Royal honeymoon with Wilderness Safaris

His father honeymooned in Hampshire and Balmoral with Princess Diana and at Balmoral with Camilla. But where in the world will Prince William choose for his honeymoon with Kate next summer? Both princes are known to be big fans of Botswana, and Prince William has often said his heart is in Africa – could they be heading back on safari after the wedding?

Wilderness Safaris have come up with their take on the ultimate fit-for-a-royal honeymoon – a nine night privately guided adventure staying at three of Botswana’s most sumptuous safari camps including King’s Pool Camp, Vumbura Plains Camp and Little Mombo, followed by four nights of rest and relaxation at romantic Seychelles hideaway North Island. Each location is utterly remote, meaning maximum distance between the happy couple and the prying eyes of the paparazzi!

King’s Pool Camp, Linyanti Concession

Aptly named after a Scandinavian monarch who camped at the water’s edge long ago, Kings Pool Lagoon attracts large herds of elephant during the dry season. Kings Pool Camp combines such spectacular sightings with a luxurious place from which to see them. With a lounge, dining room and pub area on expansive raised decks, there is also a swimming pool and open-air “kgotla” for romantic honeymoon dining under the stars. Accommodation is spacious and tranquil, with lounge, large bedroom area, private plunge pool for optimum privacy and outdoor showers. Apart from the simple appeal of watching the elephants at the water’s edge from the luxury of the raised decks of Kings Pool Camp, the royal couple would enjoy spectacular wildlife viewing, available on day and night game drives and walks in the surrounding area.

Distinguished by its location on the extreme North of the Okavango Delta, this camp is unlike any other safari property Kate and Will would have seen before! Each large, luxurious room is raised off the ground on wooden decks and comprises a bedroom, lounge, shower and bathroom with outdoor showers.

Open on three sides, billowing curtains between the areas create the sense of a yacht floating through the floodplains. Each room also has a plunge pool and sala perfect for gazing out over the grassland. The camp’s position encompasses just about every animal that occurs in the Okavango biome – expect close-ups of lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah and buffalo.

Little Mombo Camp, Mombo Concession

Little Mombo Camp is situated on Mombo Island, adjoining the northern tip of Chief’s Island within the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta, northern Botswana. A small and intimate camp, Little Mombo Camp is built under a shady canopy and has just three luxurious, spacious rooms under canvas with en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers for guests looking to get closer to nature. Much of Little Mombo Camp overlooks the surrounding floodplains which offer some of the best big game viewing in the Okavango Delta.

Activities that Kate and Will could expect to enjoy here include morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4s, providing an exquisite vantage for viewing the high concentrations of plains game and all the predators - including the big cats. Lion sightings are frequent and guests can also see leopard and cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena, large herds of buffalo, elephant, white rhino, southern giraffe, blue wildebeest and Burchell’s zebra.

North Island, Seychelles

Four nights on an unspoilt Seychelles island in a totally private and self-contained villa - the perfect end to the royal honeymoon! Comprising three granite outcrops with a tropical interior, North Island is one of the most spectacular eco tropical retreats in the world.

Villa 11 is the jewel in the island’s crown – recently renovated to include a home entertainment centre, this new “pure honeymoon” experience offers the ultimate in privacy and proximity to nature. Stretching over 750 square metres with cascading terraces leading down onto a private beach entry to the ocean, the property’s highlights include a jaw-dropping bathroom with panoramic views across East Beach to Mahe, Praslin and beyond, outdoor shower, a huge bath complete with champagne ledge, and al fresco massage beds on the sunken deck. Indeed, Villa 11 could have been designed with this very honeymoon in mind!

The above itinerary costs from £36,500pp, including First Class British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Johannesburg, return flights from Johannesburg to Maun with Air Botswana, 3 nights at Kings Pool Camp, 3 nights at Vumbura Plains Camp and 3 nights exclusive booking of Little Mombo Camp all with exclusive private safari vehicle and a leading specialist guide to accompany the safari; Business Class overnight flight to Mahe in the Seychelles with Air Seychelles from Johannesburg, return private helicopter charters from Mahe to North Island for 4 nights in Villa North Island and Business Class flights back to London Heathrow. Private charters can be arranged as an optional extra.