Walking Safaris
The first step in planning a walking safari is to decide on the type of safari that suits you best. The modern-day "walking safari" is a loose term used to describe a variety of safari activities including:
- wilderness trails (fly-camping under the stars)
- backed-up walking safaris (vehicle back-up, fully serviced luxury mobile camps)
- trails from fixed bases (tented camps, seasonal bushcamps, lodges)
Full blown wilderness trails, on the one extreme accompanied only by a guide and carrying your backpack with all gear and provisions to the other extreme of a grand portered trail with guides, scouts, porters and cooks or even camels in some cases (read more on camel treks on the Laikipia in Kenya).
See our "Zambezi Classic Canoe and Walk Safari".
Backed up walking trails which include support staff who do advance set ups on a "rolling camp" basis. These camps range in style from simple fly camps to comprehensive tented bases and are particularly useful on the vast Serengeti Plains.
Traditional tented camps and bush camps act as a seasonal or semi-permanent base from which walking trails are conducted. These camps have vehicles or boats (depending upon location) to extend the range of the safaris (see more on the Chikoko Trail and walking mobiles in the South Luangwa National Park).
Lodge based walking safaris are precisely that - walking trails from permanent lodges with support staff, vehicles and a wide variety of comforts and optional facilities and activities. Unless located on private land or concessions, lodges are generally found outside of the National Park areas.
The fact is that by whatever name you choose there's simply no better safari experience.
You get "real and close" in the very best of Africa's wilderness areas
You're accompanied by Professional Guides to provide safe exposure to the African bush and its wildlife.
Back to Types of Safari
Our Recommended Walking 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.
Read more about Cheetah, leopard and hyena tracking ENQUIRE NOW
Walking with camels in the Wild
$ 415
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya - 4 days/3 nights
Of all our trips this is one of our favorite walking safaris. The walk is led by professional guides, fly camping under the stars with camels carrying the camp. The safari is extremely suitable for families as children can ride on the camels when their feet get tired! It is also an ideal way to really learn about the bush from the ground up ... The knowledge of the guides is deep and meaningful ensuring all who do this trek come away with a far greater knowledge of Kenya, its people and its wildlife.
The walking safari starts on the Lewa Wildife Conservancy, offering prime wildlife viewing. The length of the safari can be altered and extended to include Il'Ngwesi and five nights to Lekurruki (Tassia).
Zambezi Canoe and Walk Safari
$ 1140
Lower Zambezi - Mana Pools National Park 4 days/3 nights
Special price valid 15 April to 1st June, 1st to 15th Nov per person
This is a fully backed-up canoe/walk safari which takes place in the Mana Pools National Park on the shores of the Zambezi River. A fully licensed-armed Professional Guide, who is permitted to conduct canoeing and walking safaris, leads each safari. The Department of National Parks and the Zimbabwe Hunters and Guides Association monitor all guides and set rigorous exams in order for a guide to become licensed. These safaris are co-owned and operated by two of Zimbabwe's most experienced and respected guides.
Off the beaten track in Mozambique
$ 1200
Niassa Reserve, Mozambique - 4 days/3 nights
These canoe expeditions are available on set departure dates only and for a minimum of four guests per trip.
A short canoe/walk/drive safari along the magical Lugenda River exploring the little known Niassa Reserve, a massive wilderness in northern Mozambique. This area has particularly good wild dog populations, a highly endangered African mammal. Even the flight into the reserve is exciting with magnificent giant inselbergs, large granite outcrops which are a feature of the region. This is Africa in her raw, beautiful and inspired state where you can walk, paddle and explore the wilderness with complete abandon. Combining this trip with a week on the beach afterwards makes for an ideal bush and beach safari with a difference!
Read more about Off the beaten track in Mozambique ENQUIRE NOW
Laikipia and Masai Mara Safari special
$ 2925
Laikipia Plateau and Masai Mara Reserve - 6 nights/7 days
The special rate valid in the low season 01-30 Jun & 01 Nov - 14 Dec and represents a saving of US$340.00 per person on the high season rate. High season rate applies 01 Jan - 31 Mar & 1 July - 14 July.
An amazingly great value safari covering two of the main game viewing areas and their highlights in Kenya. The offer includes all flights and transfers, meals, accomodation and activities on the ground in Kenya. Highlights of the safari include high quality of guiding in off the beaten track bush camps. No bling just a good value safari in one of the highest rated safari camps on Trip Advisor.
Read more about Laikipia and Masai Mara Safari special ENQUIRE NOW
Offbeat Kenya
$ 3698
Laikipia and Masai Mara - 8 nights/9 days
The price includes all flights and transfers, meals, accomodation and activities on the ground in Kenya. Highlights of this trip include horse riding, fly camping and walking in Laikipia along with exceptional gameviewing without the masses in both Laikipia and the Masai Mara
Zambia Explorer
$ 5570
South Luangwa NP and Lower Zambezi river - 11 days/10 nights
The Zambia Explorer uses camps which are extremely comfortable, small and intimate and all with en suite bathroom with hot and cold running water. On the walks, which are taken at a slow pace (not an army route march), there are porters who carry refreshments and any extra equipment you may wish to take. The drives are in open four wheel drive vehicles, with 3 tier seats for uninhibited viewing, and no more than 6 people are taken at a time to avoid discomfort in the vehicle. Boating, Canoeing and fishing on the lower Zambezi is available as a morning or afternoon excursion - the choice is yours!
The Botswana Explorer
$ 8972
Okavango Delta, Kwando Concession, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls - 16 days/15 nights
All camps are of a high comfort standard, small and intimate with en suite hot and cold water. All the game drives are in open four wheel drive vehicles with uninhibited game viewing. Boating and canoeing is also available in each camp.
This region forms the heartland of the proposed immense Upper Zambezi Trans-frontier conservation Area straddling Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe - one of the greatest wilderness areas on the planet.
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
There are some excellent walking safari options in South Africa, Namibia, Malawi and elsewhere in East Africa - as a rule, the best options are in Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania - as simple as that.
Traditional walking safaris' combine well with canoe or riding safaris or add some more adventure activities like white water rafting. Water based activities after a walking safari add great variety to your safari.
Safari Types
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 | Riding Safaris
Back to Types of Safaris
