Safaris

The Southern Africa wilderness experience is unique in the world.

The reserves are wild, and vast, and the supportive habitat is highly diverse. Many visitors search for the Big Five of Africa (lion, buffalo, rhinoceros, leopard and elephant). Others are thrilled to discover tortoises, exotic birdlife, snakes and fish. One of the real thrills of watching game in the bushveld occurs when several things start happening in the same frame. While focus is on the obvious (e.g. a rhino cow with her calf in the foreground), a giraffe will suddenly steal the limelight by entering from stage left. And then, also dramatically, a fish eagle might drop from the sky and alight on a nearby tree. This kind of thing happens with almost routine regularity in the Southern African reserves, and we hope you will join us soon in experiencing these wonders for yourself.

Kruger National Park and surrounds

The Kruger National Park is the second largest game reserve in Africa and the largest in South Africa. It is internationally recognised as a world-class destination and is at the top of any wildlife enthusiast’s list of dream destinations – the flagship of South African National Parks.

The reserve is made up of numerous locations which provide ample accommodation in a range of luxury lodges and tented camps. Also available is a wide variety of tour options and safaris around the distinct and contrasting landscapes of this region

We have developed relationships with a range of lodges within the Kruger and the surrounding Timbavati and Sabie Sands to suit each traveller’s unique style and budget.

It was in the Sabie Sands area where I encountered more lions in one pride than I had ever seen before! Our group had driven out on the evening drive with the lodge ranger. As the sun set, he stopped the Landrover in a clearing in the veld and asked us to remain silent. We were suddenly aware of several low figures loping towards us in the twilight. They were lions, and the six or eight of them were very shortly joined by many more. By now it was dark. And then the floodlight was switched on, revealing upwards of thirty lions, including males, females and cubs. They moved in a leisurely, unhurried way, flowing around our vehicle and totally indifferent to us or our light. What a moment!

We would be happy to help you with any enquiries you have in terms of making Kruger National Park a destination while you are in South Africa.

Etosha National Park, Namibia

In the vast arid space of Northern Namibia lies one of Southern Africa’s best–loved wildlife sanctuaries, Etosha National Park. Etosha is a 22 750km² wildlife sanctuary in Namibia – one of Africa’s most stable and accessible countries.

During the drier months from June to November the vast water points exert a magnetic pull on the big game herds, and form the centrepiece for visitors looking to see the nearly 150 mammal species to be found in the park, including several rare and endangered species such as the black rhino, black–faced impala, tssesebe and gemsbok.

Etosha is served by three well-established rest camps within the park as well as a host of private lodges on its borders. Visitors have a wide choice of safari options.

Should you wish to visit Etosha, or any of the other marvels of Namibia, we would be happy to send a number of suggested itineraries to suit your needs.

Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The local people call it “Mosi–oa–Tunya” – the smoke that thunders.

The Victoria Falls is 1708 metres wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550 000 cubic metres of water plummets over the edge every minute.

Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria Falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860s. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialisation.

The Zambezi River rises in Northern Zambia, flows for a while through Angola, then, close to the falls, it forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. There is something quintessentially African about this wild and unpredictable waterway. If you stand upon its banks as the sun sets, you will feel a sense of connectedness to your own personal essence, an identity which might have eluded you until that moment.

Should you wish to visit this remarkable destination, we can tailor-make your trip to suit desires and budget.

Please send us any enquiry of interest, and we will present you with personalised itinerary options.

The Okavango, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is one of the world’s largest inland water systems. Its headwaters start in Angola’s western highlands, with numerous tributaries joining to form the Cubango River, which then flows through Namibia (called the Kavango) and finally enters Botswana, where it is then called the Okavango.

The wildlife starts to move back into the region from May until October in the rainy season as the water travels through the delta. This is the best time for game viewing. The delta environment has large numbers of animal populations that are otherwise rare, such as crocodile, red lechwe, sitatunga, elephant, wild dogs, buffalo, wattled crane as well as the other more common African mammals and bird life.

There are many ways to discover this Eden. Safari activities by water are the primary speciality of the Okavango – the mokoro, a dug-out canoe which is ‘poled’ along by your guide, is the most evocative way of exploring the numerous waterways. Motor launches travel on the main waterways and lagoons.

In the 1970s when I lived in Botswana, the Okavongo became my second home. The waters of the delta have been filtered through many miles of desert sand, and later by enormous clusters of papyrus, resulting in rivers of crystal clarity. One need only look over the side of one’s canoe to see indigenous fish of every species and size, as if one were in a vast outdoor aquarium.

This area is also renowned as perhaps the world’s richest birding site. A number of habitats converge and overlap in the delta region, from wetland to savannah to riverine forest, resulting in a diversity of birdlife unequalled anywhere.

Other means of exploring the area are in 4×4 game-viewing vehicles, on foot with a qualified guide, by air or even on elephant back!

We have connections to a variety of lodges and camps to suit every style and budget, so if you are interested in exploring this area, why not contact us and we will propose some options to make this an unforgettable experience.