WHY HOLIDAY IN AFRICA?
Africa is home to all the bona-fide cool stuff. Formidable landscapes, fascinating history and of course incredible wildlife. Elephants, leopards, lions, you name it, Africa claims it. Zebra! Yes, plenty of zebra. Giraffe! Oh yes, lots of them. And then another trillion forms of animal life to marvel at. Showcasing everything from The Big Five, to The Little Five, birds, bushveld and enough critters to make you go cuckoo (and yes they have them too) you don’t go to Africa and walk away with a simple shrug and a “hmm not bad.” No way. You walk away with a newfound appreciation for the continent that takes first prize for WOW.
MY TRAVEL TIPS
A minimum of two nights at any safari camp is essential to allow for a full, 24-hour experience that starts before dawn with a sunrise game drive.
Seeing African safari wildlife in their true natural habitats completely immerses you in a world of wonder and joy, where you can experience all manner of animals up close in a non-invasive, respectful and sustainable way.
MY SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHLIGHTS
There is nothing more spectacular than experiencing a private game reserve. A typical day includes an early morning game drive, before returning to camp for a hearty full breakfast. The days are spent relaxing, maybe with a short guided walking safari or lunch with an information talk from an expert local guide. You’ll have plenty of time for some RnR, before setting off on your second, late afternoon game drive to seek out the animals waking from their sleep and playing with their young as they wake them up before they go on the hunt for dinner.
The private camps are so special that you can be exposed to the BIG FIVE in just 48 hours: Lion, Leopard, Black Rhino, Elephant, Elephant and African Buffalo or, if you were as lucky as I was, I saw seven which included Giraffe and Wild Dogs. It doesn’t get any better than at sunrise and sunset though when you’ve got the best opportunity to see a few big cats wandering past.
With spectacular Table Mountain at its helm, I believe Cape Town is one of the world’s most visually impressive cities. Along with its beauty, it also offers incredible wining and dining experiences – check out the V&A Waterfront!
Explore up the coast and you’ll be treated to an abundance of vineyards – highly recommend stopping at Nederburg Wines for a tasting – their merlot is divine!
BEST TIME TO GO
To have the best chance of seeing the animals is in the cooler months of May to October.
