Kenya safaris – for those seeking more than just a wildlife safari!

This country offers a wealth of experiences – from a traditional African safari, to a week’s walking around Mount Kenya when the heather is all in flower, to a walking safari with a top guide through the Kakamega forest, to a cultural safari, staying at community managed lodges where the funds go directly to the community and one learns all about the Samburu or Masai tribes.  Then you can stay at a farmhouse with a Kenyan family, stay in a tented camp with views across the savannah plains in the Masai Mara, or visit an elephant research centre in Samburu. Marvel at the snow capped peaks of Kilimanjaro from the Chuylu Hills or take a riding safari there or alongside the wildebeest migration in the Mara, which occurs from July through to October.

Have a privact camp set up for you or stay at a gorgeous, Bohemian tented camp or lodge with Aran daybeds and hammocks scattered outside. Take over a private house or villa. Fly up to Lake Turkana for a few days and see the great Jade Sea as it is also referred to. Take  a helicopter and go fishing around Mount Kenya, staying in a log cabin. Then fly to the coast and hire an Arab Dhow and sail between the islands or take a villa in Lamu or stay at a Robinson Crusoe lodge, where you never wear shoes, but just your kikoy and  a bikini and let your hair down!

Whatever is right for you, we have the knowledge and expertise to tailor your safari perfectly – expertly – by Kenyans!

Luxury Holidays to South Africa are the easiest ones to arrange, simply because the standard of accommodation really lends itself to a certain quality which is incredibly high!

South Africa is described as a ‘world in one country’ and it truly is! It is so diverse and offers so many different experiences! From a myriad of gorgeous hotels and villas in the Cape (catering for both couples and famillies alike), to exquisite lodges situated in game reserves, with amazing quality of guiding, wildlife and scenery to country farmhouses and homesteads dotted around the Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal, where one can get closer to a family, depart as friends, and perhaps learn something about the history and wars of this extraordinary country.

South Africa caters equally for the action motivated traveller to those seeking repose! Whether its fly fishing, parasailing, flying, cooking, wine tasting, game viewing or simply wanting to take tuition in any of these disciplines, all of this can be arranged! Alternately, walking on isolated beaches, dining on lobster at gorgeous al fresco restaurants and reading a book around a swimming pool may be what you prefer!

Wonderful spring flowers, rock art, fantastic inspirational or traditional art, music, architecture, nature – this country offers it all in abundance, together coupled with a  magnificent climate! There is also a choice of exhilarating horse riding, either in the form of a safari or access to first class horses, either to ride for a few hours amongst wildlife, on a beach (my favourite!), or playing polo.

Stay in Relais et Chateaux’s   or bijoux hotels where personal service is assured,   stay in tree houses, either in a forest or on an isolated beach, where they track turtles with scientists at certain times of year,   or luxury safari lodges,  or stay at a gorgeous farmhouse  – either in the battlefields of Natal, or in the game rich region of the Kruger National Park, or in the Cape winelands such as scenically beautiful Franschhoek, where the French Huguenots first settled in South Africa in the 1600’s.  Private villas abound and we have a large selection of the very finest villas in the country.

A walking safari is the most exhilarating way of experiencing a safari in Africa as one gets so much closer to wildlife without the noise of an engine. Of course there is a degree of vulnerability which heightens the senses but this is a good thing! How often is one called upon to use those senses today? Everything is so much more immediate – from analysing the urgent bark of a baboon, to the strong scent left by a predator or an elephant or simply enjoying the early morning smells of the sage plant, fresh from the  first dew.

Walking safaris come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but broadly speaking, one country lends itself to the most amazing walking safaris, and that country is Zambia. It is an incredibly game rich country with the most amazing standard of guiding!

In the south Luangwa national park, there is only one outfit which operates a true mobile safari – that is, over a five night period, walking from to three different camps with one to two nights spent in each.  Here one walks with nothing more than a pair of binoculars and this is no route march! About 7-10 kms is covered each day at an incredibly leisurely pace whilst learning about the homeopathic properties of plants and trees.  There are also static bushcamps in both north and south luangwa. The Kafue region also offers exceptional walking safaris with fewer tourists.

The Selous in southern Tanzania offers superb walking and flycamping on an individual basis and whilst not as game rich as northern Tanzania where there are walking safaris in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro highlands, it is more beautiful and pristine. The Mana Pools region in Zimbabwe offers sensational walking and the wild dog population is excellent. As does Gonarezhou.

In Kenya, in the Kakamega Forest and the Rift valley in general, there is some of the best guiding and birding with one of Kenya’s top guides. However you decide to undergo your walking safari in Africa, if you choose one of these places, you will never be disappointed!

Luxury safari Holidays are easily arranged in most  of Africa these days.

In Namibia, there are some idyllic lodges in the desert, where you have open sided rooms with magnificent vistas and windows in the ceilings where you can watch the stars. In Kenya, you have magnificent lodges which overlook Mount Kilimanjaro, where you can ride during the day, or simply relax and look out over these views. Perhaps you might like your own villa, set on three floors, with its very own ‘cool pool’.  Perhaps you would like your own farmhouse and private tented camp erected for you, flying in between with your own helicopter and aeroplanes at your disposal.

In the Selous in southern Tanzania, take over your own house and spend the days walking, game viewing and boating on Lake Tagalala. In South Africa, take the children to a malaria free lodge in Madikwe, complete with its own private villa where you take the property in its entirety – purely for a couple of famillies or for those wanting space as well as their own butler and fantastic guide. Then, finish off at an exquisite villa in the Cape, overlooking the sea!

In the Serengeti, stay at a beautiful lodge or luxury tented camp with inspiring views of the wildebeest migration.

In Zimbabwe, there is a gorgeous lodge called Pamushana in a fantastic, game rich area. In Zambia, there are stunning lodges dotted all across the country, from the waters of the lower Zambezi, to the south Luangwa with its concentrations of wildlife, especially leopard, to Kafue and Livingstone.

luxury South Africa holidays – South Africa is one of the easiest African countries in which to provide luxury holidays and safaris. Largely determined by a demanding and widely travelled market, South Africa still remains a world in one country. Few other countries in Africa can rival South Africa for its diversity in terms of experience.

Whether it is going on safari in the Kruger National Park or in a non malarial region in the Cape or Waterberg region, or taking a family holiday which includes horse riding, rides on the back of an elephant whilst learning all about them and spending plenty of time on the beach, perhaps at the time when the leatherback and loggerhead turtles come to nest, what you will achieve, is a holiday of a lifetime.

Everyone who ever visits South Africa is astounded by the overall quality. Not only in terms of service, food and wine but also, the accommodation. From a lowly b and b to a Relais et Chateaux, that quality thread never disappears.

South Africa also represents such good value for money! The country offers some of the most beautiful wine estates, complete with superb wine, fabulous restaurants, an easy, informal atmosphere and friendly, vibrant and positive people wherever you go! Whether one is looking for a romantic, remote retreat, a secluded, quiet beach, a spa, a safari, a thrilling horse riding safari, a vineyard, the garden route or visiting historical battlefields, this countryis for you – all in unabashed and indulgent comfort!

A safari to Botswana is one of the most incredible ways of exploring Africa!

Botswana offers so much to the safari traveller – from private mobile safaris, with your own guide, your own vehicle, staying in a tented camp erected purely for your party – whether there is just one, two or a family of you – to staying in a wonderful, authentic tented camp on the outskirts of the Okavango Delta, perhaps opposite a heronry, so that in the right season, you can watch the birds nesting!

On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are hugely luxurious camps and lodges, dotted all around the Okavango Delta, as well as in Moremi, Chobe, Savute and the Kalahari Desert. The joy is that there is such great diversity in vegetation – from the verdant green papyrus which lines the Okavango Delta to the white sands covering the Kalahari desert – from the miombo woodlands to riverine forest, a favourite haunt for leopard.

There are elephant back safaris, walking with elephants, riding safaris in the Delta and in Linyanti, canoeing safaris, walking safaris and the more traditional game viewing safaris by open vehicle. The beauty is that all or part of these elements can be combined, to assemble the most perfect safari to Botswana! It is even possible to explore the Chobe River by boat – there are now several very comfortable, small boats where one can overnight and explore the waterways of the Chobe by day!

Perhaps you might like to flycamp on a private island in the Okavango Delta, being the only privileged tourists, or you might like to explore the Makgadikgadi Salt pans by quad bike in certain seasons, spending time with habituated meerkats or learning about the San people and their traditions. We can even arrange initiation hunts and experience a dignified and sensitive Bushman safari, taking in the Tsodillo Hills and the ancient rock art.

The floodplains in the Delta are absolutely beautiful. A mokoro ride through the swathes of floating water lilies, roamed by Red lechwe, is a magical experience. One can also do motorboat trips and 4×4 game drives as well as walking on the islands. On one of these walks I managed to see not one,but three, Pels fishing owls – possibly one of the world’s most elusive birds. The dense palm and jackalberry filled islands of this permanent wetland are ideal for these rare, fluffy, golden caramel-coloured owls. They hunt at night, when the fish eagle has retired, using their enormous dark almond eyes to scan the shallow waters. For these and more interesting ideas, from people who come from Botswana – please contact us!

An Okavango Delta safari offers even  the most widely travelled safari traveller one  of the finest ways of exploring wildlife and its environs!  This jewel in the crown of Botswana  is fascinating because it consists of a  7000 square mile complex of waterways and wetlands seasonally fed by runoff from rains in the Angolan mountains,  forming one of the great ecological wonders of Africa. Apart from the Okavango Delta being an area of extreme beauty, it is incredible to visit during and after the floods. The floodplains are totally transformed: entirely under water during the floods (when mokoro or poled canoe travel comes into its own) then gradually drying out to plains.

There are so many ways of exploring the Delta – on foot, by mekoro (a wooden, dug out canoe used by the river folk for centuries) – and a wonderful vessel to explore this pristine waterway with the heavy scent of waterlillies permeating the air. Watch the vibrant coloured undergrowth and nests of the carmine bee eater at eye level, or colourful reedfrogs at the end of a papyrus stalk – and all in silence! Perhaps catch a glimpse of the rare, shy and elusive Sitatunga antelope with its splayed hooves, specially adapted to walking on reeds.  In contrast, view wildlife in close proximity by vehicle, which is open and allows all the wonderful plant smells of wild sage to waft through the air. The wildlife is superb and this region includes the Moremi Game Reserve, renowned for its elephant population, cheetah, lion and – Africa’s most efficient predator – the African wild dog. Birdlife is quite superb – with approximately 450 species – which of course includes your wetland species and waders – with specials such as the white backed night heron and Pels Fishing owl and the more common African Jacana which walk on the lilly pads. Another beautiful sight is to see the otters frolicking in the water!

In terms of where to stay, there is such a plethora of choice! From a private, camp complete with bedroll on your own private island with your private guide just for you, to lovely tented camps on a private mobile camping safari, to luxurious lodges which line the Delta. Then we can also offer walking and canoeing or mekoro safaris on the Delta itself. One of our favourite regions is the northern reaches of the Delta, more commonly known as the panhandle, where fishing for Tiger Fish is exceptional as well as having a great concentration of African Fish Eagles, with their haunting cry. One can also walk with Elephants in the Okavango Delta – one of the most wonderful and humbling experiences on earth!

An Okavango Delta safari takes place in one of the most beautiful places on this earth – somewhere every should visit at least once in their lifetime!

Well, of course the World Cup is coming up – love it or not (and we won’t be drawn on that one!) – but there are other reasons to visit southern Africa, whether entwined around the soccer or as a stand-alone safari; in either case an Okavango Delta Safari in Botswana will surpass all expectations.

Why the Delta and why that time of year? June/July is a wonderful time of year to go: the temperatures are “just right”, the grasses have died back so the gameviewing is excellent and the Delta, fed by the slow seepage of rainwaters falling in the Angolan highlands some months before, ought to be flooding so water levels should be good. It’s an excellent time of year for a Botswana luxury safari generally, but the Delta is the jewel.

The accommodation in the Delta is lovely, ranging from highly luxurious, permanent, small (some very) and amiable tented camps to genuine mobile safaris, the latter being great fun and a “must” at some stage for every safari lover. All are superbly guided but there are some highlights that we will especially mention below.

The Okavango Delta is excellent for activities ranging from game drives, mekoro trips (this is the minimal-draught poled canoe that is ubiquitous to the Delta), wonderful walking, boating or stand-alone houseboat trips, horse riding and special interest activities such as the superb and uncontrived elephant interaction that we love introducing our clients to.  Here, in company with Doug Groves who is one of Africa’s leading cognoscenti on elephant behavior, one can really get close to and just start to understand these huge, gentle and wonderful  mammals; this is another experience that is, honestly, unmissable.

The Delta is a short flight from the Kalahari Desert (and especially the  Makgadikgadi Pans) or, i f  one wishes to go to the ocean, Mozambique is an easy journey via Johannesburg.  Otherwise Botswana is bordered by South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe so there are plenty of “add on” options to an Okavango Delta Safari! Call us now on 01993 822443 or email at info@africanexplorations.com to discuss a uniquely tailored Botswana luxury safari.

Anyone who has an interest in conservation or luxury safaris to Africa (or India) in general as well as walking safaris, elephant safaris or special interest safaris will welcome the CITES decision late last month to uphold the ongoing ban on ivory trading. The story is well reported by CNN, which we precis as follows:

Quote:
(CNN) — Conservationists have welcomed the decision to reject a bid from Tanzania and Zambia to temporarily suspend a worldwide ban on trading in African elephant ivory so they can offload legal stockpiles in a one-off sale.
The 175-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meeting in Doha, Qatar, on Monday, voted to reject the proposal amid concerns about elephant poaching.
A petition from the two African countries to remove elephants from a list of animals “threatened with extinction” to allow trade in other parts of the animal was also thrown out.
“It’s welcome news, but my anxieties remain about the increased levels of poaching in Africa,” Save the Elephant’s Dr. Ian Douglas-Hamilton told CNN.
“There are huge problems ahead for the elephants,” he said. “I do see this huge demand which is emanating mainly from the prosperity of China. We have to win their hearts and minds for conservation and for the elephant so that they have more of an idea of sustainable use and not over-taxing populations.”
CITES banned the international commercial ivory trade in 1989 after elephant populations dropped dramatically across the world due to widespread poaching.
But in 1997 and 2002 it permitted Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe to sell limited stocks of ivory to Japan, in recognition of the fact that some southern African elephant populations were healthy and well managed.
Five years later at a CITES meeting at The Hague further sales of stockpiled ivory were permitted in return for a nine-year moratorium on further sales.
Both Zambia and Tanzania claimed elephant numbers in their territories were on the rise after years of decline. They also said the proceeds from the sale of government stockpiles would be put back into conservation and enforcement projects. But wildlife experts in Kenya, part of a coalition of 23 African elephant range countries calling for an outright ban, say poaching has increased since the announcement of the last sale.
“Though Zambia’s anti-poaching enforcement measures are better than those of Tanzania, there is no justification for downgrading the elephants from the endangered list,” said Douglas-Hamilton, an expert on Kenya’s elephant population. Tanzania has increased poaching and increased illegal markets. Their main elephant population has decreased by some 30,000 in the last three years. In Zambia there were huge declines in the elephant population in the 1970s and 1980s. Whereas other elephant populations across Africa have recovered slightly since the introduction of the ivory trade ban, Zambia’s never have. They remain the same. In the mid-1970s the population was something like 160,000. It is currently estimated to sit at around 26,000.”
He added that the situation was particularly desperate in central Africa where there are estimated to be just 20,000 elephants left from a population numbering 1 million 30 years ago.
CNN’s David McKenzie contributed to this report.
Unquote

Naturally we are all delighted at the announcement but it is clear that charities such as Iain’s Save The Elephants, which can be visited as part of an itinerary to Kenya (and is a charity we support, as is the Sheldrick Elephant Foundation, see the video below), and those involved with our special interest safaris and Elephant safaris in the Okavango Delta need ongoing support, as do all those with a focus on elephant conservation in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and Zambia.

A thoroughly unique experience in Africa! Walk with elephant herds in the Okavango Delta, tracking with your guides and learning all about these incredible pachyderms! Stay at one of three camps – Abu’s, Stanleys or Baines and have an interactive experience that cannot be achieved elsewhere! Your funds will be directly benefiting the welfare of these elephants, allowing for future research work. This is the only opportunity of getting so close to a naturally wild elephant. Abu’s Camp and Baines Camp are both beautiful and stylish, whilst Stanleys is more traditional (but equally lovely!). At Stanleys and Baines, you have the zoologist Doug Groves who explains every aspect of these magnificent creatures to you. This is a truly humbling experience and one that we thoroughly recommend!