Luxury safari specialist Sanctuary Retreats has announced an entire remodelling of two of its African properties – Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma in Zambia and Sanctuary Stanley's Camp in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The transformations are the first step in a multi-million-dollar investment program across the Sanctuary portfolio, which is inspired by the successful relaunch of Sanctuary Chief's Camp, now positioned as the most exclusive luxury camp in Botswana. The program will continue to roll out over the next 18 months.

Commenting on these exciting plans, Pieter van der Schee, Global Director Sales and Marketing for Sanctuary Retreats said, “The extensive work to these two camps starts an important investment in our portfolio, building on our heritage of luxury adventure travel and excellent customer service, to ensure we offer the best boutique experience in Africa to our guests.”

Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma: An Inspired Redesign

This boutique riverside retreat, set on a dramatic bend of the Zambezi river, under eight miles from Victoria Falls, will relaunch in April 2018.

In keeping with Sanctuary Retreats' 'Luxury, naturally' ethos – the redesign will maximise the magical setting of the lodge, strengthening the feeling of the connection with nature, whether guests are inside or outdoors. The most extensive changes will take place in the public areas, with a new Explorer Lounge and a new riverside outdoor bar and boma. The lodge's 12 Sussi treehouses, linked by elevated wooden walkways, are all being remodelled, with more emphasis on privacy and a sophisticated take on modern safari life with an authentic African spirit.

The outdoor bar will overlook the Zambezi, offering an incredible view over this magnificent river, a particularly prime spot at sunset. The extended outdoor deck area will include a remodelled boma fire pit, as well as a new dining area. Inside, the new Livingstone Bar will offer an intimate space serving up cocktails and nightcaps, with interiors reflecting the surroundings – the ochre and burnt oranges of the sunset, and dark greys of the spray of Victoria Falls, known locally as 'Mosi-oa-Tunya', or 'smoke that thunders'.

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The 12 newly remodelled, luxurious Sussi treehouses will be enriched with Zambian character, with their riverfront terraces now offering more privacy and shade. Authentic interiors will include local artworks, hand crafted rugs, and easy chairs dressed in a map print evoking the intrepid trails of Sussi and Chuma (the two faithful attendants of Dr Livingstone after whom the lodge is named). Indulgent touches include freestanding baths, a fully stocked minibar and gym boxes for in-room workouts.

Sanctuary Stanley's Camp: Classical Elegance Reimagined

Sanctuary Stanley's Camp is set in a private concession in the Okavango Delta shared only with Sanctuary Baines' Camp, offering an extraordinarily private safari experience.

Due to relaunch in April 2018, the recreated Sanctuary Stanley's Camp will feature 10 brand new luxury canvas tents – each of which has been significantly enlarged compared to the existing accommodation which they will replace. Each tent will have its own deck, with views over the dramatic floodplains, allowing for prime game viewing, whilst five star fixtures and fittings include compact gym boxes with yoga equipment, a minibar and a coffee station. The camp has been designed with sustainability in mind with its tents leaving a lighter footprint on the local environment and its own solar farm on site. Interiors and fittings will include authentic touches such as woven basket lights reflecting local Botswanan craftsmanship.

Alongside the new tents, there will also be a new outdoor bar area and a new central tent with an Explorer Lounge. The central tent will be the ideal spot to relax in on summer evenings, and the new Explorer Lounge is modelled on the orientation room at Sanctuary Chief's Camp, where guests can discover more about the Delta ahead of their explorations. The new outdoor bar offers unrivalled views over the floodplains giving guests an incredible wilderness experience in wide screen format.

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About Sanctuary Retreats

Sanctuary Retreats' collection of luxury safari lodges and river cruise ships bring the boutique experience to guests with the added promise of authenticity. Each property is completely individual in its design and operated around the philosophy of 'Luxury, naturally'. All have the

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same aim: to allow guests to have a real experience and enjoy a more natural kind of luxury in properties that have a strong commitment to conservation and responsible tourism. The Sanctuary portfolio includes safari camps and lodges in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as river cruise ships on the Nile, the Yangtze and in Myanmar.

Prices at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma start from $650 per person per night and prices at Sanctuary Stanley's Camp start from $550 per person per night, based on two people sharing, including all meals and drinks (excluding premium brands), scheduled game activities, and transfers to and from Livingstone Airport and Stanley's airstrip respectively.

For more information, please visit www.sanctuaryretreats.com

For UK media enquiries, please contact Nicole Walsh on 0777 1554027 at nwalsh@sanctuaryretreats.com or Sarah Bolam on 07