Special Interest Safaris
One of our greatest pleasures is arranging something special like a photographic safari to find African painted dogs or filming the rare and difficult to find shoebill.
To give you a better idea of the type of safari we'd term special interest, these are some of the trips we’ve planned recently:
- Assisting and living with orphan chimpanzees’ on Ngamba Island in Uganda.
- The Bat Migration Safari in Kasanka National Park, Zambia - an amazing convergence of millions of “straw-coloured fruit bats” as they descend upon Kasanka National Park to feed on the abundant seasonal fruits.
- Trips to see the spectacular Namaqualand daisies in the Western Cape
- Birding safaris to see the rare shoebill living in the Bangweulu Swamps or on Lake Edward. The pitacarthes in Gabon's Lope Forest and carmine bee eaters nesting in the South Luangwa Valley.
Funnily enough its not unusual for African born clients who've moved to other countries throughout the world, to contact us to arrange a trip to visit the place of their birth and other unusual spots which may be off the normal tourist circuits. It takes real knowledge of local routes and people to arrange these trips and we're the right people to do this especially in Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda and Kenya.
Our Recommended Special Interest Safaris
Cheetah, leopard and hyena tracking
$ 328
Okonjima - Home of the Africat Foundation
The cost is per person per night, an overnight stay is necessary to take part in the large carnivore tracking activity.
We suggest visiting Okonjima, essentially a rehabilitation centre, if you'd like to see big cats close-up, support the rescue programme and track big predators in the 4500 hectare rehabilitation park. This is a very worthy programme to support. Highlights include seeing wild leopards close-up, hunting for themselves and a 90% chance of seeing spotted hyena in the wild. Tea with the lions and excellent opportunities for photography.
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Spirit of Ethiopia
$ 2164
Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Lalibela, Axum - 7 nights/8 days
All of these tours are custom-made, prices are subject to change.
This encompasses four major historic sites: Axum, Lalibela, Gondar, and Bahir Dar. Axum was the seat of an empire which extended across the Red Sea to Arabia, traded with India and China, had its own alphabet and notational system, constructed great engineering works and dams.
Much of the fascination of Ethiopia lies in its myriad historical sites, the obelisks and stele of Axum, churches and Coptic monasteries in the Tigre, in the Lake Tana isles and in the Lalibela: the African Jerusalem with its monolithic churches.
Liuwa Plains Exploration
$ 2400
Liuwa Plains - 4 night/5 day or 5 night/6 day
Seasoned Africa travelers have heard of these vast open grasslands in the far west of Zambia but very few have been there. In fact in 2000 only 50 visitors were registered entering the park.
Why go? The Liuwa Plains is an immense wilderness area, brimming with birds and home to huge numbers of animals. The landscape is completely flat and the skies vast - here you really are in the middle of wild, remote and isolated lands.
Splendid Deserts of Namibia
$ 2853
Southern deserts of Namibia - 15 days/14 nights
The prices quoted alter according to the number of guests booked on each trip. There are a maximum of 12 guests per trip with a limit of 6 per vehicle.
An adventure packed set departure tour of the lower half of Namibia taking in the Kalahari Desert, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Fish River Canyon, the Namib Desert including the Namib Naukluft Park, Sesriem and Sossusvlei. These are mobile safaris in customised vehicles with professional Namibian guides.
Bat migration safari Kasanka NP
$ 2890
Kasanka National Park, Zambia - 4 days/3 nights
Price is quoted per person for the whole safari including return flights to and from Lusaka airport.
This event is one of Africa’s most amazing and unusual wildlife spectacles – never forgotten by those lucky enough to witness it.
From around the end of October each year, many millions of straw-colored fruit bats congregate in the trees of the Mushitu swamp forest near the confluence of the Musola and Kasanka rivers in Kasanka National Park. At sunset they fly out across the forests, lit from behind by the fabulous glow of the dying sun.
The price may be reduced by doing a road transfer from Lusaka to Kasanka instead of an air charter; enquire for prices.
Uganda gorillas, chimpanzees and game
$ 2936
Ngamba Island, Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
An eight day safari including the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, game viewing, optional chimp tracking in Chamburu (Kyamburu Gorge) and game/bird watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Includes a boat cruise, and a visit to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Two gorilla tracking opportunities are available but must be requested on booking and subject to availability.
This trip may run in reverse, please check when booking. Guaranteed departure with a minimum of two guests.
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Cape Town and Winelands
$ 3100
Cape Town Waterfront & the Cape Winelands, South Africa - 9 nights/10 days
Prices are guidelines only and subject to change depending on date of travel.
This excellent short holiday break includes two of the finest small hotels in the Cape area. Staying right on the V&A Waterfront with a private waterside platform the hotel includes an award winning restaurant and a wellness spa. Moving on to the historic town of Franschoek is a boutique guest house giving access to French, Malay and traditional South African gourmet meals plus a spa. Activities include wine tasting, horse riding, golf, fly fishing and shopping.
Livingstone Birding Trail
$ 3285
Botswana, Namibia and Zambia - 16 days/15 nights
Set departure dates during rainy season - November to April
Highlights of this safari include visitng Lake Ngami birding wonderland, panhandle of the Okavango Delta, Caprivi Strip specials, Zambia and the Victoria Falls, the dramatic Chobe National Park, Makgadikgadi Pans, Moremi Game Reserve wildlife and birding on the fringes of the Okavango Delta, scenic flight over the Okavango and boat cruises on the Okavango and Chobe Rivers.
Western Kenya privately guided safari
$ 4000
Laikipia Plateau, Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo, Mt Elgon National Park and Kakamega Forest Reserve - 11 days/10 nights
The cost is per person plus US$1200.00 conservation fees and transfer costs. The trip will depart with a minimum of 2 guests. The special price is for the same itinerary with more light weight camping nights.
Start with a relaxing big game ranch stay before hitting the trail visiting millions of greater and lesser flamingoes on Lake Bogoria. Black-necked Grebe, Steppe Eagles, fish eagles and other raptors are commonly seen. 470 species of birds are found in the Lake Baringo area, many specific to the Rift Valley and northern Kenya. Mt Elgon offers volcanic lava tube caves and is home to cave dwelling elephants, forest birds and unusual mammals such as the bongo, giant forest hog and African golden cat.
The little known Kakamega Forest Reserve is the only remmant piece of the Congo forest in Kenya and here are found 350 species of forest tree and 300 species of birds. Flying squirrels, forest duikers, potto and many types of monkey are also found in Kakamega.
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Skeleton Coast Safari
$ 4335
Skeleton Coast, Namibia - 5 days/4 nights
This safari has to be one of the most privileged on earth simply because its so unique and takes place is such a special setting. Just one camp lies in this spectacular, uninhabited (by humans) private concession stretching along the Skeleton Coast. Full days out in the vehicle with a highly professional guide and picnic lunches, are the only way to explore this fascinating area with its roaring dunes, shipwrecks, quick sand and colonies of seals.
Zambezi Valley 'River and Lake' fishing safari
$ 4620Upper and Lower Zambezi river - 10 days/9 nights
Starting and ending in Johannesburg this includes 3 nights west of Victoria Falls at the meeting point of Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia. 3 nights just off the shoreline of the Matusadona National Park on a private island on Lake Kariba. 3 nights in the heart of the Zambezi Valley in the Mana Pools National Park. Includes all transfers and flights, full board accommodation, park fees.
Explore the far reaches of the Zambezi Valley with this 9 night itinerary, starting and ending on the Zambezi River and including three nights on beautiful Lake Kariba.
Book the "Zambezi Valley ‘River & Lake’ Fishing Safari"
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Zambezi Fishing Expedition
$ 4675Zambezi river Namibia, Vic Falls and Zambia's lower Zambezi - 9 nights/10 days
Starting and ending in Lusaka or Livingstone Victoria Falls. The accommodation is in comfortable well-appointed lodges and although the emphasis is on fishing, game viewing activities are also included. The price includes all transfers and flights, full board accommodation, park fees.
This 9 night itinerary takes in three areas on the mighty Zambezi River from the Upper Zambezi on the Namibian border to Victoria Falls, finishing on the Lower Zambezi.
On this trip you'll fish for the Tiger fish, Yellow Belly Bream, Three Spot Bream and Kafue Pike on the upper Zambzi and you'll fish for Tiger Fish and the giant Vundu catfish. The Lower Zambezi is also home to Three Spot Bream, Red Breasted Bream, Nile Bream, Chessa, Nkupi, Bottlenose and the Cornish Jack.
Purely Primates
$ 4926
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Virunga Volcanoes NP - 8 days/7 nights
SPECIAL OFFER - free second gorilla permit (worth US$500.00) when booking a tailor-made holiday of 6 days or more. Also on offer are two free nights worth (US$1000.00 per person) at the fabulous Mount Gahinga Lodge in Uganda when booking a tailor-made safari in Uganda or Rwanda.
An eight day safari from Entebbe or Kigali visiting the mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda. This safari optimises time for gorilla trekking and the option to add on a chimpanzee sanctuary at the end.
Price quoted is for 4 guests in one vehicle on a private trip per person.
Secret Life of Elephants
$ 4999
Samburu and Masai Mara, Kenya - 7 night/8 day safari
The rate is per person; the special rate applies to safaris which take place in the low season.
This safari concentrates on drawing you into the secret lives of elephants along the lines of the new BBC 1 documentary "The Secret Life of Elephants". Participants in the film include Saba Douglas-Hamilton, Iain Douglas-Hamilton and the action takes place in Samburu. Visit the same area and find out the emotional and dramatic secrets of these majestic pachyderms.
Discover Rwanda
$ 5688
Akagera National Park, Parc National des Volcans and Nungwe Forest
Starting and finishing in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, this safari starts with a visit to Akagera National Park to view the beautiful wetland savannah and Rwanda's fabulous birds and animals. The highlight of the trip is gorilla trekking in Parc National des Volcans of course and if time allows a visit to the golden monkeys. After gorilla trekking the safari continues to Nyungwe rainforest. There are 13 primate species, 300 bird species and a variety of orchids and butterflies.
Price quoted is for a set departure group safari staying in high quality lodges and camps and is per person.
Katavi Mahale Safari
$ 6920
Katavi Mahale Safari - 9 days / 8 nights
The special price shown applies to bookings prior to 31st March 2010. The normal price applies to bookings after this date.
This 9 day trip offers outstanding resident game in the remote and fascinating Katavi National Park and its wide open plains with massive herds of buffalo and elephant. Combine this with the special forests and wild chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, the biggest body of fresh water in the world.
Expedition to Central Africa
$ 9132
Central African Republic, Cameroon and Republic of Congo - 11 days/10 nights
A privately guided safari with our own professional guides to Central African Republic, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. The trip includes tracking with the Ba-Aka pygmies, forest elephant, western lowland gorilla and an astonishing number of birds and other species.
Other Options
Madagascar
Gabon and the Congo Basin
Zambia, Botswana and Namibia
Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya
