Gosh – now this is one wide topic of conversation! Choosing a safari is one of the most important decisions one will ever make in their lives! The reason for this is that a safari is not an inexpensive holiday – and one wants to ensure that the correct choices are made – whether for a couple or a family.

Choosing a safari with AfricanExplorations.com

Secondly, if it is your first safari – then we want to make the right impression. Getting it wrong will put you off for life – but getting it right will make you the staunchest advocate of safaris and wildlife for the rest of your life!

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Many of our clients take a safari every single year – it simply gets into one’s blood! Partially, I think it is because it takes people out of their comfort zone but secondly, its that primeval feeling – seeing the continent as it has been for millenia and will always be – whereas we will simply disappear…. Its the immediacy of your surroundings – the thrill of sleeping under canvas and hearing the roaring of the lions or the whoop of a hyaena close by – their sound carrying – and wondering what activity each night will be delivering.

Being on foot or on horseback one is far more vulnerable and the heartbeat quickens – this is a wonderful feeling and one feels so much more in touch with the earth and Africa itself.

Choosing a safari with AfricanExplorations.com

For some that immediacy is a terrifying prospect – in which case we have secure lodges that cocoon one entirely. For those with young children, security is at the forefront of one’s thoughts – and here we have fenced reserves or even non malarial safaris.

We spend time with you, learning all about you as an individual, or as a family, understanding your hobbies and interests, in order to make the perfect recommendations for you.

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We have a list to help you answer all the questions you never even thought of – and of course, with staff all from Africa – our expertise is unrivalled and we relish the prospect of tailoring your first or next safari to ensure it is an experience of a lifetime!

Anyone with a family will truly appreciate an adventure holiday in Africa.

So- what constitutes an adventure? This word has so many different meanings for so many different people. It can simply mean getting off the beaten track – and not doing what everyone else appears to do. It can mean doing something different to what you would normally do in your every day life – or even what you would normally do on holiday. For others it means lots of ‘daring do’ – and this we can provide in buckets full! I say family safaris simply because one can do the following:

Adventure Holidays Africa with AfricanExplorations.com

• go on a private mobile camp safari just for your family, with a camp erected in the best wildlife areas – with the very best guides.
• Go hot air ballooning across the desert
• Go white water rafting or bunjee jumping or canoeing amongst wild animals.
• Go zip lining through the canopies of trees 150 feet above the ground.
• Take a catamaran and go sailing around the islands in Seychelles, Madagascar and Tanzania.
• Take an Arab Dhow and sail around the Kenyan islands, fishing en route.
• Go quad biking across the desert.
• Go on a horse riding safari.
• Go camel trekking in Kenya with the local tribesmen, learning about their culture and wildlife along the way.
• Go on a private guided canoeing safari, stopping off on islands along the way and having a camp set up for you.
• Go and see gorillas or chimpanzees in Uganda or Rwanda.
• Go on an elephant back safari in Botswana or South Africa.
• Circumnavigate the mountains of Africa – Mount Kenya, Meru and Kilimanjaro with a private guide and crew set up just for you.
• Go canoeing or catamaran or laser sailing on Lake Malawi.
• Take a walking safari in Kenya, Tanzania or Zambia.
• Go on a week’s dhow and sea kayaking trip in Mozambique.
• Go snorkelling and diving in Mozambique.
• Go and see volcanoes erupting in Reunion.
• Go on a marine big 5 safari in South Africa, seeing dolphins, whales, sharks, penguins and seals.
• Spend time with lion or elephant researchers.
• Paraglide in South Africa or Microlight in Zambia.
• Mountain Bike amongst wildlife in Botswana and South Africa
• Go on a gastonomic cycling tour of the Cape in South Africa
• Be involved in game capture and relocation in Malawi and South Africa

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  Family Safaris with AfricanExplorations.com

Africa Private Villas – we have the finest selection of gorgeous private villas in Africa.

Private Villas are the perfect solution for famillies and for friends travelling together who simply enjoy having their familyand friends as company, together with  a private guide and vehicle and staff. Having a private villa is first choice every time as it allows one complete flexibility and freedom – which in fact is what a holiday is all about! No time constraints whatsoever!

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We have a selection of the highest quality of private villas in Tanzania in the Selous where one can take the most wonderful safaris. Likewise in the south Luangwa in Zambia as well as Livingstone and also in Kenya on the Laikipia plateau and near Lake Natron with the beautiful Shompole. Otherwise there is the most wonderful tented camp in the Masai Mara that one can take over and the guiding is sensational. Take a low level flight across the Mara which is simply breathtaking! A private mobile safari will do the same thing for you on safari – a camp erected purely for your party in a private site where the wildlife is second to none! This again comes with a private vehicle and guide and staff.

Then we also have some amazing private villas in Namibia – in the regions of Etosha and on a cheetah reserve.

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If malaria is a concern for young children, we have some amazing villas in Madikwe in South Africa and one can end up in Cape Town where we have a wonderful selection of gorgeous villas.

Otherwise on the coast, we have some stunning villas in Lamu and Kiwayu and Watamu in Kenya or in Mozambique or Cape Town in South Africa and we also have private houses in Mauritius and the Seychelles.

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Family Safaris in South Africa are certainly some of the most popular – not least because of the diversity of the country. I am biased, because I come from South Africa and take my own children there each year to see my family in South Africa.

Family Holidays South Africa with AfricanExplorations.com

South Africa particularly scores with families with younger children – because they have malaria free game reserves and coastlines. Here one can have the best of both worlds. It is equally good for famillies with adolescent children – as we can arrange anything from seriously good camping in the Drakensberg Mountains, to horse riding, to going on safari, to doing some great white water rafting and kayaking, to really good sailing, canoeing around penguins, climbing Table Mountain, zip wiring 150 feet above the ground through canopies of trees and diving with sharks. With a great climate, most South African children are completely outdoorsy and seriously sporty. Add the two together and one has a simply fantastic mixture of adrenaline filled adventure and sun filled days of non stop sport – whether tennis, swimming, golf, fishing, riding, sailing, kiteboarding, kite surfing – the list is simply endless. Even if one is seeking purely luxurious accommodation – with a children’s club – at a Relais et Chateaux so that the parents can have some time to themselves and feel a bit pampered – we can simply arrange the lot! Call the experts now!

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There is nothing quite like having luxury weddings in Africa. There are so many places that really lend themselves to having the most amazing wedding!

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We have arranged a number of weddings for our clients and they have all been simply stunning! One of them was in Botswana at this truly beautiful camp in the Okavango Delta, where the ceremony was performed on a private island and the bride and groom arrived and departed on the back of an elephant.

Luxury Weddings in Africa with AfricanExplorations.com

We have also arranged several in truly gorgeous bush locations – where we have set up location in the most beautiful spot overlooking a wide river. The bride had the most gorgeous wild flower bouquets and she was married in a simple long dress. They had the most lovely African choir singing to them. Another example was in Zambia in Livingstone – getting married on Livingstone Island where there is a permanent rainbow and the Victoria Falls right next to you. Again we had a beautiful African choir singing for them.

If you want something more traditional, we have some really lovely small, pretty churches in the winelands in the Cape in South Africa where one can make one’s vows and your names are etched into the ancient wooden doors. Another lovely church is in the Mpumalanga region on an avocado pear plantation – whilst a further suggestion is on one of our favourite estates in Plettenberg Bay.

There are several really beautiful Lamu Villas to choose from – in differing styles too.We tend to prefer the villas which are based on the beach, but there are also villas in town for those who want to be part of a more ‘ buzzy scene’ and this allows one to go out and have drinks at a nearby hotel should one wish and change one’s environment or to eat out at a restaurant. These villas comes equipped with a swimming pool, but one has to share a public beach which is often a little walk away.

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Firstly, our pick of the bunch is a group of around six or seven villas based on a glorious, uncrowded beach. Having just stayed there myself recently, I can honestly say I didn’t want to leave. Each of these gorgeous villas have their own swimming pool and come with a fleet of staff, who are always incredibly discreet and one almost never sees them except for at meal times.

The joy of having a villa, especially when one is travelling with family or a group of friends, is that they offer total flexibility – meals served when you want them – and you can dine on what you wish – crab, lobster, fish etc – either on your enormous rooftop terrace that looks out over the Indian Ocean – or at a table laid out for you on the beach.

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Secondly, at our favourite places, they come complete with a private skipper and boat for each villa – which means one can go off and snorkel or dive around various islands during the day – perhaps water ski – etc. There are several watersports available too.  If you feel like visiting Lamu town, then one can do so – by taking the boat around the island. Go out for a sail with an Arab dhow at sunset – these are beautifully vessels still used by the fishermen today.

Kizingoni House with AfricanExplorations.com

Staying in Lamu can simply be a two week beach holiday – with a relatively short flight from Europe, or as part of a safari where it provides the perfect beginning or end. Lamu itself is charming, with donkeys providing the local transport.

It is still possible to go on holiday  and experience a non malaria africa – whether it is for a safari or simply a holiday that has no safari activity at all.

South Africa is always a good country to start with – as it offers fantastic areas which are non malarial – perfect for famillies with young children or for couples who are expecting a baby and don’t want to take any innoculations or indeed those on medication who simply cannot take anti malarial tablets.

Non Malaria Africa with AfricanExplorations.com

In terms of safari – Marakele, Madikwe and the Waterberg regions in South Africa offer the best game viewing in a non malarial area. These include staying at private villas or homesteads which one closes to a family or a party of friends, or even staying at a traditional tented camp. The game viewing is just as good as many of the parts of Kruger. For those who are not that interested in wildlife, then Cape Town has a huge amount to offer, from Cape Town itself to the winelands, where one can stay at magical little boutique hotels with views over the grape vines and the mountains. Then there is the garden route, where one can walk or canoe or simply explore and finally, end in Plettenberg Bay where we have anything from private houses to stay in, to modest guest houses and then our favourite, a Relais et Chateaux called Kurland. North of Cape Town is an area called Clanwilliam where there is rock art and the most amazing array of wild flowers – or even heading east to montagu or staying on a historical wheat farm where one can ride and be entertained by a third generation South African and experience a home stay.

Non Malaria Africa with AfricanExplorations.com

In Cape Town, one is spoilt for choice from beautiful, artistic boutique hotels to villas and further along the coast- perhaps stay at a gorgeous Relais et Chateaux lodge where one can go out and see the largest concentration of southern right whales by boat or on land.

Perhaps go white water rafting on the Orange River or go  or learn how to sail, cook, fly fish etc and there are wonderful places to stay which are artistic and cultural in the Limpopo Province and Magoebaskloof which are beautiful and spectacular and combine well with the malaria free waterberg mountains.

Non Malaria Africa with AfricanExplorations.com

Kenya also has non malarial regions although these are not as game rich as the Masai Mara for example, but they offer a good alternative and the flight from Europe is shorter to Kenya than to South Africa. Some of the most amazing family properties are based in the Laikipia region in Kenya – staying in tree houses, camping, staying at a farmhouse, horse riding, camel trekking etc.

A Family Safari is about the most special safari that anybody can have. So – what’s so special about a family safari? Okay – how about the special bond that it promotes within a family – the sacrosanct time that one has at a time like this that simply doesn’t exist at any other time?

Getting to know one another again as a family and appreciating the time one has with each other? Whether that spends time doing things that you used to enjoy once upon a time as a time as a family ie: horse riding, fishing, quad biking, snorkelling, diving, playing tennis or afresh and learning about how one’s interests have diversified.

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Whether that means going down an avenue of scientific knowledge of lion and elephant behaviour or spending time with chimpanzees and gorillas – or even seeing the big 5 and then finishing off with spending some time sailing on the ocean whether that is in a catamaran or on a laser boat or windsurfing or waterskiing or deep sea diving.

Family Safari with AfricanExplorations.com

Whether it is the marine big 5 or the land big 5, we can assemble whatever wish you have in mind – whether a safari in the savannah plains or spending time with elephants, lions, giraffe, zebra – a full big 5 safari – or something photographic where it is just you and your camera – or perhaps climbing a mountain – or seeing the best primates in the world – we are complete specialists – we all come from Africa – our passion is in Africa – and we are used to designing a custom made holiday of a lifetime – so don’t hesitate to call us for your dream safari!

Family Safari with AfricanExplorations.com

Whether canoeing, sailing, beaching, having contact with the local population and understanding their culture and learning about wildlife – we are here for you!

Family Safari Holidays are my favourite way of travelling together as a family. There is simply so much to do – which is also away from the social media that has dominated our children’s lives!

Each year I take my own family on two safaris a year – this year it was a riding holiday and a luxury safari in South Africa – ending up in Cape Town and Plettenberg Bay.  Mozambique is a great country to end up at for the coast – gorgeous waters of 30 degrees celsius, amazing snorkelling and we have found a first class lodge which caters really beautifull for younger children – which is owner managed.

Family Safari Holidays with AfricanExplorations.com

Last year it was Kenya – doing a camel trekking safari, doing a riding safari, then spending some time in the Masai Mara at a wonderful tented camp where the owner has his own children – and then ending up on the coast.  We have a handful of places which we use for our famillies which are sensational! They range from a private villa in Lamu complete with private skipper who can take you out snorkelling and sailing around different islands each day – to a lovely Robinson Crusoe-esque place which is family owned and they have more watersports facilities than one can shake a stick at – and that is also based in Lamu. We have some places in Kiwayu which are sensational – notably one where there is fabulous deep sea and fly fishing, great snorkelling, windsurfing, laser sailing and water skiing.  At certain times of year you can go swimming with the dolphins which is simply amazing! I did it this year! Next year we are going back to Madagascar which is great for children – you can take a catamaran for several days around the islands!

Family Safari Holidays with AfricanExplorations.com

Botswana is superb – and a couple of the camps have a special programme for children – and we can arrange a private mobile tented camp which means its a camp that moves and only your family stays there. Go quad biking on the salt pans of the Kalahari desert – learn to fish in the Okavango Delta – learn how to read the stars as well as the footprints of the animals on the sand. Zambia is great – and you can combine it with the Lake of Malawi where one can take a catamaran or simply go sailing .

Family Safari Holidays with AfricanExplorations.com

Then we have Tanzania, which you can team up with either Zanzibar or Unguja or Mafia Island, go snorkelling, diving, dolphining, kite surfing and wakeboarding – just to name a few activities on offer!

A Kenya Madagascar honeymoon! What an amazing combination!  Start off by having a truly  fantastic safari in Kenya, I would suggest a gorgeous, romantic Bedouin styled camp, either in the Masai Mara or Samburu – although I would probably recommend both, as the areas are so incredibly different. The one park is north of the equator and is semi-desert, arid landscape with unique, indigenous species whilst the other is south of the equator with entirely different terrain and landscapes.  Whilst in the Mara, go hot air ballooning or take a low level flight across the plains, culminating in landing for champagne at sunset! Just how romantic is that! Alternately, start off with a real favourite of mine, Shompole Lodge, where each villa is on three levels – the first is your bedroom which is entirely open fronted with the most amazing views, and deck with dining chairs and table and a large Arab daybed, then the next level is the largest bathroom you have ever seen, again completely open fronted (yet completely private) and lastly, on the third floor is your very own, private, cool pool where you can relax in privacy. Have a look at the December issue of Tatler, on the website where there is a piece on Shompole and ourselves!

Kenya Madagascar Honeymoon with AfricanExplorations.com

Then fly to Madagascar, where you can stay at the gorgeous Relais et Chateaux Anjajavy, or another of my favourite places around Nosy Be, situated on a private island. Have the most stunning  food, fantastic massages and spa treatments, five different beaches to yourself and some wonderful lemurs and sifakas. Perhaps take a kayak through the mangoves where the birdlife is spectacular! Otherwise there is amazing fishing and snorkelling and diving.-

Kenya Madagascar honeymoon with AfricanExplorations.com