ROSE HAVEN.

ROSE HAVEN. Searching for a unique romantic getaway? Does a spa treatment beside the river where hippos bath at dusk surrounded by a farm that grows high quality tea roses and macadamia nuts sound unique enough?

This 100-hectare valley in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa is 10km away from the renowned Kruger National Park and includes a lodge, spa, and orgranic restaurant.

Why not have a gourmet dinner and a rose quartz steam shower before you retreat to your tented suite underneath a canopy of Jackalberry and Tambotie trees?

Let 11.7 book your reservation at Summerfields Rose Retreat and help you plan your day trips in the vicinity, such as tree canopy aerial walks or game drives.

FUFU.

FUFU. Looking to add some fufu into your life?

All you have to do is boil some cassava and then pound it until it reaches a nice doughy consistency...or just buy fufu flour if you can find it in your local marketplace.

I assure you, it is unlikely that it will taste as good as when you eat it in Liberia, where you can pair your fufu with palm butter, pepper soup, or palava sauce.

Yum.

Let 11.7 help you find the best fufu in town.

TSINGY.

TSINGY. In Malagasy, Tsingy translates to "where one cannot walk barefoot." This geological wonder is the result of groundwater cutting thorough limestone to form caverns and fissures. The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park has bridges and walkways that allow visitors to climb to the top of small tsingy’s. In order to climb to the higher pinnacles ropes and climbing equipment are necessary. A ferry and a four-wheel drive vehicle from the Baobab lined streets of Morondava will land you in the center of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. 11.7 can help you plan your venture to the land of Tsingy’s so your not caught barefoot in this other worldy terrain.

ACTIVE.

ACTIVE. Looking to visit an active volcano that seemingly shoots out of the sea? Look no further, Mount Cameroon or Mongo ma Ndem (Mountain of Greatness) is one of Africa’s largest volcanoes. Located in the Southwest Province of Cameroon near the black sand beaches of Limbe and the tea plantations of Buea, it rises from the coast through tropical rainforest to a bare summit which is occasionally brushed with snow. 

If you were also looking to race to the top of an active volcano...shooting out of the sea, The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope can fulfill this desire as portrayed in the 2007 documentary file, Volcanic Spirit. Honestly, just standing and looking at it is an experience in itself.

THE BATHERS.

THE BATHERS, an Art Deco painting by Jose De Almada Negreiros from São Tomé and Principe, took me aback. When I think of Art Deco, I imagine opulence, glamour, France, Miami, but certainly not the second smallest African nation.

Not only is the painting magnificent, but the Portuguese Creole flavored islands of São Tomé and Principe are a treasure on their own. With a population of under 5,000, a small bustling art community, gourmet chocolate, coffee, and seafood all to the beat of a sleepy drum during the day and a hip shaking groove at night, this hidden gem is the perfect place to experience uncharted waters with a little help from 11.7.