Other types of safari include riding, cameling, elephanting, cycling, walking, ballooning and canoeing. Please ask us for details.
Riding
A wonderful way to see game and is available in South Africa at Macatoo, in Malawi at Nyika and in Kenya at Offbeat. Please contact us for more details on the seasonality and best mix. Camel safaris are available in Northern Kenya and Elephant Back Safarisin Botswana.
Walking Safaris
In general these are available in all safari areas. Walking takes place with an armed guide and usually with vehicular back up. Safaris take the form of walks of about 7 to 15km per day between either permanent camps or mobile/fly camps set up by a back-up team. Shorter day walks for an hour or two are also generally available. The Camps, in whatever form, always have showers, comfortable beds, good food and drink.
There is such a huge variety it is impossible to list all the locations. Of particular note would be: in the Serengeti in Tanzania with Nomad Safari Guides, in Botswana with Elephant Back Safarisor in the Selinda, in the Kenyan Highlands at Lewa Wildernessand Kitich Camp, in the Namibian Namibnaucluft Reserve from Wolwedans Dune Campand in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. A favourite of ours is to have a night or two, whilst staying at Sand Rivers Selousin Southern Tanzania, on one of their fly camps, situated on sand banks in dry river beds. Tucked up in bed, the African sky visible through your 'mosie' net and with the sounds of Africa all around, is something not easily forgotten. South Africa also has some excellent walking interspersed with trekking in coastal and marine reserves. Please see CCAfrica's Walking Safaris in Ngalaor Phinda Walking safaris and at Honeyguide Tented Campin the Kruger. Please contact us for more details.
Cycling Safaris
Relatively new, these safaris, travelling through reserves and wilderness areas, are becoming very popular. Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa and Botswana all offer different options. These range from an afternoon's biking safari in the Tarangire Conservation area to a full blown biking safari taking several days. In Botswana's Tuli Blockat Mashatu you can spend a few days at a lodgemixing 4x4, bike and horseback safaris.
Ballooning
A wonderful way to see game. Ballooning is available in the Masai Mara in Kenya, the Serengeti in Tanzania, the Pilanesburg and Drakensberg in South Africa, and in Namibia in the Namibnaucluft Desert.
Deserts
The Kalahari Desert in Botswana and Namib Desert in Namibia each offer incredible wilderness experiences -see, for example Sossussvlei Wilderness Campand Sossussvlei Mountain Lodge. Walking in the mountains of Namibia on well marked trails, crossing the Makgadikgadi pans on an ATV mini 4x4 or a major expedition to Desolation Valley in the Kalahari are all options. There is dune skiing near Swakopmund and off-road driving in many wilderness areas. For small groups it's worth considering a 4x4 safari to northern Namibia and Koakaland. This rock desert is very wild, inhabited by untouched tribes people and combines well with the Skeleton Coast. In Oman and Dubai there are endless opportunities to explore the deserts on a private safari.
Whales and Sharks
In South Africa, mostly off the Cape between Hermanus and Plettenberg, Southern Right Whales breed and nurse their young between June and November. They can be seen from the coast and also from authorized inflatable boats at very close proximity. The Great White Shark can also be seen along the coast viewed from the safety of a boat or from inside a submerged cage at very close quarters. There is good marine life off the Dolphin coast on South Africa's north east coast where there are leatherback turtle nesting sites, whales, and wonderful diving.
Diving
Where to start?! There is a huge range of locations to choose from. Zanzibar - for example, Breezes Beach Club, Ras Nungwiand Fundu Lagoon; Kenya - including Hemingway's, Kipunganiand Funzi Keys; Mozambique (our favourite) - with Benguerra Island Lodgeand Indigo Bay; South Africa at Rocktail Bay; and Malawi (fresh water) at Kaya Mawa, are all notable.
River Adventures
These are available all over, but the Zambezi River which borders Zimbabwe and Zambia and the Orange river in South Africa are the main venues. Canoeing is offered at Chikwenyain Zimbabwe and on the Lower Zambezi at Chiawain Zambia and also in the Luangwa Valley in Zambia at Remote Africa's Tafika Camp. The Victoria Falls area has a plethora of activities including white water rafting, wave surfing, boogie boarding and canoeing. Kenya's highlands and the Kruger Park in South Africa also offer good water based adventures.
Other general expressions and jargon that you might come across in relation to bush accommodation:
Shared ablutions
We generally don’t use these unless its a group of friends.
Adjacent bush loo and shower
Occasionally these are adjacent to your tent. Thankfully getting rare. En-suite Safari Bathroom
Describes a complete bathroom that is part of, but occupies a separate section within, your tent and which generally has an enamel basin, a cupboard/stand with pails of hot and cold water, towels, soap, shampoo, conditioner etc and a bucket shower cubical with hot and cold water filed on request. These bathrooms can sometimes be open to the air and have walls made from reed not canvas. En-suite bath and shower
Self explanatory. All permanent camps and lodges have these, and they range from the functional to the outrageously luxurious. In fact, bathrooms throughout Africa are normally innovative and imaginative, pushing the theme to limits not normally considered to be within the context of a bathroom. Bucket shower
A canvas bucket on a pulley that is filled with hot water from outside. Normally it has a pull stop/start chain to release and stop the water. Excellent after a hot dusty safari but …old hands use water sparingly when lathering or you get left starkers covered in soap and no water! Good for water conservation in dry areas, authentic and atmospheric. Bush shower
A bucket shower as above but set up in a discreet location within camp, sometimes with an open, but private, side, providing a shower with a view. Long Drop
A smart thunder box set over a 5ft pit within your bathroom. Usually has spoil to back fill but efficient and un-smelly. Environmentally kind and authentic safari kit.
Long drop loo
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Short Drop
As above but set over a 2ft pit with ash from fire provided as backfill which acts as a natural domestos. Normally used on light mobile safaris only. Chemical loos
Rare but highly portable and practical if a little urban in a bush environment. Chemicals are not good for the environment so we generally discouraged their use. Flush loos
“Comme chez vous” but remember that these use as much water in one flush as a Maasai herdsman uses in a single day. See our Responsible Tourism page on the home page for more about environmental awareness and ways of avoiding a negative impact on the fragile environments you visit. Safari Kit and Clothes Genuine bush clothing and accessories are available from http://www.safarigear.co.uk/.
