy private starlit dinners in the bush. Other lodges offer uber-romantic treehouse accommodation, where sweethearts can literally sleep under the stars, surrounded gentle breezes and the sounds of nature. Kenya’s Loisaba Conservancy, for example, features Loisaba Star Beds, which command sweeping views over the Loisaba valley and its permanent waterhole. Rustically designed to complement the surrounding environment, each star bed is raised on a wooden platform and features a handcrafted four-poster bed, a sitting area and open-plan bathroom with a view.

If cities are more likely to ignite the fire of passion in you, Cape Town is an excellent choice. In South Africa’s vibrant, cosmopolitan capital you and your beloved can embrace the city’s lively blend of history, culture and geography by touring its colorful neighborhoods, dining on its distinctive Cape Malay cuisine foods, or ascending the iconic Table Mountain. Then head out to explore the stunning seascapes of the Cape Peninsula, share a kiss on the pristine beaches of Camps Bay, take a leisurely drive along the cliffs of the legendary Chapman’s Peak Drive, or admire the cute penguins at beautiful Boulders Beach. Stay overnight at the remarkable Twelve Apostles Hotel, where romance is the name of the game. Savor the breath-taking sunsets at The Leopard Bar while you sip sundowners, have a couples’ massage in the outdoor gazebo overlooking the ocean, or enjoy a romantic picnic amongst the verdant fynbos of Table Mountain National Park.

The Franschhoek Valley, South Africa’s version of the Napa Valley, is perfect for couples who want to spend all or part of their vacation indulging in award-winning wines and fine foods. Quaint towns like Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl offer literally hundreds of vineyards, cellars and family-owned specialty shops where you and your sweetie can go wine-tasting or try South African favorites such as Rooibos tea, biltong, droëwors (cured meats), koeksisters and Amarula mousse.

If your idea of a romantic vacation involves lazing on a blissful beach and soaking up the sun, Africa’s got that too. Mozambique’s Benguerra island, a gem in the heart of the Bazaruto archipelago, is renowned for its pristine white sand, unspoiled coral reefs, snorkeling, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing. Azura Benguerra resort, which is set within a protected marine conservation area, offers many ways for couples to connect: you can explore the underwater wonderland, sunbathe on nearly deserted beaches, savor a couples’ massage, or enjoy an intimate candlelit dinner for two with the vast Indian Ocean as a backdrop.

African Travel, Inc.’s diverse, hand-crafted itineraries encompass everything from traditional game drives, to wine-tasting, to city sightseeing to scuba diving, plus a variety of luxurious extras, from sunset cruises to helicopter rides. “African Romance” is African Travel Inc.’s most amour-inspiring itinerary. Over the course of 12 days and two countries, honeymooners are treated to, sundowners beneath Table Mountain, and soothing beachside massages at an idyllic beach resort in Mozambique.

 

We are proud to share the recipe of Nelson Mandela's favorite cake: Estelle Brand's famous fruit cake. The cake was smuggled into Robben Island prison by Christo Brand, who shared it with with Mandela and other political prisoners. It quickly became a sensation in the prison and was frequently requested by Nelson Mandela. 

Ingredients

• 500g (18 oz.) mixed fruit
• 250g (9 oz.) finely chopped dates
• 100g (4 oz.) candied fruit
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 130g (5 oz.) butter or margarine, chopped into small slivers
• 1 cup coffee (1 cup of hot water and 2 teaspoons of Nescafé)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 8 candied cherries, halved
• 3 tablespoons of brandy

Instructions

Put the butter, sugar, mixed fruit, dates, candied fruit and coffee into a bowl and microwave for 5 minutes on full power. When it comes out of the microwave, add the baking soda and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, all the spices and salt, and then fold this into the dried fruit, coffee, baking soda and butter mixture.

Beat in the 2 eggs and fold in the 8 candied cherries and mix well. Line the base of a microwaveable bowl with baking powder and grease the sides with butter. Tip the cake batter into the prepared bowl. The bowl must be approximately three-quarters full because the cake will rise about a quarter. Bake at medium/low power for 30 minutes. When it comes out of the microwave, put the brandy over the top immediately, then leave it to cool for a few minutes.

Once you can touch the sides of the dish, turn it out on to a rack. Once the cake is cold, wrap it in foil and every second week add a further 3 tablespoons of brandy. Mrs. Brand says that it is important to make the cake on the first of October so that it can have long enough to get moist and brandy-laden by the Christmas season. Enjoy!

Recently, I had the pleasure of traveling to Cape Town with Sherwin Banda, president of African Travel, Inc. and a group of travel trade partners. We spent 5 days in Cape Town and our trip was filled with wonderful events, performances and cuisine.

Here are a few of the highlights from my trip with images of our unforgettable experiences.

Table Bay Hotel

Situated on the historic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, The Table Bay Hotel is positioned against the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. We were fortunate to have a wonderful choir called Isibane se Afrika and gumboot dancers from the township of Khayelitsha perform for us one evening. Their energy, spirit and performances were inspiring and beautiful!

It was also wonderful to meet and interact with choir members and gumboot dancers and learn more about their aspirations. Isibane se Afrika means The Light from Africa. The choir’s mission is to be a force for good in their local township of Khayelitsha, to work with other people who want to do good, and to help build a positive future for the young people from their community.

Isibane se Afrika was created in 2000 by Andisiwe Mbuje who wanted to give young people from her township the opportunity to be part of something that makes a positive impact in their own lives and those around them.

Our group was so inspired by Isibane se Afrika and the gumboot dancers that members of our group started to collect donations that would go towards building an Arts and Culture Centre in Khayelitsha. The space will be a place for the choir to have proper rehearsals and a sanctuary for both choir members and the larger community.

Karibu

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Christo Brand and his wife, Estelle Brand in Las Vegas. Christo was Nelson Mandela’s ex-prison guard at Robben Island and also became his friend. He first met Mandela in 1978 when he was 18. In his book, Doing Life with Mandela: My Prisoner, My Friend, Christo recounts the 12 years he spent with Mandela at Robben Island and how he went from being his prison guard to his confidant and collaborator. 

During this meeting, Estelle told us this wonderful story about her fruit cake and how much Mandela loved it.

Mandela had a very sweet tooth, so Christo had started buying chocolate, cookies (biscuits) and fruit cake for Mandela from the supermarket. One day he shared a piece of cake with Mandela and found it very dry. In an effort to satisfy Mandela’s sweet tooth, Christo smuggled some of his wife Estelle’s fruit cake into the prison for Mandela and he loved it. From that point on, It became Estelle’s famous cake. They made a plan that they could buy some regularly, because everything that came into the prison from outside had to have a receipt.

Christo put a paltry price on it, and marked it weighing a lot less than it actually weighed, as there was a maximum limit allowed for food stuff to be brought in, and this was a heavy cake. He brought his wife’s cake in regularly and it became a significance between him and Mandela. “Perhaps it represented a sharing of a tiny part of family life.” Even after Mandela was released, Estelle still baked it for him on his birthday and for Christmas.

During our dinner at the beautiful Karibu Restaurant, set between the picturesque view of Table Mountain and the tranquil blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, we were fortunate to have Christo and Estelle join us once again. Christo spoke to our group and gave us insight into a different side of one of the world’s greatest leaders and the friendship that evolved during their time on Robben Island.

Estelle was also kind enough to share her famous fruit cake recipe, which you can also try baking.  

Zeitz Museum

On our last evening in Cape Town, we were thrilled to host a farewell reception at a special gala at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) which collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits twenty-first-century art from Africa and its diaspora.

With Table Mountain as the beautiful backdrop for our evening, we were greeted with music played by a band called Blackroots Marimba – an incredibly successful women’s driven marimba band in the Western Cape region.

We were fortunate to have an exclusive evening to view the cutting-edge art exhibitions followed by a beautiful dinner where we had a 270-degree view of Cape Town. 

There were many other unforgettable moments throughout this trip, but this experience was truly the perfect way to end our time in South Africa.