Cookson Adventures & Miavana partner for amfAR Gala Cannes prize
An evening of music, fashion, and philanthropy at amfAR’s exclusive event in Cannes, which supports groundbreaking research to find a cure for AIDS.
London, May 2025: Ultra-luxury travel company, Cookson Adventures, has partnered with Miavana in Madagascar to donate a lot for auction at the annual amfAR Gala Cannes this year, valued at $264,550.
The donation is a five-night heli adventure for a private group of eight at Miavana in Madagascar, one of the world’s most exclusive and pristine private islands.
This adventure will see the guests not only enjoy the likes of world-class spa treatments, fine Champagne-accompanied dining and beachfront infinity pools at one of the world’s finest private islands, but—traveling with Cookson Adventures – they can expect a full complement of serious fun.
Cookson Adventures’ expert team will be on hand to host and guide throughout the trip. With helicopters almost on standby, guests will be able to fly out for everything from waterfall picnic swims and gourmet breakfast setups among Madagascar’s baobab trees to treks with the island’s iconic lemurs and ATV rides to secret caves.
Nick Davies, Managing Director of Cookson Adventures, says: “We are delighted to have partnered with Miavana to donate this spectacular Madagascan adventure with all proceeds going towards amfAR and its vital work towards to combatting aids.
We’re excited to present a lot for the first time at this prestigious auction, as we have made sure the item seamlessly blends exclusivity and adventure as well as true sense of travelling with purpose. On this luxury travel experience, guests can look forward to exploring the wildness of Madagascar with leading local researchers and to island hop by boat for remote dining set ups on deserted beaches”.
This year’s gala will be hosted by Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson and will feature performances by the legendary rock band Duran Duran, Ciara and Adam Lambert. The evening is set to attract a glittering crowd of celebrities from round the world. Chairs of this 31st edition of amfAR Gala Cannes, several of whom will be in attendance, include Pedro Almodóvar, Spike Lee, Adrien Brody, Marion Cotillard, Tom Cruise, Colman Domingo, Demi Moore and Michelle Yeoh.
The prestigious fundraising event, now in its 31st year and widely considered the most anticipated evening of the Cannes Film Festival calendar, will take place at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on 22 May, 2025. The exclusive black-tie gala will feature a live auction of luxury goods, one-of-a-kind experiences, and exquisite works of art led by renowned auctioneer Simon de Pury, and a fashion show curated by longtime supporter Carine Roitfeld.
Since amfAR’s late Founding International Chairman Dame Elizabeth Taylor hosted the first amfAR Gala Cannes in 1993 at the Moulin de Mougins, the benefit has become the most coveted ticket of the Cannes Film Festival and to date it has raised $297 million for amfAR’s lifesaving AIDS research programs.
More information on the auction prize can be found here
For all media enquiries or for more information, interviews or images, please contact Tamsin Graham
[email protected]About Cookson Adventures
Founded in 2009, Cookson Adventures has pioneered the concept of world firsts in luxury adventure travel. From organising the first manned submersible dive in Antarctica to carrying out crucial conservation work in the Galápagos Islands, the company is putting luxury at the heart of extraordinary journeys.
Cookson Adventures meticulously crafts travel experiences that mix adventure and luxury for its global client base. Through its worldwide network of dedicated experts including scientist, marine biologists, conservations, and award-winning photographers, adventures are designed for people with a curiosity and thirst for exploring without sacrificing the highest levels of comfort and safety.
Cookson Adventures has committed to carbon neutrality across its expeditions. The team sources audited and measurable carbon offset and reduction projects that are geographically relevant to each trip.
Henry Cookson, the company’s founder, is a dedicated adventurer and a Guinness World Record holder for the first expedition to the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility (the exact centre of the Antarctic continent).
About amfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading non-profit organisations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has raised more than $920 million in support of its programs and has awarded more than 3,800 grants to research teams worldwide.
