Discover Your Safari

Up close & personal Burchell’s zebra in the evening light in Kruger National Park, South Africa

DISCOVER YOUR

SAFARI

With so many options, it can be hard to know where to begin when planning your African safari. Here, our specialists suggest trips for three readers

SOUTH AFRICA

“Where in Africa can we see the Big Five but also a range of smaller animals and plant life?” Andrea and Manuel Garcia, Audley travelers

ANNA BOUGHEN

”I’d recommend South Africa’s private game reserves as they have some of the most concentrated wildlife populations in the world. Expert guides can drive off-road in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo) and are eager to share their knowledge. I’ve had some of my best wildlife sightings in Thornybush Private Game Reserve, situated in Kruger National Park, where it’s home to a large leopard population. The focus here is not only on big game, but also on lesser-known wildlife such as aardvarks, bush babies and ground pangolins. Many lodges specialize in walking safaris, where you can track animals on foot while learning about their environment.”

ANNA’S SUGGESTED TAILOR-MADE TRIP

Day 1 Fly in to Johannesburg and connect to Hoedspruit Airport, close to Thornybush Game Reserve, and transfer to Monwana Game Lodge. The reserve is home to a healthy population of antelope and I always enjoy watching herds of nyala and springbok, as well as dazzles of zebra grazing in the bush.

Day 2 My favorite part of being on safari is the early-morning game drives. You have a good chance of spotting nocturnal hunters – I once saw a pride of lion feasting as the sun rose. Expert trackers use their skills to spot animal activity, such as paw prints on the ground. In the evening, dinner is served

around the boma (campfire). You can share anecdotes from your day with fellow guests as the firewood crackles and the air fills with aromas from the braai (barbecue).

Day 3 During today’s drive you might see buffalo grazing, or a wild dog pack preparing for their evening hunt. Later, stop in the bush to enjoy a sundowner (cocktail) accompanied by local snacks, such as biltong (dried meat).

Day 4 Thornybush is home to over 280 bird species, which are best seen on a guided bush walk. My favorite is the lilac-breasted roller (pictured), whose vivid lilac, blue and turquoise plumage is hard to miss. I’m always

amazed by the rangers’ ability to spot and identify birds just from hearing their call.

Day 5 After your final game drive in Thornybush, you’ll be transferred to Plains Camp, situated in a private concession within Kruger – with just four luxurious tents, it ensures group sizes of no more than eight guests. The camp specializes in walking safaris; the trained rangers and trackers are experts in analyzing animal prints and spotting smaller species. They helped me to really appreciate the small details like the smell of fresh elephant dung or the guttural grunt of a leopard.

Day 6 On your walks today your ranger and tracker could help you track rhino or elephant. Between walks, relax by the pool or on a private deck.

Day 7 Sunrise is the perfect time to be out on foot, because the bush comes alive with whistling cuckoos and choruses of warblers welcoming the day. After breakfast you will transfer to Skukuza Airport for your onward journey.

Get me there: A seven-day tailor-made trip to South Africa starts from $4,795pp. For more information, please contact one of our South Africa specialists on 1-855-838-0550.

Extend your trip: Fly direct to Cape Town to spend a few days exploring the city and Winelands.

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SAFARI

KENYA

“We are very interested in conservation and would particulary love to see the Great Migration. We’re traveling with young children and want to keep them entertained – where would you recommend?” The Martin family, Audley travelers

KATIE SHERMAN

”I’d suggest visiting the Masai Mara: dotted with rock kopjes (ancient rocks), acacia trees and abundant wildlife, it’s probably what you picture when imagining a safari. The Great Migration occurs year round, but the best time to see huge herds of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River is between July and October. I also recommend northern Kenya. Here, plains, grasslands, mountain peaks and forests support a wide range of wildlife, including endemic species such as the reticulated giraffe. You can join game drives and guided bush walks, as well as visit local communities. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a good place to see what’s happening in the world of conservation, making it the perfect educational opportunity for kids.”

KATIE’S SUGGESTED TAILOR-MADE TRIP

Day 1 Fly direct in to Nairobi and transfer to Karen, a suburb named after Karen Blixen, the Danish author of Out of Africa, who settled in this area in the early 1900s. Stay at Hemingways Nairobi, which has views over the Ngong Hills. While here I recommend visiting the nearby David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage and rehabilitation center.

Day 2 Fly to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – a leader in wildlife conservation and home to the Northern Five species endemic to northern Kenya (the Somali ostrich, Beisa oryx, generuk, reticulated giraffe and Grévy’s zebra). This afternoon, head out

on your first game drive, with Mount Kenya as your backdrop.

Day 3 As the rising sun creeps over distant peaks and plains, head out on foot with your Maasai guide, for a lesson in survival skills and tracking techniques used here for millennia.

Day 4 Meet Lewa’s conservation team and learn about anti-poaching efforts. Later, your guide will show children fun places to explore; they can enjoy catching freshwater crabs and clambering over rocky outcrops.

Day 5 Arrive in the Great Rift Valley and the Masai Mara’s grasslands. Stay at Ol Seki

Mara Camp, which overlooks the plains in the Naboisho Conservancy – a birdwatcher’s paradise and home to big cats in impressive numbers. There are far fewer vehicles here than in the main reserve. The conservancy is also committed to protecting and empowering the local Maasai community.

Day 6 During the Great Migration, the smell of rain drives two million wildebeest from Tanzania’s Serengeti to the Masai Mara. The herds must cross the perilous Mara River, where crocodiles lie in wait. Lion and other predators also take the opportunity to pounce. Spend the day on a game drive in the main reserve, hopefully witnessing a river crossing and spotting some big game.

Day 7 On your last full day of safari, choose between game drives and walking safaris. Spend your final evening sitting on a kopje (small hill), drink in hand, watching the sinking sun burnish the sky.

Day 8 Fly back to Nairobi to catch your onwards flight.

Get me there: An eight-day tailor-made trip starts from $6,600pp. For more information, please contact one of our Kenya specialists on 1-855-838-0510.

Extend your trip: Add three nights on Kenya’s coast at Hemingways Watamu – a protected marine park with whitesand beaches and clear waters perfect for snorkeling.

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Deep in the delta Taking a trip in a mokoro is a great way to experience the Okavango

BOTSWANA

“Where would you recommend for an active trip with plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunities and a touch of luxury?” Pamela Morrison, Audley traveler

SAFARI

ALEX COOKE

”Botswana is a great destination for a luxurious trip with plenty of wildlife-spotting opportunites. As well as a range of land-based activities, you can enjoy trips in motorized boats and mokoros (traditional canoes) in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. I recommend combining ‘wet’ areas with places that focus on land-based safaris. Game drives give you a higher chance of seeing big game, while bush walks focus on smaller aspects of the ecosystem, from insects and birds to plant life, and let you stay active. Botswana offers luxurious accommodation with service to match, exceptional food and a genuine wilderness feel.”

ALEX’S SUGGESTED TAILOR-MADE TRIP

Day 1 Fly in to Johannesburg and board your connecting flight to Maun. From here, take a short light-aircraft flight into the Okavango Delta and arrive at Nxabega Camp (pictured right). Evening game drives here offer a chance to see nocturnal wildlife such as African wildcats and honey badgers. Set within a private concession, each tent looks out over the delta. This area is known for its diversity of birds – I spotted a Pel’s fishing owl on my most recent trip.

Day 2 Early morning is the best time for a game drive as the animals are at their most active – afterwards, you can enjoy

a hearty cooked breakfast back at the lodge. Today I’d recommend exploring the delta’s waterways by mokoro; look out for reed frogs, malachite kingfishers and the semi-aquatic sitatunga during the day, or watch herons and egrets come in to roost in the reeds at sunset.

Day 3 This morning you can enjoy a brief game drive en route to the airstrip. A short scenic flight takes you over the delta into another private concession, where you’ll spend two nights at Xudum Lodge. The area surrounding Xudum (pronounced koodum) changes throughout the year as water levels rise and fall.

Day 4 Discover the ancient survival techniques of San Bushmen as they use nature to guide you on a bush walk. Prior to your afternoon safari, enjoy a meal from the interactive kitchen and relax in your private plunge pool.

Day 5 Another light aircraft flight takes you to your third private concession, and you arrive at the doorstep of Selinda Camp by speedboat. Boating safaris are popular and the region is also renowned for its elephant and buffalo populations. The guides here are trained photographers and can help you capture the best possible images.

Day 6 Your guide can suggest an activity based on their knowledge of recent animal movements. This region boasts a healthy population of highly endangered African wild dog, so I suggest heading out on a game drive to look for them.

Wild Patagonia

Day 7 Depart the delta A with guanaco a helicopter gazes across the limpid blue waters ride from Selinda Camp to Maun, where of Lake Pehoé you take your onward flight.

Get me there: A seven-day tailor-made trip to Botswana starts from $7,120pp. For more information, please contact one of our Botswana specialists on 1-855-838-0530.

Extend your trip: Add on three nights at Thorntree River Lodge in the Mosi Oa Tunya National Park, Zambia, for a chance to visit Victoria Falls.

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