Some help with making your decisions

For "first-timers"...

We recommend either East (Tanzania or Kenya) or Southern Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Malawi) – don’t try combining the two regions in one trip.

• East Africa has been the traditional choice for most, historically dominated by “package tours”. Best for safari and beach combinations – very popular July to September and January/February.
   
• Southern Africa offers significantly more choice and over the last 20 years its safari industry has seen better development. Best for wildlife – good at anytime of year.

• Find out more about all of our safari destinations...

For "seasoned travellers"...

Birding: anywhere is good from November to April! Uganda, Gabon, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa offer amongst the best safari habitats for birders. Absolute best is late October to mid December.

Gorillas: permits for mountain gorillas in Uganda/Rwanda are easy; lowland gorillas in Gabon need time/patience/tolerance; options in CAR/Congo are good and as yet not mainstream. Any time of year.

Chimps: Kibale in Uganda, Mahale in Tanzania offer totally different experiences. Any time of year. Expect some tough tracking in June and January.

Big game: Luangwa, Mana Pools, Hwange, Matusadona, Moremi, Linyanti, Chobe, Katavi, Selous, Ruaha – dry season peaks in October.

Lions: Lower Zambezi, Okavango and Linyanti from May to November; Queen Elizabeth NP’s Ishasha area for tree-climbing lions; Katavi’s Kapapa River in September to November; Kidepo Valley in north Uganda. Hwange has the biggest black maned lions around.

Elephants: Mana Pools, Linyanti, Chobe, Hwange, the Luangwa, Selous, Katavi, Amboseli.

Wild dogs: Moremi and Linyanti in June; Hwange anytime; Selous in July/August; South Luangwa in green season.

Leopards: the South Luangwa, lower Zambezi and southern Kafue anytime between May and October

Cheetah: go to Okavango or Linyanti, Namibia, Hwange all year or Kenya’s Mara from June to October

Wildebeest migration in East Africa: use a mobile camp or take a walking safari and go late October/early November to northern Serengeti.

Wildebeest migration in southern Africa: join a small group and go to Liuwa Plains in western Zambia in December, May or June; visit the Makgadikgadi Pans around March.

Bats! Visit Zambia in November for the convergence of millions of “straw-coloured fruit bats” as they descend on Kasanka National Park

History and culture: visit Ethiopia and the historical sites of Axum, Lalibela, Gondar and Bahir Dar; explore Lamu or Stonetown for Swahili culture; explore some of South Africa’s recent past through battlefields and townships.

Safari-Beach combinations: go to Kenya or Cape Town in February/March; Zambia and Mozambique in September/October; Seychelles in May to September; Madagascar in October/November; and for fresh water beaches combine Katavi with Mahale or the Luangwa with Malawi between May and October.

Active safaris: canoe the lower Zambezi anytime of year; take a walking safari in Mana Pools, Hwange, the Luangwa, the Serengeti or Selous between June and October; go trekking in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains for the Rwenzoris from Uganda.

Educational encounters: go to Victoria Falls to walk with lions and take an elephant back trail; do work as a chimp caregiver on Ngamba Island; assist with lion research in Hwange; spend some time anywhere in the company of the best guides

Family safaris: get the kids active in the Kenyan bush and beaches; combine Victoria Falls with Botswana or Zambia; take a malaria free safari to the Kruger and Cape;

Secluded spots: seek out some real gems in Tanzania’s western corridor; venture further north on Kenya’s coast or the northern Frontier District; visit the Kidepo Valley and Semliki in Uganda or Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.

...or continue with safari planning

Safari seasons

Our seasons have a significant influence trip timing.  The Zambezi, Kavango, Kafue and Luangwa rivers play a big role in some activities in Southern Africa.  "Short and long rains" have a very direct impact on the seasonal migrations in East Africa.  We've included some background info and a table to simplify - go there...

Medical matters

We don't dispense medical advice. Instead we've included some brief summaries on things that you should consider plus web links to additional info sources - go there...

Insurance

Insurance is a pre-requisite for any safari - you simply can't join us if you don't have it.  We've tried to de-mystify the topic with some basic explanations and web links to providers - go there...

Air fares

Air tickets will generally make up a large cost of your total safari.  There're ways of obtaining discounted airfares if you plan correctly - find out more...  

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