Bringing Africa’s Top Safari Parks to you .. Botswana Chobe Safari: Africa’s Elephant Paradise

Bringing Africa’s Top Safari Parks to you .. Botswana Chobe Safari: Africa’s Elephant Paradise

Explore some of Africa’s TOP Safari parks ..dream now ..travel later 

Soon we will all travel again! In the meantime, we will continue fuelling our inspirations and travel dreams to you until you can go on safari again.

Choosing when to go on a safari is something that should be carefully considered for the experience to meet your expectations. For general game viewing, there is no real ‘best time’ to go. We would love to share some information to help you decide where and when to go on safari!

Botswana Chobe Safari: Africa’s Elephant Paradise

Why Go?

If there’s one memory that you’ll take away from a Chobe safari, it’s that of elephants. About 120 000 live in and around Chobe National Park, and inconceivable numbers of these gentle giants can be seen crowding the banks of the Chobe River during Botswana’s dry season.Chobe is also one of the best places in Africa to witness the most dramatic predator action – its Savuti region is where lions regularly clash with hyenas and powerful prides famously take down Africa’s biggest game like buffalo, giraffe and even elephants.

Chobe National Park is about the size of Northern Ireland and a haven for the biggest elephant populations on the planet. Chobe offers game drives and river cruises in an unspoilt environment that supports massive herds of not only elephant but also a multitude of buffalo that is unrivalled elsewhere in Africa.

• The Chobe National Park is Botswana’s most biologically diverse park.
• Close-up encounters with huge herds of elephant and buffalo.
• See predators like lion, wild dog, jackal, hyena and leopard.
• Go on a river safari on the Chobe River and experience the famous Chobe River sunset

When to Go?

Most visitors go to Chobe National Park for its famous dry-season game viewing. From May to the end of October/early November, ever-increasing numbers of water-dependent animals (especially elephants and buffalo) are concentrated along the Chobe River as well as in the park’s central Savuti region.

May, June and July are bone-dry with cold nights but temperatures rise rapidly as the rainy season approaches. August, September and October offer sensational game viewing but under very hot conditions.

If you can handle the heat, this is the best game-viewing time for a Chobe safari. The arrival of the rains trigger a dispersal of game from the Chobe River area but the warm, rainy December to March summer months are the best time to visit Chobe for bird watching, the impala birthing season (great for predators!) and to see the Savute zebra migration. Indeed, many safari experts rate early summer as the best time to go to Savute.

2 of our most popular Botswana adventure tours that visit this region  …

13 day Botswana Wildside Camping
7 day Delta and Chobe Fully serviced

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Bringing Africa’s Top Safari Parks to you .. Namibia…Etosha National Park

Explore some of Africa’s TOP Safari parks ..dream now ..travel later 

Soon we will all travel again! In the meantime, we will continue fuelling our inspirations and travel dreams to you until you can go on safari again.

Choosing when to go on a safari is something that should be carefully considered for the experience to meet your expectations. For general game viewing, there is no real ‘best time’ to go. We would love to share some information to help you decide where and when to go on safari!

Namibia…Etosha National Park one of Africa’s TOP Safari parks

Why Go?

Regarded by safari experts as one of Africa’s greatest wildlife reserves, the 22 750 km² Etosha National Park is one of the easiest, safest and most rewarding big game destinations in Southern Africa. You will appreciate the good roads and wide range of animals and photographers will relish the action at the game-packed waterholes! Dominated by the pancake-flat Etosha Pan, a 5 000km² seasonally flooded depression, Etosha National Park is an area of open, grassy woodland and thick scrub, studded with waterholes.

• The sheer abundance of game. Above all else, Etosha is known for its wealth of big game.
• The dramatic landscapes. Etosha’s most well-known feature is the vast salt pan that is found at its heart, which is so big it can be seen from space. …
• The park is packed with an eclectic mix of familiar faces such as elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard and zebra as well as the desert specialists like springbok and the handsome gemsbok.
• It’s also one of the best places in Southern Africa to see the endangered cheetah and black rhino not to mention rare antelope species like black-faced impala, Damara dik dik and roan antelope, plus there’s a bird count of 340 species – an interesting blend of savannah, water and desert birds.
• The chance to explore beyond the park..

When to Go?

May to October winter months are widely regarded as the best time to visit Namibia for game viewing. The skies are clear, the risk of malaria is at its lowest, and animals are increasingly concentrated around water sources as the dry season wears on. Prepare however for freezing night time temperatures in June and July whereas September and October can be extremely hot. The summer rains between November and April turn the country green and occasionally bring floods to the desert. December can see very rewarding game viewing in Etosha and summer is the best time to go to Namibia for bird watching though you’ll need to watch out for malaria in the Caprivi Strip (newly renamed the Zambezi Region), Namibia’s wettest region and a place best avoided in the peak wet months of January and February.

Have a look at the following adventure tours ….they visit Etosha and a few other exciting safari destinations 

20 days Cape Town to Vic Falls Accommodated
7 day Pride of Namibia Camping

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Bringing Africa’s Top Safari Parks to you .. Namibia…Etosha National Park

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Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda, Silky black against the rainforest’s radiant green, a family of gorillas headed by a watchful but benevolent silverback male. The efforts of your forest trek evaporate in an instant and for one captivating hour you spend with them, an odd sense of familiarity settles on you. Young gorillas rough and tumble like wrestlers, maternal females gather in grooming groups, occasionally reprimanding the little ones, while the patriarchal silverback keeps a protective eye on the surroundings. The fact that gorillas as a species are on the brink of extinction and treks are a highly restricted activity, encountering wild gorillas is considered a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.

Uganda’s mountain gorillas live in the epically named Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest, a cloak of tangled green that covers the country’s south-west mountains. It’s a day’s drive from the capital Kampala or a quick flight so you’ll work a little harder to get there than in Rwanda but it’s worth it! Bwindi is a World Heritage Site with over 350 bird species and 200 kinds of butterflies and, thanks to income from trekking, its mountain gorilla population has grown by a third in recent years.

What to Expect on a Gorilla Trek in Uganda

For a gorilla trek you need to be fairly fit, equipped for the humid, muddy conditions of a rainforest hike, and in good health – gorillas are vulnerable to human illnesses but don’t have our immunities, which means a common cold can be deadly to a whole family of gorillas and you won’t be permitted to trek if you are unwell. Even in the dry season, the rainforest is a challenging environment: it’s humid, wet and muddy with some steep slopes, plenty of insects and thick vegetation.

Your professional guide and tracker lead you into the forest’s secret paths, looking for a habituated gorilla family. Once found, you’ll approach the gorillas quietly and settle down to observe them from between 7 and 10m (22 to 32 ft) away. You’ll spend between 40 minutes and an hour with the gorillas, watching the adults forage and groom each other while the babies tumble and play. You’ll be under the watchful gaze of the great silverback patriarch whose soft brown eyes constantly sweep over his family protectively. Witnessing gorillas express typically human gestures and emotions is a truly profound experience and one of the reasons that gorilla trekking is such a life changing encounter.

About Chimpanzee Trekking

While you may see chimps and other primate species on your gorilla trek, there are several superb chimpanzee trekking destinations, including Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains and Gombe Stream and the forested corners of Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks as well as Kibale Forest.

Chimpanzee trekking is quite different to gorilla trekking. Chimps are often found in easier trekking terrain than gorillas but they are wary of humans and harder to find. Only the habituated chimp families at Kibale Forest offer a similar encounter to gorilla trekking.

Traveller FAQs Answered:

Q: Will I definitely see the gorillas?

Because they are so closely monitored, and either researchers or trekkers are in touch with them every day, guides know more or less where the different families are and you probably have a 98% chance of seeing them. Of course, there are no guarantees with wild animals and an overnight thunderstorm or an unexpected encounter with a predator may cause a troop to move unexpectedly in a completely different direction but it’s likely that scouts will pick up their trail again soon. It is very seldom that trekkers don’t find the gorillas.

Q: Can I touch them?

No, absolutely not although we completely understand the instinct to want to reach out and cuddle an adorable baby. Firstly, because they’re wild animals and thus very strong and unpredictable – you could be severely injured. Secondly, gorilla populations are already under severe threat from logging, poaching and human encroachment on their environment plus they are highly susceptible to human diseases.

Not only can you not interact with them but you will have to keep a distance of at least seven metres / 22 feet at all time and, in some instances, wear a mask. If you are ill, you will not be allowed to trek so ensure you are in excellent health before you travel and take precautions not to pick up a bug on the plane over.

Remember, once you find the gorillas, you are only allowed an hour with them so as not to stress them out. This passes by in a flash so don’t spend all your time behind a lens: put the camera down after a few minutes and just bliss out watching them, grateful that you have the privilege of seeing them in the wild.

Q: How fit do I have to be?

With any strenuous activity, the fitter you are, the better. But this doesn’t mean that you need to be able to complete a triathlon or bench press three times your body weight.

Trekkers will be divided into groups of similar age and fitness levels, and the oldest and least fit people will generally be allocated the gorilla family that is nearest the starting point. You won’t be split up from family members or friends but – obeying the golden rule of hiking – the fastest walkers will have to slow down to the pace of the slowest so that the group stays together safely.

The fittest or youngest people will be chosen to find the group furthest away. Your guides are very experienced in assessing how the group is coping and will stop when necessary for a break, to drink water, admire a view or even have a snack (packed lunches contain water and perhaps energy-giving items like roasted cashews or peanuts, fruit like bananas or apples, chocolate bars, muffins, small sandwiches or bread rolls and local treats like ‘rolled eggs’ – a kind of omelette eaten cold).

It is always easiest to trek in the dry season. In the wet season, the mud can make trails slippery and the trek tougher. The gorillas and chimps may also seek refuge from the rain in nests or trees, making them harder to find and see. Take lightweight binoculars along to really bring their antics and expressions into focus.

Also, not all gorilla families will be lolling around, munching leaves and basking in the sunshine – some will be on the move. And they’re a lot better adapted to moving through their rainforest home than we are!

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Best Things to Do on a Kruger Safari!!

Best Things to Do on a Kruger Safari

Kruger is primarily a safari area and the focus is definitely on seeing the game. There are limited cultural and historical excursions to be had, and these may only be possible if you are in the area – the park is enormous and it may be far to drive to a significant site.

Some important sites in the Kruger Park include:

• Letaba Elephant Museum
• Albasini Ruins of a 19 century Portuguese trading post
• Masorini Living Museum
• Thulamela archaeological site
• Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library

If you stay at a lodge in one of the neighboring reserves, then you have a greater choice of activities, depending on the specific lodge, of course:

• Guided stargazing
• Interactive kitchens where you learn to cook with the chef
• Wine tastings
• Tennis
• Archery
• Guided nature walks
• Working with researchers or conservationists
• Sleep-outs or fly-camping

If you venture outside the park and reserves, then you can see the magnificent Panorama Route, which comprises sites like:

• God’s Window – a scenic lookout. On a very clear day you can see over the Mozambican border.
• Blyde River Canyon – a beautiful series of hollows and hills.
• Lisbon, Mac-Mac and Berlin Falls – three of the loveliest waterfalls in this lush area.
• Bourke’s Luck Potholes – strange rock formations created by swirling water over millions of years.

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Africa’s Kruger National Park – South Africa!

Africa’s Kruger National Park. The Kruger National Park is arguably the oldest wildlife reserve in the world.  It was proclaimed in 1898, made a World Heritage Site in 2001 and today covers an area the size of Wales. The ‘Kruger area’ and a ‘Kruger safari’ comprise the massive national park itself (it spans a colossal 19 500km² / 7 500mi²) and the park’s surrounding private reserves.

Reasons to Visit The Infamous Kruger National Park:

• The Kruger to Canyon Biosphere is the third largest in the world.
• You can experience savannah, grassland and forest species and landscapes.
• 517 recorded bird species – the birding between Parfuri and Punda Maria in the north of the national park is extremely rewarding (253 residents, 117 non-breeding migrants and 147 nomads).
• Large concentrations of the Big 5 including about 17 000 elephants and 2 000 lions.
• Every visit contributes to vital conservation efforts.
• The oldest conservation area in Africa.
• Easy logistics from Johannesburg, Southern Africa’s international airport hub.
• Excellent infrastructure for first timers to Africa, including English-speaking transfer drivers and some of the most highly trained guides in the world.

Best Time of the Year to Go to Kruger

The safari is controlled by rainfall. The Kruger falls in the Lowveld, which has a rainy summer (October to May) and a dry winter (May to October).

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Where to see…. Leopards in Africa!!

Where to see…. Leopards in Africa!!

Where to see…. Leopards in Africa, It is the question safari guides across Africa dread the most: ‘Will we see a leopard?’It is the question safari guides across Africa dread the most: ‘Will we see a leopard?’ The answer is difficult because although the leopard is found from the lush Cape Winelands in the south to northern Kenya, the leopard’s mastery of camouflage and stealth makes it extremely elusive.

A leopard’s beautiful coat has captivated us for millennia, its rosettes are still in fashion from Paris to Zululand. Leopards radiate a muscular feline grace and move like liquid gold – seeing one of these magnificent creatures wild and free in their natural environment transforms a game drive into a lifelong memory.

Which brings us back to whether you will see one – or not. Diverse in their choice of habitat, leopards are part of the Big 5 club and many parks and reserves promote themselves as home to the full complement. For the very best chances of seeing them, you need to be in prime habitat where concentrations are greatest. Ultimately, a leopard sighting, especially a good one, is usually about luck. But you can shorten the odds considerably at these places.

Where to see…. Leopards in Africa!!

Kruger National Park – South Africa

If you have to see a leopard then go to the place where their populations are the densest in Africa – and that means the Sabi Sands, a collection of exclusive-use private reserves on the Kruger National Park’s western boundary.

Moremi Game Reserve – Botswana 

Moremi protects much of the Okavango Delta, Botswana’s wildlife showpiece. The temptation is to head as deep as possible into the Delta but you are far more likely to see leopards on its fringes.Water collects in shallow lagoons and fills grassy floodplains; tall forest and thick bush dominate drier ground. Antelope, birds, monkeys and rodents honk, whistle and squeak from every corner. Perfect leopard country.

How to do it: choose a lodge that focuses on game drives rather than boat-based activities. It does not matter if you stay in the reserve itself or one of its adjoining private concessions.

South Luangwa – Zambia 

Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is rumoured to have Africa’s greatest number of these elegant big cats. A wide and fertile plain nourished by the Luangwa River, the park’s animals range from aardvark to zebra and it has long been known for its dense concentrations of predators, especially lions and leopards.
South Luangwa’s lodges are scattered along the riverbanks or overlook ox-bow lakes, making leopard sightings possible from camp let alone when you head out on game drives. Unusually for a national park, night drives are permitted, and do not skip a walking safari.

Samburu & Masai Mara reserves – Kenya 

Images of snorting wildebeest migrations and flamingo-covered lakes are probably first to mind when thinking about Kenya’s wildlife but the Samburu and Masai Mara National Reserves have reputations for excellent leopard sightings.

You’ll be going a bit off the beaten path at Samburu but it is worth it. An area of barren woodland decorated with rocky outcrops and thick riverine bush, it lays claim to the title of the best place in Kenya to see leopards, something fans of the Masai Mara may dispute. Although much of the Mara is open rolling grassland more suited to cheetah, lion and hyena, there is prime leopard habitat along its rivers; it is not for nothing that the reserve and its private conservancies were chosen as the location for the BBC’s Big Cat Diaries.
Memories of game sightings fade. Photos of lions and elephants are met with puzzled expressions (‘now where was this taken?’) but leopard sightings are remembered like they were yesterday. Each one was like falling in love for the first time – and that is no bad thing.

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Where to see…. Wild dogs

Where to see…. Wild dogs

A pack of wild dogs (also known as painted wolves or painted hunting dogs) is one of the most thrilling sights to see on safari. Extremely rare but with a growing population, these canids show all the characteristics we think of in predators: keen intelligence, fine co-operation, excellent hearing, great strength, great vision and sheer speed. The excitement when a guide announces that wild dogs have been spotted in the vicinity is palpable!

What to Expect if You Spot Them – On the Hunt

There is nothing to beat watching wild dogs on a hunt. Individual dogs communicate by ‘sneezing’, indicating whether they are hungry, and whether they should go on a hunt. Once an agreement is reached, the pack will silently approach their prey like a Thomson’s gazelle, a warthog, a zebra or a wildebeest, carefully surrounding it to block off escape route. When the animal realises that it is being stalked, the chase begins! And what a chase it is: wild dogs can reportedly reach speeds of nearly 70 kilometres / 44 miles an hour for up to sixty minutes at a time.

In strict hierarchy, pups younger than a year eat first. They have expended huge energy on the hunt and are the most vulnerable to being killed so must keep their strength up. Once they’ve finished eating, the pack will move on immediately.

Of all predators, wild dogs are easiest to see on the chase because – like cheetahs – they hunt during the day. Pack members fan out and it’s hard to focus on all of them at the same time. Just sit and enjoy having the privilege of seeing these incredible animals putting their astounding qualities to the test. Researchers suggest that at least eighty percent of chases end in a kill – the highest of all predators.

What to Expect if You Spot Them – Resting

If you watch a pack resting, you will notice how similar they are to domestic litters and dogs. Puppies will play with sticks, practicing their hunting skills. The matriarch and patriarch (unusually, each pack has a dominant male and a dominant female) will keep an eye out and lead the pack in hunting. Pack members are also known to sleep nestled together for safety and warmth. The youngsters are very curious and have been known to approach game-drive vehicles, sniffing every inch of the tyres and body. All animals in Africa will rest during the hottest parts of the day – look out under shrubs and trees for the best chance of seeing a pack as their mottled coats camouflage them extremely well. Their gold, white and black fur melds perfectly with dappled sunlight and you need sharp eyes to spot them.

The Best Places to See Them, Where to see…. Wild dogs

Although wild dogs are found across Africa, with different sub-species in different regions, the highest known population numbers are currently in Botswana. But there are plenty of other top safari destinations where wild dogs are making a resurgence and sightings are good – let’s check them out:

Moremi Game Reserve and Khwai

Covering a massive strip of the central and eastern Okavango Delta, Moremi is a classic collection of wetland, fertile floodplains, open grassland and riverine forest. The Khwai Concession is run by the local community and borders the Khwai River and the north-east of Moremi. Wild dogs are more likely to be found in ‘drier’ camps rather than those that are almost permanently surrounded by water and on Chief’s Island. They’re fairly nervous about water, instinctively fearing crocodiles that may be lurking just under the surface of the Okavango’s water.

South Africa – Greater Kruger

The Greater Kruger area takes in not only the Kruger National Park but also surrounding private reserves like the Sabi Sands, Timbavati, MalaMala and Manyeleti. There are regular sightings of packs throughout the region, which lies to the north east of the country.

Madikwe and Pilanesberg
Madikwe Private Game Reserve was a frontrunner in the successful re-introduction of wild dogs to reclaimed farmland. The packs have been under threat from disease, but sightings are still possible. Pilanesberg, a public national park on the border of the Sun City resort, has a surprisingly good record of wild dogs being spotted.

Zimbabwe – Mana Pools
Although Zimbabwe’s wildlife area is Hwange National Park, Mana Pools has been known to see plenty of wild do. This is in fact where the BBC’s Dynasties wildlife programme was filmed, which features memorable interactions like elephants charging wild dogs that get too close.

Tanzania – Selous
One of the world’s biggest conservation areas, Selous Game Reserve offers vast areas of land for a limited number of travellers to explore. Because it is so big, wildlife has plenty of space to move around.

Southern Serengeti
Predators thrive in the Southern Serengeti because this is where hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, gazelle and zebra drop their babies at the beginning every year to benefit from the lush grazing and plentiful water. Lions take over the savannah, but wild dogs are also known to make the most of easy pickings here.

Kenya
Much more arid and hilly than the Masai Mara, Laikipia and Samburu are two lesser-visited areas of Kenya but still offer incredible game viewing. You may be lucky enough to spot wild dogs but also look out for the Samburu Special 5, endemic species found only here (reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, long-necked gerenuk and Grevy’s zebra).

Why are Wild Dogs so Rare?

There are many reasons, including those happening to all wildlife across the world such as habitat loss and vulnerability to diseases, specifically rabies and canine distemper. Lions are ruthless in destroying any wild dog puppies they come across and have been known to kill all the pups in a den. Today there is thankfully a massive conservation drive to save the remaining wild dogs and packs are slowly resurging.

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The 6 Best Places to See Lions in Africa:

Best Places to See Lions in Africa:

Best Places to See Lions: Lions are the undeniable kings of the African bush and one of the most sought-after sightings on a safari. Thanks to their reassuringly feline name Panthera leo we know we are technically dealing with ‘cats’ but lions are startlingly huge, almost bear-sized. Their muscular, barrel-chested bodies and jutting chins let everyone know who the boss is – and it’s not the 2-legged creatures wearing sunglasses!

Lions are Africa’s top predators and prey on big animals such as zebra, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and even young elephants. If you catch lionesses on the hunt, it’s heart-in-mouth stuff and their entourage of hyenas, jackals and vultures always makes a fascinating sideshow. The same colour as the savannah they live on, lions are as much part of the African landscape as its flat-topped acacia trees and red, crumbly earth. Regal not only in stature, hearing their booming roars ring out at dusk as they gather to hunt is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. Their calls are also a spine-tingling reminder that the wilderness still belongs to them.

Best Places to See Lions:

1) South Africa – Best For: Diversity of Lions – Kruger National Park

Home to most of the country’s wild lions, the Kruger National Park has always been South Africa’s premier destination for a lion safari. But Kruger is the size of Wales, and the distribution of its 2 000 lions is at the mercy of geography and climate. Areas of richer, grassier soils and higher rainfall support more animals to prey on, and so lion densities there are higher. Hot and dry northern Kruger is home to around five to six lions per 100km² (39 square miles), but the wetter and greener southern Kruger has more than twice that number.

2) Namibia – Best For: Desert-adapted Lions

The lions of northern Namibia are some of the most captivating on Earth, surviving in an unyielding landscape where vegetation and prey are few and far between. The lions that roam the Namib Desert have adapted amazingly to this barren environment and are known as ‘desert-adapted’ or ‘desert lions.’

Okavango Delta

Everyone knows that cats don’t like water, but the lions of Delta Plains in the northern Okavango Delta have learnt to prosper in it for good reason: nutritious grasses and permanent water make the area perfect habitat for buffalo. And lions just love buffalo. Thanks to the constant workout they get running through shallow water and wrestling with enraged buffaloes, the lions here are around 15 percent larger than normal. They’ve also adapted to hunting during the day (usually prides hunt at night and sleep during the day) when the buffalo herds are grazing on the exposed floodplains, which translates into epic game viewing for safari travellers.

Savuti

Chobe National Park’s Savuti region is the famous stage upon which lion prides regularly clash with hyena clans for food and territory. This remote area is also known for its well-documented, powerful lions that take down Africa’s biggest mammals like buffalo, giraffe and even elephants. One of the best places in Africa to witness the most dramatic predator action, Savuti will appeal to all wildlife enthusiast.

4) Zambia – Best For: Tracking Lions on Walking Safaris

South Luangwa National Park 

Zambia’s huge reserves are home to a significant proportion of Africa’s lions and most of them live in the Luangwa Valley, a wildlife haven and home to the South Luangwa National Park. It was here that walking safaris were founded. Animals crowd the banks and oxbow lakes, becoming easy targets for Luangwa’s lions.

5) Tanzania – Best For: Lions Hunting during the Wildebeest Migration

Ruaha National Park

Chances are that you’ll have lion sightings completely to yourself at Ruaha. Hidden away in southern Tanzania, Ruaha National Park sees fewer than 6 000 visitors a year – or about 16 a day – which makes it one of Africa’s hidden treasures. Its wildly beautiful scenery and impressive biodiversity is home to 10% of the world’s remaining lion population – In fact, it’s second only to the Serengeti in terms of absolute numbers.

Serengeti National Park

Look at it from a lion’s perspective: if your survival depends on the availability of suitable food, how does a million wildebeest sound? Joined by tens of thousands of zebra and gazelle, that’s how many wildebeest grunt and gallop their way around the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, a circular migration so magnificent it spans two countries and takes most of the year to complete. The Grumeti Game Reserve in the west and the central Seronera region are some of the best spots in the Serengeti National Park to see lions.

Ngorongoro Crater

If you’re looking for some of the easiest and most rewarding game viewing in East Africa, then head down onto the floor of the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera. Home to about 30 000 animals – including powerful lions – the Ngorongoro Crater delivers an incredible Big 5 safari experience in an extraordinary setting.

6) Kenya – Best For: Abundant Lion Sightings

Masai Mara National Reserve

In Kenya’s Masai Mara, the lions are so prolific that they once had their own BBC nature documentary series, Big Cat Diary. From about July every year, two million wildebeest cross the Mara River into the Masai Mara National Reserve to feast on fresh and succulent grass – under the watchful eyes of hungry lions. A bonus of the Mara’s flat, wide and open plains is that cheetah are perfectly adapted to it and this a great place to watch these lightning-quick cats chase down their prey.

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Johannesburg: Our Top Recommended Experiences / Tours for travel to Africa in 2020

Our Top Recommended Experiences!

Johannesburg Activities if you plan to overnight in JHB before or after your overland tour we can highly recommend the following day tours – Southern Highlights Adventure

• Soweto Tour

South of Johannesburg is Soweto, the world’s most famous township and important monument to Apartheid.  Soweto grapples with democratic change, but its spirit resonates in a plethora of shebeens, this tour is more on community projects & sustainable tourism.

• Johannesburg City Tour

A panoramic view of the city, a drive within the business district, visit to traditional African shops, the bohemian Hillbrow and Museum Africa in Newton, the cultural district of Johannesburg.

• Soweto & Johannesburg Combo

Combining the Soweto & Johannesburg City tours will give you a great overview of the area.

• Apartheid Museum

The path through the museum leads you on a journey beginning with segregation, the cornerstone of apartheid. It takes you back through the history of the myriad cultures converging during the pre-apartheid era. Through the years of race classification, the 150 acts of apartheid, detentions and the oppression of the nationalist regime.

• Cradle of Mankind

The tour visits both the Sterkfontein caves, where the oldest hominid fossils (dating back to over 3 million years) in the world were found & Maropeng where you can experience the fascinating, interactive representations of the origin of Earth & all that lives on our unique planet. Interesting to both adults & children alike, this is a must visit on anyone passing through Gauteng’s itinerary!

• Pretoria City Tour

Pretoria generates a multicultural energy from a harmonious blend of traditions, culture and architecture. Pretoria has historic value extending to that of the British Empire and Apartheid. The tour includes the either the Voortrekker Monument or Freedom Square, the Union Buildings, Kruger House, Church Square, Mirramen Hindu Temple and thousands of Jacaranda trees.

Panorama Route: 5 Day Kruger Classic Safari – South Africa

Panorama Route – Our full day Panorama Route tour covers the best sights. The 5 day Classic Kruger Safari is a popular choice, providing the right balance between activities and time spent on safari to see an amazing variety of wildlife that the Kruger  Park has to offer.

One of Africa’s most famous national parks, there are 147 mammal species found in Kruger, more than any other wildlife reserve in Africa! Of these the Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant) are of course included. On this safari we include open vehicle drives, a sunset drive and a walk. This safari gives you a complete African wildlife experience.

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Cape Town: Our Top Recommended Experiences / Tours for travel to Africa in 2020

Cape Town: Our Top Recommended Experiences

Cape Town Activities and must do’s when you visit the Mother city – 18 Day South Africa Explorer

Cape Town: Our Top Recommended Experiences

1. • Half day Township tour: District 6 and museum; Langa; Community school; Shebeen; Kayalitscha;3 ½ hours
   • Robben Island: 3 ½ hours; boat ride to the Island; drive over the island; visit of the prison; boat ride back;
   • Hop on – Hop off bus: Red route through the V&A Waterfront; City; District 6; cable way; Camps Bay; Sea Point;2 hours non stop
   • Hop on – Hop off bus: Blue Route to V&A Waterfront; Kirstenbosch; Hout Bay; World of birds; Camps Bay; Sea Point
   • Full day Peninsula tour: Clifton, Camps Bay, Twelve Apostles, Hout Bay, Chapmans Peak, Noordhoek, Ostrich Viewing, Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Cape Point, Penguin Colony, Simons Town, Muizenberg, Constantia, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens:
   • Full day Wine route: Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek
   • Full day whale watching trip to Hermanus
   • Abseiling off Table Mountain
   • White shark diving
   • Tandem Paraglide from Lions Head
   • Helicopter flips
   • Horse riding in Hout Bay
   • Historic walking tour through the city

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Questions asked about overland: Communications

Questions asked about overland: Communications

Can my family reach me while on tour?

Please keep in mind though that this is an adventure tour and that there still might not be reception in a lot of the areas we travel through. Although you may not be able to contact the outside world easily while you’re on tour, we track you constantly and are always able to find you. Feel free to provide your family with our contact details and should there be an emergency of any kind at home we will be able to contact you almost anywhere. Please inform your families that although we can find you – it must be a real emergency – as we will not be sending one of our local contacts 500km over terrible roads to remind you to change your underwear regularly! We advise that you should also contact family and friends before leaving and tell them that you are on an adventure tour and that you will probably be out of contact for that time.

There are telephones in some places but do not count on these being all that reliable! In East Africa you can expect to pay up to USD 3 per minute for a phone call. E-mail facilities can be found in major towns and city centres, but it is often very slow and expensive.

Do mobile phones work in Africa?
Yes, there is extensive coverage throughout Southern and East Africa. In some countries, this may be primarily in and around major urban areas. However, in South Africa, networks cover all national roads, towns and cities. Before traveling, ask your mobile phone service provider to open your phone to allow international roaming.

Is there internet in Africa?

Certainly. Most city hotels will have either internet connection in the bedroom, or a business centre where you can spend time online. Some safari lodges and camps in South Africa also offer this facility. In remote areas, however, there is no internet.

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