Botswana
Mokoro trips through the papyrus channels of the Okavango Delta, and big private concessions with very few vehicles.
The right camp, the right month and the right guide, so the animals you most want to see are there when you are
Safari
Safari, planned properly
A safari lives or dies on three things: where you are, when you are there and who is driving. The same reserve can be full of animals one month and quiet the next. A good guide turns a sighting into an hour you remember for years.
We plan backwards from what you want to see. River crossings on the Mara, leopards in the Sabi Sand, gorillas in the Virunga volcanoes and walking in the Luangwa Valley are all different trips, in different months, with different kinds of camp.
What this means with us
Most of our safaris use small camps on private concessions or conservancies, where vehicle numbers are limited and you are not one of 20 jeeps around a lion. Many also allow things national parks do not, such as night drives, walking and off-road driving to follow a sighting.
It also means sensible pacing. Two or three camps in a week, linked by light aircraft, show you very different country without long drives. We think about the early starts, the midday rest and the age of any children, because many camps set minimum ages for game drives or walks.
Where it works best
Our shortlist, and the reason each one earns its place.
Kenya
Conservancies bordering the Masai Mara, where vehicle numbers are limited and the wildebeest migration arrives in the dry months.
Tanzania
The Serengeti migration in all seasons, including calving on the southern plains around Ndutu, and a day in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Rwanda
Trekking to a mountain gorilla family through the bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park, with a tracker leading the way.
Zambia
Walking safaris in South Luangwa, where you follow a guide on foot and learn to read the tracks.
South Africa
Leopard sightings in the Sabi Sand beside the Kruger, and malaria-free reserves in the Eastern Cape and Madikwe for young families.
Namibia
Elephants and lions at the Etosha waterholes in the dry season, and desert-adapted elephants in Damaraland.
Zimbabwe
Canoeing past elephants on the Zambezi in Mana Pools, followed by a night at Victoria Falls.
Safari journeys
Sample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Cape Town, Franschhoek and the Sabi Sand in ten nights
Three nights above the Atlantic in Cape Town, three among the vineyards of Franschhoek, then four in the Sabi Sand for leopard. Little jet lag from the UK and a good first safari for couples.
Mara and Zanzibar: eleven nights of plains and coral
Five nights in a private conservancy on the edge of the Maasai Mara, then a short hop to the Indian Ocean for five nights on Zanzibar's quieter north-east coast. A night in Nairobi on arrival breaks the long flight.
Northern Kenya on foot: Laikipia and Samburu in eight nights
A safari for people who would rather walk than sit in a vehicle. Three nights on a camel-supported walking safari in Laikipia, three in Samburu country for the northern species, and two on the Laikipia Plateau to finish.
Places to stay that suit it
&Beyond Chobe Under Canvas
Five canvas tents at a semi-permanent site in northern Chobe, with no electricity, bucket showers, and the elephant herds of the Chobe River close by.
&Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge
Six suites between sand forest and a wetland in Zululand, with rhino tracking, the Indian Ocean coast and turtle nesting within reach.
&Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
A lodge of curved timber shingles on a private concession next to Moremi, with walks, night drives and a welcome for children of every age.
Angama Mara
Glass-fronted tents on the lip of the Rift Valley, 300 metres above the Mara Triangle, with a private road down into the reserve.
Chem Chem Lodge
Seven tented suites and a family unit among palms in the Burunge corridor, run on unhurried days with your own guide and vehicle.
Duba Plains Camp
Five tented suites on a private concession of palm islands and floodplain, famous for the lions that hunt buffalo through the water.
Questions about safari
When is the best time to go on safari?
It depends on the country and what you want to see. Across much of east and southern Africa the dry months, roughly June to October, bring animals to the rivers and waterholes and make them easier to find. The wetter months are green, quieter and good for birds and newborn animals. In Tanzania, the calving season in the southern Serengeti is early in the year. Tell us your dates and we will match the place to the month.
Is a safari suitable for children?
Yes, with the right camp. Many camps set minimum ages for game drives or walking, and some welcome children only if you book a private vehicle, which lets you set the pace and head back when they have had enough. Malaria-free reserves in South Africa are a good choice for younger children. We will suggest camps that genuinely enjoy having families.
Do we need to worry about malaria?
Several of the main safari areas are in malaria regions, and advice depends on where you go and your own health. Check the TravelHealthPro page for each country and speak to your GP or a travel clinic well before you leave. If you prefer to avoid malaria areas altogether, there are good malaria-free reserves in South Africa, and we can build a trip around them.
How many camps should we stay at?
For a week, two or three camps is right. Each move takes the best part of half a day, so more than that and you lose game drives to airstrips. Three nights at each camp lets you settle in, get to know your guide and see the area at different times of day. Longer trips can add a beach or Victoria Falls at the end.
Plan your safari
Tell us who is travelling and roughly when. A specialist will reply with places that fit and a price.