Drumbeat UK Autumn 16

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Stayed in a luxury lodge, try a mobile safari
In our opinion ‘a mobile’ is one of the best ways to experience
safari. You can do a walking mobile, riding mobile, canoeing
mobile and even a flying mobile. The standard is to use your
portable camp, safari vehicle and private guide to explore
whatever wilderness area you have chosen. If you’ve done
the lodge based safari, do try one of these – it’s a whole new
experience, and wonderful way to see the bush.
Seen the gorillas, then what about chimps in Mahale? Trips to track the
mountain gorillas are one of the most rewarding of all we organise. If these magnificent
animals have captivated you, then you’ll very likely enjoy some time with chimpanzees
too. In remote western Tanzania, and tucked into a magical setting at the foot of the wild
Mahale mountains, Greystoke Mahale is a remarkable lodge. Stay a few days and you’ll
get a unique glimpse of chimp life in the adjacent forest, along with the chance to swim in
mountain pools, kayak in the lake or just relax on the warm sand with a drink in hand.
Climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, why not try
Mount Kenya next? Kili is the famous one, but Mount
Kenya is Africa’s second highest peak and offers a fantastic
technical climb to the summit. Tarns and alpine meadows; exotic,
equatorial, high-altitude vegetation; sunbirds, hyrax and soaring
eagles make the walk around the peaks one of the most beautiful
expeditions in the East African mountains.
Enjoyed Mauritius, then you’ll love island hopping
in the Seychelles Mauritius’ sophisticated resorts are
a great choice for comfort and relaxation at the end of a
safari and if you’ve enjoyed a stay here then we’d highly
recommend a visit to the Seychelles. Island hop for a
week or so and you’ll see the best of this unspoilt paradise
of pristine palm-fringed beaches and unspoiled tropical
reefs. Accommodation options range from romantic
small hotels to private islands – something for
everyone whether families, honeymooners or friends
travelling together.
Done a Zambezi canoe safari, then an Ibo Island dhow safari will appeal
One of the most intriguing mobile safaris we’ve come across is a dhow safari in the
Quirimbas Archipelago. This watery adventure explores a beautiful, barely visited
coastline, camping on uninhabited islands and snorkelling and kayaking along the route.
A world away from canoeing on the Zambezi, the ethos is much the same and it’s great for
adventurous types and water lovers.
Flown in a small plane, try a balloon Light aircraft are the taxis of
the African bush and most of our safaris involve a flight transfer at
some point. A convenient way to get from A to B, they also
give a great view of the landscape unfolding below.
A more leisurely aerial way to view the African
wilderness is to take a hot air balloon. Drifting
silently over the plains as the sun rises is as idyllic
as it sounds and with options in Tanzania, Botswana,
Zambia and Namibia there’s plenty of choice.
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Been there and
done that? Try this
There are many incredible safari experiences on offer in Africa and
it’s sometimes tricky to choose just what you want to do. If you’ve
liked something on a previous trip it’s a little easier to suggest
what you’d enjoy next time. Here are some ideas to tempt you:
Scuba’d in the Indian Ocean, try fresh water
diving in Lake Malawi OK, so it’s not an ocean, but at over
550km long and 75km wide Lake Malawi is pretty big. Experts
reckon there are up to 1,000 species of rainbow-coloured
cichlid fish in the lake and in places it’s akin to swimming in a
tropical fish tank they’re so prolific. A handful of really lovely
properties scattered along the shoreline, and an easy hop from
Zambia’s safari areas, makes it a perfect safari add-on.
Did a safari honeymoon, how about going back
with the family? Remember that carefree safari honeymoon?
Always wanted to go back but now you have children to consider
too? All is not lost! I know we may be a bit biased, but a safari
really is one of the best family holidays you can do. The wildlife
will amaze and enthral, there’s tremendous variety, and family
houses and tents make accommodation easy. Add time on the
beach and you’ve got the perfect family holiday.
Ridden in Kenya, then try Botswana So you’ve galloped across the plains of
Kenya’s Masai Mara and could be forgiven for thinking there’s nothing to match that
exhilarating experience. You’d be wrong though as Botswana offers extraordinary riding
safaris too. Whether it’s splashing through a tributary of the mighty Okavango Delta, riding
with elephant and wild dog in Mashatu or crossing the shimmering Makgadikgadi Pans you
won’t be disappointed by the wonderful scenery, horses, wildlife and guides.
Slept in a tent, you must try fly camping If you’ve enjoyed
a tented safari then can we persuade you to take a step further
and try a night fly camping? Sleeping on a bed roll under a simple
mosquito net with the African night on full beam above is one of
those ‘must try’ extraordinary African experiences. Lots of camps
offer a night in the open and while the degree of luxury varies from
opulent to simple they’ll all give you a night to remember.