Types of Safaris
African safaris have thankfully evolved from the olden day viewing of wildlife through the sights of a hunting rifle to a virtual kaleidoscope of eco-conscious alternatives. From modern photography safaris to honeymoons and weddings in the wild to the roots of African exploration - canoe safaris in the Okavango Delta or the Lower Zambezi, walking safaris in Zambia to fly camping in Kenya
Our expertise and first-hand knowledge allow us to offer competent and personal advice to any traveller and we have many happy testaments to our name to prove it (also see our sister site). It's obviously essential to understand what you want and have an idea of what you can do before going on safari - we've compiled a list of what we feel are the major safari types out there to give you a hand.
Traditional Safaris | Walking Safaris | Canoe Safaris | Family Safaris | Mobile Safaris | Honeymoon Safaris | Special Interest Safaris | Primate Safaris | Bush and Beach Safaris | Off Beat Explorations | Active Safaris | Migration Safaris | Horse riding safaris
Choose your Safari Type
You may have watched those old African films where a huge entourage of people carrying all sorts of equipment including wind-up gramophones, leather strapped suitcases, guns and books, hard hats and binoculars? You’d be right to think times have changed but not that much!
Whether under canvas in semi-permanent bush camps or based in permanent safari lodges, even the tented camps come with everything you can think of and more in some cases nowadays.
The most important consideration is the quality of your hosts and guides and the choice of location than whether you have a his and hers basin. All the same, don't confuse an African camp with a thin, little dome tent with a sleeping bag on a 5mm thick hard mat and your father ordering you to wash up in the chilly river water!
Traditional safari camps were a feature of colonial life in Kenya where Governors Camp on the Masai Mara was the first . Our favorite traditional camps today are two tiny semi-permanent camps in the North Luangwa National Park and Mana Pools National Park and a permanent tented camp in Katavi National Park.
The "African Walking Safari" - a term that conjures up romance and adventure often associated with the exploits of Africa's early white-hunters like Selous or the tales of Ernest Hemingway on his safaris through some of Africa's early colonies. Recently there've been expeditionary walks by modern day adventurers like Mike Fay from central Congo to the Gabon coast.
Our company was founded on walking safaris and we'll continue to recommend this as the ideal way to experience the bush. Norman Carr was the first commercial promoter of walking safaris in the South Luangwa National Park and to this day this remains a first class area to be on foot. Certain spots in Kenya offer prime walking safaris with the added dimension of the accompanying camels.
Walking safaris usually use temporary bush camps or permanent lodges as a base from which vehicles and sometimes boats will get you into areas of game activity or specific interest, thereafter you're led by a Professional Safari Guide to sample all aspects of the environment.
Several of the large African rivers are run by canoe but it's the lower Zambezi river that really holds centre stage.
Our canoe safaris range from deluxe backed up trails using tented camps in Mana Pools National Park or permanent lodges in the Lower Zambezi National Park for overnight stops to semi-participatory canoe trails running from 3 to 10 days from Kariba down to Kanyemba. See our Zambezi Classic short canoe trail as an example.
The Zambian side offers great lodge based canoe activities or 3 day participation trips. In reality the canoes criss-cross back and forth from side to side and the real difference is where you sleep at night and how good your guide is!
A true deluxe backed up trail can only be run on the Zimbabwean side of the river in the Mana Pools National Park, this type of trail is simply unavailable on the Zambian side. A full range of semi-participatory trips also run on this side of the river.
Africa has almost year round sunshine, animals children dream about, fabulous beaches, child loving locals - all the main elements for a successful family holiday.
You will know instinctively if your children are suited to a safari but don't underestimate your child's ability to adapt to a new environment, it's usually better than an adult's! Our more remote camps generally do not have access to satellite TV, playstations or computers but the more mainstream lodges/hotels do offer these facilities particularly in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.
Getting the combination of camps and guides right is the key to a successful holiday. A number of camps run child friendly programmes which may include tracking wildlife on foot, cooking in a bush kitchen, making fire or simply learning to be outdoors.
Ending the main safari on a beach island or one of our freshwater lakes finishes the safari on a more relaxed note and is suitable for young children or teenagers alike.
For teenagers we usually suggest a more active holiday which includes Victoria Falls or Lake Malawi where there are numerous activities available. Kenya is another good destination for a family trip with its easy internal air schedules and diversity of activities on offer.
If you're worried about malaria, there're some excellent malaria free options in South Africa.
A mobile safari is the ultimate way to explore Africa's wildernesses. Being on mobile means you're free to move location whenever you want (always under the guidance of your professional safari guide), and to where you want allowing flexibility and the chance to create your own adventure. The excitement is not only in the destination or location but in the journey itself.
Usually mobiles are led by a professional guide accompanied by a small convoy of staff, equipment and other necessary back-up. The groups are small - between 6 to 12 people. A private mobile safari can be arranged for a group of friends or family or guests could join an existing mixed group on a set departure date.
As these are self contained expeditions there is usually a fair amount to carry as comfort levels are high. A typical mobile safari is between 6 to 10 nights or longer, visiting various locations within the National parks and reserves, spending 2 to 3 nights at each location.
Our favorite mobiles are those around Botswana covering Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta and the Linyanti. The South Luangwa National Park has some excellent mobiles run by Robin Pope while mobiles are the norm all around the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.
We know a honeymoon is one of the most critical holidays of a lifetime not least as it comes directly after the stresses and strains of organizing The Wedding.
Revelling in one another’s company is very important and many couples prefer to stay on the beach for this reason. A truly perfect honeymoon combines a bit of wilderness safari as well.
The actual wedding ceremony may be included although this restricts the area as legal weddings are not always possible in some parts of Africa.
We're experts at facilitating webpages showing the honeymoon itinerary and trip details. Couples may invite their wedding guests to contribute towards their trip instead of buying a gift.
In the southern hemisphere, the Okavango Delta with the Kalahari provide an excellent first week ending with a week on Benguerra Island, the Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique. In East Africa a typical trip would include the Masai Mara with the Laikipia province followed by some time on either the Seychelles or Lamu Island or the Serengeti combined with Zanzibar.
Over the years we've had the pleasure of putting together safaris for clients who've made "special requests".
These special interest safaris tend to include:
• Privately guided safaris
• Photography
• Migration safaris
• Birding safaris
• Fishing
• Conservation and culture
These are safaris specifically designed for guests with a particular leaning towards a certain subject. For example if you study butterflies we would suggest you went to Uganda which has over 1200 species, (compared to the 56 found in the British Isles). Most importantly there are two Ugandan guides who are able to distinguish the difference between them!
We've arranged trips for film crews on the Lower Zambezi river (Mad Mike and Mark in Zambia on Animal Planet 2004), film and digital photography courses on the Masai Mara, spring flowering in Namaqualand but most of our special interest trips have been for photographers trying to catch those special moments and some of these images are featured throughout our website which contains 98% pictures taken by ourselves and our guests.
Most of Africa's primates are found in her massive forests which stretch from the Indian Ocean Island of Madagascar to Gabon on the West Coast.
The mains species to be seen include the Lemurs of Madagascar; Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda; Western Lowland Gorillas which inhabit the DRC, Central African Republic, Cameroon and Gabon; Eastern Lowland gorilla occurring in the Eastern DRC; Chimpanzees of which the best viewings are in the Mahale Mountains and Kibale Forest; Bonobo found only in the Congo Basin rainforests.
All of these primate species are on the endangered wildlife list particularly the Mountain gorilla and the bonobo (which cannot be protected due to the political instability in their home territory).
Probably the most accessible of our list of primates are the lemurs in all parts of Madagascar; the mountain gorilla's in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Virunga Volcanoes National Park and the chimpanzees found in many parts of Africa but the best viewings are usually in the Mahale Mountains and Kibale Forest.
We run privately guided and small-group set date primate safaris all year - advance bookings are essential between June and September.
Specifically interested in primates? Contact us now or find out how to plan a gorilla safari.
There can be no better holiday than a combination of being in the thick of the bush with the action of the animals all around you to the carefree African beaches with their unspoilt views and clear seas.
East Africa boasts sweeping remote beaches on the Kenyan coast down to the atmospheric Lamu Island. Then along the Swahili coast to the archipelago of the spice islands - Zanzibar, Pemba & Mafia Islands.
Passing through the border of Tanzania and Mozambique down to Quilalea and Vamizi to Rocktail Bay and Lake St Lucia in Southern Africa. Finally along the Garden Route through to the colder waters of the Cape where the great white sharks and whales are regularly spotted off shore.
Some magnificent diving spots are found all along the eastern shores, particularly at Pemba and around the Bazaruto Archipelago. All of the Indian Ocean Islands offer magnificent beaches and tropical seas.
The west coast brings a different type of beach with less opportunity for diving and snorkelling but great opportunities for seeing seal colonies and ghostly shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast.
Expedition type safaris are ideal if you're in pursuit of a particular bird or game species or want to explore specific cultural, geological, archaeological or other aspects of some of the more remote and less popular regions. They're the best if you just want to go somewhere unusual and a little challenging!
Some of the world's most unique species are found in the Central African rainforests, some of the oldest religions are found in Ethiopia and some of the most curious foods are eaten in Gabon.
There are many well known parks and wild life areas in Africa and then there are "those" places which adventurers have written about which make you wonder what it'd feel like to have been one of the few to see them.
If you're the sporty type there's plenty to catch your interest - a 7 day technical hike up the Rwenzories with their ice capped peaks or fishing expeditions to Madagascar or Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika. Culturally it's a real investigation as there's so little written history but the island of Zanzibar, Lamu and almost all of the land of Ethiopia provides a rich insight into the past.
Activity adventures is a general term we've used to encompass any safaris which include a lot of activity but particularly those filled with a bit more adrenalin!
These include:
Horse safaris; camel treks, sailing and houseboat safaris
Zambezi white water rafting; kayaking and riverboarding; fishing trips
Marathons, cycling and mountaineering treks
Most of these could be included as short one day activities during a regular safari however some of these are safaris in their own right. For example a multi-day white water rafting safari is an exciting adventure and runs for up to 4 days below Victoria Falls on the Zambezi. Our white water rafting is the highest grade possible to achieve with complete amateurs and is guaranteed to excite any adventurer anywhere near Victoria Falls!
Mountaineering treks are done on either Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the Rwenzori's in Uganda and usually take 6 to 7 days. Treks up Mt Kilimanjaro have been run for many years and the course is well documented.
Horse riding is a particular interest and we offer the only riding safari to ever be based within a National Park in Africa from Hwange National Park. Also available is an excellent 1 week ride in the southern Okavango Delta in Botswana and short or long rides in Kenya (maximum 10 days). Starting soon is an exciting week long ride in the Kafue National Park.
With the added thrill of riding through the bush and getting close-up to giraffe, elephant or galloping with zebra, there are few riding holidays which can offer the same attraction as an African horse riding safari. Well schooled horses, a selection of tack – English leather and synthetic, GP, Australian stock, McClellan, and tree-less, excellent professional guiding, and expeditionary style safaris.
Most of our riding safaris are for experienced riders only, are of around one weeks duration with mixed accommodation styles. The safari usually starts and ends in small personalised safari camps. During the safari we use mobile tented camps with staff support on private and exclusive campsites.
The horse’s overnight in a canvas enclosure and the entire camp/horse enclosure surrounded by portable electric fence. We leave an extremely low environmental footprint –minimal impact activities.
