5 Reasons to Spend Christmas with Sanctuary Retreats

Sanctuary Retreats offers an alternative Christmas experience for those struggling for inspiration this Christmas.

1. Wildlife Encounters

The Christmas period is a great time to discover Africa's rich tapestry of wildlife on an epic safari. Imagine having Christmas lunch with a trio of elephants at Sanctuary Stanley's Camp, or spying a mother leopard with her young at Sanctuary Chichele Presidential Lodge. Alternatively head out on a Kenya safari where you can watch the Great Migration. For something truly unique, a once-in-a-lifetime mountain gorilla trekking experience in Uganda is simply unmissable.

2. African Romanticism

The pull of an African vacation doesn't just stop at the wildlife. Many of Sanctuary's safari lodges and camps take this season as a chance to show off their romantic side, decorating the grounds with flickering fairy lights, lanterns and candles. This is the perfect opportunity to try out Sanctuary Baines' Camp's sumptuous star bath. For the more adventurous among you, imagine waking up on Christmas morning surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of the South African bush after spending the night on Sanctuary Makanyane Safari Lodge's secluded sleep out hide.

3. Unique Experiences

If you find yourself bored to tears by the usual festivities, expect the unexpected as you celebrate Christmas with Sanctuary Retreats. While some are sat around the fireplace with a Baileys in hand, you could be sat around a bush campfire exchanging sighting stories over a G&T. What better way to experience the joy of Christmas than on a river cruise past ancient monuments in Egypt, or a boat safari along the Zambezi River. If you yearn for a twist on the traditional Christmas, how about singing Christmas carols with the locals in the Luangwa Valley?

4. Family away from Family

Sanctuary Retreats'staff have had years of experience making their guests feel at home, no matter the time of year. Expect them to treat you like family from the moment you step into a Sanctuary Retreats property or cruise. We can all suffer a little home-sickness at Christmas, but their staff will do their very best to keep it from dampening your mood too much. Whether that means treating you to a Christmas dinner your grandmother would be proud of, or leaving thoughtful gifts for you in the morning, expect to finish your stay feeling as though you're part of the Sanctuary Retreats family.

5. Gaining New Perspectives

Spending Christmas abroad gives you an opportunity to explore new and exciting parts of the world, while also offering you the chance to gain new perspectives. Visit the rural village of Sin Kyun in Myanmar or swap presents with the local Batwa people in Uganda to get a taste of our philanthropic activities. Alternatively, join staff and their families at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma to sing Christmas carols by candle light on Christmas Eve. There is no better way to discover the kindness of a new culture than during the Christmas period.