Livingstone - The wedding ceremony and reception were on the banks of the Zambezi River in the landscaped gardens of the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia.
The bride and groom were British expatriates and their family members and guests had travelled from all over the world to join in the celebrations.
A woodwind quintet played as wedding photographs were taken on a sandy stretch near the water’s edge amid the clink of champagne glasses.
Providing a spectacular backdrop was a skyline turned rich red by the setting sun which also shed a crimson sheen on the river as well as on the spray from the Victoria Falls only a few hundred metres downstream.
It was nothing short of a story-book scene and on top of it all, the wildlife played their part as well, as if on cue.
On the sidelines of the reception area adding to the African matrimonial splendour were zebra and buck munching on the hotel’s sprawling lawns while further back, but well in sight, giraffes were rubber-necking from among the trees.
And monkeys were running here and there like dogs at a fair hoping to snatch some of the wedding fare for themselves. Amid all this, a variety of wild birds sang and twittered from all corners.
It was difficult to picture a better setting for a wedding – something to capture in a bottle and take home to show everyone.
The Royal Livingstone Hotel, situated in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, continues to be a dream destination for people of all ages to celebrate occasions such as birthdays, weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries.
I spent two days there with my wife Colleen, celebrating our wedding anniversary while also taking a “breather” during our busy 5 000km safari adventure through Southern Africa. Looking around the candle-lit dinner tables under the stars on the hotel’s patio, love was in the air everywhere… we immersed ourselves totally in the romantic atmosphere.
The hotel’s gardens go down to the water’s edge and from the deck overlooking the river, guests have an uninterrupted view of the spray from the Falls as they sip sundowners and chat about their day’s adventures.
And there’s plenty to do either at the hotel or using it as a base to launch into exciting activities.
A walk around the hotel’s grounds reveals a variety of animals, some of which often stand around outside the rooms grazing or resting in the shade of trees.
It is something special for visitors (who feel the urge) to get within almost touching distance of zebras and giraffes.
Another bonus for guests is unlimited free access to the falls through an exclusive entrance just outside the hotel grounds.
We walked over the rail and road bridge into Zimbabwe to further explore the falls and enjoy a frozen lemon drink, a speciality of one of the hotels on that side. A bungee-jumping centre, from which participants plunge into space above the Batoka Gorge, is situated on the bridge (we gave that a miss).
The range of exciting things to do is impressive. Something different is a 30-minute flight in a microlight over the Falls, the Batoka Gorge, the Zambezi River and the Mosi-oa-Tunya Park. The flights are operated by Batoka Sky which provides transfers from the hotel.
Also on offer are helicopter flights, horseback trails, abseiling, fun journeys on the Royal Livingstone Express train, fishing trips on the Zambezi, quad-biking, white-water rafting, swimming in rock pools below the falls, canoeing on the river, elephant-back walks and interaction with cheetahs.
A thrilling adventure is swimming in Devil’s Pool right on the lip (no exaggeration!) of the falls and then enjoying a picnic meal on an island in the Zambezi River afterwards.
The 14-year-old Royal Livingstone Hotel has recently undergone a $7 million (R77.2m) refurbishment which included the construction of new gym set in the gardens with a panoramic view of the surrounding bushveld, a second deck at the riverside, and impressive upgrades to the 173 luxury en suite rooms. A new spa and beauty centre will be added next year.
Apart from the attraction of being set in the middle of a national park, the iconic hotel has a bird hide within the grounds and its own private river walk through a rain forest with the path ending close to the falls.
A very decadent but delightful high tea is served in the colonial-styled lounge every day at 4pm.
Refreshed by the change of pace we enjoyed at the hotel, we were ready to drive to the final layover on our journey – the Chobe National Park in Botswana. To get there, our vehicle would have to go on a ferry over the Zambezi.
Weekend Argus