Nkwichi Lodge, Lake Niassa

If you’ve ever wanted to completely disappear into your own exotic wilderness then Nkwichi Lodge on the shores of Mozambique’s spectacular Lake Nissa should be at the top of your list. Hidden amongst the African bush, this lodge is a magical combination of sugary-white sands and glittering lake shores. Leave your mobile phone at home (it won’t work here anyway)—this is our ultimate castaway retreat.

Location

As you arrive by boat, nothing can really prepare you for the dazzling beauty of Lake Niassa. One of the world’s largest (and cleanest) freshwater lakes, it is chock-full of a staggering number of tropical fish in a rainbow of colors. If you thought that, being a lake, it wouldn’t have any sand then think again—the shores are blanketed in a fine, powdery-white (the kind of sand that squeaks when you walk on it). All of this is then ringed by pristine African forest to make it one of the most enchanting locations throughout Africa—and believe us, we’ve looked around.

Your room

Landing on the lake shores you may be hard-pressed to spot any of the six chalets that lie hidden behind the trees and rocks. Each one has been designed individually to blend with the landscape and provide you with the utmost privacy. Huge rooms and verandas dotted with hand-crafted armchairs lie under the shade of thickly thatched roofs. All chalets come complete with four-poster beds made from tree trunks and draped with fairytale netted curtains. En-suites feature bathtubs carved out of the surrounding rock so that you can bathe by candlelight underneath a canopy of jungle. For a truly romantic evening, we can arrange a night under the stars in the lodge’s aptly-named Star Bed, where you can dine lakeside and fall asleep under the Milky Way.

Why we like it

Moonlit dinners, picnics on deserted beaches, canoe trips across a tropical lake—everything about the Nkwichi Lodge is nothing short of spellbinding.  With a maximum capacity of just 14 guests at any one time, you can have the experience your very own private escape.  Robinson Crusoe—eat your heart out.