It’s no news to the discerning wildlife traveller that ‘safari’ and ‘Africa’ are pretty much synonymous! Africa has been a premier safari destination for well over a century, and the facilities, activities, accommodation, and attractions have just been getting better and better.
Here are just a few of the amazing areas you can visit:
Okavango Delta Safari, Botswana
To say that Botswana is a superb wildlife destination is to state the blindingly obvious! No less than 38% of its total land area is allocated to national parks and protected wildlife areas. These include famous areas like the Okavango Delta, the Kalahari Desert, Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe National Park with its massive elephant herds, Linyanti, Nxai Pan National Park, the Savuti (particularly renowned for its predator sightings) and the Makgadikgadi Pans.
In the Delta you can choose between ‘dry camps’ with superb day and night game viewing by safari vehicle, and ‘wet camps’ that focus on water-based activities. Superb river cruises in custom-designed game-viewing boats are on offer where guests stay in comfortable luxury tented camps on some of the secluded islands in the Delta. You can enjoy a houseboat safari, or relax on a sundowner cruise.
Revel in the unique experience, gliding serenely through the water in a traditional mokoro canoe at waterlily level. Further activities include tours specifically geared to bird watching or photography, guided game walks and optional helicopter flights. Fine dining, excellent wines and exceptional service mark every sublime day!
Wellness safari in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
There is nothing like the experience of being immersed in nature and being pampered in luxurious comfort. And this is exactly what a Luxury Kruger National Park safari offers you!
You’ll stay in a luxury lodge, with superb amenities, fine dining, and wines and with a dedicated, professional and friendly team to look after you. You can experience some unique bush yoga or the indulgence of a superlative spa treatment to transport you into a state of blissful relaxation.
Further delights include both day and night game drives, sundowners in the bush, and game walks led by experienced rangers. Fishing, river rafting, and cultural visits to the Nyani Village are available.
Golfers can enjoy the Hans Merensky golf course, and animal lovers can visit the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre and the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre with their inspiring cheetah breeding project. Your children will love the activities and programmes for children led by dedicated rangers. Baby-sitting and child-minding services are also on offer.
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The vast Serengeti National Park is renowned for the diversity of its flora and fauna, making it a renowned and time-honoured wildlife destination. Not only is it a notable Big Five destination, but it’s also famed for the drama-filled Great Wildebeest Migration that plays out on its plains every year.
The Serengeti ensures superb all-year-round game-viewing with its large predator population that thrives on its varied plains game. The Mara River, site of many a dramatic wildebeest and zebra river crossing, houses large numbers of hippos and fearsome Nile crocodiles.
Guests at the many superb luxury lodges enjoy game drives, famous Serengeti ‘sundowners’ and delicious meals in the bush. Witness thousands of flamingos blanketing the soda lakes in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, or enjoy a hot-air balloon safari. Immersive guided walking safaris with armed rangers and Masai warriors add to the magic of the Serengeti.
Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
Meaning ‘four’ in Shona, this UNESCO World Heritage site refers to the four large pools that are the remnants of primeval ox-bow lakes created by the mighty Zambezi river. These pools make the Mana a superb destination for energetic safari enthusiasts with its expertly guided multi-day canoe safaris on the river and walking safaris on the game-rich floodplain alongside it.
Guests can opt for day trips on the river, with an indulgent picnic lunch thrown in, or challenging ten-day excursions from Kariba all the way to Kanyemba, taking adventurers through the untamed Mapata Gorge. These excursions offer a unique close-up experience with hippos, crocodiles, and elephants. There are also excellent game viewing 4×4 tracks, and bird lovers will be enthralled by the more than 350 bird species recorded.
Ranthambore National Park, India
Are you looking for something different? Why not have a safari outside Africa at Ranthambore National Park in India with its rich cultural heritage and varied wildlife? It is one of the original ‘Project Tiger’ reserves, so offers you an excellent chance of viewing these superb, fearsome and endangered creatures.
A former hunting ground of the maharajas of Jaipur, the Park offers diverse habitats and equally diverse wildlife. Sightings include the elusive Indian leopard, Indian elephants, water buffalo, gaur bison, nilgai, wild boar, sambar, spotted deer, striped hyenas, dholes, Indian wolves, and Bengal foxes.
The Park is sprinkled with old forts and abandoned temples, creating some seriously unique settings for wildlife viewing. A varied selection of accommodation options exist, and activities include jeep and Canter safaris, tiger trail, hiking up to historic Ranthambore Fort and visiting an art school. An excursion to the beautiful waterlily-festooned Padam Talab Lake offers you an excellent opportunity of seeing tigers as well as crocodiles, alligators and many bird species.
Conclusion
The mind-boggling selection of tours and safari options and destinations can make it a daunting task to choose, and then get that safari holiday booked. But hopefully we’ve given you some starting points and some great options to consider!
