2. Tonya Denmark is a writer,blogger and social media expert
atLuxe Travel. Tonya lives in one ofthe most popular
touristdestinations in the country andloves to travel, both to far
awaylands and close to home. Followher on Twitter @travel_luxe!The
Luxe Travel Team:Jamie Lemke is an awardwinning travel advisor,
named oneof the Best of the Best TravelAgents and Travel Agent
CentralsBest 30 agents under 30. Shespecializes in Mexico,
theCaribbean, Disney and more!Email her at
[email protected] Salentine Busby is theowner and
President of LuxeTravel. She has over 30 years oftravel experience
traveling toplaces such as Tanzania, Dubai,France and Brazil.
Connect withJacque on LinkedIn.
3. Choose a Country..4Pick a Guided Tour or Lodge.....10When to
Go.......16TABLE OF CONTENTS:
4. Most everyone has an African Safari trip on their
dreamtravel list. Seeing elephants, lions, giraffes in theirnatural
environment is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.There are a number
of countries in Africa, which one doyou choose? Do you want to
maximize the sights of eachcountry, or maximize your time in one
location?CHAPTER 1:Choose a CountryPage 4
5. Africa is a vast land and most travelers seeking African
safaritrips center on the countries in the south eastern half of
thecontinent. Weve selected five of these countries based onwhat
they offer for discerning travelers. Choosing what isimportant on
your must-see list and where you want to see itwill help narrow
down which lodge or tour to take. South Africa - South Africa is a
popular choice for its size,location and the rich diversity of
wildlife. Here you will findall the Big Five (Elephants, Lions,
Cape Buffalo, leopardand rhinoceros) as well as wildebeest,
giraffes, kudu,cheetahs, ostrich, zebra, and African wild dogs
amongother animals. There are a number of national parks
andreserves in South Africa and Kruger National Park in
thenortheast corner is one of the largest, has a highconcentration
of wildlife as well as a number of tentedcamps and lodges on site.
Singita Lebombo Lodgeboasts the highest concentration of wildlife
in the park; thearea is home to the majestic Mountain Pride of
lions.AfricaPage 5
6. Botswana, directly tothe north of South Africaalso boasts a
home to theBig Five but it may bedifficult to spot rhinothese days
as theirnumbers are dwindling inthis area. Chobe NationalPark in
northeastBotswana has one of thelargest amounts of wildlifein any
African country,especially elephants.Along the Savuti or
SavuteRiver expect to findwarthogs, kudus, impalas,hyenas,
wildebeests and ishome to the annualmigration of zebras andthe
predators that follow.CHOBE NATIONAL PARKPage 6Africa
7. Zimbabwe lies tothe north east ofBotswana. Here youllfind
yellow baboons,meerkats, zebras,elephants, African wilddogs,
hippopotamus,Nile crocodiles,warthogs and more. Insoutheastern
Zimbabwe,in Malilangwe WildlifeReserve is the SingitaPamushana
Lodge,which is home to manyendangered speciessuch as the Roan
andsable antelope, as wellas the black rhino.Page 7AfricaIn
addition to the wildlife in Zimbabwe, one of the modernwonders of
the world, Victoria Falls, is located in thenorthwestern corner of
the country. Victoria Falls NationalPark contains sizable
populations of elephant, buffalo,giraffe, zebra, Vervet monkeys,
baboons and a variety ofantelope. Lion and leopard are only
occasionally seen in thisarea, but are found in other parts of the
country.
8. Tanzania, midway along the south eastern Africancoastline,
is home to the vast Serengeti plains and Africashighest mountain,
Kilimanjaro. See lions and other Big Five inthe Serengeti National
Park along with hippos, Thomsons andGrants gazelles, elands,
waterbucks, hyenas, baboons,impalas, African wild dogs, and
giraffes.Page 8AfricaKnow when totravel with ourFree
TravelCalendar
9. Kenya is the furthestnorth of our chosencountries, and lies
on theequator. Kenya offers avariety of eco-systemsfrom the warm
IndianOcean beaches tosavannah grasslands andeven snow capped
peaksof Mount Kenya.Page 9AfricaHere youll find the great Migration
of wildebeest and Zebraas well as the Big Five, giraffe, elands,
antelopes, hipposand crocodiles in the Mara River, crowned cranes,
ostrich,hornbills and hundreds more species of birds and
wildlife.We recommend staying at ol Donyo Lodge while in
Kenya,where you can sleep out under the stars, safely perchedabove
your accommodations in a rooftop star bed.PHOTOCOURTESYOF
OLDONYOLODGE
10. Once youve decided where to go, theres still a myriad
ofoptions to choose. Each affords the opportunity to get upclose
and personal with wildlife on your African Safari trip.Decide first
if you want to maximize the sights you see in thecountry by
spending a few days in multiple locations with atour company, or if
you want to balance your time spent ongame drives with spa
treatments, and relaxing down timetogether, just the two of you at
an African lodge.CHAPTER 2:Tour or Lodge?Page 10
11. If you chose a touroperator traveling fromarea to area,
some ofyour time will be spentin the luxe AfricanLodges that dot
thereserves. A touroperators costs willinclude transportationfrom
lodge to lodge,game drives and more.Choose a tour operatorsuch as
Artisans ofLeisure, Abercrombie& Kent or MicatoSafaris to
explore thevaried countries inmultiple
locations.Additionally,Amawaterways offersunique river
cruisesallowing you toexperience the Africanplains while
leisurelyfloating down a river,only unpacking once.Photos courtesy
of Sunset KeyCottagesPage 11AfricaPHOTO COURTESY OF
MICATOSAFARIS
12. Micato Safaris are a Travel & Leisure winner nine years
running. Run bygenerations of the Pinto family whove resided in
Africa for nearly 50years, a safari is simply a way of life.The
Micato difference is that they are truly an all-inclusive
touroperator. Included in your safari are all meals, including soft
drinks,wine and beer at most lodges, all transportation, including
flightsbetween countries if needed, binoculars for every guest,
stays at thefinest Fairmont or Singita properties and at least one
stay in a tentedbush camp and all gratuities.PHOTOS COURTESY OF
MICATO SAFARISPage 12Africa
13. Page 13AfricaAbercrombie & Kent is a leader in African
Safari Trips,offering nearly a dozen local offices. A&Ks
decades ofexperience and long standing arrangements with
areareserves get you into the most desirable locations. Frommobile
camping safaris or signature lodges, attentiveservice, the great
migrations to picnics in the bush, youwill experience Africa
through an authentic immersioninto the sights and sounds of the
vast wilderness.
14. The Artisans of Leisureoffers tours in South
Africa,Botswana, Kenya andTanzania. In addition togame drives and
boatexcursions, tours may alsoinclude visits toarchaeological
sites, accessto museums, historic homesor vineyards, walking
safarisand visits with indigenousresidents to learn theirlifestyle.
Artisans of Leisureprovides a private,personalized itinerary,expert
guides and advice.Many of your stays on anArtisan tour are at
theSingita family of lodges.Page 14AfricaRead More aboutour choice
of SafariTour operators
15. If you want to stay in one lodge your entire visit, the
lodgesalso offer daily game drives, delicious meals and even
theopportunity to get in a spa visit in your down time. Thestunning
vistas, relaxed atmosphere, turn of the century luxuryand daily
game drives are all available at Singita Lodges,&Beyond or Ol
Donyo lodges.Page 15Africa&BEYOND NGORONGORO CRATER LODGE OL
DONYO LODGE
16. CHAPTER 3:When to GoDepending on what you want to see in
Africa willdetermine when you should go.Page 16
17. Some would say you can never visit Africa too many times
and notenough times to fill a lifetime. When youre going for the
firsttime, what you want to experience will help you determine
whento go.The great migrations between Tanzania and Kenya occur
from Julyto October, with early September as optimal viewing. Keep
inmind, these countries are on or south of the equator and
seasonsare opposite of what we have in the US. The further south
you go,the cooler it will be, which can make for a more enjoyable
safaritrip.If you only visit twocontinents in yourlifetime, visit
Africa -twice" ~ R. Elliot.Page 17Africa
18. Dry Season finds animals moving in thicker numbers
aroundwatering holes such as permanent lakes and rivers. The
grassand foliage is not as lush, also making it easier to spot the
landanimals. Dry seasons in each country: Kenya - January through
March and July through October Tanzania January through March, June
to November Zimbabwe July to October Botswana June to September
South Africa June to SeptemberPage 18Africa
19. Wet Season is prime viewing for bird lovers. However,
wetseason is just that; wet, hot and humid. Comfort levelsshould be
considered if you plan on traveling outside of themonths mentioned
above.Victoria Falls will run more torrential in March and
Apriltowards the end of wet season and may be more difficult toview
in its entirety due to thick spray. The shoulder seasonsof April
and October can lend to some better deals with thetour operators
and lodges, however rains are beginning tomove in during these
months and vegetation becomes fuller.Page 19Africa
20. If youre interested in planning your custom AfricaSafari
tour, request a free Vacation Quote for oneof these tours or
lodges. We will quote you theright price the first time and provide
exclusiveextras you cant get on your own.Luxe Travel Advisors
provide the best vacations withdeluxe accommodations, luxury
cruises, authenticcuisine and VIP treatment for you all over the
world its not just what we know, its who we know.REQUEST A
FREEVACATION QUOTE
