Luxury safari vacation in Africa



Whether you are planning a luxury honeymoon safari with starlit dinners under vast desert skies, a tropical beach holiday, an adventure holiday, a nature holiday, or perhaps just some luxury and pampering, then the diverse continent of Africa will definitely tick all the boxes. Breathtaking locations with a kaleidoscope of sights and sounds await you.

Planning the right trip is essential in order to get the most out of your time in Africa and personalised itineraries allow you greater flexibility to explore the continent with highly knowledgeable and experienced guides, offering a sense of security even in the remotest of locations.

The first step in planning your luxury safari vacation is to determine where your interests lie and what you want out of the safari experience.

Perhaps a fly-in safari to Namibia's soaring apricot coloured sands at Sossusvlei, the unique Etosha saltpan, the huge mountainous deserts of Damaraland with its desert adapted elephants and rhino or the hauntingly beautiful skeleton coast with its varied scenery and interesting wildlife. Namibia is also the perfect destination for those interested in astronomy as it offers some of the finest star gazing in Southern Africa. Namibia combines well with the stunning contrast of Cape Town's beaches and beautiful winelands.

South Africa is a great destination if you are after a varied holiday. You can combine an elephant back safari, big 5 game viewing in the Kruger National Park and then relax with some whale watching in the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town with pristine beaches and the picturesque winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. South Africa is an eclectic fusion of cultures and this diversity is evident in its architecture, music, cuisine, languages and physical landscapes. Whether you are looking for a luxurious, peaceful safari lodge like Leopard Hills in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park or an elegant yet unpretentious hotel like the Cape Grace, nestled in the shadow of the majestic, awe inspiring mass of Table Mountain ? South Africa has it all.

Neighbouring Mozambique with its rugged coral coastline and treasure islands is another fantastic destination for beach lovers with miles and miles of white sandy beaches and crystal clear aquamarine waters abundant with neon coloured marine life. It is a diver's paradise and a wonderful destination for deep sea and fly fishing. It is also home to a population of rare dugongs or ?sea cows? which are said to have been the inspiration for the legendary tales of mermaids.

Another unforgettable African safari experience is the wildlife migration in the Serengeti in East Africa where you can experience a bird's eye view of the great migration in a hot air balloon and then enjoy a bush breakfast on the plains. You will also have the opportunity to explore the magnificent East African coastline in a dhow. Tanzania boasts the 8000ft high Ngorongoro Crater, the majestic snow capped Mount Kilimanjaro and the sunny islands that make up Zanzibar. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Stone Town; the old quarter, with a warren of narrow alleys ways housing a colourful array of shops and bizarres or just laze about on the romantic beaches. Snorkelling or diving will appeal to the more adventurous of spirits. Tanzania and Zanzibar are well matched to neighbouring Kenya.

The Masai Mara in Kenya is perfect for viewing the wildebeest migration and also boasts the Rift Valley lakes full of water birds and semi desert regions such as Sambura and Lake Turkana. Kenya is the ideal destination for a traditional vehicle safari or a fly-in safari. There are some superb small camps and lodges that have opened in recent years such as the Elephant Pepper Camp and Cottar's 1920's Camp which will give you an authentic feeling of a bygone era.

To the west of Tanzania is Rwanda where you can bear witness to the testimony of the power of the human spirit, a remarkable country whose people have overcome tremendous adversity and challenges.

Rwanda's Parc National des volcans (PNV) is made up of 1345 square feet of mountain forest and is home to six virunga volcanoes and the endangered mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking is becoming ever more popular and offers nature lovers the opportunity to experience the largest and most endangered of the living primates, up close and personal. The gorilla, with its DNA being 97-98% identical to humans, is the third closest of our living relatives. You will be accompanied by highly experienced guides who have spent most of their lives in the forest. It takes between 1 and 4 hours to find the gorillas but the reward is well worth the trek as you will have time to watch these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat; feeding, playing, resting and caring for each other. Permits are limited, to preserve the natural habitat of the gorillas, so it is essential to be flexible and to book your trip well in advance.

Zambia is the perfect destination for those looking for an active safari, offering great walking and canoeing activities as well as excellent day and night game drives in an open top vehicle tracking herds of buffalo, zebra and antelope. Take your time exploring the Zambezi floodplains with elephants, crocodiles and hippo. The Busanga Plains is home to millions of small antelope and tree climbing lions. Chiawa Camp and Chamilandu Camp are well worth a visit. Zambia is also home to one of the top ten travel wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunyi which means ?the smoke that thunders?. David Livingstone captured the beauty of the falls with the words, ?scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight?. Approximately 546 million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge of the falls and the shear raw energy is an experience to behold. The Royal Livingstone and the recently opened David Livingstone Safari Lodge offer splendid views in elegant, luxurious surroundings.

South of Zambia is Botswana with its beautiful, tranquil and unspoilt Okavango Delta (the only inland Delta in the world), supporting millions of plains game, elephant, giraffe, antelope and the big cats. The semi desert regions of Chobe and Savuti are famous breeding grounds for elephant herds and prides of lion. Botswana is a great destination for both short breaks and longer vacations and is equally suited for a relaxing, slow paced safari or a more adventurous safari. Great locations include Baines Camp, a small intimate camp with expansive views over the Boro River and Lebala Camp which sits on a peninsula that juts out into the heart of the Linyanti Delta. Botswana combines well with Cape Town or Mauritius.

Now that you have determined the destination, you will need to decide whether you would like to stay in luxurious camps or minimalist bush accommodation and whether you would like to drive or fly between destinations. Luxury safaris offer excellent value for money and with currencies like the dollar, pound or euro in your pocket you will be pleasantly surprised at the luxury you will be able to afford.

Another important aspect of arranging your luxury safari vacation is to make sure you use a well established tour operator. It is essential that the tour operator's staff are well travelled and have personally visited the various hotels, lodges and camps you intend to visit. This will help them tailor make your trip to your exact requirements as they will have first hand knowledge on what the various destinations have to offer. The tour operator should be impartial and preferably have no financial interest in any of the camps, hotels and lodges. An established tour operator will also have developed good relationships with the various camps over the years and will be able to arrange visits to the local communities and villages giving you a unique insight into their way of life.

Whatever your choice of destinations Africa will, time and time again, delight the senses of even the most jaded of travellers. It is a continent that is truly alive with endless possibilities.