Drumbeat Winter 18

The Aardvark Safaris ‘TRAVEL DOCTORS’ • We’re planning a holiday to celebrate my 50th birthday. We’ll be travelling with children of 12 and 17. I’m worried about sleeping under canvas and hate bugs. What would you suggest? ALICE ANSWERS: Happy Birthday! There are countless accommodation styles on safari and visitors are often amazed by the incredible comfort found in the bush. These days ‘canvas’ rarely means a small tent. More likely you’ll find canvas walls, a thatched roof, spacious en-suite bedroom, and private viewing deck. There are plenty of family tents too, with interconnecting bedrooms so you can all sleep under one roof. If that doesn’t appeal, there are lots of wonderful lodges where rooms are built of stone or wood. You can enjoy the wilderness during the day but pretty much eliminate meeting any unwanted visitors at night. The African winter (May to October) is often the best time to visit as it’s warm during the day and cool at night; it just so happens that there are fewer creepy crawlies too. A travel dilemma? Our team of experts is on hand to help • Our extended family is celebrating several big birthdays and a wedding anniversary next year. We’ll be a party of 13, with ages ranging from 8 to 80. We’d love a mix of safari, riding and the beach. What could we do? LOUISA ANSWERS : Africa caters wonderfully for multi-generational family holidays and Kenya would be particularly brilliant for you, offering an incredible safari, a range of activities and a stunning coast line. We’d be able to keep travel to a minimum too, which is so important when travelling in a large group. You could spot elephant, lion, cheetah, buffalo, zebra, giraffe and more in the famous Masai Mara and you’d have great fun if you took over a camp on an exclusive basis here. Then I’d suggest you fly north to a private house in Laikipia or Lewa, where you can ride, mountain bike, walk, swim, fish, and sleep out. Then a short flight to the beautiful Kenyan coast where there are a handful of lovely private villas. Or perhaps end on a real high and take a private island off the coast of Tanzania? We love arranging trips like these as the possibilities are endless. • I’ve been to the Masai Mara in Kenya and the Kruger in South Africa. I think I’ve ‘done’ safari but my fiancée wants to go for our honeymoon. What is there different we could do? RICHARD ANSWERS: Assuming it’s a summer wedding, and you’re keen to combine some relaxation with your safari, I’m going to make two suggestions: Zambia and Lake Malawi or Southern Tanzania and Zanzibar. I’d choose the safari areas to allow you to walk and boat as well as drive, ringing the changes for you while still giving your new bride the chance to get close to Africa’s iconic species. Lake Malawi gives you beach and watersports, while still feeling very much part of Africa. Zanzibar on the other hand can come before or after safari, or both – logistically it’s that easy. If you do choose both you can relax after your wedding, then safari, and take stock at the end. • A safari has been on the bucket list for years but I don’t want to go somewhere crowded. Where’s the best place to go? JO ANSWERS: We pride ourselves on keeping our guests off the beaten track. Even in the well-known parks, we use camps in private concessions to keep you away from the crowds while not compromising on your wildlife experience. The Okavango Delta in Botswana where the government’s high cost low impact policy keeps visitor numbers low would be one suggestion, along with Ruaha National Park in Tanzania, a rarely visited gem where the wildlife gets better and better each year. It’ll come down to time of year really, but there is always somewhere great to go, so just get in touch and we can start planning. www . aardvarksafaris.co.uk l P9 AARDVARK SAFARIS recommends H