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Zimbabwe Elephant, Top Africa Safari Experience

The Top Safari Experiences Through Africa’s Wilds

Africa is a continent of sheer diversity where you will find an abundance of natural beauty, colourful traditions, authentic tribes and the Big Five. More than just luxury lodges and sweeping savannahs, each day in the African bush is as unpredictable as the next. Our Travel Designers are experts in planning luxury safari holidays in Africa – explore some of our favourite experiences. 

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s world heritage site Mana Pools, has rightly earnt the reputation of hosting the finest parklands in Africa. Accompany a leading wildlife filmmaker on a shoot in the African bush, canoe down the Zambezi and observe large hippo and crocodile populations and traverse Matusadona’s vast plains and majestic mountains, in search of the Big Five.

Start your adventure in the heart of Zimbabwe’s largest park; Hwange. Somalisa Camp brings nature quite literally to your doorstep, promising intimate encounters with majestic creatures and is the perfect camp of which to venture into the wilds of Hwange on horseback. We recommend staying at Pamushana Lodge in the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve to catch a rare sighting of the elusive black rhino. To conclude your trip, wake up just 10km downstream of Victoria Falls in Gorges Lodge. Witness this magnificence from helicopter, or for a rush of adrenaline, white-water raft, zip line and bungee jump over the dramatic gorge.

Mozambique

Mozambique is a vibrant country with opportunity for both marine and terrestrial safari. Take a helicopter flight to the Bazaruto Archipelago; ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean.’ The barefoot luxury of Benguerra island boasts colourful fish, playful dolphins and different turtle species. Embark on a plethora of experiences from the comforts of your eco-lodge, Azura Benguerra. Ride horseback along the island before swimming with the horses or, a more peaceful excursion amongst serene surroundings, canoe down the Pungue River.

Stay in a luxurious mobile fly camp on the inhabited islands of the Quirimbas Archipelago; an intriguing blend of cultures. Take a speedboat to search for wild dolphins before joining them in the water, or accompanied by an expert guide, try your hand at spearfishing. For a truly wild experience, climb an inselberg to work up an appetite for a beautifully prepared dinner in the Niassa Reserve, before sleeping under the stars.

South Africa

From the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town to the vast expanse of game-rich areas, South Africa is ‘A World in One Country.’ Assist Veterans for Wildlife on their anti-poaching project by black rhino notching in the Phinda Game Reserve. Float peacefully above the Sabi Sands Reserve on a memorable hot air balloon safari and take a helicopter over Blyde River Canyon. Or for a little more adrenaline-fuelled adventure, raft down the beautiful Orange River in the Richtersveld National Park.

Begin your safari experience at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat in Western Cape and embark on an enriching tour of the ancient paintings which adorn this landscape, giving insight to a spiritual and cultural legacy of mankind’s oldest tribes. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is another luxurious lodge to spend a few nights, the exclusivity of this nature-rich area guarantees a few sightings of the Big Five.

Kenya

Discover the conservation efforts protecting this wondrous land, stretching from the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro to the coastline of the Indian Ocean. Home to ancient civilizations, Pelorus have built a special relationship with the local Maasai Tribe; spend a day with the community and head into the wilds with the Lion Guardians.

Stay in the heart of the rhino conservation efforts, at Borana Lodge in the Laikipia region. Here, you can embark on an intense training session with the rangers. Also in the Laikipia region, is Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy. From here, take to the skies in a helicopter above Mount Kenya, the Samburu and the famous geological Great Rift Valley. Only a short trip away, are the Lewa Wilderness lodges; horse ride to breakfast set amidst the African bush, before spending the afternoon soaring around Mount Kenya in a quirky yellow biplane. Spend a couple of nights at Giraffe Manor, where giraffes pop their heads through the windows at breakfast.

Botswana

Delight in fine-tuned game interaction in these luscious lands, due to fewer visitors and the wildlife preservation which goes on here. Boat safari through the Okavango Delta and sleep under the stars on the banks of the Boteti River. Check out one of the highest Cheetah populations in Southern Africa in the Kalahari Game Reserve and learn about the San people from nomadic Bushmen on an authentic walking safari, before delighting in a fresh picnic spread in the renowned Deception Valley.

Enjoy a couple of nights at Khwai River Lodge, remote in the Moremi Game Reserve. Be captivated by the treasures of the boundless night sky and use a telescope to focus in on Southern Hemisphere constellations. Africa’s iconic Jack’s Camp, located on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans has maintained its exuberant 1940’s design, featuring private verandas and plunge pools overlooking the salt pans; an exciting camp to unwind from your days in the bush.

Rwanda

Known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ home to volcanic mountain forests and mystical jungle. Begin your stay at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, nestled in the bamboo rainforest of Volcanoes National Park, this is the perfect location to track Rwanda’s famous inhabitant; the gorilla. Stay a couple of nights in Virunga Lodge in the Musanze region, known for some of the best bird watching due to its luscious terraced gardens.

Only a short distance away, also in the Musanze region is Singita Kwitonda Lodge. Immerse yourself in the interactive and highly educational Conservation Room to learn more about the endangered gorillas. Travel south to one of the oldest rainforests in Africa; the remote Nyungwe National Park, where you will conclude your trip with a stay at One&Only Nyungwe House. Take a guided chimpanzee trek through the wilderness and be welcomed by a chorus of shrieking, as you move with them through the trees.

Tanzania

Tanzanian safaris offer a myriad of opportunities; witness the Great Migration on the Serengeti plains, encounter tribal cultures and conclude your trip on the tropical sands of Zanzibar. Delight in the rare opportunity to involve yourself in the Maasai Mara’s crucial conservation work: collaring a lion, wild dog or elephant. With exclusive Pelorus access, observe the connection researchers develop with cheetahs and aid habitat restoration programmes to protect this magnificent species.

The Highlands, set on the verdant slopes of Olmoti Volcano in the Ngorongoro region is the perfect secluded getaway. Climb the Empakaai Crater as you travel through the sensational Maasai land, and lay eyes upon the famed soda lake; a pink sensation of flamingos. Conclude your stay at Singita Mara Camp on the banks of the Mara River in the Serengeti, home to some of the best game viewing on African soil.

Namibia

There is a lot more to this stark desert than meets the eye, home to ancient desert, authentic tribesmen and prolific wildlife. Take to the skies over the mesmerising Skeleton Coast, learn the ways of the San Bushman village and embark on a walking safari to find the endangered black rhino species and the enigmatic cheetah.

Begin your Namibian adventure in the majestic hilltop lodge of GocheGanas in the GocheGanas Nature Reserve; visit the Stone Age caves for an intriguing insight to the area. Located on the banks of the Kunene River and only accessible by air, Serra Cafema. Home to the semi-nomadic Himba people, they have made the barren landscape of Kaokoland their dwelling. Deep within the Namib desert, is the entirely sustainable Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Tracking animals against a stark dune backdrop is an unusual experience as you watch them move freely without borders. Conclude your time in Namibia at Onguma The Fort, situated in the Etosha National Park, this property is ideal to witness magnificent game and Namibia’s striking sunsets.

Zambia

Track cheetah and hyena with lead conservationists on the Liuwa Plains. Follow the second largest wildebeest migration on earth, by land or kayak. You may even be lucky enough to witness the bat migration in Kasanka National Park, an unforgettable sight as 8 million giant fruit bats descend on a small area to feed. Take scenic helicopter flights to lagoons and beautiful bird colonies before delighting in a traditional braai on the Luwi Riverbed and sleeping out under the stars.

Stay in the luxurious Tongabezi Lodge in the Livingstone region, 15km upstream of Victoria Falls. The “Adventure capital” of Africa offers the chance to white water raft, abseil down epic rock faces, bungee jump from amazing heights and take scenic flights over the falls. Also in the same region, the epitome of elegance and style; The Royal Livingstone. Take a sunset cruise down the River Zambezi in a perfectly restored steam locomotive. Floating meters away from wild animals on the water’s edge whilst feasting on an exquisite menu is the perfect way to end your Zambian adventure.

Gabon

A kingdom largely unexplored, where pristine beaches meet savannahs, forests and mangroves… this is an off-grid explorer’s paradise.

Wander the Atlantic beaches sighting mythic surfing hippos and the migration of humpback and killer whales. Head out before dawn from your luxury tented camp, on a wild fishing experience on the Sette Cama, abundant with unique species. Take a helicopter over the Ivindo National Park to see the variations in vegetation and savannah plains; also home to the iconic Langoué Baï forest clearing, which welcomes all sorts of creatures throughout the day. Our unique Pelorus bonds have allowed for the opportunity to experience the Bwiti rituals with the local Lambarene community, also home to the famous Albert Schweitzer Hospital surrounded by natural lakes and the Ogooue river.

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