What is being “at peace”? A series of gentle-but-fleeting impressions or experiences that linger to make a lasting, more integrated, whole? Quietly sharing a special moment with family, wife, husband, partner, parent?  Being able to spend time doing what you wish in an environment that takes one back to one’s evolutionary roots? How and where to find “Peace” is, of course, a variable feast for all of us with a million-and-one possibilities but a luxury African holiday can provide this sought after, overlooked and (regrettably) often-ephemeral spiritual commodity.

Luxury African Holiday - Simple Happiness With AfricanExplorations.com

And, then, how to define luxury?!? To me, as I sit writing this, it would be luxury to just be in the bush; flycamping in Katavi or, perhaps, at Sosian knowing the camels are safely “done” for the night. Or to sit and watch Wild Dog for an hour that might stretch to several. Cantering down a sandy track in South Africa or (yes, I know, off subject on an African website but why not?) to be camped by a river in Canada with the call of the loon and wolf nearby are also, to me, simple, effervescent, life-enhancing luxuries. Thus, to myself (I hear my colleague, the wonderful Hashim, agreeing) the “luxury” is obtained from the experience per se rather than the accoutrements of where I stay. Again this is (and can only be) a highly personal opinion and I fully accept that, to many, “luxury” is Egyptian cotton sheets and towels in the middle of the bush or champagne for sundowners. Make no mistake about my own motives here, either, I’d say “Why not, indeed!” to such luxury and I certainly wouldn’t turn it down; we all have differing ideas and I have no axe to grind at all with whatever your own definition of “luxury” may be. But I do think that there is a peace that comes from being somewhere you really want to be, in an environment with which you connect, that gives you an inner feeling of luxurious satisfaction that is common to all these experiences.

Luxury African Holiday - Surrounded By Africa With AfricanExplorations.com

There’s a point to these musings and I’m not going to even elaborate here on excellent food, great guiding (crucial) or super-comfortable beds in huge en suite tents in the most extraordinarily lovely locations, let alone stunning wildlife. That’s for other blogs and my point is this: I often get asked – sometimes in roundabout ways – to create a “luxury” African holiday.

Luxury African Holiday - Experiences of a Lifetime With AfricanExplorations.com

But we know that luxury is different things to different people so, in order to do my duty to you, oh esteemed client, I need to know who you are! What makes you tick? What is it about Africa that entices you – perhaps for the second, third or fourth time? Can I empathise with your own feelings, desires and passions so that I can create exactly the right safari or holiday for you, with all the right nuances? For this, to me, is another luxury; in the process of creating exactly the right balance within a holiday I have the privilege of conversing with (and, sometimes, getting to know rather well) a wide range of very special, often talented, individuals. Most have skills I can only dream of and all are totally different yet have a single unifying desire: to go to Africa. What a luxury…….

Luxury African Holiday - Life's Special Moments With AfricanExplorations.com

Africa, by its sheer size and the convoluted nature of the countries that make up this fascinating continent, can be slightly daunting when one is thinking of planning a safari or a vacation. Of course one wants to see as much as possible on what may be the “trip of a lifetime” but balancing activities and locations with the logistics of travelling around and making sure that the lodges, camps or hotels in which one might stay are “just right” can be a real task and a huge responsibility without essential first-hand knowledge of the destination.

I Left A Footprint In Africa - Africa Custom Vacation at Chada Katavi With AfricanExplorations.com

That’s where a long-established specialist like African Explorations comes to the fore. With over 20 years of trading as a specialist tour operator based in the UK, dealing with clients worldwide, we are experts in Africa custom vacations. Put simply: we know what we are doing. Our small team of dedicated, highly knowledgeable, professionals have all lived, worked in or otherwise have vast in-depth knowledge of the countries in which they create safaris and holidays for their clients. It is this knowledge, constantly updated, that is the anvil on which we forge your loose ideas into a gorgeous-but-workable end product that offers the correct balance of value and experience to ensure a superb vacation, whether it be a couple, a family, a single traveller or a specialist group. And there’s no downside for our clients because it costs no more to use us than it would if one was able to create the same trip oneself!

Camp Overlooking The Zambezi - Africa Custom Vacation With AfricanExplorations.com

An Africa custom vacation can engage with almost any client interest, be it wildlife, culture, a specialist activity or maybe some other reason for travelling to these fabulous destinations. We are proud to create vacations that are completely tailored to our client’s requirements, down to the last small detail to the extent that it is almost unknown for us to send two different clients on exactly the same vacation. This may seem surprising but every individual on this planet is different; ergo each safari – if truly personalised – will be unique and cater for differing desires and personalities!

Samburu - Kenya - Africa Custom Vacation With AfricanExplorations.com

Africa custom vacations are, simply, our life. Our only requirement is that the vacation we create is exactly right for you, our client!

How often do you hear the words: “not like it used to be”? More to the point, what emotions and memories does that sort of phrase invoke? For, in our modern world, life races by at speed and the basics are forgotten . The children’s day is full of school, after school clubs, extra lessons, swimming, Stagecoach, music, riding or whatever their interests (or their parent’s interests!) may be.  The parents, too, are equally busy rushing around earning  a living or seeing friends. This may or may not be such a bad thing but there’s a question – how much time do we really get to spend together, properly, as a family unit and together experiencing the world in which we actually live? And how often do we get to do – and appreciate – real things in a world where the DS, TV, IPOD, PC and the good old phone are constantly-pervasive influences and distractions?

I allude to “connection”, not only with one’s family (although that has to be the ultimate point) but the actual world which spins beneath our feet. Not a world where everything is seen through a glazed window, on a screen or bought from a supermarket but a world where things are real – where the land, animals, culture and life all there to be lived, enjoyed and, crucially, experienced together at first hand and without barriers.  This is the joy of a Child Friendly African Safari – it brings families together in one, huge, ongoing and never-to-be-forgotten, life-enhancing adventure.

Enthralled - Child Friendly African Safari with Experts AfricanExplorations.com

Connection comes from simple things: The sigh of the wind through a whistling thorn bush; the roar of a lion; the stellar clarity of a Serengeti night; the smile of a child seeing his or her first giraffe; the complete assurance of a nomadic tribesman alone on vast plains; a game of cards in camp; messing about in a mudhole where no-one cares about being covered in mud; the smell of breakfast cooked over an open fire after an early morning walk; the determination of a dung beetle; a genuine grin of welcome; the midnight rustle of “something” moving through the bush just a few metres from your bed…….the list is endless but the theme is the same: simplicity, raw connection to the world around you and of which you are now truly a part.

Children naturally understand all this, of course. Preparation for adulthood erases much of the basic instict with which we are born but, if one takes children to Africa and allows them to free their sense of adventure and fun, and, at the same time, allows adults to reconnect with simple enjoyment and the instincts that live on in all of us what a holiday that becomes! What an experience! What a homecoming! What enormous fun! And how fabulously bonding the whole experience can be.

An Ol Malo Moment in Kenya - Child Friendly African Safari with Experts AfricanExplorations.com

A child friendly safari in Africa can achieve all this. However (or in whatever country) one might “do” Africa – and the possibilities are almost endless so long as one leaves electronics and preconceptions behind – the people you meet will be welcoming and fun, the places you see and stay will be awe inspiring and the experience will be real. This is magic for children and adults alike and is,  surely, not only how things should be – even if just for a short while – but also, perhaps, just a little, “like it used to be”…….

What is a Luxury African Safari? It is many different things to many people! Perhaps this clip defines it in more detail!

An Africa Safari Vacation is one of the most amazing and rewarding types of holiday that one can ever imagine! With magnificent wildlife in abundance, incredible walking, scenery and top class guiding – as well as having such a variety of first class accommodation – all this contributes to having the perfect safari!See the video below to get an idea of which country might be right for you! We come from Africa and have been arranging bespoke safaris for our clients for 21 years – so, if only the very best will do – we would love to assist you in arranging your safari of a lifetime!

Anjajavy is a little piece of heaven in Madagascar! If anyone is looking for a Madagascar Holiday, then this surely must be included!

The most luxurious and only Relais et Chateaux in the country is Anjajavy. It is easy to reach from the capital, Antananarivo and on arrival, one is taken on a beach track to the lodge. The villas are large, spacious, and have French doors opening out  to the sea.  There are walks to 5 different beaches from the hotel and they can arrange a picnic for you on one of them! There is a lovely large swimming pool overlooking the beach and tea is served at 1700 each day in the oasis – a beautiful garden they have built. The cuisine  is excellent.

Anjajavy with AfricanExplorations.com

There are lots of points of interest  here, including  brown lemurs and Sifakas and grey limestone tsingys. The birdlife is spectacular and includes black kites, weavers, Madagascan sun birds, and pied robins.  I also saw several Couas. Madagsacar has 258 bird species and 71 species of lemur! There is also fantastic kayaking. Anjajavy is also renowned for its fly fishing.   One can catch dog tooth tuna, yellow fin tuna, wahoo, king mackerel and most other big pelagic game fish. Massages are conducted in ones own villa.