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| For many,
seeing wildlife in its natural habitat is the focus of their African
holiday. For others, a safari is only one of the anticipated highlights.
The essence of a safari is that you are on the move, staying a few
nights in different regions so that you experience a variety of habitats
and a diversity of wildlife. The overall length of your safari depends
on your interests… and on your budget! Our emphasis is on designing
an individual safari after careful discussion with you - what do you
want to see, which animals really fascinate you, how close do you
want to get, do you want a luxurious experience or rustic charm? What’s
perfect for one person won’t be right for another. |
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Where to go?
It’s almost impossible to recommend one wildlife region above
another – each has its unique charms, ‘special’
animals and outstanding guides. South
Africa offers the broadest range, from the world’s finest
lodges in private game reserves (some non-malarial), via simple bush
camps to self-drive safaris staying in the excellent National Park
restcamps. It’s also easy to combine a safari with other delights
- as it is in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is known, not only for its wildlife, but also for the quality
of its guides and for its walking and canoeing safaris on the Zambezi
River. Botswana and Zambia
are principally safari destinations, pristine lands undisturbed by
man’s development, teeming with wildlife amidst beautiful scenery.
Both offer an authentic bush safari experience with a choice of reserves
and habitats. Further to the north, Tanzania
and Kenya offer one of the classic
safari experiences in Africa - witnessing great herds of game migrating
across acacia-studded plains. This is easily combined with relaxing
by the Indian Ocean. |
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How
Expensive?
Any safari of length in Tanzania, Botswana, and to some degree in
Zambia and Zimbabwe, will be expensive as they are priced in US dollars.
But value is an equation and not an absolute, and few begrudge the
investment in the thrill of a lifetime. On the other hand, a safari
in South Africa or Namibia can be sublimely luxurious, (and premium-priced),
or it can be within each of the more modest budget - but its value
is even more apparent, across the board, as costs are incurred in
local currency. |
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When
to go?
This is intrinsically related to whether the safari is the main reason
for your holiday and where you intend to go. North of South Africa,
consider travelling between May/June and October. This is the dry
season. There is less surface water around and the vegetation is sparser,
so animals need to come to waterholes and rivers to drink and are
more visible. It’s also a very pleasant climate for game viewing,
as the days are generally warm and sunny but not scorching. In Tanzania
and Kenya, the season extends to cover the Migration (see Serengeti
and Masai Mara). ‘High
season’ is mostly from July to October, so June offers excellent
value for money. If you’re coming to South
Africa for a safari, try to come between May and October for the
same reasons. Here, the best game-viewing period happily coincides
with the country’s ‘low season’, which is a lucky
bonus for visitors. However, your safari is merely one part of your
South African holiday, you may wish to visit at another time of year.
You’ll still have a fabulous wildlife experience in the private
game reserves, as experienced trackers are adept at locating the wildlife.
Many animals are producing young at this time, the birdlife is prolific,
and of course, the vegetation is green. The hot weather means that
the pool is essential for cooling off during the day. |
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Safari Style
Safari camps vary dramatically in ambience and style. South
Africa and Botswana have some
of the finest game lodges in the world, complete with luxurious furnishings,
superb cuisine, extensive wine cellars and private plunge pools, (though
in Botswana they remain traditional tented camps). By contrast, in
Zimbabwe, Zambia
and Tanzania we generally offer intimate
and comfortable safari camps. Our lodges and camps are chosen for
their character, setting and superb guiding and tend to be smaller
in size. Something different altogether is a mobile tented safari,
where the attention to detail is sublime! These are offered either
on a scheduled basis or on request for a small private group of friends
or family. |
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Something
a little different …
The pattern of open vehicle game drives with a knowledgeable ranger
combined with bush walks gives you a fascinating insight into life
in the bush or on the plains. It’s ideally suited to a safari
of three or four days. However for the more adventurous, especially
if this is a second or third safari, we believe that there is nothing
to beat using a more leisurely mode of transport – on foot or
on horseback, by canoe or by boat. Walking
safaris are a speciality of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Superb horse
riding safaris are on offer in South Africa, Botswana and Malawi
whilst Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana are known for their game viewing
by canoe and boat along the banks of the mighty Zambezi and Chobe
Rivers. |
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Safaris
and Young Children
Generally, malarial areas are not recommended for very young children.
They also tend not to enjoy the long and intense game drives. For
this reason, we primarily recommend the non-malarial areas in the
Eastern Cape and
the Northern provinces
of South Africa. A number of these lodges cater for children with
special children’s drives.
Our sample safaris throughout this website are only a starting point.
We adapt these itineraries according to your preferences, time, budget
and season. |
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