- Africa
- Africa : 1 : Best countries for safari
- Africa : 2 : Best locations for safari
- Africa : 3 : The cost of safari
- Africa : 4 : Best time of year for safari
- Africa : 4a : Best locations in January
- Africa : 4b : Best locations in February
- Africa : 4c : Best locations in March
- Africa : 4d : Best locations in April
- Africa : 4e : Best locations in May
- Africa : 4f : Best locations in June
- Africa : 4g : Best locations in July
- Africa : 4h : Best locations in August
- Africa : 4i : Best locations in September
- Africa : 4j : Best locations in October
- Africa : 4k : Best locations in November
- Africa : 4l : Best locations in December
The best countries for safari in Africa
Africa
contains around a dozen
safari countries
a vast diversity of safari experiences
Africa contains around a dozen countries which offer serious safari, with each one offering a unique range of landscapes, wildlife, lodges and experiences.
There is also a range of further countries which offer complementary elements such as tropical beaches, archaeology and culture.
Deciding which country or countries might be right for your trip will depend on a lot of factors, most prominent amongst which are your levels of outdoorsiness, your specific interests, your previous safari experiences, the time of year and your budget.
It sounds complicated, but we can usually figure out the right answers during the course of a quick phone call.
enough diversity of experience
to keep you busy for a lifetime
If you are on your first safari, chances are very high that you will visit one of three countries …
Tanzania offers the most diverse and adventurous safari, with vast volcanic landscapes, epic wildlife (including the Serengeti migration) and tribal cultures.
Botswana offers the purest and highest quality safari in Africa, with vast remote landscapes and superb wildlife interaction.
South Africa offers the widest range of lodges, with prices ranging from very high, all the way down to the lowest cost on the continent.
If you dig a little deeper, you will find that all of the countries below offer something unique and special. You will soon discover why so many of our guests get hooked.
Safari isn’t some much of a vacation, it’s a life-long addiction.
the ideal country for your trip
Safari countries …
Tanzania is a truly remarkable country, with far more than its fair share of Africa’s crowned jewels, including Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, with guest accommodation in around 350 good quality lodges, offering a very wide range of safari, cultural and marine activities.
the richest and most diverse safari country
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa and the leading location for safari and tropical beach combinations.
Although best know for Serengeti, the country also contains a huge range and of quality safari locations.
Whilst Kilimanjaro is the largest and best known summit, the country contains several fascinating mountain ranges.
In between there are some gorgeous rural areas, notably in the tea and coffee plantations.
The country also has 700km of tropical coastline with the most remarkable beaches and reefs.
No wonder so many people continue to find Tanzania so alluring, despite the ever increasing prices.
Take a look around the key areas of Tanzania …
The northern safari region is centred on the fabulous Serengeti with its incredible migration.
Close by and usually visited in combination is the awesome Ngorongoro Crater.
Of the reserves in the south of the country, Ruaha is by far our favourite.
Whilst in the remote west, the chimpanzee experience at Mahale Mountains is second to none.
In the northeast, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest walkable mountain in the world.
Down on the tropical coast, the most popular location is the island of Zanzibar.
Access is primarily by air to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro international airports.
The Northern Parks are usually best visited by overland safari …
… but most other locations are more easily connected by internal flights.
Browse our collections of sample trips …
Botswana is widely considered to be the finest safari area in Africa, offering the purest and most pristine of wilderness experiences, with guest accommodation in a fabulous range of around 100 very high quality and famously pricey lodges, offering a very wide range of wet and dry safari activities.
the purest and
highest quality safari in Africa
Botswana is the richest, best governed, fairest and least corrupt country in Africa and one of the sunniest and most crime-free places in the world.
The country has a very strong conservation ethos, with over 30% of the total land area under full protection.
These arid landscapes are dominated by the vast and arid Kalahari Desert …
… with intense wildlife congregating around the few precious pans, rivers and floodplains.
Botswana contains a handful of key safari areas …
The best known location is the fabulous Okavango Delta which, remarkably, floods in the middle of the dry season.
The Linyanti Waterfront is a lesser known safari area, but right up there with the very best.
Makgadikgadi is a dry desert area which offers a remarkable range of unusual and complementary safari experiences.
The absolutely vast Central Kalahari is another dry safari area and a great contrast to the wetlands.
Chobe is a very important reserve for conservation, but safari here is rather busy and lower quality these days.
Most visitors combine two, three or four camps in these key areas over a total of 6 to 14 nights in country.
Safari accommodation in Botswana varies from relatively simple and earthy bush camps …
… to some of the most lavish, elegant and highly priced super-luxury lodges in Africa.
Access is primarily by air from Johannesburg, with easy connections to Victoria Falls and Cape Town.
The experience within Botswana is usually very clean and easy, simply hopping between remote camp locations by light aircraft.
South Africa is a vast and incredibly diverse country, with far more highlights than could ever be included in a single trip. Most people start with a combination of safari in Kruger and time in Cape Town and the Winelands, but there are many other locations and over 900 good quality lodges.
by far the most popular country for safari
South Africa is a very large country, 2.5 times the size of California, 5 times the size of the UK.
It is bounded by almost 3000km of sub-tropical and Antarctic coastlines, lined by fabulous beaches.
The majority of the interior is taken up by the relatively uninteresting semi-deserts of the Great Karoo.
The rainfall created by the coastal mountain ranges of the south give rise to the famously beautiful and fertile landscapes of the Cape.
To the east the humidity of the Indian Ocean provides more verdant sub-tropical environments.
Whilst in the northeast lie the more familiar safari landscapes of open savanna grasslands and Kalahari sandveld.
The four most popular regions of South Africa for visitors are …
The Western Cape is centred on the fabulous Cape Town, but also includes the Cape Winelands, Whale Coast, Little Karoo and Garden Route.
The Northeast Province is centred on Kruger, by far the largest and most popular safari area in the country.
The Northern Province includes the two best non-malarial safari areas of the Waterberg Mountains and Madikwe.
KwaZulu Natal includes the subtropical coastline, significant wildlife reserves and the famous Drakensberg Mountains.
By far the most popular combination for visitors is Cape Town and Kruger, usually over a 10 to 14 night stay.
Much longer trips within South Africa are eminently possible, you could easily spend months exploring the place.
Travel here is a lot lower cost than in most other African countries, due to the unusually well developed economy.
It is also popular to combine South Africa with safari in neighbouring Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
These other countries are a lot more wild and safari there is a good deal more authentic, although is also much more expensive.
Access to South Africa is primarily by air to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Travel around the country is also usually by air, with excellent services to all the main domestic hubs, as well as to neighbouring countries.
Within the Western Cape and Eastern Cape self-drive is very popular, safe and cost-effective.
In other areas access is usually by road transfers provided by the various safari and lodge operators.
There are also some famously high quality train services.
Set in East Africa, Kenya is the second most visited safari country on the continent, a place of great diversity, with some wonderful remote locations, but very busy and touristy in core areas. Guest accommodation is in a diverse range of around 120 good quality camps and lodges, offering a very wide range of safari, active, marine and cultural activities.
a mix of wonderfully remote and horribly overrun
Kenya is an extremely diverse country with a vast range of fascinating landscapes and home to an unusually broad range of cultures.
The country is the original home of the packaged safari and suffers from a great deal of low quality tourism.
Quality safaris in Kenya are definitely very much possible, but do require a certain amount of careful planning.
Kenya Southwest contains the gorgeous Maasai Mara reserve, surrounded by peaceful private conservancies.
Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru are perhaps past their best, but Lake Magadi continues to be remote and appealing.
The Kenya Southeast region features Amboseli and Tsavo, as well as the quiet backwater of the Chyulu Hills.
The Kenya North region contains well known areas like Lewa Downs and Samburu, as well as more remote options like the Mathew’s Range.
Similarly the Kenya Coast has the popular resort areas of Diani and Malindi, as well as cool backwaters like Msambweni and Tana Delta.
The majority of safari accommodation options in Kenya are very large motel style hotels.
Fortunately there’s also an expanding range of more intimate and characterful lodges …
… as well as a selection of authentic tented safari camps, particularly in the Maasai Mara.
Access is primarily through Nairobi, which is relatively well connected to North America, Europe and Asia.
Most visitors combine three, four or five stops in these key areas over a total of 10 to 18 nights.
These days virtually all quality safari trips travel by air between remote locations.
Heavy population and traffic in the central region now makes most overland safaris out of Nairobi extremely unattractive …
… although there are still some cool road routes that can be used when connecting certain remote areas.
Zambia is a substantial land-locked country in Southern Africa, best known for the Victoria Falls, but also with a handful of superb remote safari areas. Guest accommodation is in a range of around 100 largely authentic and earthy camps and lodges, many with a marked leaning towards walking safari.
an intimate and authentic safari backwater
Zambia has long since been something of a secret backwater.
Although it offers some superb safari, visitor numbers remain stubbornly low.
The bottom line is that it’s simply not on most people’s radar.
Those to do make the effort to get here are rewarded with rare levels of intimacy and authenticity.
It is a country with which those few visitors fall in love and return time and again.
The most popular area is the Victoria Falls at Livingstone.
The top safari area is South Luangwa, way over in the east of the country.
Another top safari area is Lower Zambezi, with superb camps and a very wide range of activities.
Another strong safari area is Kafue, a huge and little-visited reserve well worth considering.
Whilst Liuwa Plain is a remote and little-known safari area, an urgent conservation project with a great camp.
The lodges are generally more outdoorsy and authentic than in most safari countries.
Meaning that overall Zambia is better suited to a more outdoorsy guest.
Access is usually into the international airports at Lusaka or Livingstone, often via Johannesburg, Addis Ababa or Nairobi.
The usual way to get around the various key locations is by light aircraft.
Zimbabwe is a substantial land-locked country in Southern Africa, best known for the Victoria Falls, but also offering some of the most earthy, authentic heart-pumping safari on the continent, with guest accommodation in a range of around 50 good quality camps and lodges.
deeply authentic and hard-hitting safari
Zimbabwe is a very beautiful country with some wonderful scenic safari areas.
Unfortunately the long-running political turmoil has caused the country to become something of a safari backwater.
But the key areas of interest have always remained open and perfectly safe for safari travel.
In fact Zim offers some of the most spirited and authentic safari in Africa.
This in underpinned by superb guiding, the ZimPro license is still very much the gold standard in the safari world.
If you find lions when out on a drive, don’t be surprised if you are invited to get out and approach them on foot.
A good safari here can make other countries seem rather tame by comparison.
The most popular area is the Victoria Falls.
The top safari area is Hwange, conveniently close to Victoria Falls.
Another top safari area is Mana Pools, famed for its high octane walking safari and canoe safari.
There is a good selection of authentic and reliable camps and lodges in all the key areas.
Access is usually via the international airport at Victoria Falls, occasionally via Harare or Bulawayo.
The usual way to get around the country is by light aircraft.
Road transfers are possible between some locations, but self-drive is definitely not recommended.
Namibia is a fabulously diverse and fascinating country which offers a remarkable range of desert scenery, wildlife and culture. The naturally lower wildlife densities mean that it is perhaps best suited to more experienced or less animal-focused safari travellers. The option to self-drive makes longer trips unusually cost effective.
incredible desert scenery and wildlife
Namibia is best known for the superb and very varied desert scenery along its western side …
Sossusvlei is home to the enormous and iconic orange dunes of the Namib Desert and is one of the most popular locations to visit.
The nearby Namibrand is a renowned private reserve of wonderful rocky and sandy desert landscapes.
Twyfelfontein is another popular area further north, best known for desert elephants and rock-art.
Damaraland North is a remarkable rocky desert landscape where good numbers of wildlife are sustained by occasional waterholes.
Kaokaland West contains the ultimate remote desert scenery, with options to meet authentic Himba tribespeople.
Fish River Canyon is the second largest river erosion feature on the planet after the Grand Canyon.
These fabulous deserts are fronted by the infamous Skeleton Coast …
Skeleton Coast North is the most remote and fabulous area, offering the ultimate desert wilderness experiences.
Swakopmund is a rather bizarre Germanic town sandwiched between the angry grey ocean and the searing desert dunes.
Luderitz is another quirky port, the remote heart of the Diamond Coast, but short on decent accommodation.
The central parts of the country are generally less exciting but do contain some of the best known wildlife areas …
Etosha is the best known wildlife reserve in the country and offers the easiest and most accessible animal viewing.
Otjiwarongo is a rural district which contains two very well known animal rescue centres, mainly focused on cheetahs.
Windhoek is the capital of the country and the main transport hub, a pleasant and hassle free city.
The eastern side of the country is dominated by the Kalahari Desert, with some significant but lesser known areas of interest …
Mudumu and Mamili are two small wildlife reserves which are well worth visiting if you are self-driving up the Victoria Falls.
Tsumkwe is a remote desert area which offers some of the best opportunities for authentic Bushman interaction.
There are three main ways to get around the country …
The most popular and lowest cost way to get around is by self-drive, which is safe and easy but does involve some enormous distances.
High end travellers are able to easily and conveniently access some fabulously remote areas and lodges by light aircraft.
The ultimate way to get off the beaten track and really experience Namibia in the raw is to go on a guided overland safari.
A really broad range of lodges service these three modes of travel …
For self-drivers there is a good selection of lower cost lodges, some of which provide activities which allow you to get a little bit off the beaten track.
For those high-end fly-in guests, there are some wonderful and blissfully remote lodge options.
Guided safaris can go virtually anywhere, simply putting up camp where the aesthetics of the landscape reach a suitable crescendo.
Chad is a substantial but very little-visited country that is made up of three distinct regions, the Sahara desert in the north, the Sahelian central belt and a savanna region to the south. Safaris in this frontier country inevitably take the form of rather pricey private-guided expeditions.
for intrepid and experienced safari travellers
Set in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is an extremely diverse country, with a truly remarkable history, incredible volcanic landscapes, a wealth of diverse wilderness areas and some amazing tribal cultures. But visitor infrastructure is thin on the ground, with fewer than a dozen high quality lodges.
epic culture, history, landscapes and wildlife
The most popular region is Ethiopia North, whose highlights include …
… the famous rock-cut churches of Lalibela …
… the remarkable mountain monasteries of Gheralta …
… incredible scenery and gelada ‘baboons’ in the Simien Mountains …
… and the other-wordly volcanic scenery of the Danakil Depression.
The Ethiopia South region also contains some remarkable locations including …
… the Bale Mountains, whose diverse animals include the Simien wolf …
… the extraordinary tribes of the Southern Omo Valley …
… hyena feeding in the medieval city of Harar …
… and Africa’s second largest migration in Gambela.
Uganda is a land-locked country in east-central Africa, best known for its gorillas and chimpanzees, but also containing some superb Rift Valley scenery and savanna safari reserves. Guest accommodation is in a total of only around 30 decent lodges and camps, offering a really wide range of safari, active and cultural activities.
gorilla and chimp tracking with more earthy and adventurous lodges
Uganda is a jewel of a country which lies to the north of Lake Victoria.
It is relatively little-visited and safari infrastructure is very under-developed.
Visitors can really feel like real pioneers in some areas.
But you will need to be forgiving of shortcomings in both conservation and accommodation.
We divide Uganda into seventeen areas, of which six are most commonly visited …
Set in the southwest, Bwindi Forest is the prime location for gorillas.
A little further north, the Kibale Forest is the prime location for chimpanzees.
In between those two primate locations lies the modest savanna safari reserve of Queen Elizabeth.
In the northwest lies Murchison Falls, another area with modest savanna and forest habitats.
The most exciting safari area is the very remote Kidepo Valley, in the far north.
To the east, Jinja is famed as the source of the Nile and the location for some strong white-water rafting.
The lodges are generally less advanced than in most safari countries.
Access is usually into the main airport at Entebbe.
Most quality trips connect areas by light aircraft.
It can also be a really good idea to insert an overland segment to journey through the dramatic Rift Valley scenery in the remote west.
Surrounded by Tanzania, Burundi, DRC and Uganda, Rwanda is a highly populous little country best known for its mountain scenery, tropical forests, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and cultural interaction, plus some modest savanna safari. Guest accommodation is in only around a dozen decent quality lodges.
gorilla and chimp tracking with elegant and upmarket lodges
Almost all of Rwanda is very hilly and quite heavily populated.
There is a good deal of commercial and small scale agriculture.
Most of the country has a nice rural feel, but with an increasing network of main roads.
The main attraction are the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains to the northwest.
It is probably worth noting right from the start that visiting the gorillas is unavoidably expensive.
There are also chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest to the southwest.
There is some modest savanna safari in Akagera to the northeast, a very interesting conservation project.
But because the safari here is relatively weak, many visitors combine with Serengeti in Tanzania.
From a cultural perspective, there are also some very poignant genocide memorials, especially in the capital Kigali.
The very few decent accommodation options are mainly clustered around the gorilla areas.
Access to Rwanda is usually via the main airport at Kigali and occasionally by road from Uganda.
Getting around the country is almost always by road with a private guide and vehicle.
Set in the tropical heart of Africa, the Republic of the Congo (not to be confused with the separate country the Democratic Republic of Congo) is a relatively remote and little-visited place, home to some fabulous wildlife, most notably lowland gorillas. Guest accommodation is in just a handful of good quality lodges.
fabulous and very remote locations for lowland gorillas
At 342,000 square kilometres, Congo is about the same size as Germany or Montana, but with only 4.5 million people.
The main location of interest is the lowland gorilla area of Odzala Kokoua to the north.
The capital and point of entry is the city of Brazzaville, a relatively large but surprisingly accessible place.
Encircled by Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, Malawi is a beautiful and very authentic little country, a quiet backwater renowned for its beautiful lake and beaches, as well as some interesting safari areas. Guest accommodation is in fewer than 30 good quality camps and lodges, offering a wide range of safari and marine activities.
a real backwater, with gentle safari and lakeside beaches
Malawi is dominated by the enormous and scenic Lake Malawi, remarkably over 600km in length.
The lakeshore and islands are home to a number of good quality beach lodges.
A wide range of water-based activities are available, including sailing and kite-surfing.
Diving and snorkelling are particularly interesting due to the high numbers of endemic cyclid fish in the lake.
Safari in Malawi is not as strong as in neighbouring Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The reserves here are relatively small but contain some wonderful scenery.
However predator numbers are relatively low.
For this reason, we often combine safari in the prime South Luangwa area of Zambia with time down here on the lake.
Wherever you go in Malawi, cultural visits to local villages are a real highlight and much appreciated by the locals.
Another highlight is to stay on one of the famous tea plantations.
Malawi contains five main areas of interest …
Liwonde is the strongest and prettiest wildlife reserve in the country.
Majete is a fenced reserve which offers greater chances of predators.
The Lake Malawi area contains a handful of high quality beach lodges.
On the remote Likoma Island, Kaya Mawa is the best beach lodge in the country.
Deep in the south, Huntingdon House is the best of the tea plantation lodges.
The lodges in Malawi are generally owner-operated, simpler and lower cost than in more established countries.
Access is via the airports at Blantyre and Lilongwe, getting around largely by road.
occasionally it makes more sense
to choose supporting countries first
Supporting countries …
Mozambique is a vast and hugely under-developed country, largely visited for its fabulous and remote tropical coastline, home to around a dozen high quality lodges, which can be reached by air from Johannesburg.
fabulous under-developed tropical beaches
Mozambique was colonised by the Portuguese and has suffered enormously from internal strife since independence.
Although now stable, the lost decades have left Mozambique a long way behind in terms of travel infrastructure.
This place remains very much a frontier country for tourism with vast untouched wildernesses.
As alluring as that may seem, the reality is that extensive travel here can be expensive, difficult and unreliable.
The main exceptions are a handful of superb beach lodges along the vast 2200km frontage onto the Indian Ocean.
These coastal lodges can be easily accessed by air from South Africa, some directly from the safari areas of Kruger.
The most popular location is Bazaruto, where a string of very beautiful islands host some top beach lodges.
Cabo Delgado is a very remote area to the far north, with some great beach lodges …
The Nampula Coast includes the historic Ilha de Mocambique and some really interesting accommodation options.
The southern coast around Maputo is sub-tropical and also contains some great beach lodges.
Most people visit one or two beach lodges, usually after safari elsewhere in Southern Africa.
Set in the Indian Ocean to the east of Africa, Madagascar is a huge and remarkable island with a unique flora and fauna, from the tropical rainforests of the east to the spiny forests and tsingys of the west, all encircled by fabulous coral reefs. A truly amazing place to explore.
lemurs, biodiverse forests and tropical beaches
Madagascar is one of the largest, oldest and most diverse islands on the planet.
Isolated for almost 100 million years, the flora and fauna has developed in some very strange and exotic directions.
The catalogue of endemic species is prodigious, including 370 unique reptiles, 200 mammals and an entire branch of the primate family tree.
Top of most people’s list are the fabulous lemurs, with almost 100 species ranged across the island.
Madagascar also has some fabulous tropical islands and beaches, with excellent diving and snorkelling.
It also has a broad range of cultures, a blend of Southeast Asian, Indian and African, with a French colonial ambience.
We divide Madagascar into five distinct regions …
Madagascar East is centred on the capital Antananarivo …
… with mountain rainforest reserves at Andasibe …
… and further south at Ranomafana …
… plus beaches at the famous pirate island of Nosy Boraha (Île Sainte-Marie).
Madagascar North is centred on the historic port of Diego Suarez …
… with reserves including the mystical Montagne d’Ambre …
… the famous tsingy landscapes of Ankarana …
… the remote coastal dry forest Anjajavy Reserve to the northwest …
… the fabulous tropical beaches of the Nosy Be area …
… the coastal rainforests of Masoala to the northeast …
… and the super-luxury accommodation of Nosy Ankao.
Madagascar South is centred on the fabulous remote beaches of the Tulear area …
… plus the inland hiking and trekking areas of Andringitra …
… and the rocky mountains and dry forest hiking areas of Isalo.
Madagascar Southeast is centred on the historic port of Fort Dauphin …
… and includes the famous ring-tailed lemur area of Mandrare …
… and the fabulous coastal rainforests of Sainte Luce.
Madagascar West is centred on the fabulous tsingy area of Bemaraha …
… with Kirindy being the most likely area to see fossas …
… and the famous Avenue of the Baobabs close to Morondava.
Very remotely located in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles is a group of beautiful tropical islands, renowned for their awesome granite-bouldered beaches and superb marine life. Guest accommodation is in a decent collection of high quality lodges and resorts, the best of which are on private islands, offering a broad range of active, sports and marine activities.
very remote islands with iconic tropical beaches and high quality lodges
The islands of the Seychelles are ranged across an incredible million square kilometres of ocean.
The main airport on Mahe is 2200 km from Nairobi and 3800km from Johannesburg.
The most remote atoll of Aldabra is fully 1200km from Mahe.
Given these distances, Seychelles is rarely a convenient beach choice for combination with a safari on mainland Africa.
But if you are very keen and willing to put in the travel time, then the combination is more than possible.
Seychelles is centred on a cluster of three main islands …
The main island is Mahe, by far the most populous, but with some decent larger resorts.
The second island is Praslin, which is also most notable for its larger resorts, including the only golf course.
The third island, La Digue, is much smaller and more laid back, with no vehicles and a range of smaller hotels and guesthouses.
The group also contains several smaller and much more exclusive islands …
North Island is a fabulously beautiful place, home to one of the world’s most prestigious beach lodges.
Denis Island is a much lower lying atoll, with a much more reasonably priced lodge.
Cousine Island is a pretty little island with a really intimate and upmarket lodge.
Felicite Island is home to another relatively chic and upmarket lodge.
Silhouette Island is much larger and contains one larger resort.
Finally there is the relatively remote Bird Island, with its unusually simple and lower cost lodge.
Far beyond lie the remote Outer Islands, of which Desroches is the only one presently viable to visit.
Most trips combine lodges in two or three locations, at least one of which is usually a private island.
The Seychelles offers a wide range of largely marine activities.
The islands are renowned for having some of the most photogenic beaches in the world.
Excellent diving and snorkelling is offered in most areas.
Sailing is also widely available, often with picnics on remote and uninhabited islands.
However all longer liveaboard trips are presently unavailable due to the threat of piracy.
Other watersports include paddle-boarding and kite-surfing.
The best accommodation options are the small private island lodges, of which there are several.
There are also around a dozen good quality larger resorts, mainly on Mahe and Praslin.
Decent guesthouses are few and far between, although there are some on La Digue in particular.
Set way out in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a very remote and beautiful tropical island, with a verdant mountain interior, fabulous white sand beaches and rich coral marine life. The island has a very well established tourism industry, mainly focused on large luxury beach hotels and golf resorts.
tropical island with large resorts and golf courses
At 2000 square kilometres, Mauritius is a substantial tropical island which contains a blend of dramatic forested peaks and rich agricultural areas.
The island is fringed by classic tropical beaches and coral lagoons, especially to the east.
A wide range of water activities includes sailing, kite-surfing and kayaking.
Reasonable quality diving and snorkelling is also widely available.
The majority of areas also offer tennis, golf and other sports.
The island specialises in large and luxurious beach hotels, with lots of facilities.
There’s also several very large golf resorts of high repute.
Smaller and more intimate hotels and lodges are in very short supply.
Access is via the international airport at Port Louis.
The vast majority of visitors to Mauritius are on all-inclusive beach vacation packages.
The island is rarely combined with safari areas because it lies over 3000km from both Nairobi and Johannesburg.
The main reason to add Mauritius to a safari in South Africa is because you specifically want to avoid malarial areas.
The main reason to add Mauritius to a safari in Kenya is because you are keen on golf.
But the majority of safaris are better combined with more convenient and more remote beaches in Tanzania and Mozambique..
Set just off the coast of Gabon in West Africa, São Tomé and Príncipe is an archipelago of remote tropical islands which are renowned for their volcanic landscapes, jungle vegetation, remote beaches, chocolate plantations, indigenous culture and Portuguese colonial architecture.
chocolate islands off the west coast of Africa
The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe are located off the coast of Gabon in West Africa.
The islands are renowed for their volcanic landscapes and tropical vegetation.
The island of São Tomé is home to some impressive Portuguese colonial architecture.
Much of the old town is now in ruins …
… as well as the old plantation houses around the island.
There are scattered fishing and farming communities around the coast.
The fresh produce is truly extraordinary.
The main island has a relatively modest range of hotels.
The smaller island of Príncipe is more remote and virginal.
The island was the world’s leading producer of cacao during the 1900s.
You can see how this gets converted into chocolate at a number of locations.
One of the old plantation houses has been converted into the lovely Roca Sundy Lodge.
The island is also home to the chic Sundy Praia Lodge …
… and the slightly larger Bom Bom Resort.
The island is encircled by pretty coves and turquoise waters, with some excellent diving.
Browse our collections of sample trips …
Egypt is way better than most people could imagine. Obviously, the archaeology is incredible, but it’s not the whole deal. The Nile River is hyper-relaxing, the deserts are hypnotising and the underwater world of the Red Sea is incredible. Egyptians are wonderfully warm and relaxed, when not behind the wheel. We do have to work quite hard to avoid the crowds in some locations, but it can definitely be done.
epic history in the atmospheric Nile Valley
Egypt is one of the most entrancing countries to visit.
It is centred on the vast, sprawling and chaotic city of Cairo …
… with is mazes of historic alleyways …
… and intense culture.
To the west, the enormous and ancient Pyramids of Giza stand guard over the chaos.
Giza is a busy, but obligatory starting point for a first trip …
… not least for the remarkable new museum that has been constructed alongside.
Immediately to the south, Saqqara is a much quieter area, where the prototype pyramids were constructed.
Flying south along the Nile, we reach Luxor, the beating heart of ancient Egypt.
The vast temples of Luxor and Karnak are almost overwhelming in scale …
… whilst lesser-known and quieter sites like Medinet Habu can be even more fun to explore.
Just to the west of Luxor lies the Valley of the Queens …
… with the Valley of the Kings immediately beyond.
To the south, the incredible temples of Dendera and Abydos …
… with their intriguing secret passages.
… preferably in one of a handful of fabulous traditional dayabiyas.
Being out on the river helps you really connect with rural Egypt, visiting villages and historic sites along the way.
The laid-back city of Aswan lies alongside the First Cataract, the historic frontier with Nubia …
… where there are still more super-impressive historic sites.
Above Aswan, the High Dam creates the vast Lake Nasser …
… from which the famous temples of Abu Simbel were famously rescued in the 1970s.
How could they possibly have moved this whole thing?
To the west, there are scenic desert areas to explore …
… although security concerns means some areas are often off-limits.
Life out here is centred around a string of hugely impressive oasis settlements …
… with the remains of Roman forts and more ancient temples.
The city of Alexandria sits on the Mediterranean coastline, but rarely features in trips.
Similarly, the famous beaches of the Red Sea are rarely combined with explorations along the Nile …
… although some high quality resorts can easily be reached from Luxor and Aswan.
The Sinai Peninsula, which contains some interesting Bilblical sites, is also rarely included in Nile trips.
Egypt is usually best visited during the northern winter, Oct-Apr.
Situated immediately south of Egypt, Sudan is the third largest country in Africa, a wonderfully remote and little-visited desert nation. Most life is focused on the heavily irrigated River Nile, which is lined by an incredible diversity of ancient archaeological sites.
amazing and little-visited archaeology
Sudan is a remote and relatively little-visited desert country.
The most popular location for visiting archaeological sites is the riverside town of Karima.
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